The Bottom Line
Jul 25th, 2005 at 10:57 am by Susie
As you may have guessed, when I start my new job next week, I will no longer be jumping on every little BushCo tidbit throughout the day. I’ll probably limit myself to one or two lengthier (and more writerly) posts a day.
But at this point, do you really need to read it all? If you’ve been reading this for a while, you should be ready to take off the training wheels. Because the biggest thing liberals have working against them is our need to deconstruct, analyze and verify every little thing.
I don’t know what it is - but we need to stop that. It’s time to get past that whole “reality-based community” thing and go with our gut.
And I don’t mean in that totally-uniformed, wishful thinking way Fearless Leader does. You’re intelligent, informed and fair people - and you know by now they’re lying sacks of shit.
Think about it. They lie about everything.
So here’s what I suggest you do. Get out of that “innocent until proven guilty” mindset and assume guilt under all circumstances. This isn’t a court of law, it’s the court of public opinion.
Going on their track record, it’s the only sane approach. Let them prove their innocence. They can’t, of course, and we won’t believe them. But make them try.
Hold them accountable.
Every single attack they make on one of ours turns out to be a lie. You already know that; you don’t need to act as a defense attorney. Just assume their guilt.
I think maybe we do this to avoid dealing with the inevitable next step: If they stole the election, raped the treasury, started a fabricated war and are using it all as a giant vacuum cleaner to suck up our civil rights, what do we do next?
That, dear readers, is the question.
One of the first things is, stop lurking online and join the real-world community. Plan to attend the Kos convention or EschaCon, or find like-minded individuals where you live. Start a Meetup or a Drinking Liberally where you are, and decide on some collective action. Help break the BushCo trance that still holds sway for so many people.
I think the Freeway Blogger is a great example. Make people think outside their habitual rut.
Drop the learned helplessness, kids. It’s time to stop lamenting and wringing our hands. As Thomas Jefferson once said, democracy is a great thing - if we can keep it.
It ain’t gonna keep itself, y’all. Get moving.
HEAR, HEAR!!
Also want to add that lately I’ve had some extremely enlightening conversations with the conservatives that come across my path. Or rather, I’ve been listening to them lately, rather than trying to correct them. Turns out they have some pretty strong ideas about where they’re going wrong and what we’re doing that’s working. Also turns out they sound surprisingly similar to what liberals think they’re doing wrong and neocons are doing that’s working. Rather than wasting energy on debate trying to change a mind that is locked in place, listen and find where they percieve their weak spots to be, and use it against them. Political Judo, folks. It’s not dirty pool, it’s using their own momentum against them.
New job?
I must have missed something while I was away on vacation.
Yay Susie! That so rocks! I’m so pleased for you.
How about joining your local antiwar group or other activist group? Drinking Liberally is not a substitute for action!
Eli, if you read as far as the end of the sentence, I said “Decide on some collective action.” Which of course includes anti-war activity.
How are you commuting to work? If it’s by car, maybe you could get a small voice recorder and start podcasting.