There's a great lesson here in how dog-whistle politics works. Not every person who votes No will be like…

There's a great lesson here in how dog-whistle politics works. Not every person who votes No will be like this, obviously. But every person like this will likely vote No. And that's the critical thing, and why dog-whistle politics was invented. /1 https://t.co/E6LeAg8uJD

The messaging is pitched at this sort of voter, who's normally not engaged at all, or is very disaffected and angry with society in general, and/or has deep prejudices they don't normally share, etc. The messaging gives them permission to express all of their anger. /2

But the surface level of the language sounds polite. The message to the angry is sub-audible to the polite, normally. Like a dog whistle. So both the polite and the angry (and the downright disgusting too) all now have permission to act. The dog-whistling sweeps them all up. /3

If you find the video above repulsive, but you're voting No, a very important question is how you ended up on the same team. Nearly always it means you're deaf to the dog-whistling, even though you may have the greatest intentions. And No may also be a very valid position. /4

But I'd suggest you need to be really sure you haven't been conned here, have a look at the company you're keeping. Does it seem weird you'd be in bed together? It likely means you're not hearing the dog whistle. /end