Posted by
Redhead on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 11:15:59 AM
I was reading through some thread here on Townhall the other day, and some liberal twit was telling us poor, stupid conservatives that we may as well give it up, because liberalism always wins. The point they were trying to make was that throughout history, the country has become more and more liberal, and that the fate of the Republic was a given, and we don’t stand a chance.
This got me thinking, and when that happens, I feel so proud of it, I simply must let everyone else know about it, so here it is.
To a degree they were right. (Maybe I’ll think more about that “to a degree” part later, and alert everyone to my findings then…) The question then becomes, Why? It is a problem that I actually noted some time ago. There is a problem with conservatives getting their voices out to the people, and to the politicians. I think I know a couple of major sources of this problem.
The first problem with conservatives is: We are too individualistic. Our very philosophy makes it difficult for us to congregate in groups, to send mass e-mails to our representatives, and to take group action against others.
It is difficult to get conservatives to participate in marches, rallies, or protests. You will rarely see a collection of conservatives like
this. For one thing, we are trying to lead productive lives, and tend to our jobs, our families, and our friends. In short, we’re too busy. Many conservatives have already put time in the military, and feel as if they have already “given at the office.” For another, we have too much sense to go out of the house dressed like this. We also recognize these protests for what they are: a bunch of bored children with nothing better to do, screaming for their nannies.
Most of us believe in the individual to such an extent that when the time comes for action, we do it on our own. Occasionally, this coincides with a lot of other people participating in the same cause, but often, there are only one or two loners who take action, while the rest of us sit back and cheer them on from our armchairs, and maybe donate a few dollars to the cause. Then, when they are defeated, we forget about the whole thing. After all, we didn’t have a dog in the hunt.
When conservatives have tried to come together in some meaningful way it is a hit-or-miss type of experiment, and is often taken over by the fringe elements. A bunch of Ron Paul supporters are congregating in Texas to build their
own little community, “off the grid.” A bunch of libertarians got together to move to and take over New Hampshire. Never heard of these projects? Neither have most people. Conservatives aren’t very good at advertising, either. On the other hand, conservatives have successfully brought people together to preserve our rights. Think the Gathering of Eagles, or Tennessee’s Tax Revolt.
I believe that Townhall.com is a good step in the right direction. (
Newsmax could have had this distinction, but they never allowed comments, and didn’t take blogging seriously.) In the past, the political internet has been dominated by left wing groups, like those Divisive Ulcers over at Democratic Underground, the Huffy Huddle Pests over at Huffington Post, or the Delusional Kids over at Daily Kos. It was not until Townhall really came into being that we conservatives really had something similar. Sure, there were other news sites, and some blog sites, but I don’t think that anything really took on the tone and the leadership in the sphere like Townhall has.
As such, I would like to provide support for the idea of a
Townhall Convention, even if it means having several in different locals, so that it would be easier for people to attend.
The other problem with conservatives is: We believe in the rule of law. This means that when someone does finally stand up for himself, (or herself, if we’re going to keep it politically correct, which I won’t for the rest of this piece. Live with it, gals. You are included in this!) and takes matters into his own hands, we sit back and congratulate the police on doing a good job when they take him down.
Conservatives don’t believe in sit-ins, or blocking the streets in protest. For one, we’re too d@mn polite. For another, we’ve got other things to do, and recognize that other people do, too. We don’t see getting arrested as a badge of honor, or a right of passage for the cause. We see it as the mark of an
idiot. It may be time to change this perception.
It may be time for conservatives to start backing the woman who carries her gun into the restaurant, or the guy who refuses to pay his taxes. Perhaps we start small, with a fund set up to pay the fines for these people. Yes, I know there are several groups who will provide defense attorneys for some of these, and each has their little niche. We need a broader one, set up just to pay the fines, so that all can continue on with their productive, conservative lives. If anyone knows of a group already set up this way, please pass it on. This would have the effect of taking away some of the pain of civil disobedience. It may also encourage this type of disobedience. This could be a good thing. It’s about time conservatives were heard.
It’s about time we all stood up and shouted,
"I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!" So who’s going to get all of this started? Who’s going to set up our civil disobedience fund? Who’s going to organize the rallies and marches across Washington and our states’ capitals? Who’s going to set up and find a suitable setting for the Townhall Convention?
Don’t look at me. I’m too busy… I gave at the office… Besides, crowds make me nervous… I’ve got a job and a family to take care of…