Anger Has Its Place, and This is It
So, Samantha Bee calls Ivanka Trump a “feckless c***” for remaining silent while her father directs a policy that tears immigrant families apart and imprisons small children in converted big box stores. The walls of these big box prisons actually have Soviet style murals of Trump complete with quotes from his book, The Art of the Deal. Fake outrage over Bee’s verbal attack resulted in her forced apology for being unkind to Princess Ivanka.
Last weekend, Robert DiNiro shouted, “F*ck Trump!” several times during his few moments on stage at the Tony Awards on national television. Again, que the right wing noise machine that whipped up fake outrage over DiNiro’s denouncement, but luckily, he doesn’t work for anyone and doesn’t care what they think.
Then came Frank Bruni of the NY Times, who did what most progressives, including Michelle and Barack Obama, do, and that’s chant the “when they go low, we go high” mantra. His article this week tut-tutted, finger wagged, and warned ominously that getting mad and saying so will re-elect Trump and his cronies. That advice is STUPID and exactly the tactic that got us Al Gore and John Kerry. I’m sorry, but that is just plain wrong and stupidly puts artificial limits on good people’s ability to get pissed off. Several of my progressive friends reposted the op-ed on Facebook, imploring all of us to take to the high road, because some mouth breathing, drooling knuckle dragger in Columbia Mississippi won’t like our anger and will decide not to vote for the Democrat. That’s an idiotic notion. Said mouth breathing, drooling knuckle dragger will NEVER vote for the Democrat. Wake up.
Let’s think about what’s actually occurring every day in the United States. Jeff Sessions, who is a lifelong hater of all people with dark-pigmented skin, has started a “zero tolerance” policy for illegal immigration and is jailing thousands of people. Because all these people, including mothers of young children fleeing gang violence south of the border, are being jailed, their children are being torn from their parents, and imprisoned. That should piss you off. Ivanka Trump? She’s using her father’s corruption to expand her own brand around the world, often using child labor, to stuff her Gucci purse full of millions. Foreign dignitaries are pouring millions of dollars into Trump’s pockets through his hotel just down the street from the White House. As I pointed out this week, Trump is also selling his own likeness on cheesy memorabilia peddled to the public using 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as the address of the business. Trump’s corrupt cabinet members are working 24/7 to erase all progress made under Barack Obama while enriching themselves on the backs of the taxpayers. He’s turned US diplomatic policy on its ear, attacking Canada as a “security risk” while French kissing the most evil and murderous dictator on the planet.
For Christ’s sake, Frank, what the hell does it take to piss you off? Over the last 30 years, Republicans have proven that vicious anger works. They’ve also proven that outrage over fake issues works like a charm. That’s why you get gay bashing and racist attacks on right wing media just as election seasons get started. That’s why the phony “war on Christmas” gins up anger among Fox Noise loyalists every year. It works. Keeping people outraged drives them to the polls. Democrats don’t get that, and never have. The result? Republicans control all three branches of the federal government. They control 33 governors’ mansions, and 66 of 99 legislative chambers. Radical gerrymandering has cemented in these gains to protect them from changing demographics.
On Thursday, one writer got it right. Drew Magary of GQ Magazine hit Bruni right between the eyes, calling his nonsense nonsense. He said of Bruni, “…once a wonderful restaurant critic and is now one of the most singularly inane political columnists working today…”. And his rant was a long drive straight down the middle. He put it this way:
“Bruni is far from alone in smarmily crying out THIS IS WHY TRUMP WON! every time a liberal gets angry about something they ought to be angry about. It is the laziest, stupidest theory, one that posits that the only possible way to take down Trump from his evildoing is to keep your voice so quiet that everyone else can opt out of hearing it. It’s also a clear case of naked pandering from newspapers that skew liberal but still yearn—whether for financial reasons or out of sheer vanity—to appear fair to both sides. This is how you end up with two sets of rules for each party. Republicans can be openly racist, nationalist, corrupt, and horny. Democrats have to be GOOD, because Americans apparently crave goodness even though 60 million of them voted for Donald Trump.”
The reason why Republicans routinely clutch their pearls and retreat to their fainting couches, or actively attack folks who loudly castigate them – is that these are the same tactics that have succeeded for Republicans over the years. They don’t want Democrats using these tactics.
Mr. Bruni has somewhat of a point: radicalizing the electorate makes compromise difficult. However, it only takes one side to radicalize to achieve this effect. As the chief of police said in Young Frankenstein: “A riot, is a dangerous and ugly thing – and I THINK IT’S ABOUT TIME THAT WE HAD ONE!”
1I’ll say it again — one of the stupidest things that the Left attempts to do is find that one perfect strategy for/method of accomplishing their goals while the Right successfully campaigns on multiple fronts.
End result: circular firing squad on the Left and victory on the Right.
2Can we have an AMEN BROTHER?
DO I HEAR AN AMEN??
Liars. Don’t forget that Rethuglicans, at least here in Texas, have developed a great skill for telling lies.
3Angry El Jefe is best El Jefe.
4El Jefe:
Thank you for saying this. More people need to hear this. I hope you’ll publish this on other websites.
5To bloody hell with Frank Bruni, and to bloody hell with the notion that Democrats have to always take the high road. Our democracy is in mortal danger of being taken over by an authoritarian madman and his brain-dead followers. If you’re not ANGRY about what’s going on right now, and if you’re not prepared to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, then get out of the way—go sit in a corner with Frank Bruni and the rest of the wimps, and let the rest of us do what is necessary.
6Well, yeah, okay to be mad and scream, got it.
After, then what?
7El Jefe,I don’t always agree with your posts. But,in baseball analogy,it’s the bottom of the 9th:our team has bases loaded,two outs,we’re three runs behind, you just came up to bat. You just knocked that first pitch right over centerfield,into the parking lot! GRAND SLAM to bring it home for the WIN!!! 100% agree with you here! My depression has turned to anger; my frustration has turned to disgust; and my loss of hope has turned into determination. Never have I hated an Administration like I do these turd buckets from Hell! I’m done with the “reaching out and finding middle ground”! Screw middle ground,when they’re trying to destroy families,civil rights,equality,the environment,this country,and our world! I’m done listening to their version of anything! Dump truck,his staff of evil,and his followers can kiss my Democratic donkey ass! There is a special place in Hades just waiting to collect their sorry soulless selves. May they rot their for all Eternity someday soon!
8El Jefe:
9I agree.
But I gotta add something that I don’t hear anyone talking about. The infrastructure built up over decades by the right has worked.
They’ve totally redefined what it means to be liberal in the minds of millions who consume the constant disinformation and outright lies put out on the “fair and balanced” media.
Any idea involving empathy or compassion is equated with weakness.
That’s why the term snowflake has taken root so deeply. Which makes me want to beat somebody with a baseball bat.
Protecting the weak from those in power is what it means to be American.
The whole King George tyrant thing. And our ancestors learned that great wealth created tyranny just as much as royalty. And over decades fought for laws that protect the least among us from the powerful.
That’s what it meant to be American.
But increasingly, that’s being redefined as being weak.
I can’t help but believe that this is being ignored or denied by people who oughta know better.
The high road is noble.
But it will collapse when the sewer system being savagely excavated underneath it reaches a certain level.
Basically, the GOP has learned one thing, and we haven’t; you can’t win by defending your principles, but you CAN win by destroying the principles of your opponent.
Terrorists do this, too, and the results are quick and frequently decisive.
10You are so right. If we don’t feel a righteous anger at the atrocities being committed in the name of our country, there is something seriously wrong with us.
11We need to devise strategies putting that anger to constructive use against the monsters who control us right now. Marches, boycotts, picketing, sit-ins are some of the tried and true actions which at least kept the subject in the news and pressure on the minds of our congressional sleezebags.
There must be a way to tap into collective brilliance and use
IT to fight back.
Yes, maryelle, but do we devise defenses of OUR principles, or attacks of theirs?
My opinion only, but we will fail if we continue trying to defend our viewpoint without first destroying theirs. Utterly, totally and irreparably destroying their ‘principles,’ such as they are.
12RepubAnon got there with the quote first: “A riot is an ugly thing– and it is about time that we had one!”
My bad back precludes my doing much marching, but I’d suggest a sit-in outside two offices: Justice and the EPA. End the jailing of children at the border, and get Pruitt out as the single most corrupt member of the cabinet, as well as the greatest destroyer of our environment and our health. (A recent scientific study says that Trump’s rollback of clean air and water laws could kill 80,000 people in the next ten years.) Those two things are a start. Then look at other targets.
Get a LOT of people involved. Trump and his sheep will say it’s a commie leftwing fringe, but they’ll say that if it’s 150 million people.
13The premise makes sense if all trump supporters are a monolithic group that are hopelessly drowning in The Koolaide. Many are, but some are not. Anecdotally, the three people I know who admitted voting for trump only came-out after he had won. (Gloatingly, in my view) All three now regret their vote. Yeah, trying to educate the hopeless is a waste of time, but don’t write off the more moderate voters by insulting them until they reject your logic.
14You are correct, El Jefe.
Since the start of the year, the GOP has been reminding Democrats that all elections are local, and this mid-term is not about Trump. And they want the locals to believe it.
Meanwhile they run against Hillary and Mr. Obama.
You have to stand for something, folks. Plain and simple.
15Thanks again, El Jefe, for the righteous rant. Get out there and vote, people! March, organize, and make sure that all your friends and relations are registered and voting, too. I shudder at what this nation is becoming and concentration camps for kids–where staff are not permitted to offer comfort and even siblings cannot console one another–is the last f’ing straw. Let us drive the racist hate-mongers from every level of OUR government. Time is running out…
16When true statements are made that cause the snacilbupeR to clutch their pearls in phony outrage the adage “”Pearls before Swine” comes to mind. Samantha Bee was correct about Ivanka. Jon Stewart properly cast Donnie as “*uckface Von Clownstick,” while Michelle Fox rightly captured Sarah Chuck-a-Load Sanders with “I actually really like Sarah,” Wolf said. “I think she’s very resourceful. Like, she burns facts, and then she uses the ash to create a perfect smoky eye. Like, maybe she’s born with it; maybe it’s lies. It’s probably lies.”
Keep telling the truth, presenting the facts and when appropriate laugh at the denials of the snacilbupeR. Run for office, vote, get angry or not, take the high road or not; as is said “be true to yourself.” There is more than one way to travel the path as individuals. What matters is that we participate.
17Oh, and VOTE!
Take your anger public. Join a phone bank.
18We DO outnumber them.
Patience my ass, I’m going to kill something.
19https://alvinalexander.com/photos/two-vultures-patience-my-ass-im-gonna-kill-something
A Wal-Mart is now being used as a concentration camp, for children. Shades of Jade Helm! And it’s being done by the Rs.
20Seems to me we can use ranters to fire up the base and reasoners to sway the uncommitted. I reason a lot better than I rant. Please, is there room for me too?
21I agree 100%, JJ. Thanks for posting this. I will share with my daughter who was apoplectic about this same topic.
To add to your analysis of the media’s BS and both sides crap I would like to know that people or institutions fighting is what sells newspapers and subscriptions. In the end, it is all about the Benjamins.
I love your work.
22Amen, El Jefe. This is what cost us a great senator, Al Franken. We have to be “so pure it floats,” and they proudly support child molesters and sexual predators. I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore! Bring on the culture war, beeyatches. Down and dirty.
23This classic message from Vincente Fox was to Donnie, but will play well for the snacilbupeR in the midterms, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYZKrn7Bbl8
We can both unite the country and move into the 21st century with messages that are already approved by over 70% of our population. Fair immigrations laws, gun safety, equal and affordable access to medical treatment, infrastructure, schools, economic equality; to list a few sound policies.
As O stated in at #18 “We DO outnumber them.” Get out to vote and take ten friends with you. Join a sit in with Rhea Phone bank, talk to people and reason as Elizabeth2 does, and my personal heroine Marge Wood who enjoys her coffee with young people. Talk, march, … do what you feel comfortable as doing your best – being sincere amplifies your point.
Or, as we say in the gambling state, “believe the numbers.” Prophetic that O was comment #18. 2018 can be our year!
24O/T but if anyone is in the ‘writing mood,’ Manafort is now inmate number 00045343. He is allotted one hour of visitation on Friday afternoons. Virginia peeps, wth is “VIP” jail housing? Please tell us that means extra security precautions for this flight risk grifter, not special privileges.
25Our new motto:
“When They go low, We go high; then jump down on ‘em, and stomp their sorry asses into the ground!”
Metaphorically speaking, of course.
26I’m sick of playing nice. President Obama won because they pushed back on the lies. the media put 45 in office. Now still every chance they get they are still bashing Hillary. They act like all that free air time didn’t help him. There are certain reporters I have to mute the sound. The comedian at WHC dinner got it right. They are profiting off him. We are kidding ourselves if we think it can’t get worse. It is easy when your leaving office to be critical but do something or shut up. This election I didn’t think people could be that stupid to buy into the BS. We need to quit thinking the GOP has any ethics.
27@Lunargent
Shades of Full Metal Jacket!
“Why aren’t you stomping the ‘snacilbupeR guts out?!”
28@Rhea
29To these people anyone to the left of Temujin is a commie left-wing liberal.
What ever happened to “Don’t get mad, get even”?
Get out, help people get registered, and vote those vile and disgusting GOPs out of our lives…
30Right on!
31Charles R Phillips: “Well, yeah, okay to be mad and scream, got it.
After, then what?”
Do what the republicans do, do it again and again and again.Trump has used repetition of the lie to make it truth, we know that works, so we get to do it too. I am a great advocate for fighting dirty.
We can reassume the moral and ethical high ground when we are in charge.
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