Re: [acb-chat] Great News!

Good Monday Morning to All Believers in Democracy and the American Way
of Life.

Mostly we think of language as the means of conveying knowledge and
information. We tend to forget that language also can be a tool to
stir up emotions and to spread gossip and rumors. Language can be
twisted to paint untruths about those whom we oppose. It can be
precise and clear, or it can be deliberately vague and confusing.
Language can be used to direct our attention to certain trigger words
that elicit the reaction that is wanted.
Advertisers have become skilled in the spin they put on language in
order to attract us to their wares. They are targeting certain
people. But politicians have a very different problem with language.
Politicians must appeal to a majority of voters. The broader the area
the politician is campaigning in, the greater the language problem.
How does a candidate show his/her support to the majority of the
voters? First and foremost, he/she uses double talk. Double Talk
gives the impression of agreement, without really agreeing to
anything. Also, an Overload of language can leave the voting public
believing the candidate is on their side. Lies can be used by
supporters of candidates, if they are properly used as rumors.
Which brings us to the confirmation hearing just completed. Like
every public hearing, or every public exposure of our elected
officials, it is an opportunity to campaign.
Public Hearings do not bring new information to light. They do not
unify either the politicians or the public. Public Hearings could
better be named, "Let's Pretend!" We will pretend to investigate and
grill and expose the negative parts of people's lives. But the fact
is that the votes were already lining up to confirm Brett Kavanaugh.
And it was upon this public stage that Language stepped into the
Limelight. Language became the tool to disrupt any efforts to bring
unity to this nation. Language was hurled at committee members as
they went to and from the hearing room. In moments of anger, the
politicians spat back, using language that others pointed to as
evidence of the contempt being shown the American People.
All in all it was a masterful use of Language...for the Ruling Class.
Now the gloves are off. Protesters who saw themselves as the "loyal
opposition", were labeled, "Rabble Rousers", and worse. Protesters
were beaten and arrested for shouting out their feelings.
But in all of this disruptive turmoil, we forget that this is our
American History. We cry out that our American Way of Life is under
attack. But name a decade that was free of turmoil. In my dad's day,
it was the protesting of unions, mother's demanding an end to child
labor, the fight for an eight hour day and a five day work week. The
Thirties brought fights over FDR's establishment of Social Security
and Public Works Programs and of course, his efforts to increase the
number of Judges on the Supreme Court. Even the War Years of the
Forties saw labor revolts and protests against our participation in
the War. The Fifties and the anti Korean protests, as well as the
beginnings of anti discrimination protests. The Sixties and the
growing attention on the conditions among our Black Citizens, the
murders of John and Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. The
Seventies and the Women's Liberation began to draw crowds. The anti
Vietnam protests. The Eighties and the Ronald Reagan opposition to
Labor Unions. The Nineties and the emergence of the ADA, after many
long demonstrations, along with growing protests over our foreign
involvement in Iraq and Central America. And on and on into the
Twenty First Century. Still demonstrating and still at each others
throats, and still claiming that we used to be a nation of Laws,
peaceful and kinder and gentler.
We want things to be peaceful, as long as they go our way. But
democracy is not quiet. Democracy is noisy and often unruly. It does
allow for people to gather and speak...or shout...their beliefs. In
the end, however, we are all expected to come together and support the
"Will of the Majority". So the trick is to manipulate just who the
"majority" is. Gerrymandering, purging voter's registrations,
tampering with ballots, closing of certain polling places,
intimidation, all are tactics used by the warring sides.
And are we any less Independent today than we were 100 years ago when
President Wilson declared those who protested our involvement in World
War One, to be committing acts of Treason?
Sometimes we Americans act as if we've had a stroke, and are only able
to live in the "here and now". Even a quick peek at our history shows
us that we have always behaved as we are behaving today. If the day
ever comes when we wake up and hear not a single protest, we will
understand what the word, Dictator means.
If you've not read it, try down loading Howard Zinn's book,
"A People's History of the United States."
Cordially,
Carl Jarvis
(the opinions above are those of Carl Jarvis, and not those of the ACB
Chat List.)

On 10/7/18, Karen Rose via acb-chat <acb-chat@acblists.org> wrote:
> Truly I do not understand why Twitter has not simply taking away his
> account. He violates their rules all of the time. They take away accounts of
> others who tweet out hate speech. Take his account away
>
>> On Oct 7, 2018, at 8:55 AM, Bob Hachey via acb-chat
>> <acb-chat@acblists.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hi karen,
>> The following just now occurred to me. Many on the right are now carping
>> and complaining about all of the anger and vitriole now coming from the
>> left. Yes, there is a lot of that now and some of it is indeed way over
>> the top. But if any of those now complaining are the same folks who have
>> decided to obediently line up behind Trump, then I won't take their
>> complaints very seriously. That's because they have continually chosen to
>> look the other way at all of the hatred, meanness and vitriole that spews
>> forth from trumps filthy mouth and his grubby little twitter fingers.
>> Bob Hachey
>>
>> From: Karen Rose via acb-chat [mailto:acb-chat@acblists.org]
>> Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2018 10:35 PM
>> To: General discussion list for ACB members and friends where a wide range
>> of topics from blindness to politics, issues of the day or whatever comes
>> to mind are welcome. This is a free form discussion list.
>> Cc: Karen Rose
>> Subject: Re: [acb-chat] Great News!
>>
>> And he was appointed by the great abuser in chief.
>>
>> On Oct 6, 2018, at 4:10 PM, Andy Baracco via acb-chat
>> <acb-chat@acblists.org> wrote:
>>
>> Great news!
>> Kavanaugh was confirmed as an associate justice on the u. S. Supreme
>> Court.
>> The Dems attempt to highjack the confirmation process failed!
>>
>> Andy
>>
>>
>>
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>
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