Getting The Message Out

It's a sad reality that we "Progressives" have ceded much of the space dedicated to the expression of public opinion to a rather conservative crowd. I see this on the editorial pages, on the web forums, and of course "Talk Radio" is massively skewed in their favor. We can't completely blame the reactionaries themselves. We neglect our obligations.

Hate them and cast insults their way all you want. Justifiably despise the powerful figures whose huge sums of money have enabled the Tea Party Rallies to achieve an often impressive turnout. I've done both of those things myself. But learn something from those "Wingnuts."Fools though many of them may be, they FIGHT. I'm not referring to their spitting on Representative Cleaver of Missouri; that was a big-time public relations debacle. When they called Barney Frank a "fag," you knew right away they made a serious error, requiring major damage-control. What I'm talking about is the very significant impact they've made during the last year on public opinion, particularly on the fence-sitters. Basically, Tea Baggers are active and mobilized, unlike many, many progressives who seem to conclude that "Obama is President now, we can indulge ourselves a little." Right now, I see much more indolence, passivity and indifference among (interestingly) both liberals and leftists than I do on the "right side of the dial." At least when it comes to getting the message out, on places besides Facebook.

It's tough, but with a tenacious, relentless and sophisticated approach, it can be accomplished. Every time I see right-wing yahoos getting away unchallenged after uttering absurdities (like calling Obama a "Socialist") there is no doubt in my mind that honest and informed people aren't doing their "job." Shame on us if we let them spread the Big Lie unopposed, when we are perfectly capable of effectively, accurately contradicting them. I'll shut up now and include these sentiments of mine in a letter to the editor of a reactionary-leaning newspaper. May the Infowar continue unabated!!!