Americans Must Keep Asking Questions about Obama

Americans Must Keep Asking Questions about Obama

His Goals and Their Consequences

(For a Dead Guy, Saul Alinsky Sure Gets Around)

Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals” has once again been pulled off of shelf following the senseless attack on the Holocaust Memorial by one man filled with hate for the Jewish people and Israel.  Regrettably, writers on a few well known internet sites, a few “newscasters” and several others in the media – who appear to take pride in their ability to distort facts and people’s motivations/opinions/beliefs in ways that serve their (or the people they support) purposes – are in high gear attacking ordinary Americans who have questions about Barrack Obama, trying to somehow equate them with the Holocaust Memorial shooter.  I’m sure most people see through these attempts and would agree that this purported “journalistic” reporting/commentary is neither journalism nor responsible.

What it is-is simply the “drive-by media’s” attempt to shape the news and portray anyone who disagrees with Obama as a hate filled racist bigot.  This type of reporting and commentary is despicable “ends justifies the means” activity engaged in by people who surely know better.  The vast, vast majority of people who oppose Obama are not racists or bigots – and the media knows it.  They are Americans (from all backgrounds and races) who want politicians, the Congress and Obama to follow the Constitution, support fair free market principles, and to be fiscally responsible and disciplined.  They are Americans who vote, pay taxes and believe that non-violence remains the only acceptable way to effectuate change.

The current feeding frenzy was set off by the despicable act of one crazed man.  Raum Emanuel says, “You never want to let a serious crisis to go to waste.”  However, many surrogates and many in the media take Emanuel’s advice to the extreme. They don’t want to let “any act” go to waste that they can springboard off of to portray people they disagree with (or those who cross/impede their goals) in as negative light as they can.

A recent example is the constant attack of Governor Sarah Palin and her family.  During the election, we all heard (over, over, and over) of ethics allegations raised against Governor Palin.  Well it seems that Governor Palin has been cleared of ever single one.  Where is the media?  Oh, they are busy using David Letterman’s recent attack on Governor Palin’s 14 year old daughter.  Yet there is no real condemnation from the media, no demand to fire David Letterman as would be the case for any “conservative” media personality – just reinforcement of negative perceptions against Governor Palin and her family.  What did CBS do to Don IMUS?  Sorry Don, you’re out of here.

While I’m fairly sure that most members of the media do not have pocket versions of Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals with them, if one does a minimal amount of responsible, balanced reading from various sources, they would soon find that what is being reported as factual and complete new stories by the main stream media are actually stories missing important information.  Stories that are missing important information that can change the meaning and/or inferences are not journalism.  Such stories are the very definition of news bias.

My wife listens to National Public Radio (NPR) every morning, so I have a valuable daily opportunity to observe the subtle ways by which the “news” is shaped by a seemly “objective” news source.  Many times tiny bits of information (facts, opinions, parts of opinion, context, parts of context) are left out, maybe a person being interviewed to give an opposing view regarding an issue is not the best spokesperson available (or their credibility has already been impugned to some degree), or the emphasis/order of presentation directs the listener to certain conclusions – each is a way to shape the news.  I’ve always hoped that NPR was not engaged in the intentional shaping of the news (as opposed to factual reporting); however the more I listen, the more I’m convinced that they are.  That’s too bad because they all have such nice calm morning voices that exude sincerity for what they are saying.

(I’m sure that’s how Obama has gotten away with so much of his deception thus far.)

Of course, some in the media and those who are Obama’s surrogates are always attacking conservative commentators/entertainers like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage or Glenn Beck because they are well known, influential and have large audiences.  It’s interesting to note that recently many have been trying to portray Rush Limbaugh as a spokesperson for conservatives and the Republican Party.  This is total slight of hand. I suppose they figure that if they can firmly establish a link to Republicans with Rush, then a tarnished Rush will keep voters (who sincerely believe that Obama and many Democrats are out of control) from voting Republican out of embarrassment. Stand by Mr. Limbaugh because, as usual, the Sh^% is coming your way.

Rush Limbaugh is the biggest danger to “them” because his audience is growing. It’s all a disheartening game that the media and politicians play.  However, I have not heard any of these men urge people to violence of any kind. In fact, Glenn Beck takes care to urge conservatives to immolate people like Gandhi and Martin Luther King – speak up with conviction – don’t sit in the back of the bus – don’t react with violence. What I hear from Rush, Hannity, Savage and Beck is that they want Americans to open their eyes and ears and truly behold what is before them.  They seem to trust that given full and complete information, Americans will come to their own conclusions – and that’s okay.

That used to be the proper role of the media but now it falls upon others such as radio personalities and those active on the internet.  They may use harsher words and speak louder, but they need to in order to break through the public’s perception of legitimacy regarding the old main stream media.  Thankfully the public’s perceptions of the media are crumbling.

The truth is that right now there is no clear leader in the Republican Party and most people know that. I will vote for candidates of either (any) party who support the Constitution, who refrain from marching us to a mediocre America through socialism, who strongly support the rights of the individual and States, and who will exercise fiscal responsibility.  I will be voting for a lot of challengers in 2010.  I think a lot of other Americans will be doing the same.

Most Radio Talk Show hosts are seasoned professionals who have thick skins regarding unfair criticism and they can take whatever is thrown their way.  Unfortunately, ordinary citizens who are just now finding their voices are not used to being unfairly tarnished and attacked.  It is important that they, that we, toughen up our skin and keep speaking out against injustice; that we keep taking to the streets in peaceful “Tea Parties”, that we write our Representatives, that we do not cower.

It is well known that Obama and his surrogates such as ACORN are well versed in Saul Alinsky’s Rules that are intended to intimidate and break down people’s resolve to do what they believe in.   We all need to understand what will be coming our way and we each need to commit to having our voices heard.  When Mr. Alinsky’s Rules refers to the enemy – that’s you, me, my family, Rush, Hannity, Michael Savage, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, and anyone else who is not part of this D. C. power establishment who stands up and says, THIS IS NOT RIGHT.

Alinsky’s rules are ruthless and you can imagine how they work. Here are the rules to be aware of:

RULE 3: “Whenever possible, go outside the expertise of the enemy.” Look for ways to increase insecurity, anxiety and uncertainty. (This happens all the time. Watch how many organizations under attack are blind-sided by seemingly irrelevant arguments that they are then forced to address.)

RULE 5: “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.” There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions. (Pretty crude, rude and mean, huh? They want to create anger and fear.)

RULE 12: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions. (This is cruel, but very effective. Direct, personalized criticism and ridicule works.)

Alinkiy’s Rule 5 is the one that can most easily intimidate ordinary people who have legitimate questions about Obama, questions about his birth certificate, questions about socialism, questions about Larry Sinclair, questions about out of control spending, questions about the government take over of GM, questions about closing GM dealerships based on who they made political contributions to, questions about setting aside the rights of secured creditors to do it, questions about Obama apparently firing the Inspector General of Americorps in retaliation, questions about the real consequences of cap and trade, questions about the real consequences of government run healthcare, questions about the intention to run private health insurance out of business, etc., etc., etc.

Americans want their questions answered but they don’t want to be ridiculed. They don’t want their friends and neighbors thinking that they are conspiracy theorists, irrational, stupid or easily misled.   It’s like Obama and his friends are the bullies on some schoolyard. Some of us will lose friends and more; but what choice do we have?  Surrender to injustice?  Screw that.

Americans have a fundamental right and duty to ask questions about their government and to try to get answers.