Reply #96: My worry of the day is

[Oak2004]

they're starting their usual routine on the Lamont campaign (demanding an apology) and so far the Dems are doing what they do so well (giving them the apology).

Among decent people, apologizing, even if one hadn't really meant any harm or don't see what the problem is, is the right thing to do. But these are not decent people. And they're not concerned about any hurt feelings. They pick at progressive forces, looking for anything they can misrepresent or misinterpret, in order to portray progressives as bumbling and weak.

"Weakness", remember, is the cardinal sin of the fascist -- the loathsome ailment that fascism claims to heal. Purging "weakness" is their reason for being, and expressing "strength" the nexus of their agenda. Every time a progressive falls for the bait and apologizes, or hesitates and speaks with excessive caution, the fascists put their trophy on display, as proof of "weakness", for those who are vulnerable to fascist influence, and then they move on to find another piece of flesh to pick at.

The correct response is to understand what its all about (creating the weak/strong dialectic that fascism must feed on), and to counterattack. "I said it was a city caught between slime and filth" (or whatever it was -- I'm not willing to look the exact quote up at this moment), the right response would go, "because it is. The people of (insert correct city name here) have been getting a raw deal from their leaders, from (insert crooked politicians' names here) at the bottom all the way to Bush and Cheney and the Republican congress at the top. The people of (insert city here) deserve better, and Ned Lamont will give them better. (Optional counterdemand, use as seems appropriate): You owe us an apology for implying that the people of (insert city name here) don't deserve any better than what they've been getting from their leaders".

When dealing with these people, either directly or indirectly, never ever apologize, not even if they deserve an apology, don't mince words even when it means taking a risk of saying the wrong thing, and spin positively/take pride in your misspoken words. The urge to treat these people as decent people among decent people seems almost overwhelming, though. I doubt I have the ability to open any eyes as to why it is so very important to treat these people this way and assume the role of the "powerful" in all propaganda situations.

(Yes-- I consider Lieberman and his ilk, as well as large parts of the DLC, to be one of them, and/or duped and used by them, just as mainstream conservative Republicans were used by them. In the case of the figure asking for the apology, I think a Lieberman dupe, but in the case of Lieberman, a full-fledged fellow fascist traveler.)