They call fellows like Mark Milley “procurement politicians,” as if the now-visible results don’t make that a badge of honor… while the same idiots ignore Milley’s other badges, visible in all photos: paratrooper, ranger, combat infantryman, action decorations and his home unit the 101st band of brothers. And that’s what you and I are allowed to see, while a quarter million others simply do their jobs in quietly competent obscurity.
In fact, you are reading this now because of them. So thank you, oh “highIQ” protectors! Though you never ask for thanks and you do what adults do. When you have a job to do.
You do it well…
Okay. Democracy squeaked a save. The USA midterm elections last November rejected any red-wave of lunatic Trumpists, for the most part, this despite Democratic and moderate leaders ignoring the power of polemical judo. While the Dominion Inc. lawsuit seems about to finally deliver justice upon the treason-liars at Fox News.
Alas, there is a second order matter to keep in mind – that I illustrated in Earth (1990). That humans tend to drift toward echo chambers where their comfy prejudices can get reinforced, and these echo chambers can become Nuremberg Rallies where the truth is subordinated and reifenstahled into unchallenged incantations.
And yes, although one political wing does this most-dangerously, waging hate war vs every fact profession and dancing with actual nazis… the extrema of the other side can be fiercely riefenstahled, too.
And there is a third level. The level that freedom-of-speech is actually for. Yes, it is important to remember that some of the rights we deem to be fundamental and unquestionable are not viewed that way by others!
Right now, around the globe, tyrannical enemies of the Enlightenment Experiment use a standard response to neutralize lectures about human rights and freedoms:
“Who are YOU western types to finger-wag that we must use your approach?
“You are flawed, too!
“Moreover, our way – a pyramid of authority leading up to unquestioned leadership by a few – is shown by history to be far more natural, having been the norm across 99% of human history. Your so-called ‘fundamental rights’ are anything but fundamental!
“Anyway, who are you to keep imposing your uniform values on us? We have our own ways that should be respected!”
Do you see the trap? We preach diversity of viewpoints… and are thusly oppressing the viewpoint that there should NOT be diversity of expression.
“What you westerners disdain as ‘conformity’ and homogenization and oppression is what we call Unity and Cohesion. It’s our culture and our way and legacy that’s a lot older than your fractious Western madness!”
That is a counter thrust used by every despot on the planet. That we are the hypocrites, because we sermonize tolerance while being intolerant of the intolerant.
== Indeed, there are some levels where they have a point ==
Take the woke fetishistic fixation on pronouns, attacking any inadvertent use of gender in writing or in speech.
Has anyone pointed out that this massively aggressive campaign is only possible in English, which is already by far the least-gendered of all major languages.
To which my own kids reply:
“So? Then we’re almost there and let’s complete the job!”
(My answer:
“Hey, look at my sci fi going back to 1980; I have been doing exactly this! Experimenting (before you were born) with language methods to lessen prejudicial assumptions. Only without the sanctimony or bullying.”)
Again:
In any language other than English, this goal of utter genderlessness would be recognized instantly as an insanely impractical project.
The crux: Doesn’t this campaign amount to shouting jingoistically that “English is best!” These linguistic ‘reforms’ are actually anglo-chauvinistic, pushing the perspective that these (mostly American) activists grew up with.
Likewise the more general campaigns to extend rights and inclusion to ever smaller groups of the marginalized – while laudable and worthy of support – can only be viewed as a passion that is deeply rooted in the Great American Project.
Look, I say that as a fellow passionate believer in that project! Naturally, since I was raised by it.
I just believe we should be AWARE of our own ironies!
== Then how can we defend freedom from that argument? ==
And so we see that enemies of freedom-of-speech – the proved liar Foxites – are again demanding Voter ID?
Here’s a potential judo move. Reach across the aisle and give it to them! (Opposing voter ID makes us look like the would-be cheaters.)
Only ‘judo’ the issue!
In return, demand massive compliance assistance to help poor voters etc *get* ID that’d help their lives in many ways. (e.g. via AOC’s postal bank accounts.) Seize their ‘issue.’ See it laid out here.
Related to this… actually pause and talk to the Hispanic and minority voters who are bleeding from the moderate-liberal coalition over immigration.
You’ll be shocked when you hear their perspective… and maybe even revise a ‘standard’ liberal position.
Revision, upon opening yourself to new information? It is what sapient beings do.
== Mistakes on the Union side of this civil war phase ==
Here’s a vital question for all liberals:
What shattered the old, Rooseveltean compact between the Democratic Party and the working classes?
Sure the DP knowingly threw the Olde South over to the GOP by pursuing civil rights and it was a good choice. The Vietnam war and hippe-stuff helped drive a major cultural wedge. But the last straw was the stoopidest thing liberals ever did…
…integration via forced school bussing. An absolutely spectacular supernova of idiocy that locked in Reaganism without doing poor kids the slightest scintilla of good.
We may be seeing something similar now. While many of you are breathing sighs of relief over the recent mid-terms that were nowhere near as bad as feared, they might instead have been a blue wave, but for the loss of so many Hispanic voters, who went red enough to turn swing state Florida into DeSantis-land and the Rio Grande Valley purple, rendering Beto and Stacey politically extinct. Especially with Hispanic male voters.
What drove so many of them away? Immigration. They want it controlled and legal and cautious. Their reasons are strong and pragmatic and self-interested. And if you are unable to fathom it, then you are NOT an empathic listener but one of the elite snobs who wag your fingers at working stiffs, telling them what they should think.
Have I poked at my own allies enough to qualify for a Maher? I have criticized Bill Maher plenty for his greatest mistake… not making clear – in every rant – the difference between Strategic Goals and tactics. It is the latter that he almost always complains about.
And no general whose ego is bound to a particular battlefield tactic is one who actually cares about winning.
And finally…
== Using bible references to support the Enlightenment? ==
Have you declared it hopeless to reach out to our red brothers and sisters? To those fellow Americans who are right now afroth with bizarre, anti-modernity fury?
You won’t even try?
Well, shame on you for giving up on your fellow citizens! Look up the phrase “All Heaven rejoices when…” Each decent person weaned from Fox spreads ripples.
Pragmatically, we can only end this phase of the U.S. civil war if we peel another million or two borderline sane Fox watchers away from that mad coalition. At which point the rest will collapse out of pure demographics.
Toward that end, I have elsewhere offered riffs to use with self-identified Libertarians… and those who style themselves fans of science… and hypocrites who actually believe that Republicans favor competitive free enterprise and low deficits!
What may seem the hardest-core sub group may be fairly easy! Here in this speech I offer something even more unique. Ways to use biblical references to communicate to those who insist that the Bible trumps science.
Seriously. Even if you never use any of these techniques to lure a thumper toward the light, you will find these unusual perspectives interesting!