Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Window, Rooftops And Lines In The Sand

So, Congress has infringed on you and me, badly. Lots of people are upset -- and they should be!

But what's this idiocy about smashing windows? First of all, such vandalism is a half-witted kid trick; second of all, from just whose pockets is the price of a new window gonna come? Congressman Traitor? Bzzt! Wrong. But those are just side issues: the third thing is, are you gonna go do that just 'cos some guy on the Internet -- who doesn't seem to be anywhere near any busted glass his own self -- tol'ja it was a good idea?

While I hope it never gets to be vote from the rooftops time in this country -- we haven't run out of soapboxes and ballot boxes yet! -- the man who tells me it is had damn' well better have a rifle in one hand, a ladder in the other and some shingle-grit under his fingernails. There's a word for the guy who preaches violence from well behind the lines; a couple of words, actually, and it's a coin toss between "coward" and "agent provocateur."

Don't be rushed to take a step too far; Congress already has and we do, still, have ways of rubbing their nose in it and givin' 'em the old heave-ho that don't get you a trip to a Fed'ral lockup.

It's a time for signs, for speeches and letters and serious, serious organizing; a time to regroup and plan for elections. It's a time for the states to take the matter to court -- and bless 'em, they are, in significant and growing numbers.

Our backs are not quite against the wall. Let's not be in a hurry to get there and let's not be hooligans along the way there, either.

This is a fight easily lost on the evening news. Don't make it easy for the other side!

Update: Unk says similar.

19 comments:

B said...

We tried "signs, for speeches and letters and serious, serious organizing" they ignored us.

Windows are an intermediate step before "voting from the rooftops"

We should, of course, each only break the portion of the window that our individual tax dollars have paid for, leave the rest of the window intact if possible.

Violence, violent protest, and property damage was the hallmark of the left in the 60's. Why not use their own methods against them?

A "window war" hurts no one, and creates a stimulus (small, I admit) for the repairs and materials. And it might just work to get them to realize that their behavior may cause additional violence. They should fear returning to face the wrath of their constituents....Before more significant violence occurs.

YMMV

Roberta X said...

Nonsense. A "window war" just gives them an excuse to round folks up.

Never frighten a small man; he'll kill you.

Either we can push back with the soap box, the "jury box" or the ballot box (and that game's not fully played), OR it is time for the cartridge box. Did you see any window-smashing in that list?

The thing the window-breaking does is, it lets 'em make Godwinesque noises about "Krystallnacht." Don't think they won't try to make the slur stick.

This is a fight easily lost on the evening news. Don't make it easy for the other side!

Unknown said...

Ms. Roberta...

I am in near total agreement with you here...

One thing that has to be considered , however, is that the playbook of Obama's mentor Alinsky would have called for breaking a few windows and shouting a few racial slurs just to muddy the waters and keep the other side from gaining any credibility...

I believe it's actually called out in one of his books on how to wage a successful revolution...

ZerCool said...

Righto, soapbox it is.

Spot-on with those two words you mentioned. Easy to round up the "hooligans" and paint them with a broad brush.

Roberta X said...

Maybe Alinsky's wrong. Geez-o-peet, haven't we been sayin' that kinda piddlin' destruction is wrong, the acting-out of spoiled children?

Is the heady air of the moral high ground too dull when there's stuff to be a-breakin'?

Count me out.

The window-breakers want some of thrill and excitement of a civil war without havin' to haul Gramma's body the the curb after a debate over what's for dinner or even having to miss their fave TV shows. It's no way to win.

Drang said...

If anything is going to be thrown through windows...

WV: toldalli. A politician? Really? You don't say!

Vinnie said...

Do your enemy no SMALL harm.

Chronos said...

which one of us posted the "window war" link?

Divemedic said...

Not that I think that smashing wondows is a good idea, but you are deluding yourself.

The ballot box will change nothing. Obamacare is permanent. So you vote in a new congress. Then what? There are only 18 democrats and 18 republicans in the Senate up for reelection. Even if all 18 Republicans win, and all 18 Democrats lose, the Republicans will only have a 59-41 majority.

They pass a bill rescinding Obamacare. Obama vetoes it. You can't override that veto with only 59 votes.

Obamacare isn't the end of this.

I keep wondering why the Democrats are on this apparently self destructive course, it doesn't make sense. If a politician is good at one thing, it is getting reelected. There is another game here, something the Democrats are counting on to get reelected. What that something is, I don't pretend to know.

Voting rights for illegals? Your guess is as good as mine.

(heh- WV is visions)

Joseph said...

I agree with you, Roberta.
This kind of behavior just plays into the hands of the other side...it proves everything they have said about us, the opposition. (And using racial and sexual slurs doesn't help either)

Be a good example. Don't let others use you as a bad one. The time is here for real organization, real goals. Not for the political palbum that has been the status quo and has gotten us to this point.

The rule of law still applies; don't put yourself in a situation that the other side can use it against you.

Roberta X said...

Divemedic: I'd rather strike out swinging than strike out looking -- and I am sure not gonna get into a fight on the field until there's no other option.

Anonymous said...

"The ballot box will change nothing."

Ummm, were you paying attention to the election in November 2008?

Ballot boxes change much.

Obamacare can't be repealed in '11 or '12? O.K., we wait for '13 when a new Congress and President Palin, Paul, Daniels, inter alia signs the repeal act.

It took the Progressives 100 years to get this, it may take more than next week to repeal it.

While getting in faces and punching back twice as hard may be a stress releiver, acts of petty criminality are less than optimal and may be a bouncing petard. Use that energy to get out the vote or work overtime to send money to proper candidates.

Shootin' Buddy

Joanna said...

A "window war" hurts no one, and creates a stimulus (small, I admit) for the repairs and materials. And it might just work to get them to realize that their behavior may cause additional violence. They should fear returning to face the wrath of their constituents....Before more significant violence occurs.

A) The broken window fallacy is one of the oldest in the books; B) I don't want to go down in history as the one who started the violence. You wanna be the sympathetic underdog? Then you have to wait until they start shooting. It's the difference between "good men forced into action to defend themselves" and "Dude, what'd you do that for?"

B said...

Joanna: No one wants to start a war. but perhaps (just perhaps) this is a solution which harms no one, yet gets the attention of those who believe that they are secure in their offices. Nothing else seems to have worked.

I do not believe that should a significant number of office windows belonging to our legislators were defenestrated that no notice would be taken. Look at the uproar in the MSM due to supposed threats made in the past few days.

I am open to non-violent suggestions that will prove effective. So far, peaceful protest has not.

I am not BTW, suggesting that we each go out and buy a brick or two....yet.

But the time may come. And it might

"A rrrriot is an ugly thing.....und I think it is time ve had one!"

Turk Turon said...

I forget where I read this, but someone once defined "the line in the sand" like this:

You're watching the evening news and you hear about a truly nasty outrage in Washington. "That's it!" you shout as you grab your rifle and run out into the street. If your neighbors are out there, with their rifles, then it's "game on". Otherwise...go back inside.

Anyway, I expect that the first blow will be struck by a state, not an individual. I'm lookin' at you, Montana! I see what you're doin' back there, Idaho! What's that in your pocket, Wyoming!

Mossyrock said...

Don't forget...these idiots WANT us to do something violent and/or stupid so they can point and say, "See! We TOLD you those Teabaggers were violent!! LOCK THEM UP!!" That's JUST the kind of thing they are waiting for so they can further ratchet down on our freedoms...such as Free Speech and right to Peaceful Assembly. Don't give them the excuse they are looking for!

Stranger said...

If bricks were thrown, you can bet your last buck they were Democratic bricks, thrown by Democratic hirelings. Because this is the way today's Democrats operate.

It matters not the least whether it is phony bricks or phony claims of racist comments, if it comes from the left and it is on your TV, it is probably fake.

But Goebbels did it better!

Stranger

New Jovian Thunderbolt said...

Yes. I agreed way back when.

bobn said...

I keep wondering why the Democrats are on this apparently self destructive course, it doesn't make sense. ...There is another game here, something the Democrats are counting on to get reelected....

Voting rights for illegals?...


I thin that is it. The soap box didn't work. The ballot box will be stuffed with the votes of 20 million newly minted "citizens" - (most of whom will be voting for a living, rather than working for a living). Which box does that leave?

Which means that if they even start debating amnesty, it's time for a national strike of the real workers in this country, who all converge on D.C. to leave no doubt in anybody's mind that CONgress is playing with fire.