Words matter

[pat_k]

11. Of all of it, the "no we can't" message is the most incidious...

.. and has been for far too long.

Can't win, so don't fight. Preemptive surrender. Impractical. The widespread parroting of the various rationalizations for inaction is appalling. A quintessential example was the acquiescence to Bush's theft of the White House in 2000.

It seems that the more dear the principle that needs fighting for is, the more vigorously the insiders rationalize doing nothing.

The fact that Bernie has done so well, despite the level of resistance we are seeing from "the old guard," has renewed my hope. I expect belittling and resistance. It's disheartening to see, but it's just the "old guard" guarding.

As far as "counter-message" -- I think we need to relentlessly expose the "practical" memes; the "can't win, so don't fight" memes for what they are. Cowardice, pure and simple. Shame them. Hold up a mirror. Hammer away at that one. They've tried to turn cowardice in the guise of pragmatism into a virtue -- fairly successfully. We have to pull off the disguise.

And here's a quote I like on belittling:

"New and stirring things are belittled because if they are not belittled the humiliating question arises 'Why then are you not taking part in them?'"
-- H.G. Wells