Personal Reflections of a Conservative Who Wants To Be Liked

American Thinker ^ | June 23, 2009 | Harold Witkov

[neverdem]

My wife and I were having volume problems with our laptop so we brought our computer into an electronics store to let the technicians have a look at it.  The way the computer people work at this establishment is they place your computer on a counter and work upon it right in front of you. I had already gone to the DVD section of the store, grabbed a few new DVDs for purchase, and joined my wife, as she was just stepping up for service, laptop in hand.

As the technician (an African American) was getting the computer ready for analysis, he noticed the DVDs I was holding, and we struck up an amicable conversation about our personal movie collections. Turning his attention to the computer, he plugged in the right plugs, opened the lid, pushed the power button on, and up pooped an array of desktop icons, one of which included the photo and name of Rush Limbaugh (I am a Rush 24/7 member).

The technician worked diligently on the computer problem for what seemed a lifetime while my wife and I stood just on the other side of the counter watching.  Because it was a volume problem he went into "iTunes" to test a couple of times, where, because I had previously downloaded one of Rush's radio shows, a picture of Mr. Limbaugh popped up each time. Still struggling with how to fix the computer, he called over a fellow technician, (name tag Mahmoud), and Mahmoud then proceeded to repeat every step, with another round of displayed Rush icons.

Politically speaking, I am a conservative whereas my wife is often on a different page.  When we got into the car, she more or less let me have it.  She told me how embarrassed she was that Rush Limbaugh's picture and name kept popping up on the screen and that our technicians probably thought we were some kind of racists.

Of course I was quick to dispel her fears with, "They probably didn't even notice," and, "Why would you think that?"  The problem was, although I did not fess up to it, I had shared some of the same uneasy feelings that she did.

This caused me to do much reflection and I believe I now understand my uneasiness and perhaps the root problem of the entire conservative movement: America's preoccupation with television and the human desire to be liked.

Let me explain. Conservatism is in trouble, not because liberalism is better for the nation, but because conservatism does not play well on the much watched television news, which is short on substance yet high on passive thinking imagery. Just as one picture is worth ten thousand words, a carefully narrated television image can be worth a million votes.

Just to give the mainstream media a pass for the moment, which is difficult to do, the news, understandably, has always been about life's victims. Who wants to read, or hear, or see about people who have nothing of interest happening to them?  Victim stories in America, as the conservative understands, are only about a fraction of society, yet a modern-day television image and liberal narration can move television viewers in the same way Bambi's mother's murder moved theatre audiences to tears over fifty years ago.

Liberalism works well with stories about people who fall through the cracks, making them appear larger than life.  The Democrats, and "moderate" Republicans, exploit the various victims of the news and are forever declaring emergency rescue plans.  This makes them appear compassionate. Conservatism, on the other hand, works well in the world of concepts and ideas.  The talking point merits of capitalism, laissez-faire, the constitution, and individual liberty, although far better for our nation as a whole than liberal socialism, appear as void of compassion arguments in the face of TV victim imagery.

The Democratic Party, with the aid of their bedfellows in media land, has unfairly convinced much of America into believing conservatives do not want safety nets for those who fall through the cracks.  This is not true.  The difference between liberals and conservatives is that conservatives understand safety nets should not be massive entitlement programs capable of bringing down the nation. 

Now back to my discomfort at the store.  Liberal television news has a propensity for displaying woeful news images, implying a dire need for immediate government rescue (i.e. the Democratic Party), and then contrasting these images with out of context conservative sound bites from the likes of Rush Limbaugh (and others).  This makes conservatism and their spokespeople appear to be uncaring, lacking compassion, and villain like.   In a world in which perception is so encompassing, is it any wonder I felt discomfort thinking about what the computer technicians might be thinking about me?  It is human nature to want to be liked and I did not want these two gentlemen to think, on any given day, I was capable of murdering Bambi's mother.

It would appear the combination of television imaging and liberal spin is almost too much to overcome for a national populace that is becoming more and more entrenched in what television does best: instill uncritical passive thinking. Obviously, an infinite amount of work needs to be done on behalf of the conservative movement if we are going to return to power one day soon.  If we are to succeed, we must become thicker skinned and take the battle away from the world of television images and liberal narration, into the world where we are strongest, what Rush would call, the Reagan world of conservative ideas. This is no small undertaking.

As for myself, I have decided to start my battle at the home front.  My wife deleted the Rush icon from the desktop the moment we returned from the electronics store, and I am going to put him back up.

[LittleBillyInfidel]

No, NOW he needs to delete the Rush Icons as not to embarrass conservatives with such detachments. (To me, it’s like the writer is one of those horrible drivers I’ve often encountered on the road who, ironically, also happen to STILL sport Bush/Cheney bumper stickers! ARRGHH!!)

Anyway....

I don’t buy that he’s a Rush 24/7 member. He would otherwise know better than to share such thoughts on American Thinker as some great epiphany. Casual listeners of Rush (as I) should even already know that these ideas have been covered FREQUENTLY and for years now - and loudly since the election.

His insecurities probably have more to do with not getting out of his house more - and interacting with people. If he doesn’t get out of the house more, he needs to listen to Rush more than once a quarter...I mean reallllly listen.

(BTW, how does he know the person he dealt with was really of ‘’African’’ origin and not ‘’West Indies’’? How does he know that person is ‘’American’’ and not illegal from say, Canada? Why is B-HO defaulted to black and not white? Why do people - especially liberals - fixate on labels? Why must many poor drivers maintain Bush/Cheney bumper stickers on their cars?)

[Condor51]

What a load of horse...(blank).
Harold Witkov has some issues and 'not being liked' is the least of them.

• He has no self esteem.
  
• At some time in his life he lost his spine.
  
• His wife has his testicles in a lock box on the mantle.
  

Personally, I don't give a sheet who likes me. I'm 'me', take it or leave it. And if it turns out to be be no one, fine, see ya. It's that simple.

My mom always used to say, "Don't let your friends choose you. YOU choose them."
[it's funny how moms are always right :-)]

[xsmommy]

i am wondering how he can possibly be married to her.

[Free Vulcan]

Sadly you are correct in many cases.

[The_Media_never_lie]

I.E., I have heard Rush talk about buying the biggest SUV he can afford, and burning a tank of gas without going any where, just because he can afford it. This is very uncomplimentary, and makes me ashamed to be a listener. I know he did this just to tweak the eco-crazies, but still it makes for a bad sound bite.

He also liked to joke about clear cutting an old growth forest, again, just to tweak the eco-crazies. I knew what he was doing, but makes for bad sound.

I love to listen to Rush when he is talking about the issues, but at times he is embarrassing. Just a by product of being entertaining, I guess.

[wardaddy]

I see. I perused your posts and agree with your sentiments very much but the ovens comment was a bit over the top as you quickly found out.

But you are correct ..some folks here think any realspeak about various “minorities” is verboten.

I never played that game. I call it as I have lived and observed it for 52 years and have lived all over the planet and experienced all this pretty up close and personal unlike some folks here driven by the conventional wisdom.

Beware of the cliques here...that will get you quicker than anything but it’s much better than it used to be when the Harpies were the power here.

Most left over Rudy Guiliani whom they loved.

But expect political correctness even here over:

blacks
some women stuff
liberal Jewish self hatred and animosity to Christian conservatism
evolution versus mormons
illegal brown immigrants
hunting
pit bulls
haughty catholics
haughty prods
momonism and especially polygamy

if you hang with gun freaks or southerners (or like minded) it’s easier to be un-pc

good luck

[wardaddy]

yep, I lived with a Skidmore undergrad/Columbia Phd for several years

no way could I have handled that all my life

and she was fetching with blonde hair and blue eyed...Jamaican arisocrat beleive it or not..an heiress

[TexasRepublic]

When I was young I used to worry about what people thought. Now that I’m a mature old fart, I don’t give a shit.

[Landru]

"Now that I’m a mature old fart, I don’t give a shit."

Oh my, take Exlax! LOL ;^)

[bustinchops]

Thanks very much, ;)

I’m not a southerner, but I am a gun-freak, Second Amendment type.

[bustinchops]

“My favorites are the folks who wouldn’t fight back if they had a knife in their kidney because “we don’t want to be like them”

Let’s just say the spinelessness of congressional Republicans is easily explained by reading this forum.

Thank you for the welcome.

[neverdem]

Harold Witkov's frustration is palpable. The brilliant Ronald Reagan, the great communicator, was turned into the amiable dunce by the treacherous drive by media.

Report on arms smuggling to Mexico called incomplete Gun grabbers are drooling!

Drug Decriminalization in Portugal If God made it, let it be. IMHO, God didn't do anything for nothing.

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Some noteworthy articles about politics, foreign or military affairs, IMHO, FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.

[sauropod]

read

[bert]

It is ok to be a racist. It is a strength to recognize there are racial differences and to learn to know and understand those differences.

The fact Obama is President is precisely because he is not white. The people who voted for him are mostly racists who practice negative racism. They proudly assume the mantle of nonracist while in the act of voting for a black man because he is black.

By the same token it is ok to be very critical of a black populations that shuns education and personal growth while retreating to urban enclaves where they are unassailable in their racist war on the mainstream.

The concept of racism has been raised as a political cudgel with which to flog the opposition.

[GOPJ]

...media land, has unfairly convinced much of America into believing conservatives do not want safety nets for those who fall through the cracks. This is not true. The difference between liberals and conservatives is that conservatives understand safety nets should not be massive entitlement programs capable of bringing down the nation.

Great post, neverdem.

[SunkenCiv]

Conservatism is in trouble, not because liberalism is better for the nation, but because conservatism does not play well on the much watched television news, which is short on substance yet high on passive thinking imagery.

Thanks neverdem. IOW, time to take over the news. Oh wait, we did that. ;')

[Jim Noble]

Most left over Rudy Guiliani whom they loved

Still do.

[wardaddy]

where is howlin anyhow?

[Jim Noble]

I don't know. I really miss Peach.

But it is a fact that Rudy would be President today if he had been the nominee, and we would be better off.

[LibLieSlayer]

Amen brother... you brought that young lady to the truth!

LLS