Defeating political ridicule
[Barack Obama explaining Saul Alinsky’s power analysis, Tony’sTruth.com]
Pro-lifers here are well aware many if not most pro-aborts who comment at this site do so in the form of ridicule. So it would be well for all to read Kyle-Ann Shiver’s excellent primer in the American Thinker today, “Defeating political ridicule.”…
This particular piece is important because it refers back to Saul Alinsky’s book Rules for Radicals, likely the most influential book Barack Obama has ever read, his bible. Alinsky’s tactics are well known in Chicago politics. Pay attention and you’ll see Obama and his team use overt or covert ridicule most of the time.
So the following is a helpful piece. It will help you stay on track when debating pro-aborts. The #1 rule is not to allow yourself to be put on the defensive. I see our people falling for that quite a bit. Don’t. Stay on topic….
The 4th rule of tactics: Make the enemy live up to their own book of rules. You can kill them with this, for they can no more obey their own rules than the Christian church can live up to Christianity.
The 4th rule carries within it the 5th rule: Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage.
– Saul Alinsky; Rules for Radicals; 1971; p. 128
Now, I’m not certain whether Bill O’Reilly is pulling our leg here, as he ruminates over whether the politics of ridicule being employed nearly nonstop by our new President’s administration is intentional or not. O’Reilly seems way too smart to think that a whole staff of folks just somehow have Alinsky-styled ridicule down pat, polished to a perfect t, with every “i” dotted, as though they all popped yesterday from a political Big Bang.
Nevertheless, I’ve been working for the past year on solid methods to defeat this politics of ridicule – the tactics advocated by Saul Alinsky to every 60s radical that ever burned a draft card or a bra, or vowed to smash monogamy or made a nail bomb. These are the tactics that laid the foundation for the vast Alinsky-originated community organizations from coast to coast. Although some may think of Obama’s movement and his victorious administration in terms of a political Big Bang, there is a much more design paradigm, which I prefer…
Continue reading at American Thinker.
[HT: Jan LaRue]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Here’s an idea:
Stop making yourselves look ridiculous. Parading around schools with giant blown-up photos of miscarriages, driving around in trash trucks covered with them, throwing around plastic baby dolls covered in ketchup, putting red LIFE tape over your mouths and other such antics leave you guys wide open for ridicule. Depictions of blood and gore, whether from fetuses or foot surgery, are disgusting and just make you look deranged. Start acting with some dignity and class.
And here’s another:
Stop being ridiculous. Stop opposing birth control, sex education, health care for children, social services for poor families, and everything else that prevents abortion. If you don’t want women to abort, start acting like it and support common sense alternatives besides just adoption. Saying you don’t like abortion, then turning around and bashing birth control just makes you look like hypocrites.
Start acting with some dignity and class.
Posted by: reality at May 15, 2009 2:51 PM
*************************************
Translation: “Shut up, pro-lifers.”
BTW, reality, your post was a perfect example (as your posts usually are) of the use of ridicule. Thanks for the illustration.
“support common sense alternatives besides just adoption”
===================================
We do..it’s called NFP and abstinence…unfortunately, that requires responsibility and maturity which is waaaaay too much for the likes of pro-abort liberals living with the “if it feels good, do it..the hell with the consequences” mentality
The 4th rule of tactics: Make the enemy live up to their own book of rules.
Reality said:
Start acting with some dignity and class.
Hmmmm…
The louder the ranting from Reality and Bystander just illustrates that we have struck a nerve. I find the advice we get hilarious!!
I’m sorry…how does this pertain to you being ‘ridiculed’ by Obama? When exactly were you ‘ridiculed?’
Also, reality uses a much sharper, sarcastic tongue than I do, but face, it’s true. S/he’s basically saying it may be easier for people to be open to your message if you don’t live up to so many cliches and stereotypes. Attract more with honey instead of vinegar.
Also – I fully agree with the 2nd point. If you are going to fall on your sword to end abortion, you MUST be willing to support and consider ALL options and tactics that slow down unintended pregnancies, and that does include birth control. Continuing to shout from the rooftops to the country that you should be having sex because God doesn’t want you to, is getting you nowhere.
Sorry – the above should say ‘you should not be having sex because God doesn’t want you to’
reality that was well put.
RSD how many of the pro lifers here failed at abstinence? Living proof! Even jill?
Hmm, an article on avoiding ridicule addressed to a group who soaks Sponge Bob stuffed toys in catsup and parades them around in baby strollers… Hmmm.
Nice summary, Reality. My thought: If you wish to avoid ridicule, you might stop being ridiculous…
is it a coincidence this followed the baby mammoth Creationism post?
http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/your_money/consumer/090514_Dead_People_Get_Stimulus_Checks
Dead People Get Stimulus Checks
Published : Thursday, 14 May 2009, 5:28 PM EDT
MYFOXNY.COM – This week, thousands of people are getting stimulus checks in the mail. The problem is that a lot of them are dead. Antoniette Santopadre, a Long Island woman was shocked when she opened her mail and discovered a check from the U.S. Treasury, made out to her father, Romolo Romonini, who had died in Italy 34 years ago.
Romonini had been a U.S. citizen, but had only returned to the United States once in 1969 for a seven month visit.
The strange thing is Romonini was never even part of the Social Security System.
The Social Security Administration, which sent out 52 million checks, says that some of those checks mistakenly went to dead people because the agency had no record of their death.
[I wonder what the birth date was for the oldest dead recipient.]
That amounts to between 8,000 and 10,000 checks for millions of dollars.
The feds blame a rushed schedule, because all the checks have to be cut by June.
[Anyone know what is so special about June?]
——————————————————
If ACORN has registered the dead to vote, it is only fitting that the dead be compensated when they hold up their end of the bargain.
Now dat is some powahfuhl stemuhlaytin goin on dayhr!
I wonder if the ‘dead’ will spend their money or, take the long view and trust in the rule of 72 to grow their little nest egg and reap the rewards of their frugality when they are resurrected in the new life to come.
It is interesting that the remuneration is in the form of a check that must be endorsed by the recipient before the funds can be released.
Reminds me of a joke about a wealthy man who was terminally ill and knew he only had a short time to live and could not stand the thought of someone else spending HIS money.
So Teddy determined to take it with him when he died.
He called together his three closest friends, Barney, Barbara and Bill, confident that he could trust them to fulfill his dying wish and gave them each a third of his personal fortune with instructions to place the money in his casket at his memorial service.
On the day of the funeral the three friends complied with Ed’s request.
After the interment the they rendezvoused at their favorite watering hole to reminisce about their dearly departed colleague.
A few drinks later Barney said, “I have a confession to make. I did not put all of Ted’s money in the casket. I held some back to contribute to Gay and Lesbian awareness. He would have approved.
Boxer said, “I too have to confess I failed to put all the money in Edward’s casket. I withheld some of the money to fund embryonic stem cell research. He was such a kind and generous man. I know he would have approved.
Bill said, “I am shocked, Shocked, SHOCKED!
I cannot believe that you would betray our good friend and refuse his final request.
I placed a personal check in his casket for the full amount.
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yor bro ken
Reality, YLT and Danielle,
Thank you so much for you neutral, objective and dispassionate observations.
It is so reassuring knowing that we can depend on you for non-partisan, bias free perspectives.
You have missed your callings. You should all three enroll in the Keith Blowharderman and Rachel Madcow school of Journalism.
Suggest you look for work with the New York Times. I hear they are releasins many of their veteran reporters. There could be some real growth opportunities for you there.
But you have to leave and disavow all your relationships with NARAL, PP, and People for the American Way. Even Keith and Rachel have to draw the line somewhere.
yor bro ken
Oops,
I confused YLT with Bystander.
It is so difficult to tell you apart.
I am grateful that you used different aliases.
Have you considered the possibility that you were quadruplets separated at conception and implanted in the wrong uteri?
yor bro ken
The problem with hormonal birth control pills is that breakthrough ovulation can occur. If fertilization then takes place, the embryo will be unable to implant, and will miscarry. Thus, BCPs sometimes serve as abortifacients.
The problem with the morning-after-pill is similar – creates a hostile environment. If conception has already occured before the morning-after-pill is taken, then the embryo will be unable implant and will starve to death.
Prolifers believes human life begins at conception, and this is supported by scientific fact. That’s why we can’t support the use of hormonal birth control methods. How is that ridiculous?
Ken, cocktail hour start a bit early today?
Yor Bor Ing.
Prolifers believes human life begins at conception, and this is supported by scientific fact. That’s why we can’t support the use of hormonal birth control methods. How is that ridiculous?
Posted by: Bekah Ferguson at May 15, 2009 7:18 PM
Fine, then support condoms, copper IUDs and diaphragms. No hormones used in all three.
Prolifers believes human life begins at conception, and this is supported by scientific fact. That’s why we can’t support the use of hormonal birth control methods. How is that ridiculous?
Posted by: Bekah Ferguson at May 15, 2009 7:18 PM
Fine, then support condoms, copper IUDs and diaphragms. No hormones used in all three.
Posted by: Bystander at May 15, 2009 7:25 PM
“Ken, cocktail hour start a bit early today?
Yor Bor Ing.”
—————————————————
Bystander
Bor Ing, no relation to Yau Ming.
That would be my Chinese cousin. We went to different High Schools together.
But you just can not help yourself. You keep coming back for more.
Gluttons for pun-ishment.
yor bro ken
Thanks, Bekah! I’m usually the one who says that.
Danielle: IUDs are even worse–they work solely by making the environment inhospitable.
Danielle: IUDs are even worse–they work solely by making the environment inhospitable.
Posted by: YCW at May 15, 2009 9:08 PM
Fine, then you should no problem with condoms or diaphragms.
Danielle, there are many prolifers, not here, but elsewhere, including myself, who support the availability of contraception as a means to prevent unplanned pregnancy. I belong to a Feminists for Life community with a few hundred member from a wide variety of social and cultural background and it seems the majority supports contraceptive use.
Posted by: Bystander at May 15, 2009 6:40 PM
“I am confident the university and law enforcement can protect all participants against the publicity-seeking thugs.”
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Bystander
The wicked flee in terror when no one pursues because they are bullies and cowards.
Please identify the ‘thugs’ on the video. Give us a description like you would if you were filing a police report.
Gender, hair color, age, ethnicity, what they were wearing any identifying tatoos, scarrs, body piercings, etc.
Give us the time that the ‘thug’ were threatening or assauting anyone.
I thought I saw a man and woman who resembled Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dorhn, but I might have been mistaken.
Please help us we want to avoid ‘ thugs’ like Ayers and Dorhn.
yor bro ken
Saul Alinsky said, “[The enemy] can no more obey their own rules than the Christian church can live up to Christianity. “
That’s an interesting observation although I wouldn’t choose those words to make it. Does anyone know how the Bible expresses it? I note what Mr. Alinsky does not: Christ did live up to Christianity. As Saviour, He is also perfecting His Church and making her ready to be His bride. And though all sons of Adam fail their wives, the Church absolutely worships her Hero. He is worthy.
Jesus said that His kingdom, the kingdom of heaven, has already come. There is a sense in which His kingdom has come and a sense in which it is still coming. It is not yet fully realized. Jesus taught us to pray to God, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The angels do perfectly obey God in heaven, but men show only the beginnings of obedience on earth.
If heaven is already partially realized on this earth, hell also is. I think that the evil of abortion is a good illustration. People like Alinsky and Reality seem to have concluded that since we can never achieve virtue, we must welcome and exalt vice. Hell is a culture of death, and it consumes its own, as well as anyone else whom it can ensnare.
Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1)
Psalm 2 also contains advice on defeating ungodly ridicule. I like especially verse 4.
Jesus Christ said, “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” (Matt. 7:6)
Danielle:
I never said that I am against condoms and diaphragms being available. I am not. However, because none of these methods are foolproof, I think that they carry the risk of increasing rather than decreasing pregnancies that the pregnant woman finds to be unwanted. Rather than unmarried people exercising restraint, they have sex, which is worse for society because it creates instability and bonds people who will not have a permanent relationship, making it more difficult for them to bond once they do want a permanent relationship. Not having sex will almost never result in pregnancy, but each year five women out of every hundred who consistently use the condom would get pregnant. If hundreds of thousands were relying on contraceptives rather than self-control not to get pregnant…. well, that’s a lot of unplanned pregnancy. A mere hundred years ago, very few unmarried women got pregnant, and those who did overwhelmingly married the men who got them pregnant. Statistics reflect this. Now, on average, the age of women bearing their first children is lower than the age of women getting married for the first time. Yet I find it hard to believe that our essential human nature has changed. What has changed is that self-control is no longer valued as a means of pregnancy prevention, and monogamy and chastity are no longer valued by many people. This has led to an enormous increase in STDs, unplanned pregnancies, unwed mothers, divorce, and abortion. For these reasons, while I think non-abortive contraceptives should be available for those who cannot or will not practice self-control, I do not think that they should be encouraged as an appropriate solution to the problems of unwanted pregnancy, STDs, and unwed parenthood. All of these problems have a better solution, chastity, which is why most pro-lifers advocate that–even those who allow for, or even advocate, the use of non-abortive contraceptives.
YCW,
Can you just clarify whether or not you support birth control methods as a means to reduce unwanted pregnancies and ultimately, abortions? Yes or no.
YCW how do you know that 100 years ago very few women unmarried woman got pregnant?I bet there were some pretty short first cues back the! The other thing to consider is that 100 years ago there were few choices for women. Most got married and married young at that. They didn’t have the education and career opportunities that we know have. Ask women if they want to go back 100 years and see who is all for that!
Meant short first pregnancies(not cues!?)
emma, I lived my life of “freedom” for a long time. It brought me pain, heartache, and misery. Femenists made it sound pretty good when they promised that we could have the same freedom as men. No. I didn’t save myself for marriage, but I am married now. I wish I would have, because sex without marriage was not liberating. It made me feel worthless.
“Stop opposing birth control, sex education, health care for children, social services for poor families, and everything else that prevents abortion.”
I’m sure the connection between the acceptance of contraceptives and the resulting acceptance of abortion has been addressed here more than once. Were you paying attention? (Note: this in no way condemns all who use contraceptives; it is about their prevalence and use as an excuse why abortion is thus “okay” because “hey, we TRIED to be ‘responsible.'”)
I support the legality of non-abortifacient birth control methods. I think those who cannot or will not practice self-control should be made aware of them. That is all.
It’s been said that only the truly ridiculous can be ridiculed.
And you flat earth nutters just make such perfect targets.
Posted by: Farslowe at May 17, 2009 6:37 AM———————————————————— No. We don’t care about what you think of us. Gee, what do you think happens after death Farslowe? Please tell me. What? No heaven or hell?
Some of you may fail to see the connection that Farslowe makes between the flattening earth and contraception. Allow me to explain. Keep an open mind, because the connection is of a similar type to that between global warming and bovine flatulance.
As Mr. Gore will undoubtedly confirm in “Another Inconvenient Truth,” the force of gravity is inversely proportional to distance from the centre of earth. When people lie down, they increase the force of gravity. When people, in a distribution concentrated about the equator–but not over the oceans–lie down to have sex but do not get up to win bread or bear children (as rabbits do, of course), then they actually gradually, almost imperceptibly, but really and finally catastrophically, flatten the earth.
End earth flattening now! Stop using contraceptives.
Cutting the Gordian Knot of Ridicule
Turn him to any cause of policy,
The Gordian Knot of it he will unloose,
Familiar as his garter; that, when he speaks,
The air, a charter’d libertine, is still,
And the mute wonder lurketh in men’s ears
To steal his sweet and honey’d …