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A Further Perspective
A Plethora of Platitudes
Fending off the liberal propaganda spin machine.
Now that the convention action is finally heating up, we can fully expect the liberal propaganda machine to spin into high gear, as it were. From the phony hurricane allusions designed to invoke the cherished dogma that Republicans are to blame for everything, including acts of God, to their ongoing, fear-mongering ditties, Democrats are in full attack mode.
Democrat talking heads will keep repeating the mantra that Republicans make people nervous on “social issues”; that they are waging a war on women, blacks, senior citizens, and any other groups who are not welcome in their “small tent.” Never mind that these groups were well represented in the field of 2012 GOP presidential hopefuls; if these words appear on the teleprompters of liberal politicos or news anchors, they must be true. How do I know this? Well, everybody know it!
You see, liberals have inculcated their poison into our culture through many and diverse ways, chief among them our educational system. But maybe even more effective is the way they have redefined what it is to be an American, through what would seem to be a series of innocent and innocuous platitudes, mostly disseminated through their leftist entertainment and news wings. How have they affected the mindset of this country? Let me count the ways:
I’m a good person. This paean to the culture of relativism has been the catalyst for the breakdown of personal responsibility and the cult of victimhood which is strangling the road to the American Dream. If, as every Hollywood movie and network TV show affirms, we are all entitled to our own definition of right and wrong, thereby validating our own opinion of “goodness,” then everything is acceptable and no one is wrong; except in the eyes of those old fogey religious fanatics who are, no doubt, judgmental and racist homophobes.
So how might these knuckle-dragging Neanderthals redeem themselves as members of a kinder and gentler, utopian America? Easy. They must learn to give back to the community. This nauseating phrase — an offshoot of the “it takes a village” mentality — is the get-out-of-jail card for everyone from unrepentant, thieving politicians to gang-banging sports and rap stars. Meant, I suppose, to indicate the intention of helping others, it nonetheless calls to mind the imposition of “community service” on low-grade criminals; that is, something that is forced upon the giver.
Now years ago there was something called “charity,” which comes from the Latin term for love, caritas; as in Deus Caritas Est, an encyclical by Pope Benedict XVI which translates to, God is Love. We helped our friends and neighbors out of love; the only imposition being the response to the love God has for us and for them. But if you dare mention this motivation for charitable works in public, you will not only not be giving back, you will be labeled divisive, offensive, and a threat to the community.
Of course, modern, enlightened Americans need to be protected from these kinds of discussions lest their minds be diverted from truly important things like the latest doings of the Kardashians. So in order to be a good member of the community, you must always remember: Never discuss politics or religion at a bar. Never mind that this great nation of ours was founded by folks discussing these very subjects in bars and taverns all across the thirteen colonies, this is now an unpardonable transgression against the state. And besides, who wants to hear about all this political stuff when there are some hot chicks down at the Rock the Vote rally?
Yet, should anyone be so politically incorrect as to have an opinion on any of the above in a public place, this would engender probably the most heinous of all liberal aphorisms: Everybody knows it. You know how this one goes. You try and make a point to liberals at a family gathering; something like, “Cutting taxes across the board will create jobs because…,” and before you can get the next words out of your mouth, your niece who’s home on spring break will shout you down with Democratic talking points. When asked for proof of said points, she will throw you a patronizing look and say, “C’mon Aunt Lisa, everybody knows that!”
So how to counter these familiar tactics? Although it will take generations for most of this propaganda to be washed away from our nation in general, that shouldn’t stop us from trying to make inroads personally. Speak up and do not be afraid to debate the value of objective moral truths wherever and whenever the opportunity presents itself. When you are accosted on your way out of a supermarket to donate to the latest planet-saving cause of the day, simply reply that you have already amply given back to the community via the IRS. And the next time someone tells you that “everybody knows” something, just say, “Well I don’t. Suppose you explain it to me.” That’ll stop them cold.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (32) | Leave a comment
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Appleby| 8.29.12 @ 6:50AM
If you can get your college-age relatives to read "Brave New World" (likely there is an audio version for those who can't read, and it is available for electronic books too), you'll be taking a big step forward in getting them to focus on the role of Slogans in their lives. It might be fun to get them to recite as many Slogans as they can think of. If there's a chance, point out how many Slogans that rhyme they know. "Hey hey! Ho ho! [Fill in the blank] has got to go!" is a great example. When I had a class of fifth graders at an after school program, I got them to repeat as many commercials as they knew, and proceeded from there to Slogans "everybody knows." Explaining to kids that being able to repeat something doesn't mean you "know" it is very liberating. It might work on Democrats too.
TLP| 8.29.12 @ 5:09PM
This can all be rectified on Day1 of a Romney Administration.
The people don't need more Handouts.
They need JOBS.
Opening up EVERYWHERE for Drilling, would produce Millions of Jobs, immediately.
Ending The Muslim's ILLEGAL Drilling Moratorium would produce Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs in the Gulf, and the XL Pipeline would add Thousands more.
Freeing up the waters off of Alaska, and at Anwar, would add Thousands more.
And opening up Government Land (which shouldn't exist anyway) to Fracking, would create Hundreds of Thousands of HIGH PAYING JOBS, as well.
This isn't Astro Physics, people.
It's Common Sense.
All of these Jobs are NONEXISTENT, because The Muslim wishes it.
Period.
gray man| 8.30.12 @ 10:51PM
except, that it is not just jobs, the left hasn't had to face up to the destruction they cause, just giving them a job won't do it.
spike59| 8.29.12 @ 6:59AM
whenever i hear the phrase 'everybody knows', my common sense translates it into "oh, boy, here comes the bumper-sticker bull$hit"
Mistral| 8.29.12 @ 12:28PM
Spike
Evereybody knows you are right about this.
Skippy| 8.29.12 @ 4:20PM
Snort!
Von Mises Jr| 8.29.12 @ 7:16AM
American Thinker had a reference to another article recently about "Cultural Marxism." It is very enlightening. In short, "political correctness" was invented to make you "shut the front door." But if you shut up, you lose. http://www.americanthinker.com.....rxism.html
Grzmlyk| 8.30.12 @ 3:24PM
I believe you referenced this a couple of days ago, VM Jr.
It should be committed to memory by every sane human being (i.e., everyone but liberals).
It shows how far back the roots of today's insidious "political correctness" go - of course they extend further back than that, but this is an eye-opening, instructive look at how the social cancer of socialism has been propagated since Marx - and how absolutely relentless, ruthless, single-minded and resourceful are the would-be dictators and social engineers in their monmaniacal efforts to carve out multiple avenues toward the Great and Glorious Goal of the All Powerful State.
All roads lead to Rome indeed.
As Mencken said so beautifully, "The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false face for the urge to rule it."
Kudos to you for keeping it top-of-mind.
Pecos Pete| 8.29.12 @ 7:57AM
Trying to explain "we are out of money, the money vault is empty" to a liberal is very frustrating. They always come back with either tax the rich or it is the fault of corporations. Or some such. Even worse is illegal immigrants: "Oh excuse me," they say, "don't you mean undocumented immigrants." Trying to explain "illegal" is an absolute waste of time.
They believe what they want to believe. To hell with the facts.
Hey hey King O must go!
PolishKnight| 8.29.12 @ 1:39PM
Pecos Pete, I have a fun way of dealing with these PC terms. Just use them in a non-PC way such as "Chandry Levy was murdered by an undocumented immigrant" and "Undocumented immigrants are flooding emergency rooms and contribute to the inefficiency of American healthcare."
Then when they have to argue against those observations, keep on reminded them to use the term "undocumented immigrant" or whatever as much as possible.
In other words, their game is to use their PC terms in positive ways or to rationalize their positions "college students who are undocumented immigrants and want to become doctors" or "exploited undocumented immigrants". Use the term in a negative way, and it blows away their game.
C. Vernon Crisler | 8.29.12 @ 8:10AM
The attack on charity can be found primarily among socialists, social Darwinists, and early 20th century "scientific" racialists. All of these combined spells Progressivism.
RCV| 8.29.12 @ 12:02PM
Don't forget Randian Objectivists
C. Vernon Crisler | 8.29.12 @ 3:20PM
I usually try to forget that atheistic abortionist:
"My views on charity are very simple. I do not consider it a major virtue and, above all, I do not consider it a moral duty. There is nothing wrong in helping other people, if and when they are worthy of the help and you can afford to help them. I regard charity as a marginal issue. What I am fighting is the idea that charity is a moral duty and a primary virtue." (Alisa Rosenbaum, 1964.)
Skippy| 8.29.12 @ 4:23PM
Is she still alive?
Is she running for anything?
Did she ever write anything else?
Should I care whether a candidate ever read her books?
C. Vernon Crisler | 8.29.12 @ 5:38PM
Paul Ryan supposedly puts a lot of stock in her, as did a former Federal Reserve Chairman.
Nick| 8.29.12 @ 6:49PM
Not true, Mr. Crisler.
Representative Ryan, like a lot of conservatives, agrees with her views on collectivism and big-government control of the economy.
Mr. Ryan is not an Objectivist, nor is he a Rand "devotee." As a Catholic, he (and myself) reject Rand's atheism and pro-abortion stance, among other views.
Indy| 8.29.12 @ 8:12AM
"the liberal propaganda machine" I think it is a huge mistake to use the term liberal, it is the "Professional Left" or the "Intolerant Left" perhaps we should call them "Alinskyites" but conservatives should never use the word liberal, progressive is even too weak...just my 2 cents.
Indy| 8.29.12 @ 8:24AM
What a stunt the Alinskyites pulled!
"One of the left’s favorite attacks on the Republican Party is that it is the party of old white people, devoid of diversity and probably racist.
If you were watching MSNBC’s coverage of the Republican National Convention in Tampa on Tuesday night, you might believe those assertions, since missing from the coverage was nearly every ethnic minority that spoke during Tuesday’s festivities.
In lieu of airing speeches from former Democratic Rep. Artur Davis, a black American; Mia Love, a black candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from Utah; and Texas senatorial hopeful Ted Cruz, a Latino American, MSNBC opted to show commentary anchored by Rachel Maddow from Rev. Al Sharpton, Ed Schultz, Chris Matthews, Chris Hayes and Steve Schmidt.
Throughout this convention, Matthews has accused the Republicans of playing dog-whistle racist politics while on scene in Tampa. It isn’t clear, however, if Matthews will hurl accusations of racism at Davis, Love or Cruz for speeches his network failed to broadcast."
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/08.....z24wAqbThD
dimwhit| 8.29.12 @ 10:41AM
Every time the democrats or media say that Republicans are racist, Republicans should have a standard reply...
"The only party in this country with a continual history of racism is the Democrat party - it is the party of slavery, of Jim Crow, of the KKK, of Woodrow Wilson's segregation of the military, of Margaret Sanger and Planned Parenthood's intentional goal of the genocide of blacks, of the Davis-Bacon Act to employ whites, of the barriers to Civil Rights, and the party of race-baiting, and unemployment in the black community."
PolishKnight| 8.29.12 @ 1:42PM
I find it amusing how the left likes to switch gears by bashing the Republicans for having too many white guys in it and then turn around when someone observes that white guys aren't voting for Obama or Democrats anymore that "You guys should stop obsessing about race! This is about making the country better for everyone!"
Since the Democrat party is now clearly on the path of being primarily a party of non-whites, gays, and other "minorities", it largely is now so "inclusive" of such splinter groups that it can't manage any kind of global agenda such as Marxism, green energy, etc. They've got too many small groups to cater to.
Fredx| 8.29.12 @ 11:14AM
Could we make ethanol out of the corn that comes from the Democrats?
Ken (Old Texican)| 8.29.12 @ 11:50AM
Lisa,
you are a fire-cracker! Well spoken.
Mistral| 8.29.12 @ 12:09PM
I was very impressed to hear Tom Akin speak candidly on his views about abortion and rape. As most polioticians grovel and spin, I was very enthusiastic to hear one who speaks his mind clearly and lucidly.
Therefore, I have to laugh at the typical politically correct reaction that he ought to resign. (Romney squirmed like a creep).
Looking at the fallout (or lack of one) in Missouri it is evident that people refuse to believe all the liberal garbage about such honest and open politicians who have moral fibre and real conviction - http://www.lifenews.com/2012/0.....-mccaskill
fmm| 8.29.12 @ 12:31PM
It will be interesting to see if the main polls follow suit, RCP still shows McCaskill up by 6.
TLP| 8.29.12 @ 5:17PM
Really?
Cause, just a coupla days ago, she was up by 10.
Ed Koch said that "If you agree with me 100% of the time? See a Psychiatrist. If you agree with me more than 50% of the time? Vote for me."
If Missourians, who HATE McCaskill, are willing to put her back in Office over One Stupid Statement?
Then they deserve whatever they get.
Todd Aikin will have no input, whatsoever, on anything having to do with Abortion, and he DIDN'T Vote for Obamacare.
Get It?
irish19| 8.29.12 @ 6:26PM
"Cause, just a coupla days ago, she was up by 10."
Exactly what I was thinking. That means her lead has been cut by 40% in just a matter of days.
Bill8472| 8.29.12 @ 12:25PM
If you tell some solicitor that you've already contributed to the community welfare by paying your taxes to the IRS, you're expressly giving positive sanction to the collectivist claim that contribution to the welfare of the community is best done via the state.
My decision in such instances is to either say "No," or to simply ignore the solicitor. Unless I believe in his cause and wish to contribute.
Mistral| 8.29.12 @ 12:27PM
Democrats are closet racists, homophobes, willing perjurers, political chameleons who pretend to be socially concerned and sensitive. Who can really trust them? However, Republicans think the only way to win the next election is to be like them. Time the GOP abandoned its nonsensical stance on pro-choice which decent life-loving women can see through as an assault on the womb; abortion which most Americans can see for what it truly is and gay marriage which is being rammed down our throats against our will and can be demonstrated to be a minority choice imposed on the majority by illicit exploitation of the judicial process. The political establishment everywhere (USA & EU) rides roughshod over the majority and over natural law to inflict even more demographic damage and social dysfunction on society as a whole. We will pay very dearly for this. Look at how USA has descended into its current appalling state allowing its political elite to play ducks and drakes with human life and what is really a marriage.
grant1863| 8.29.12 @ 3:15PM
thanks, this will be helpful for the next time I'm discussing in the local cigar bar. I am trying to argue better. This column should be expanded to a series.
sam1953| 8.29.12 @ 5:05PM
The next time someone tells you that "everybody knows" something, just say, "Well I don't. Suppose you explain it to me." That'll stop them cold.
Excellent!
PCPSmokerII| 8.29.12 @ 9:42PM
An article about the works of the Liberal media? Wow. This is innovative stuff. We should have more.
Carroll | 8.29.12 @ 11:24PM
We appreciate your votes