Posted on 11/22/2004 12:36:30 AM PST by TBarnett34
In the wake of a heartbreaking defeat, Democrats have made no attempt to reinvigorate their party’s spirit or commitment to its cause, instead choosing to commiserate over their failings with any sympathetic passerby who appears willing to lend an ear.
Consider Emory’s Democrats a microcosm of this dysfunction. Offered editorial space in the Wheel, recent contributors chose to rant against the Republicans’ perceived pandemic ignorance, sensationalism and reckless use of the good vs. evil polemic with — yes, indeed — their own brand of ignorance, sensationalism and use of that much-feared good vs. evil polemic. Recent articles cite the Republican party’s lackadaisical approach to environmental concerns, its branding of contrary views as “un-American” and its me-first, forget-the-world policy as indications of everything that’s wrong with America’s (barely) favored political group, and more to their primary concern, proof that these followers are, regrettably (or maybe, happily?), entirely reprehensible people.
Emory Democrats, if I come off as terribly critical here, it’s because I actually do share your concerns. You see, I too am an ardent Democrat. I too am pro-choice, pro-gay rights, have been against the war in Iraq before it even began, believe in government sponsored, nationwide healthcare, etc. And besides a mutual agreement on the Democratic Party’s main tenants, you and I do share one other view: Democrats need to stop the apologies.
Exactly. Liberals need to stop apologizing and rolling over in the face of opposition in half-hearted attempts to appeal to the moderate base. But liberals also need to stop — no, in the interest of continuing viability, they must stop — attacking the opposition with unsupported claims of fascist, inhumane behavior; and they must stop the now-fashionable trend of putting out the clarion call to label 51 percent of this country as ignoramuses and then abandon ship to a country with a more tractable Democratic landscape. Such tactics encourage a defeatist tendency that the party can no longer afford to indulge.
I’ll tell you a secret: The Republicans won in 2004 and will continue to succeed because they market themselves better, because they don’t yell foul and then complain about the past and because they find ways to appeal to moderates and the opposition without treating them like the enemy.
America’s Democrats now threaten to drown themselves in their collective sense of overwhelming outrage. And while I laud Emory’s Democrats for their rambunctious zeal in defending the Democratic cause, I also feel the need to warn them that their sincere indignation at perceived injustices leaves them prone to succumbing to all of the ostensibly deplorable tactics they lampoon against. In the aftermath of a potentially soul-crushing defeat, it can be difficult to move forward gracefully, but as young representatives and leaders of your party within the Emory community, such is your responsibility.
In the recent editorials to which I refer, the student body could have read clear critiques of Republican policy, supported with facts, attributed quotes and historical data. They could have read about how their peers, admirably passionate young Democrats, feel their party can change for the better and how they failed. But wait — there’s still a future, and this is how to help — and yes, you can, too!
But no, there was little of that. Instead, we read how Kerry did everything he could, or how all was indeed for naught because there’s simply no reasoning with the apparently irrational and barbarous sect that is the Republican voting bloc.
Two years ago, I may have skimmed over these editorials and moved on quietly. But like my fellow Democrats, I too felt compelled to speak out. No longer can liberals remain apologetic, but neither can we give into the self-indulgent cynicism and broad-spectrum lampooning that once passed for acceptable debate. The political climate has changed and now stands as tenuous and uncertain as our own national security. Let’s learn from the opposition, change and attempt to move beyond self-loathing and pointlessly satiric attacks. Maybe then — barring any more indictments of gross ignorance — they, those Republicans we love to hate, will learn to understand us, to trust us, and in an ideal world, to vote with us.
I must say, though, that the last line is hilarious.
Mr. Silverman has his head screwed on right and represents one of the shreds of decency remaining in his party.
Over the next four years, he may learn that his party is unreformable, sunk hopelessly in its own excrement.
I think his party really likes doing the Crying Victim thing and will pay no attention to this. They'd rather have every day be like an Oprah episode and they sit around crying and feeling like victims.
And Democrats wonder why they lost the White House, the House of Reps and the Senate? There's the reasons right there, people!
Even their brightest bulbs are hilariously dim.
I agree with his basic tenet to stop apologizing but, after that, the editorial goes nowhere. The biggest problem that the Dem Party has is NOT that 51% of voting Americans are "ignoramuses", but with the policies that the party promotes. The Dem Party has moved out of the mainstream and Mr. and Mrs. Average American disagree with both their policies and platform.
What the author of this piece suggests is that America will vote Democrat again if they just market themselves better. I don't believe so. American voters have shown that they can recognize a bucket of crap when they see one, regardless how pretty it may be wrapped up to appear.
Until they move more toward the center, Dems will continue to lose ground. And, for Dems to regain seats and power, they will have to improve not only the caliber of their lies, they will have to find better candidates.
John Kerry!!?? What were they thinking?
Why is it that people at universities seem to spend almost all their time on politics and very little on knowledge?
"In the recent editorials to which I refer, the student body could have read clear critiques of Republican policy, supported with facts, attributed quotes and historical data. They could have read about how their peers, admirably passionate young Democrats, feel their party can change for the better and how they failed. But wait — there’s still a future, and this is how to help — and yes, you can, too!"
Would someone please explain this man that they can't use facts to support their fantasies? Nevermind, I think that whole paragraph proves that he is lost in a fantasy world himself.
Smoke another bowl full Silverman. Maybe while you are coughing your lung out, you will come to realize the problem...
This is a dangerous young man. Someone tell him to get with the program and start calling republican voters ignorant, otherwise a democrat may win an election again someday.
So, I guess this guy advocates reforming the Democrat plantation into some sort of sharecropping system....I suppose that's progress :^). Or maybe that 8am English class was just a little too much.
As a metro Atlanta resident who knows Emory well, let me say I am shocked anyone over there could think this rationally and honestly....
Yesterday Wolf Blitzer (sorry, no FNC here) had three Rat hacks, the most notable being Al Franken.
"The message" was exactly their theme, along with one lunatic comment from the female hack - a Congresswoman - that "the right" dominates the media. Even Blitzer taunted her on that one, asking whether the WashPost, NYT, and broadcast networks were "right wing."
Franken took the tamer position that the Rats were for some reason not able to get their "message" through to the MSM. The third person - a Rat Congressman who'd just lost reelection - offered that we should listen to Franken, because "he's a serious voice of the Democratic Party."
Not one of them, not for a millisecond, ever touched on the notion that the Rats are seriously out of touch with America, and becoming more so each day. Much fingerpointing and blaming, but of serious rethinking about their platform and values, zilcho.
And maybe he will learn to understand us, trust us and vote with us, after he climbs out of the cesspool.
They were thinking they could trick everyone..
Them, Having ZERO solutions why not. Democrats are for democracy and democracy is a trick to bring in socialism. The democrat party is all about tricks.
"You see, I too am an ardent Democrat. I too am pro-choice, pro-gay rights, have been against the war in Iraq before it even began, believe in government sponsored, nationwide healthcare, etc."
It's hard to sell your party when it backs what I consider sins according to my faith (Abortion and homosexuality), a system of healthcare (which if they care to look at countries that have, it doesn't work and lowers the quality of healthcare) and is against a war (if you believe them then Hussein was a misunderstood innocent who spent 12 years blocking inspectors from doing their job) that was going to have to be fought at some point. In the 60s, their party did offer viable alternatives. Now, they're just becoming too far out of the mainstream to be worthy of serious consideration as an alternative.
This guy needs to learn what the word "apologetics" means.
The current Democratic Party appeals to the college Marxist, who have no idea that you can't redistribute things that belong to other people, and that "it's not fair!" is not a rallying cry (Even Jimmy Carter pointed out that 'anybody who tells you life is fair is telling you a lie'). It also, of course, appeals to people who are trapped in the Sixties. Until these people are forced to wash that stuff off their facs, put on clothes that don't make them look like Broadway Hookers, and wash their mouths out thoroughly with soap, then go back to class and pay attention this time, it's no use talking to them at all.
"Or maybe that 8am English class was just a little too much."
They should have caught that error. Here's another error I've seen twice in three days now, in two different places, one an actual publication. "Mist" for "Midst". Very annoying.
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