Posted on 11/08/2008 10:35:48 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
For a while I thought it was just me. But in the final days leading up to the national election, I began to notice it on both local and national talk shows around the country.
And now that we are a few days past Mr. Obama’s election night victory, it seems quite clear: things have gotten more intense, not less.
I’m writing here about the attacks that are being telephoned-in to conservative talk radio hosts around the country. I’ve noticed a consistent increase of people that I’ll call “Obama enthusiasts” popping-up as callers on conservative talk shows, and no matter what the topic on the show may be, the assertions from the callers follow a predictable pattern.
The precise choice of words that the caller uses in their line of attack may vary, but the pattern essentially goes like this: A) The caller asserts to the host that “all you ever do is attack Barack Obama;” B) The caller then comes around to asserting to the host that “you are obviously a “racist” (or “you are a bigot,” or “you think Black people are inferior to White people,” or something of that sort); and then the caller concludes with C) “you should be removed from the ‘public airwaves’” (or some variation of the general sentiment that “you should just be silenced” or “you should shut-up”).
Now let me be clear: I’m not complaining about this, not at all. In fact, I welcome it on my talk show at 630 WMAL radio in Washington, D.C. It’s no secret that talk radio thrives in controversy, and conversely, a talk show can become boring if everyone is “in agreement” with the host.
But entertaining talk show content is one thing. And the broader implications of people’s words outside of a talk show can be something different (I’m reminded here of the many times over the years that I’ve heard Rush say “words mean things”). And the implications, the “meaning,” of the pattern that I’ve identified above, seems to be this: If you so much as question the President-elect, you are necessarily a “racist,” and your voice should, therefore, be removed from the public square.
I must also add that, while the hostility I’m hearing on conservative talk radio is mostly directed at white, male hosts, it’s not necessarily a “black against white” phenomena. For example, on my show last Friday while I was discussing Mr. Obama’s remarks about the economy at his recent press conference, I received a call from “Roberto,” a man with a Hispanic sounding accent in Arlington, VA. Roberto’s opening salvo was to say that I was being “patronizing” by pronouncing his name with the traditional, Spanish “rolling R” sound.
Now, I grew up in Southern California surrounded by Spanish speakers, and I was taught by my “white Mom” that, as a matter of respect, I should speak Spanish as it was intended to be spoken, and NOT like a “gringo.”
But never mind that “respect” thing. As far as Roberto was concerned, I was simply offensive. And then, of course, the pattern kicked-in - - I was questioning the President-elect’s remarks because I’m a racist, and therefore I should be silenced.
I’ve heard this rhetoric enough times, and on so many different talk shows in addition to my own, that I believe there is some organizational effort behind it. I’m not insinuating that the finger prints of our President-elect are on this, and the participants in this might be quite loosely organized, at best.
But there is a certain mindset, a certain philosophy that underlies this rhetoric, and it is becoming more widespread. It is the belief if you are not in lock-step with the President-elect’s agenda, or if you merely dare to question it, you are obviously motivated by your hatred of ethnic minorities, and you have no place in the broad national debate. And it is an anathema to our freedoms under the First Amendment.
Conservative Americans in particular need to understand that in this new era, the rules have changed. And to understand this change, conservatives need to begin by reading “Rules For Radicals,” a book published in 1971 by noted “community organizer” (and a man who is said to have influenced Mr. Obama) Saul Alinsky.
Column space is limited here, so you’ll have to get a copy of the book for yourself. But consider this notion from Alinksy’s rule #5: “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It’s hard to counterattack ridicule, and it infuriates the opposition, which then reacts to your advantage.”
And consider this language from rule #11, wherein Alinsky suggests that the main job of a “community organizer” is to bait his opponent into reacting in a certain way: “The enemy properly goaded and guided in his reaction will be your major strength.”
Welcome to the new era.
I guess they are frothing again, so whats next, Internet Ninja Hamsters shutting down FR?
Pull up a comfy chair and pop some corn - lets watch them duke it out!
You mean so it continues...
So 96% of Blacks voted for a mixed-race POTUS candidate and some don't see anything race-based about that...versus 44-45% of Whites voting for O...but the finger-pointing continues.
I noticed the same thing and long before the election. They would generally call and say the host was attacking Obama unfairly, at which point our local conservative talk show host would then go on and say how he had also criticized McCain and thus was being "fair." I've noticed far more liberal callers to the local show, and even some national shows than before the campaign.
I thought the homosexuals were attacking the Mormons, not the Blacks, Hispanics and Evangelicals...
These calls are probably orchestrated.
I’ve been thinking I need to read this book and maybe we all should read it so we know what we are up against. Shoot, we might even be able to incorporate some of the tactics if they are so good....I enjoy giving a good dose of ridiculing from time to time.
I think this nation has long since passed the stage of 'goading and guiding' for reaction. They won and they do not give a d... about anyone or anything.
No doubt calls orchestrated—they did this before the election on WGN radio in Chicago when Stanley Kurtz was a guest on a local radio program.
I think they will think he is great no matter what.
But remember something like 85% of them still feel OJ is innocent so there is a pretty large break with normal reality for some of them.
Liberalism is a cult.
There was an article here last night - I’ll see if I can find it. You talk about some peeved off gays..... one quote involved the now outlawed “N” word.... as in “you call me f!gg*t, I’ll call you “n*gg#r”
this is a free speech country, we can dislike someone because we do not like their politics.
That's what I thought all day Saturday. I was timing out starting from 7AM CST til late tonight. Are others having problems?
We are the obstacle in their Marxist dreams.
Let's act the part, shall we?
Oh yes, please, come and try to silence me you marxist POS.
The dogs and I both could use some exercise.
Y’know....I feel ripped off. Here I am, having given blacks the benefit of the doubt and doing all I can to treat them equally, for decades.
And the thanks I get (not that I did it for thanks) is to be called “racist”. It’s like...if I am being friendly and all, and those who I am being friendly to insist on calling me a dirtbag and being hostile to me over and over....I’ll ultimately stop trying to be nice or even bothering to be nice. I will fulfill their projections.
People are even allowed to dislike different races. Thought supposedly is free, it is action which is the problem. Libs don’t understand this. They want to control thoughts.
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