Once again, you missed the point. Yes, half of the electorate is made up of purple haired bongo players. Actually, it was less than half, but lets not get all nitpick.
Now please try to pull your party flag out of your ass and simply read what I posted instead of what you think I posted. I’ve never bitched about the liberal media. I think you are making an assumption simply because some of us are critical of the style of the protesters. Get over it. The “if yer not with us yer agin us” mentality is less than charming.
Elucidator, take a big deep breath and stop being such a dip.
Well, there is a lot that they ARE doing, it just isn’t the kind of thing that you SEE, which was part of my point. This stuff is what you see, because the stuff that really makes an impact is a lot more behind the scenes or more restricted to liberal/progressive communities. If you look for it, you can find it.
Of course, the loonies and most outrageous ones are what makes the biggest splash and people see, just like how the most far-out right wingers and conservatives are the ones that seem to get the most attention. I actually have to go out of my way to find out what the more moderate Republican types (especially those, usually of a more Libertarian bent, who are trying to put forward changes/return to older-style fiscal conservatism within the party) are doing. It works both ways.
You have bongo-playing hippies and stoned protestors, I guess, on the left side, then you have all the obnoxious “get over it you LOST/don’t like America then LEAVE” crowd on the right, plus wingnuts like Rush Limbaugh practically approving of the torture in Abu Ghraib (sp). There is plenty of silliness and stupidity to go around for both sides. I don’t think anyone has a monopoly on it.
You’ve been breathing for years, no? Doesn’t seem to have done that much for you.
And Lib, I neither need nor want your approval. Am I dramatic in your eyes? Alas. Whatever shall I do? This shit matters, it matters a lot, because of our decisions, people live or die. That is a simple statement of fact, however much I would prefer otherwise.
These people you sneer at give a shit, albeit in a misguided and inchoate way. Something is deeply wrong, and they don’t understand it, they lack your gift for dispassionate analysis. It matters, it hurts, and they care. Perhaps some day they will achieve a level of abstraction, the world will grind them down to weary silence, or self-assured irrelevance. Then, I suppose, they might become Libertarians.
They do give a shit,but their efforts only serve to strengthen their enemies and discredit the anti-greed and anti-war sentiment in this country. Thursday night 80-something “anarchists” were arrested in DC for vandalism. Now, maybe they thought they were sticking it to the Man, but all they really accomplish is to convince potential converts that the people opposed to Bush are no more than immature punks. You and I know that’s not so, but the demonstrations here in DC are filled with lefty college kids out on a toot. Banging on a plastic bucket and wearing costumes sounds like a fun day out, but it’s not going to mobilize oppostion to the GOP’s policies.
We need to reach out to the people who vote for the Pubs because they’ve been lied to–we need to inform, educate, and persuade, and it ain’t gonna get done by a pack of spoiled, uninformed kids.
Quite right. But you seem to imply that these people are somehow under the control of the Central Committee of the Vast Liberal Conspiracy. Do you know any of these people? I don’t, for all I know they might be agents provocatuers for the Right. I don’t approve, I understand and sympathize. Been there, done that.
But it doesn’t lie within my meagre powers to silence them, and I should be bitterly ashamed of myself if I tried. I’ll save my contempt for those who support slaughter and horror with calm voices and cool rhetoric, as though a reasonable dialogue with evil was somehow a civic virtue to be admired.
Damn right this shit matters. That’s why I’m so pissed at you people. You had one simple task: unseat the Republicans. You had the organization. You had the infrastructure. You had the money. You squandered everything. Rather than bringing middle America a message about individual liberty and inobtrusive government — your classical positions — you brought them sewer rats like Michael Moore, the self-professed anti-Democrat. You completely disrespected the people who actually vote, and made your entire appeal to a generation of passive-aggressive slackers who attented your rock-the-vote rallies for nothing more than the free music. You made yourselves into the self-proclaimed enemies of God, for cryin’ out loud. And now, as you lick your wounds, you don’t even have the fucking brains to figure out that you fucked up. And you call other people stupid.
Some other people, Lib. For instance, persons who criticize my “drama” just before railing away in a hysterical, foam-flecked diatribe about how its all my fault; if only we had listened to you, all would be well. Steady up, there, Tullulah. Put your feet up, have a nice cup chamomile tea.
I’m not doubting that these people care Elucidator. It takes a lot of time and effort to make those puppets. Sorry, couldn’t help myself. Should’ve, but didn’t.
Anyways, I know these people care. But the message is lost amidst all of the loonery. If they want to get the message across, they should clean up, leave the props at home, and make the message the clear central point.
Is it? Are you so certain? Do you know their bathing habits, you are on such intimate terms? And if a thousand of them should stop dead in thier tracks and say"Hey, you know, friend Harborwolf is right on the money, let us abandon our ways and speak as he does, and advance our cause as he suggests"…are you so certain they would be more effective? Would our political opponents gasp in admiration and respect, and lend a receptive ear, suddenly?
Or would the focus still remain on those who did not, because it suits the prejudices of our opposition? If only ten remained, wouldn’t those ten be the focus of attention, regardless of the civility and propriety of the born-again Harborwolfpack? In which case, wouldn’t they have given up what they had, in return for nothing? Would the Hannitys, the Limbaughs, the Coulters and Hewitts…would they suddenly cease to exaggerate those few who remain as representative of our political movement, out of respect for truth? Or would they simply find another target for their slander and lies…someone like, say, a respected Senator and war hero…no, no, of course, they would never go that far, would they? That wouldn’t be proper. Wouldn’t be civil.
I tend to agree, I wish thier energy and voices were better spent, more carefully considered. But it is not my energy, nor my voice, it is not mine to judge. Who knows? Maybe a solid soldier of the Forces of Darkness looks upon one of those puppets, feels the rythymic pounding of the congas, and has an epiphany, the scales fall from his eyes and he cries out “Hey! They’re right! GeeDubya really is an arrogant, imcompetent butt-munchkin.”
I doubt it. But I freely admit I do not know. I also freely admit that you don’t either.
Woohoo, a relatively reasonable tone. Nows we can gets ta talkin’.
I admit, the clean up part was something of a generalization and for it I apologize. You get the picture though. And yes, I do think it would be more effective. Not to the “political opponents” as you say, but to those who haven’t really picked a political side. That group is easier to reach than those on the other side of the fence.
Again, you are worrying to much about the opposition. Hannity, Coulter, etc. will always focus on the nuts. Takes a nut to spot a nut and all. They only preach to the hard core converts anyway. The idea is to make it harder for the mainstream media to find the looneys and make it easier to focus on the more reasonable. That makes the Limbaughs and the Hewitts look a little bit loonier.
And you’re right. I don’t know the success rate of the puppets. Cwazier things have happened I suppose. They just aren’t something I would rely upon. Muppets however, are a sure thing.
And please never associate my name with the phrase born again. Might give people the wrong impression.
My favorite futile protest was when the Yippies tried to levitate the Pentagon. They surrounded the building and were “ommmming” away and the cops showed up and started making arrests. It was amazing. It was like they were actually afraid the Pentagon would start floating. You could hardly imagine a better illustration of the irrational reactionism of the pro-Nam establishment at the time.
Speaking as a right-leaning moderate, I welcome a platform from the Democratic side. Puppets won’t sway me. Protests won’t garner my support. Put together a platfom that is something other than: Everything the Republicans aren’t, and give me a candidate with the charisma of Kennedy, the honesty of Carter, the presence of Reagan, and the international vision of Nixon, and I’ll pay attention.
Hey, you know, that haircut looks really good on you, Brutus. For some reason I always imagined you with a gun in your hand and a penis growing out your forehead.
Yeah, I’ve always loved that story. I think my dad was actually there at that demonstration, although he tends to be a bit cagy when talking about his radical days.
The thing is, Hoffman’s attempted excorcism required two crucial elements: inspired lunacy, and organization. I just don’t see those qualities in modern protesters.
Sorry, couldn’t help myself. Should’ve, but didn’t.
Nows we can gets ta talkin’.
