Having seen how the right punishes or attempts to punish those who do not remain loyal to their party—regardless of right, wrong or individual conscience-- think Steele threatening the three Republican Senators who voted for the Recovery Act that he might take away RNC help for their future campaigns (if it looks like that would lead to a democrat taking that seat, he may think twice on that), I was trying to think of who, we on the left, could boycott as being disloyal to the nation.
Always remember when thinking of boycotts that it is not for us or our political party that we do this but the greater good! It's not out of hate but out of patriotism! The other guys hate!
So, *rubbing hands together* (well not really or I couldn't type) who supported GW Bush or maybe even just was nice to him, campaigned for John McCain, or praised Sarah Palin (since Alex Baldwin praised her beauty, should he go on the list?)? Who should we on the left refuse to buy their products, quit watching their programs, or listening to their music?
The first to come to my mind is John Rich of 'Big and Rich.' What a disappointment he was to me. I know many of you do not know who he is since he's a country western singer, song writer, and all-around nice seeming guy; but he actually sang for McCain and wrote him a campaign song-- True it was a bad song (he must need Big more than he knows) but still-- Bah humbug. Er should I come up with a stronger curse? Should I take my favorite Big and Rich CD outside and dramatically stomp it into the ground?
Except... can I stand never again playing Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy or worse Deadwood? Who would my doing that hurt except me (and, of course, Farm Boss). Wait, I can't let personal needs get in the way of this. I must be strong as after all, this is about making a statement. Yes, for the good of the country, I must stand against that traitor and dispose of any evidence I once enjoyed his music.
Bo Derek is a Bush fan or was. She comes out to campaign for any Republican presidential candidates... Now this is the best kind of boycott. It’s not like I would miss looking at any photos of her (don’t have any) or watching her movies (haven’t seen any). She’d make an excellent, no-pain-to-me boycott target.
How about the ones who supported Measure 8 in California which banned gay marriage? I could feel a genuine enthusiasm for boycotting them if I knew who they were. The only one that I can think of, off the top of my head, would be Marie Osmond. That’s an easy call also since I was never a fan of the Osmonds and seeing her in that weight loss ad has not been enthusing me to start the plan.
Hey this boycotting stuff could be okay... other than the Big and Rich album. But heck, wasn't it really temporary insanity for him. I will let him off (plus Farm Boss said no stomping that album).
You know I am being silly here, but it's not actually a silly topic. There are a lot of boycotts threatened all the time. It's the American way, likely the human way. We have a right to not spend our money where we don't enjoy the product. Making such enemy lists is how people often unite themselves. Economics, picketing with signs, these are all non-violent methods of control, but they aren't the end for all.
Death threats came to the Dixie Chicks when during the run up to the Iraqi War, they spoke out against President GW Bush and going to war. If you aren't familiar with them or have forgotten what happened, Wikipedia gives the general story. There are many who still can’t hear the Dixie Chicks name without growling.
Because Clear Channel refused to play their music, their career was damaged. Was this due to groundswell of public opinion or did all that resentment get cultivated? A lot of boycotts serve purposes way beyond the obvious. Did someone want that war and didn't want Americans thinking too much about its potential cost? Was it a conspiracy? It didn't require one. Clear Channel, who controls a lot of country western stations (likewise talk radio stations) could just do it. Maybe they quit playing the Chicks because they got irate phone calls. People can speculate over their motives; but it's like which came first, the chicken or the egg.
Who does stuff like that? Creates and sends around those hate emails? You know that during the last election the accusations against Jane Fonda circulated again, much of it proven untrue by the people listed on the emails, but it doesn't have to be true. What did it have to do with the last election? I think one thing and one thing only-- stirring up hate. Hate is a powerful emotion.
I get told that I hate Bush, but it's by people who don't know me. I don't hate Bush at all. I hated what he was doing. I hated his policies, but not the man. I don't even know the man. If I did, I am guessing I wouldn't like him much, but I have no reason to hate him. Sometimes I have felt sorry for him. I don't have anybody I actually hate... although Cheney is sure on the no use for list. No way to boycott him though.
Do boycotts work? I just said they probably did with the Chicks. Sean Penn, however, just won an Oscar while he’s on a lot of those lists. He is outspoken, a peace activist and played a gay... A multiple oops to the right. Being on those lists hasn't seemed to hurt his career, but then he's not trying to appeal, with his films, to the right wing.
There’s always some food making company or fast food chain we are encouraged to boycott. Remember the Colonel Sanders one that I think PETA was trying to shut down over abuse of chickens. Didn't it lead to the chain changing its name but they are still in business. I think. Most recently it has been that McDonalds imports their lean beef rather than buying it from US ranchers. Now that one comes home!
Does boycotting make sense to you? Do you think it works other than to make people who are mad feel they are doing something? Have you ever boycotted and if so, what? How long do you keep such a vendetta going?
Jane Fonda might wonder about that. She has said for her it will last until she is dead. Since she is doing a show on Broadway, picketers came out to remind her of what she did over 30 years ago. She has apologized, stated she did wrong (on the part she actually did), but nothing is enough.
I could work up some enthusiasm of a boycott against Alan Keyes as he’s trying to inspire the weak-minded to think that the Health Officer for Hawaii would lie about seeing a genuine, Hawaiian, birth certificate for Barack Obama or that Chief Justice Roberts would put his own reputation on the line by swearing in Obama (not once but twice) if there was doubt about his legitimacy.
Alan Keyes, with his call for the military to overthrow this 'illegitimate' administration, has inspired at least one soldier to refuse to obey orders saying that Obama is not the president. Keyes must want to set in place a president of his own choice. Maybe he'd like to be the one. Is not this the definition of treason? I could definitely get into boycotting him... except what does he do that I could boycott???
Some of this has been lighthearted because most of these lists seem silly to me, but I am old enough to remember the McCarthy era. In one of her books, Ann Coulter has tried to turn McCarthy into a hero and claim he stopped the flood of communists who would have taken over this country-- except there is no proof of any such thing. Not that proof is a factor in such accusations. The more distance you have from an event, the more you can create your own mythology around it.
McCarthy came down on anyone, most especially in Hollywood, who had ever attended a communist political meeting. Blacklists drove some from their jobs and led others to create under a pseudonym.
Keep in mind one thing about McCarthy-- it is legal to be a member of the communist party in our country. It is a genuine political philosophy which some believe in. Not every person who believes in communism is out to subvert our government. I incidentally am a democrat which I know some equate with communism but it's not. I don't believe in the communist doctrines as viable methods for society. In short, I don't think they ever work-- at least not for other than a short period of time.
During the McCarthy years, particularly in Hollywood, some were blacklisted, not because they were communists and helping the USSR, but because they refused to testify.
Yes, it was a time of the Cold War where both the US and Soviet Union were sending spies into each other's countries to try and figure out what was going on. Fear was rampant that we would be nuked by the USSR. When I was a child, we had drills for what to do in such attacks, all of which, of course, was silly and ineffective.
If you make people think you are doing something to keep them safe, they will accept a lot. Enemy lists give certain groups power they'd not find otherwise. Having an enemy is what keeps some from noticing what is happening to their own lives. We need a greater cause, dontchaknow.
5 comments:
Well said, Rain. Politics (and economics, to a certain extent) has become the new religion. You had had better not deviate from the catechism of the true believers or you will be tried for heresy and excommunicated. I wonder who has been elected Pope of the Church of the New Republican?
Very readable presentation of a serious concern for the direction of our public opinion leaders!I am surprised that I haven't heard any major public figures with my ideas. Maybe that is because I watch FOX TV News. Even in my left leaning opinion, I think we need a strong Republican party with alternative ideas. During normal times it is good to be able to take time debating over our different views. During a real, not invented, acute economic freeze, we need quick strong stimulus from big government. Good enough but not perfect is the goal. The big expenditures need to be in areas that will channel our economy in directions that will give us hope for the future such as in energy, health care and education. The genius in President Obama's direction is not in the actual numbers and stats but in how we will start to see a brighter future in the micro success stories of the people who received government money for future needs. When the hope is restored, all business will start blooming facing the sun - a vision of a better future. We will emerge stronger. Once the economy recovers, we can vote in more Republicans who will help decide which of Obamas programs still work and which are too much government. We have a beautiful government that is flexible for the needs of the time. The debt from the stimulus bill will cancel itself because we need to be creative, honest and transparent. There is already a huge amount of waste in government expenses and the new debt will wake up people and opinion to strip the waste. We have an energetic Presidential team who will go a long way in turning around the debt in three years.
On one item I am not entirely clear on what Obama meant in his speech to Congress. I need an explanation of what President Obama meant when he said he didn't believe in big government. How could this be? My guess is volunteering is bigger in his mind? There are many wonerful people who are volunteering out of the kindness of their heart. My husband is a good example of the vigorous energy of our country. My husband has volunteered assisting government all his adult life including 10 years with Whatcom County Mountain Rescue assisting the Sheriff and Boarder Patrol. Now he assists more than full time Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. He helps teach youth at risk build ramps and fishing decks at a new Lebanon Park. He helps teach outdoor schools and helps public school teachers set up aquariaums where children can raise salmon and release them. He builds fish traps to study fish population in creeks in the Willamette watershed. He has assisted in the relocation of problem turkeys. He made and distributed bear feeders to study population. He volunteered to help log an overgrown Christmas tree farm of poor timber quality but excellent for placing in a quarry pond from the building of Highway I5. To top off this list of volunteer work these past two years, he is serving on the 25 year planning board for Oregon Department of Fish and Wild Life.
It must be hard for the President to approach the subject of volunteering when most people are burdened by the economy. Oh me, oh my, the President was addressing congress with representatives of us who are panicked by the economy.
I think my husband will continue to try to enthuse young families in his path of volunteering even though fewer are involved each year and the older volunteers are getting older. Most discouragingly fewer families are getting involved in the volunteering life style. I am going to do my part to encourage volunteer energy by painting volunteers at work. I also volunteer teaching watercolor painting at The Oregon Hatchery Research and Education Center on Fall Creek, Oregon. They have a festival where families come and see nature through the arts. Very cheap because of all the volunteers participating!
We have some Clear Channel stations around Nor Cal and they have been referred to by employees as Cheap Channel. I would bet if they stopped playing the Dixie Chicks it had to do with money, because that is all they seem to care about. They must have had sponsors threaten to pull ads or something.
And just to stir the pot. There were some labor leaders that it came out years later that did have ties to the Soviet Union and Communism during the McCarthy years. It was not all a witch hunt, but most was.
Politics is a dirty game and is it no wonder than politicians are generally held in low regard. Do they serve their constituents or themselves ? I think in many cases it is the latter. And to think we elect them to serve us and our best interests. We need more than 2 viable political parties in our country !
So who were the labor leaders, ingineer? Do you have names or just accusations you heard somewhere? Somehow it's always unions, the poor, or Hollywood that the right blames for everything.
I know in labor riots (not sure of the dates) it was believed communist activists stirred them up but that's a bit different than trying to put the Soviet Union in power in the US. Espionage and trouble making were what both countries engaged in (and many nations still do) to stir up trouble to cause a particular government to ose power.
You didn't comment on Alan Keyes suggested overthrow. At the current Republican meeting, 9000 or so admirers of Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin (good team for next election, right! Real folks *s*) people cheered when someone spoke of overthrowing the current government. Is that kind of thing okay? Where does a nation draw the line and say it's not all right to suggest the military stop obeying orders? Most who would do that kind of thing, today or in history, consider the current government to not be rightfully in place.
When we had the 2000 election, Bush not only didn't win the popular vote, but he had a questionable victory in Florida that had to be decided by the Supreme Court. I didn't hear any calls for revolution. Is it a difference in temperament from right to left? (future blog exploring what that might be). Not only did Democrats not do that but they were behind him after 9/11 in numbers that made his overall approval over 80% (that does require some dems).
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