Bringing class to protests
For the eight years of the Bush presidency, we saw almost non-stop protests. These protests were characterized by speakers being shouted down; fake blood; fake waterboarding; crude, obscene and violent picket signs, etc. Not the American way we said. Freedom of speech is one thing. Ugly, violent, obscene speech is something else.
We need to keep that in mind, especially now that Obama has called out the SEIU thugs. We are the classy protestors. The ones who come armed with facts and dignity. We are not the people of death threats and swear words, nor are we opposed to free speech.
The Anchoress says it best. I’ll quote her at some length, but please be aware that this is only a part of a longer, more thoughtful post on her blog, and one I think all concerned citizens should read:
Of course we should be vocal, but not violent, not shrill, and not so emotional as to allow ourselves to be goaded into behavior which the Dems and their press would love to edit and broadcast.
That has not happened yet, but clearly the introduction of union strongarms and the deliberate attempts to exclude protesters from townhall meetings are partly meant to provoke emotionalism and outrage. I realized then that -because these protests are so grassroots and disorganized- they have no common ideal by which they can protect themselves from being baited into bad behavior. Attempting to find such an ideal or tactic, we joked at first that the protesters need to -when they are not being listened to, and are being disrespected- break into a Rickroll, singing and dancing both to cut tension and to shock-and-awe their Reps.
Then someone suggested that the protesters, about 2 days before congress reconvenes, encircle the capital 10 deep and refuse to allow the reps back in “until they until they stop Teh Stoopid.”
Mockery is, of course, very effective, too.
What is needed, I think -particularly under a White House who (rather than thinking seriously about how to create jobs and shore up our crashing tax revenues) wants its minions to “punchback twice as hard”– is to take a few pages from the playbook of Dr. Martin Luther King. Classic civil disobedience has a strong commitment to non-violence and passive-resistance, and that tactic works, because it unmasks the opposition and exposes them for the crude tyrants they are. When Bull Connor (Democrat, btw) turned his hoses and dogs on the peaceful marchers in Birmingham, Alabama, it was the beginning of his end, and a turning point in the civil rights movement. The injustice of his act was more eloquent than a Shakespearean soliloquy.
So, I think protesters should consider attending these meetings and teaparties with the understanding that they WILL be provoked, but that they are committed to answering provocation only through non-violent means. No matter the provocation, no matter the injustice, the protesters should simply keep to their purpose and not respond-in-kind. It is as powerful as a Tai-Chi move; you turn the opponent’s energy back upon himself to defeat him, or (as Jesus said) you “heap hot coals upon their heads.” Either way, you win. But of course, bring your cameras. Expect no hint of fairness from the press.
The other useful reminder at the same post from the Anchoress came from one of her readers. Saying “no” is only the beginning. The fact is that there is a problem with health care in America, and that problem is sky-rocketing costs. Part of the problem is tied to the fact that medicine has moved beyond leeches and cupping. Scientific sophistication is going to cost you. But the other part of the problem is that there are no incentives to save money, and that’s true whether you’re a provider, an insurer, or a patient.
The answer that Obama & Co have to rising costs is simple: let’s just transfer all control to the government. It won’t cost less (in fact, it will cost much more), and the medical care you receive will degrade significantly, and innovation will vanish, but the important thing is that citizens won’t see the money being spent at the doctor’s office. (Never mind that it’s being sucked out of their pockets through sky-high taxes.) After all, we’re dumb little sheeple and, when it comes to money, out of sight is out of mind, right?
No, not right! Anchoress’ reader lisap comes up with a wonderful mnemonic for remembering several simply economic approaches to cutting costs significantly:
I was thinking of an easy way for all to remember talking points…We should be pointing out an alternate version–not just a NO to their ideas…
I was reading David Limbaugh’s column today and he quoted from an article by Sally Pipes “To 10 myths about Health Care and had suggestions…I put them down as follows…V ouchers for working poor
I ndividual tax breaks much like employers
C ross state lines to purchase insurance
T ort Reform
O wn health savings accounts
R emove excessive state-mandated treatments
Y es! We the People CAN!
