When Dumb Political Activism Attacks
Sometimes we all think people know where we basically stand on issues. And sometimes we learn that people either don’t really know, or they don’t really care.
There’s smart political activism, and there’s dumb political activism. Here’s some dumb political activism via Citizen Smash, one of the best known “milibloggers.”
I SAW IT IN MY INBOX this evening. It was an email from a familiar name, someone very close to me. But it was the subject line that got me really steamed:
FW: Oppose Escalation in IraqOpening it, I read this single line from a loved one:
Let your conscience decide…What followed was, as the subject line suggested, a forwarded petition urging Congress to cut off funding for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Here is my reply:
And he most certainly gives it (read it).
The person didn’t take the time to consider that Smash might feel QUITE differently, and not because he is a lockstep political partisan (I have met him, and he is not). He also has a bit of personal background and additional considerations that impact how he views this request to cut of funding — which, by the way, the bulk of Republican and Democratic war criticism in Congress right now are not prepared to do, anyway.
Read his whole post. (P.S.: If you’re a fulltime or part time political activist, you might want to do a teenie bit of homework before you send something out to someone or at least elaborate on your request and re-write it.)
UPDATE: Riehl World View went through something a bit similar on the issue of blogging. Read this.
3 Responses to “When Dumb Political Activism Attacks”
It seems in the nature of activists to assume that all right-thinking people must of course agree with them. For example, a mailing list in a college department that I was in for a while used to include notices of protests and information about how to volunteer for Democratic Party candidates with never the slightest ideological diversity nor the slightest awareness that some recipients of the list even MIGHT hold different beliefs.
Unfortunately, many people are not in your friend’s position to respond. Oftentimes, people who dissent from the dominant ideology in such environments must bite their tongue, lest the activists express their surprise in finding an ideological traitor in their midst by punishing them socially or professionally.
Just wanted to say this: SMASH is truly a great blogger.
“Perhaps you should consider showing us some support, instead of blindly forwarding an email to your contacts list urging people to lobby Congress to cut our funding!”
Blah. I guess Smash knows perfectly well this isn’t about cutting the funds for the troops, this simply is about cutting the additional moneys for an escalation of the Iraq adventure. Apples and oranges.
Btw, Michael, if you’re so fascinated of army guys, pls volunteer instead of licking their boots here, ok?