SpinnerofTales
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quote:
ORIGINAL: FirmhandKY
As I mentioned to Panda in your "nazi" thread (where he was dismissive of the fact) listen to our political leaders. Read the newspapers, watch the tv "news" and tell me that they are anything other than dismissive and insulting about anyone who doesn't agree with them.
It's why it's gotten beyond disagreement about the health care issue. That particular issue is simply the forum in which the attitude of our elected officials became so overwhelming apparent that it set off a countervailing reaction to their methods and attitudes.
Firm
quote:
As I mentioned to Panda in your "nazi" thread (where he was dismissive of the fact) listen to our political leaders. Read the newspapers, watch the tv "news" and tell me that they are anything other than dismissive and insulting about anyone who doesn't agree with them.
It's why it's gotten beyond disagreement about the health care issue. That particular issue is simply the forum in which the attitude of our elected officials became so overwhelming apparent that it set off a countervailing reaction to their methods and attitudes Firm, I think we’re getting somewhere here. While you speak of the right learning lessons from the left, you are missing out on what the left wing has actually learned in the forty years we’ve been demonstrating, rabble rousing and making noise. That may be because the republicans are just coming to the party now. So let me, and I do this as a unilateral gesture of bi-partisan good will, let you in on what us lefties have learned.
1) There is a tremendous difference between the right to speak and the right to have anyone listen. The first is guaranteed by the first amendment which I hold as sacred as do NRA members the second amendment. You have the right to go out and say just about anything you want in just about any way you want. However, everyone else has the right to listen or not as they choose. If you speak and no one listens, it isn’t your rights being taken away, it’s their rights being exercised. Even elected officials have no legal duty to listen to protests of any kind from anyone. The only obligation they have is to leave if they’re voted out of office. Therefore, just about anything that doesn’t get them voted out of office is usually ignored. Again, you can argue the right or wrong of it, but it’s a knife that cuts both ways.
2) The louder you shout, the less people listen. People don’t like strident. If you yell all the time, people start to turn off no matter what you say. Sure there is the place for big splashy demonstrations. The Tea Party march was a good example. But if you keep up that level of angry shouting all the time, you become viewed as irrational, angry mobs and no one wants to be associated with you. Six months down the road, the people who’s minds can be changed should be saying “these are people with good ideas about lessening the deficit” not “oh, those are the nuts with the swastikas”. Shocking images, enraged shouting, and such should be used very very sparingly. Otherwise, you get branded as the “lunatic fringe”
3) Extremists make people nervous: The democrats didn’t get power in their last two turns in the White House by burning flags, screaming slogans or scuffling with police. They did it by presenting an image of calm reason. Hell, they even changed their name from “liberal” to progressive just to stop being associated with that scary, tax and spend image. They moved towards the center rather than the edges. If the republicans keep shooting towards the edges, they’re just going to be angry outsiders. Move a little towards the center. It may be galling but it will make people more receptive to your message.
4) The media is nobody’s friend. They news media has no agendas. They have demographics. If ever there was a tradition of fair, impartial news gathering and reporting, it’s dead as a doornail. The news media’s agenda is now ratings and advertising sales revenue. That goes for both sides. Even if it’s true, stop yelling about the biased media. It makes you look like a conspiracy theorist and besides, it gives the news media more ammunition to make you look bad.
5) EVERYBODY gets dissed and dismissed. As a person who far prefers the term “pro-choice” to “baby killer”, “Atheist” to “Godless sinner” and far prefers “Obama supporter” to “Brainwashed liberal Obama worshipper”, I know it’s hard not to grow annoyed with this fact. Trust me, the left has learned that you don’t get anywhere fighting over the names or showing offense. It just shows you take it seriously. Calling names back doesn’t help. It just makes you look as bad or worse as your opponent. When tow groups stand on opposite sides of the street shouting bad names at each other, the people in the middle leave and go fof coffee.
So, these are a few of the lessons that the left has learned in the forty years of protesting stuff. It all comes down to some simple rules. Don’t come off angry, don’t lie no matter how badly the opposition does, try to walk the line between standing your ground and coming off like you’re spoiling for a fight. Then when you use your right to speak freely, maybe people will use their right to listen.
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