Posted on 03/01/2003 5:37:47 PM PST by PetroniDE
singing Dixie accapela was harder on those around me
I think I can echo that statement. I didn't know you in your previous FReeper life but welcome back.
Animal House.
Don't ask me why.
These same jerks get their panties in a bunch of we call their precious "peace" rallies "ANTI-AMERICAN" rallies.
Of course, these same idiots call us "anti-choice" instead of pro-life and get ticked off if we call them "pro-abortion".
You make a good point, though I think an unintended one.
It is really immaterial what you call a particular rally, since such spin exists on both sides and the true nature of the rally will always be misrepresented by one side or the other. The facts are that people on the left will accept the terms that they like best, the people on the right will accept the terms they like best and those who don't have an opinion, will continue to be apathetic and confused.
The media does indeed have a clear left wing bias. But, that is so obvious that it doesn't even bear any further elaboration. Your post, however, shows that such misrepresentation exists on both sides of the political arena.
Is it a "peace rally" or an "anti-American protest"?
You have but to look at the things that are said at the rally and the actions of the people at the rally. The most telling thing about the recent liberal protests was the large number of US flags being flown upside down and many other overt signs of disrespect for our country. These signs of disrespect were not aimed at a single policy or person, but aimed broadly at the United States of America. Although they talk about peace, it quickly becomes clear that peace is only a vehicle for putting down our country. It's quite clear that whether they want to use the term or not, theirs was an "anti-American protest".
Is it a "pro-America rally" or a "pro-war rally"?
Again, you have but to look at the overt signs. In this case, the signs were just that - signs. Signs like , "Yahoo America", "We Support Our Troops", "One Nation Under God" and "Support America and Unite". And US Flags - thousands of US Flags waving proudly everywhere. In the whole enormous sea of signs, I only saw one that was pro-war, saying, "Bomb Sadam". Furthermore, if it had been a pro-war rally, they would not have allowed queen sheila to speak. As before, it becomes quite clear that regardless of what term people choose to use, the rally on Saturday was a "pro-America rally".
Is it a "pro-choice rally" or a "pro-abortion rally"?
Once again, just look at where they concentrate their rhetoric and signs. I have never seen nor heard of a sign or speaker that even remotely suggested that abortion was a good thing. Their signs and speakers concentrate on one subject alone - choice (and the right of an individual to be allowed a choice to do as he wishes with his own body). Just because I don't agree with some of the choices that some of their proponents may some day make, does not mean that they are in favor of abortion. I have known and worked with a number of people who are clearly, pro-choice. But upon questioning them, not a single one of them thought that abortion was a good idea. Every last one of them had a clearly negative view of abortion. Abortion wasn't a choice that they would want to make and it is not why they march. Once more, it becomes quite clear that regardless of what term people use, their rallies are "pro-choice rallies".
Is it a "pro-life rally" or an "anti-abortion protest" or even an "anti-choice protest"?
Yet again, the overt signs tell the story. The signs concentrate on how wrong abortion is, not how great life is. But, remember that most pro-choice advocates also have a decidedly negative view of the actual act of abortion. Among the few signs and speakers at those gatherings that deal with life, none refer to any other aspect of life than abortion. There are many great aspects to life, besides just being born. In fact, though I don't remember being born, just knowing what goes on, it seems to me that it was probably quite traumatic. ;-) But, if they are truly pro-life, why don't they cheer some of the other great things in life, like love, marriage, friends, beauty and wonder. It's because they are not concerned with life in general, but abortion in specific. But, their pro-life spin loses even more credibility, when you consider that almost everyone alive is pro life (except for a handful of terrorists and a few other true sickos, most of whom are institutionalized). Even the many brave soldiers who have come home after taking many lives in wars around the globe were pro-life, as they routinely report being deeply bothered for the rest of their lives, as a result of the lives that they had to take. Even the recent "anti-American protests" could be referred to as pro-life, since it is a virtual certainty that most everyone there thinks that life is a pretty good thing. As before, it becomes quite clear that regardless of the term you choose to use, these folks are simply attempting to use the very broad brush of "pro-life" to make their "anti-abortion protest" sound more acceptable to a broader range of people. As far as calling it an "anti-choice protest", that might be a little much, since that is not their primary goal, even though banning abortion would indeed, have the resultant effect of limiting choice.
As you say, the media is most often prone to spin their reporting to the left. And, like you, I believe that is a bad thing. But, when conservatives attempt to use the same type of spin to misrepresent their position, they lose their credibility when they cry foul at the media, for using similar tactics. Only when conservatives decry, with a single voice, the use of misleading spin by everyone, especially those on our side, will we be able to effectively use as a valid argument, the fact that the liberals in the media consistently use misleading spin. Until that happens, such arguments just look like more hypocrisy. As my grandmother used to say, it looks like the pot calling the kettle black.
We are different from them! We stand for justice! We stand for freedom! We stand for right! We oppose injustice! We oppose tyranny! We oppose deception! But, when a significant group within our ranks consistently ignores right and uses deceptive spin, the public sees that deception as no different than the deception used by the liberals. No wonder so many people seem to believe that there is no difference between Republicans and Democrats.
Ours was a "pro-America rally". Theirs was an "anti-America protest". But, with deceitful terms regularly emanating from both sides, there is no ruler for the undecided and often ignorant masses to use, to judge the truth. Therefore, the media, having a strangle-hold on the audience, wins. We owe it to ourselves and our country to avoid such deceptive labels and just stick to the facts. After all, the facts are on our side. We don't need such deceptive spin.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.