I have been learning a lot about the Left and its tactics in shaming conservatives, Republicans, and anyone who resists certain cultural changes at the expense of others.
Saul Alinsky's "Rules of Radicals" has served as a potent vehicle of outline and detailing the tactics which modern liberals, the media, and other leftist elites have used against the political opposition. Here is one of his rules:
"Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It’s hard to counterattack ridicule, and it infuriates the opposition, which then reacts to your advantage."
Amelia Hamilton of "Red Alert Politics" commented on this tactic:
"Alinksy’s fifth rule is a favorite tactic employed among the Left – one hardly has to look at all to find evidence of it in use today. The Left is ready and willing to mock just about anything to tear it down.”
She later concluded:
"We need to learn to do the same as it’s an easy and effective method to combat those on the Left."
In other words: "It's Pirate Time!"
So exhorted Peggy Noonan, syndicated columnist of "The Wall Street Journal" to her conservative colleagues. What is it about pirates, or any other rebels, that makes them impervious to shame, blame, and regret? They live by a different code, they identify with their cause, they are not afraid of the open waters, they are not afraid of being outcasts.
They scorn the shame of the "Establishment". Today, the "Establishment" is Big Government, statist status quo liberalism.
Let's take an example of how one can take ridicule, and turn it on the heads of those who attack. The Third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, articulated the same idea, but directed his attacks at Trinitarian theists:
“Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions. Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them; and no man ever had a distinct idea of the trinity. It is the mere Abracadabra of the mountebanks calling themselves the priests of Jesus.” — Thomas Jefferson
One has to wonder whether Jefferson would start laughing at bumble-bees.
According to rational aerodynamic theory, they are not supposed to be able to fly. But they fly.
According to secular scientists, the world was created over millions of years. Yet who created the Beginning?
There are many things in our experience which defy explanation based on human reason or experience.
Let us consider also the personal conduct of Mr. Jefferson.
He penned the sentence: "All men are created equal", yet he owned slaves. He deserves ridicule for this, does he not? Should we discard the Declaration of Independence because the person who wrote the sentence did not live up to its ideals?
He claimed "We are all Republicans. We are all Federalists." Then he began reversing the number of people in government of the Federalist persuasion, only then to adopt a number of their policies.
Does Jefferson deserve ridicule for that, too?
What's the response to ridicule? Rejoice!
"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake." (Matthew 5: 11)
Here are some modern examples of this gracious attitude:
"I wear their scorn as a badge of honor." — Dan Quayle.
If anyone was a target for ridicule, it was Bush 41's Vice President. Yet one of his most telling exchanges occurred during the "famous" Bensten-Quayle Debate. The exchange went as follows:
Bensten: "I knew Jack Kennedy, I worked with Jack Kennedy. Sir, you are no Jack Kennedy." — applause.
Quayle's response was dignified and cutting:
"That was uncalled for, sir." The applause which followed rivaled the response to Bensten's retort. Sadly, Quayle's response gets little press today.
Then there's Texas' US Senator Ted Cruz, who has not only stood up to Dianne Feinstein, but has also taken on the entire Senate and even members of the more "Establishment" Republican caucus. John McCain called Cruz a "wacko bird" for filibuster the nomination of John Brennan as Director of the CIA. Cruz's response:
“If standing for liberty and standing for the Constitution makes you a wacko bird, then count me a proud wacko bird.” — Ted Cruz
When people make fun of you that means that they have lost the argument, that whatever points they were standing on to make a point have failed. Then do what Andrew Breitbart did:
"Andrew's favorite tool was Twitter, where hateful leftists spewed enough bile at him to melt through six feet of titanium. Andrew was the father of the now famous Twitter tactic: retweeting the hate. He loved to show the world what nasty people resided on the supposed kind and intolerant left." Ben Shapiro, Bullies
Take their shame and scorn it. Take their hate, and expose their own shame. Until now, Conservatives and Republicans have been "civil", refusing to respond to the lies, distortions, and hate of the Democratic leaders and their media machines. It's time to scorn the shame and fight back, it's time to expose the corruption and disrespect of the Left toward the very people whom they claim to champion.
In short, GOP, it's pirate time!