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| Elitist scorn only helps the Tea Party |
| 2010-09-29 |
| Stanley Fish, NYT ...Democrats will be helping them by saying scathing and dismissive things about the Tea Party and its candidates. The Greek mythological figure Antaeus won victory after victory because his opponents repeatedly threw him to the ground, not realizing that it was the earth (in the figure of his mother, Gaia) that nourished him and gave him renewed strength. The Tea Party's strength comes from the down-to-earth rhetoric it responds to and proclaims, and whenever high-brow critics heap the dirt of scorn and derision upon the party, its powers increase. See also Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars IV ("If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine."); Br'er Rabbit, Uncle Remus Tales ("Please don't throw me in that briar patch over there!"). Commentators who explain smugly that O'Donnell's position on masturbation (that it is a selfish, solitary act) is contradicted by her Ayn Rand-like attack on collectivism, or who wax self-righteous about Paladino's comparing Sheldon Silver to Hitler and promising to wield a baseball bat in Albany, or who laugh at Sharron Angle for being in favor of Scientology (she denies it) and against fluoridation and the Department of Education, are doing these candidates a huge favor. They are saying, in effect, these people are stupid, they're jokes; and the implication (sometimes explicitly stated) is that anyone who takes them the least bit seriously doesn't get the joke and is stupid, too. We the people hear this and know who is being talked about, and react with anger: "Don't presume to tell me what to think and whom to vote for just because you have more degrees than I do. I don't know much about these people but if you guys are against them, I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt." And if they don't exactly say that, the recently unveiled "Pledge to America" says it for them in its money quote: "An arrogant out-of-touch government of self-appointed elites make decisions, issue mandates, and enact laws without accepting or requesting the input of the many." The many grow and become more robust every time a self-satisfied voice from the political or media establishment dumps on their spokespersons.... |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #16 Does anyone under the age of sixty read Rolling Stone? Mr. Wife wasn't able to help, as he'd never read it, either. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2010-09-29 23:46 |
| #15 To any establishment Republicans reading this as research: The Tea Party is helping you now but if you don't fly right we'll be coming for you in 2012. |
| Posted by: whitecollar redneck 2010-09-29 19:47 |
| #14 TEA Party and traditional America is considered radical which simply means that those in DC these days are so way way out in left field, anything around home plate would be considered radical. |
| Posted by: Jack Ulating5834 2010-09-29 18:02 |
| #13 eltoroverde, LOL. Good find. His lacking in scruples and smarts makes him a perfect fit for his Rolling Stoned audience. Like I always say to the libs I know - If you're going to Rolling Stone for investigative journalism or the Daily Show for your news you're a moron. |
| Posted by: Broadhead6 2010-09-29 16:05 |
| #12 Broadhead6- As if you and I were in need of any confirmation that Taibbi is lacking in scruples and smarts, look no further. The Washington Examiner has put out a nice rebuttal: Someone needs to tell Matt Taibbi that Medicare isnÂ’t a voluntary program |
| Posted by: eltoroverde 2010-09-29 14:00 |
| #11 Mr. White, Bravo...nice points. |
| Posted by: Broadhead6 2010-09-29 13:31 |
| #10 The comments are great. I considered leaving one of my own, suggesting that perhaps we conservatives could do a favor of providing 'key words' with definitions that the liberals could use to connect with us neanderthals. You know, like a dictionary or a translation. Here, try some of these (I'm leaving off the definitions; I was going to use freedom liberty tyranny individual responsibility faith economic development jobs tolerance individual rights If we make the dictionary and definitions large enough perhaps Fred, or Glenn Reynolds, or someone would host it so that Prof. Fish and the liberals could consult it when they wish to speak to us. Might save them time. Then again, maybe not. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2010-09-29 12:16 |
| #9 Instead, engage them as if you thought that the concerns they express (if not their forms of expression) are worthy of serious consideration, as indeed they are. Lift them up to the level of reasons and evidence and see how they fare in the rarified air of rational debate where they just might suffer the fate of Antaeus. Fish suggests that dismissive rhetoric towards Tea Party subscribers will be perceived as elitist. Yet, ironically, he petitions “Democrats and their allies” to advance a more mature approach. Much like a counselor would advise parents with a delinquent child. It’s quite telling that Fish is unwilling to rebuke the actual merits of the debate – just the process. Fish’s admonition is nothing more then damning with faint praise. And in and of itself – elitist. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2010-09-29 11:58 |
| #8 eltoroverde - nice find wrt Rolling Stone(d) article. Their magazine has been shit for at least 15yrs imho. Matt Taibbi is a huge douchebag. Liberal frat boy who thinks he's the foul-mouthed version of john leibowitz stewart. He was on Bill Maher once a few yrs back when Iraq surge was full swing. An ill Tony Snow was the lone conservative on the panel and he demolished Taibbi whose emotional anectdotal claims didn't hold muster vs a dispassionate and highly articulate Snow. |
| Posted by: Broadhead6 2010-09-29 11:25 |
| #7 Alan's right - I read the comments section - the typical NYT reader doesn't get it - even after Mr. Fish tried to break it down Barney style for them. They accuse the Tea Party of being intolerant, best look in the mirror libtards. |
| Posted by: Broadhead6 2010-09-29 11:16 |
| #6 The tea party is just a small manifestation of the frustration and anger the average American feels. If the new blood that was voted in during the 2010 swell don't bring some fiscal sanity back to government, the anger we see now will be nothing compared to what will happen between 2011-2012. I shudder to think of what might happen. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2010-09-29 10:29 |
| #5 The democrats and their operatives in the media are circling the wagons as evidenced by this latest hit piece on the Tea Party in Rolling Stone magazine: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/210904?RS_show_page=0 |
| Posted by: eltoroverde 2010-09-29 09:56 |
| #4 It is not just elitist politicians but the elitist media. Its almost to the point that if the usual folks support someone the masses are willing to give that someones opponent a fair hearing and probably a vote. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2010-09-29 09:33 |
| #3 Quite frankly, I love to hear them bloviate, these leftest loons. It signals their pending DOOM! |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-09-29 09:28 |
| #2 Read the comments in the Times for a hilarious rendering of all the LLL talking points, biases and condescension. It really demonstrates exactly what Fish was talking about. |
| Posted by: Alan Cramer 2010-09-29 09:24 |
| #1 If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle. - Sun Tzu Their demonstrative inability to grasp the Tea Party puts them in the second descriptive. Their inability to see their own intolerance and bigotry while engaged in Freudian projection upon the Tea Party, puts them in the third descriptive. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2010-09-29 09:10 |