Fighting back is not "Sinking to their Level"

[mopaul]

if i start to 'act like a republican' by being rude and nasty and hateful, i'm not 'becoming like them', that's a myth.

[jpgray]

1. Depends on how you fight back

I don't want Democrats to start using bigotry to get votes, or to engage in voter fraud, for example.

[Frances]

2. I don't think I'm being rude or nasty or mean

when I stand up for myself. I just tell it like it is. Of course, I have been told that I can be very intimidating. But I can't help it if I am not a wimp.

[Mythsaje]

3. I don't take Republican shit...

and I won't. Every once in a while one hits my blog and posts a comment. Which I take apart bit by bit.

In real life I rarely run across a Republican anyway. Suffice to say I'm not sure I know a single person who voted for Chimpy McChimperson. I sneer at Bush bumper stickers. Does that count?

<g>

[atreides1]

4. So do we fight them with kindness, manners and the truth.

Because so far that tactic hasn't worked too well, please offer some suggestions as to how we do nothing while they club us like baby seals.

[beltanefauve]

5. Maybe this is counterproductive

but I have no problems flipping off people with "Bush/Cheney" stickers on their cars. I live in a place that went overwhelmingly for Kerry, and noticed an increase of stickers and gloating * supporters AFTER the election.
Moral high-ground my ass!

[Wapsie B]

6. I agree totally.

The reason the repugs do what they do is because they know Dems will throw hissy fits and scream that it's not fair. To me the repug mentality is analogous to the playground bully. The bully won't stop what he's doing until a victim stands up and bloodies his nose. Playing nice is viewed as being weak and makes one a target to be steamrolled by the repug attack machine. Do we have to become them in order to fight back? No. Just find better ways to forcefully stand up and fight. Air America is one example. DU activists are another. Blood in the streets? Of course not. But if there was a way to intercept and detain the Birkensocks Brigade in '00 before they reached their destination the world would be much better off today.

[porphyrian]

7. Right, republicans are not defined solely by their tactics.

Tactics are tactics. It's their beliefs and goals, not merely their methods, that make them such intolerable shitheads. Go ahead and stuff their own medicine down their throats and see how they like it. They deserve worse, the fucking traitors.

[Deep N RedLand]

8. I agree with you...

...depending on your definition of "fighting back".
While like most progressives I would prefer to change things with honest, logical debates. However, the situation has become such, that I don't think we will ever win back what we lost by continuing to take the high road or play the "sensible liberal".

In many ways, assuming people would respond to that over the RW use of emotionalism and showmanship to win people over has been one of the reasons for our failures to get the message out.

While I don't think we should ever result to the vicious, partisan level the right has taken, we shouldn't worry about pulling punches and challenging someone on a personal level especially if they are liars or hypocrites.

The most important issue is framing. One of the best books I have read on this "Don't think of an elephant", which tells how we can borrow from the RW success of appealing to beliefs, but without resorting to their level and even improving it by backing it up with facts, something the RW usually lacks.

Then again if this really is a "culture 'war'" as the repugs like to frame it, maybe I should follow to advice of a co-worker of mine who half-jokingly keeps telling me to "Arm myself while there's time."
:nuke:

[Cocoa]

9. sinking to their level is not fighting back

[catmandu57]

10. Until the crhristians took over their party

you could have a civilized argument with a republican, though you disagreed you didn't have to worry about phyical violence. These bastards would just as soon send you to meet their version of god than argue.
Even though they're scary ass mothers, a little dirt doesn't hurt and if that's what it takes bring it on.

[Imagevision]

11. Gotta fight this fire with a flame thrower - fuckem! (oops?)

[Jade Fox]

12. Warriors needed. As long as we try to out-nice them, we'll lose....

because the Neocons have made the decision to do whatever it takes
to aquire and keep power in this country. This is well documented in
David Brock's book "Blinded by the Right". We are at war with these
people. If we refuse to fight, we will lose.

Many liberals are dominated by the desire to look morally superior to
those on the Right. That is a luxury we can no longer afford. We must
fight ethically, but many liberals go all woozy at the very idea of fighting,
seeming to believe that our moral superiority makes it unnecessary.
Wake up, folks!

[AuntPatsy]

13. Good post, and I most hard heartedly agree...

[Bigmack]

14. To "sink to their level"....

.... we have to "Swiftboat" any pro-war mother of a dead soldier.

She's a slut who didn't love her child... she's glad he's dead..... he was gay.... she's a secret lesbian... pillpopper... etc, etc....

I'd be glad to sink that low, but I find it hard to be that twisted. Yes.. even me!