Success. The left retreats
By Brian Kirwin | Friday, January 14th, 2011 | PolicySometimes you have to punch a bully in the nose to stop his bullying.
I know – violent rhetoric. That’s a bad thing. Some Democrat sheriff will now blame me for the next schoolyard scuffle.
I, and other conservatives, have sat idly by for years, turning the other cheek, after hearing the most vile attacks on George W. Bush, Sarah Palin and others. You’ve heard them. Calling Bob McDonnell “Taliban Bob” – I don’t have enough time to go into everything they call Ken Cuccinelli.
But this past weekend, when a few loud, albeit not leading, loudmouths of the left hit the television airwaves blaming the Tea Party and political rhetoric (but only that of the right wing) for having provided motivation for the shootings, most conservatives decided that was the last straw.
We reacted. We pointed out the hypocrisy. We pointed out rhetoric on the left that went much farther than any of the examples the left provided about our side. We pointed out that there was, and for the record still is, no evidence that the shooter followed politics at all, listened to talk radio, or ever heard a word Sarah Palin ever said.
He was a registered independent, by the way. I guess the left didn’t see too much upside in attacking the “heated rhetoric” of independents.
Then something happened.
A poll.
A mere 35% agreed with the left about this “rhetoric” idea being a legitimate point.
35%! That’s amazingly low. That means Democrats disagree with the anti-Republican message. That means, again, independents turned against Democrats’ message.
That poll was Tuesday.
Guess what’s happened since then. Newspaper editorials have suddenly decided the “rhetoric” theory is not only wrong, but destructive and counterproductive.
President Obama decided 35% doesn’t win many elections and said the next day, “Let’s remember that it is not because a simple lack of civility caused this tragedy. It did not.”
Of course it did not.
It’s not the first time this happened. Heck, after JFK was shot, Democrats were salivating to blame Texas rightwingers for the act. Imagine how stupid they looked when the shooter turned out to be a far left pro-Cuban Communist.
So, yes we fought back. We both pointed out how dumb their attacks on us were, and we pointed out that even if the attacks had merit, they were guilty of far worse rhetoric than we have been.
In fact, some of the more experienced in this trade, like me, saw the beginnings of using this tragedy to demand that no one use rhetoric the left doesn’t like against President Obama until at least, maybe, November 2012.
Saner voices of the left are speaking now. They’re backpedaling from the irresponsible charges that littered the airwaves in the 48 hours after the shooting.
But, believe me. If the American people agreed with them, there’d be no backpedaling today. It would be full speed ahead.
One poll stopped it all.
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About the author
The right wants to jeer him. The left wants to censor him. Moderates usually want both. Brian Kirwin is a political consultant and public relations strategist in Virginia Beach with a lightning-rod flair. Brian also serves on the VB Arts & Humanities Commission and frequently appears on Hampton Roads theatrical stages, if only to prove that all actors aren’t liberals. Kirwin’s columns stir up debate and hit the political scene with no punches pulled.
Comments
10 Responses to "Success. The left retreats"
I haven’t seen them retreat on this. As far as I can see, the leftist “news” media are continuing to hammer away at their contrivance – without a molecule of supporting evidence – that conservative rhetoric led to the shootings. In fact, they’re now expressing outrage that the Republicans are actually going to move forward with their agenda in Congress in spite of the “controversy.” (which was wholly created by the leftist “news” media).
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Brian, I definitely agree on with you in principle. I would urge a continued caution, however. It is possible that all the “big” Democrats, like our president will be speaking on an adult level and saying things that need to be said. All the while, the lower attack dog level, may continue the attack. In this way the President and party leaders can re-bond with America from a distance as the Right continues to be slandered.
I hope that you are right though, and conservatives won’t have to be on constant defense.
Britt, the lower attack dogs never stop, do they?
If you don’t believe they retreated, go read the New York Times editorial from yesterday. They pulled almost a complete 180 from their stance after the shootings.
Kirwin is absolutely right – which is why I and others came out swinging when we started seeing the left try and blame the right for what happened.
All the “blood libel” and hypocrisy that occurred should be attributed to the named morons responsible, saved and put in a Conservative lock box until the 2012 election season. The rabid liberals really showed their collective asses on this one and it will be some excellent campaign fodder to help remind the 35% who their mouth pieces really are.
It doesn’t matter whether the loony and vicious left changes their behavior. What matters is that conservatives change theirs – not by imitating but by refuting immediately and often. This is finally beginning to happen mainly due to the Tea Party IMO. The loonier the left acts the more they discredit their increasingly totalitarian ideology.
But, the problem is not that the Left/progressive are wrong or hypocritical – it is that the Right/Conservatives are not enlightened or educated enough to appreciate the wisdom and leadership of the left/Progressives.
Reid is clearly guilty of using “sarcasm speech”and I will blame him personally for the next person that makes a smart ass comment.
I guess that would be me…………..see sarcasm speech does make people act! Maybe we were wrong and we should do away with Free Speech. Clearly it is too dangerous.
I agree with Brian’s comment: “Sometimes you have to punch a bully in the nose to stop his bullying.”
Funny but that is what I try to do with some of my posts on BD…
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