It’s Time to Stop Being Hit…a letter from Michael Moore

I’ve done some research for myself into aggressive behavior. I think the key thing to remember is the unethical tactics used by the right can be beaten (without stooping to their level and emulating their aggressive behavior) through ASSERTIVE behavior. Assertive behavior is not passive. It’s a mentally healthy way to take them on without compromising our integrity and principles.

The topic of covert aggression (manipulation tactics) is covered in depth in the book “In Sheep’s Clothing: Understanding and Dealing with Manipulative People” by Dr. George K. Simon, available on Amazon. Written for the layperson, he also goes over what assertive behavior means and how to handle covert-aggressives in a healthy way.

- Tom

This may seem a gross oversimplification (and may in fact be a gross oversimplification), but I attribute this problem, at least in part, to the fact that far too many democrats and progressives didn’t play team sports growing up. Team sports teach values — sublimation of individual goals to team goals, settling differences in private and presenting a unified front to the opposition, disciplined execution of somebody else’s agenda, not giving up in the face of adversity — that democrats and progressives seem to not get.

Like this thinking, each player hitting their hardest advances the group toward the goal.

I like this idea. I used to ask people to prove to me that Malkin wasn’t really a member of Abu Sayyaf who had infiltrated the GOP to destroy them. :D

Slam back and hard!

Do they never, not even in the dark hours, look at the Repugs and admire their awesome message discipline? Jeez, the rightists in the UK would just *love* some of that.

BRAIN DIFFERENCES ARE NON-PARTISAN.

It is offensive to people who actually have neurological differences when these kinds of comparisons are made.

Do not try to say that Republican-ism is a disorder, whereas Democratic-ism is not. Do not imply it. Do not hint at it. Do not breathe a single syllable that starts down that road. Do not do it in the ‘just sayin…’ mode, do not do it in the ‘ha ha, Republicans sure are stupid, har har!’ mode. Do not do it in the ‘we only want to help them’ mode. Do not do it in the ‘we can control them because they are neurologically different’ mode.

Do not do this. You will undo everything you hope to achieve.

It’s like when right-wingers yammer about how Democrats are all faggoty girly-men. It’s exactly the same thing, but now you’re doing it, because, well, it’s all scientific and shit. Meanwhile, gay people suffer under the right-wing rhetoric, and people who actually *have* neurological differences suffer under yours.

And speaking as a representative of both of those groups: Do not do this. Stop now.

Do not create scapegoats. Do not turn politics into a debate over who has the healthiest or most normal brain.

I shouldn’t have to say any of this, but goddamn! Is this where progressivism has brought us? Does liberalism in the US now rest on who has the best scientific research about the ailments of conservatives?

WAKE UP, PEOPLE. If you’re still people, that is.

Saying it does not make it true. You are off base here and not grasping what is a very large and complex subject which has not, admittedly, been discussed in depth here.

Read: The Authoritarians and get informed.

Just in case:
60 minutes tonight
Today Show and Larry King tomorrow
Next Tues (30th) Daily Show

It is offensive to people who actually have neurological differences when these kinds of comparisons are made.

Do not try to say that Republican-ism is a disorder, whereas Democratic-ism is not. Do not imply it. Do not hint at it. Do not breathe a single syllable that starts down that road. Do not do it in the ‘just sayin…’ mode, do not do it in the ‘ha ha, Republicans sure are stupid, har har!’ mode. Do not do it in the ‘we only want to help them’ mode. Do not do it in the ‘we can control them because they are neurologically different’ mode.

Do not do this. You will undo everything you hope to achieve.

It’s like when right-wingers yammer about how Democrats are all faggoty girly-men. It’s exactly the same thing, but now you’re doing it, because, well, it’s all scientific and shit. Meanwhile, gay people suffer under the right-wing rhetoric, and people who actually *have* neurological differences suffer under yours.

And speaking as a representative of both of those groups: Do not do this. Stop now.

Do not create scapegoats. Do not turn politics into a debate over who has the healthiest or most normal brain.

I shouldn’t have to say any of this, but goddamn! Is this where progressivism has brought us? Does liberalism in the US now rest on who has the best scientific research about the ailments of conservatives?

WAKE UP, PEOPLE. If you’re still people, that is.

“Please,” Bush whimpers, his lips pursed in mock desperation, “don’t kill me.”