The media widely broadcasted this phrase during the previous administration, and liberals all took up the cause to “speak truth to power” by protesting the actions of President Bush. Remember that? They had every right, as citizens, to protest government actions with which they disagreed.
Now conservatives are putting that very same phrase into action, speaking up in many ways, not the least of which are the peaceful protests known as Tea Parties. Suddenly the media considers the practice of their own former slogan as idiotic and moronic…scarcely disguising their contempt for conservative attempts to “speak truth to power” and rally others to do the same.
They are finding their own actions and slogans repulsive, when they see them put in action by those who do not share their political viewpoint. I find this sudden change of tune, on the part of liberals and the media, both ironic – and hypocritical. Is expressing your voice to Washington only acceptable if done by liberals? As the Party that claims to be the champion of the working class, they have quite a condescending attitude towards the common people they purport to represent…writing them off as “ignorant rednecks,” “crazy people,” “morons,” and the like, when they try to express their political opinions to those in Washington who call themselves their “advocates in Congress.”
(Just a hint: disrespect doesn’t usually “win friends or influence people”. These people the media downplays as “hicks” actually comprise the majority of the voting public, and if the government continues to disregard their protests, they will receive the ultimate rebuke when all of these “rednecks” vote them out of office. “Redneck” or not, each American citizen has the right to voice his opinions to the government – through his vote, through calls or emails to his representatives, through peaceful protests….because ours is a government of the People, by the People, and For the People. No matter how much any media outlet, liberal, or elected official may look down their sophisticated noses at “the People,” these people remain the ultimate rulers of this nation and can fire any representative at will, through their votes.)
Who else agrees with me that we should adopt the line “speak truth to power” in relation to our current administration?
Even though I am highly educated, I fully expect to be called a “moron” or “stupid redneck” or other equally flattering titles by those who disagree with me about this. They simply serve to further illustrate my point that liberals and the media thought it was a great idea to “speak truth to power” until conservatives tried to do it – then all the abusive name-calling began.
Name-calling, or changing the subject in another way, is simply an attempt to cover their inability to defend their point of view rationally (by diverting attention away from the topic under discussion). I refuse to call anyone names like “moron” – whether we agree on political issues or not, I don’t hate you and I think you have the right to express your own opinion. After all, this is America, the land of the free.
Also, it might be noted – for another point of irony – that the people who are going to respond to me with hateful insults and name-calling are the very same people who consider “hate speech” unforgivable, that is, at least whenever a conservative is guilty of it.