Political Abuse: MUST READ

From Matthew Gross's blog:

Listen as Donna and Nancy Pelosi and Senator Charles Schumer take to the airwaves saying that they have to go back to the drawing board and learn from their mistakes and try to be better, more likable, more appealing, have a stronger message, speak to morality. Surf the blogs, and read the comments of dismayed, discombobulated, confused individuals trying to figure out what they did wrong. Hear the cacophony of voices, crying out, "Why did they beat me?"

And then ask anyone who has ever worked in a domestic violence shelter if they have heard this before.

They will tell you, every single day.

The answer is quite simple. They beat us because they are abusers. We can call it hate. We can call it fear. We can say it is unfair. But we are looped into the cycle of violence, and we need to start calling the dominating side what they are: abusive. And we need to recognize that we are the victims of verbal, mental, and even, in the case of Iraq, physical violence.

As victims we can't stop asking ourselves what we did wrong.

We can't seem to grasp that they will keep hitting us and beating us as long as we keep sticking around and asking ourselves what we are doing to deserve the beating.

Read the whole thing here:
http://mathewgross.com/blog/archives/001041.html

•  Wow

  That's pretty interesting take. And so true. Thanks.

  by mrd71 on Mon Nov 08, 2004 at 09:32:16 AM PDT

•  It's the media, stupid!

  All this talk about values and the religious vote or the hispanic vote is playing right into their hands!  We are playing the victim's role.  And all the discussion on this blog and others about what our message should be is completely beside the point. Why? Because we don't control the media, and THEY DO. It doesn't matter what nuanced words we use, when they go through the media filter, they will be twisted against us.

  So forget about all this Lakoff stuff. It might become relevant once the media isn't controlled by the right wing noise machine. But until then, it is beside the point.

  As long as they control the air waves, we will not be able to get out message out. So why worry about the fine points of our message?

  The only time Kerry was able to get his message out unfiltered was during the debates--and his poll ratings soared. So what was wrong with his message? Nothing.

  What was wrong was that the media war against him went on nonstop after the debates.
  What we have to do is take action against the media. How do we do that? I don't know, but figuring that out is much more important than playing with words.
  

  by Alan S on Mon Nov 08, 2004 at 09:33:29 AM PDT

•  Just to get the metaphors straight...

  ...beating your opponent at the polls isn't abusive - it's called democracy. If you win because you have the smarter strategy, or espouse positions that resonate with more voters - that's democracy. BUT - voter fraud is abusive. Using intimidation at the polls to suppress your opponent's turnout is abusive. And bullying the media into being your lapdog is abusive. I'm assuming it's the latter kind of thing that you're talking about - just wanted to clarify.

  by brainwave on Mon Nov 08, 2004 at 09:46:20 AM PDT

  •  Exactly

    And it's abusive to hit you and then say, "You made me do it."  The media hit Kerry with everything they had, played the swift boat smears over and over, made fun of him every chance they got, and then turn around and say, he didn't connect with the voters.  

    And if we start wondering what we did wrong, we're playing their game.  

    by Alan S on Mon Nov 08, 2004 at 09:49:46 AM PDT

  •  Not metaphorical: their whole style is abusive.

    Rightwing power broker Grover Norquist is typical of their eliminationist agenda, when he crowed about defeating the Democrats, comparing them to

    certain animals [that] run around and are unpleasant, but when they've been fixed, then they are happy and sedate... They are contented and cheerful. They don't go around peeing on the furniture and such.

    This kind of stuff is over the line, and right in keeping with the whole spouse-abuse syndrome. It is absolutely not metaphorical; it is quite literal. The bulk of family abuse is verbal and situational.

    by Terry in Austin on Mon Nov 08, 2004 at 10:12:22 AM PDT

    •  Point taken

      ...I agree!

      by brainwave on Mon Nov 08, 2004 at 10:32:49 AM PDT

      •  Change the strategy...

        The point is to change the strategy for fighting back, without becoming like the abuser.

        by The Truffle on Tue Nov 09, 2004 at 01:44:37 PM PDT