The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Can You Make Peace With Stupid?

Posted on | October 15, 2011 | 43 Comments

by Smitty

Erickson over at Red State has a post about “Finding Common Ground With the Occupiers“. His four suggestions toward the end are completely agreeable to about every conservative I’ve ever met. In summary, put the public sector cart behind the private sector horse, where it belongs, unless you are stupid.

And he’s even making the sort of argument I would, that we should have a go at diplomacy with the #OccupyWhipperSnappers, and try to use #OWS as a teachable moment:

But let’s presume there are some people out there who are reachable. We on the right should not be as dismissive of what is happening in this movement the way the left, to their determine, wholly dismissed the tea party movement. There is, in fact, some shared ground even beyond the superficial ground I’ve already covered.

This really boils down to a question of pedagogy, not just policy (where I really agree with Erickson’s suggestions in the post). You’ve got a park full of bratty, ignorant students who not only lack respect for you, they have had their heads filled with false and opposite things. I’ve had a couple of teaching experiences. Teaching can be fun, if there is some level of positive engagement on the part of the students. The Animal House, or Breakfast Club situations, while funny in film, are no fun for somebody behind a podium.

Or somebody dealing with a park full of petulant, overgrown children. At that point, I’m far more inclined to tough love. If the little brats really think they are making a statement, teachers such as cold and hunger should be brought in. Also, the word ‘no’. Let these knuckleheads cry ‘uncle’. Then put the little jackwagons in a Gunny Ermy situation, where they can find out what real authoritarianism is like. I have it on some authority that a boot camp environment can be a great way to go ‘cold turkey’ on stupid.

Such a stick/carrot approach, with emphasis on ‘stick’, in my opinion, is the best way to shake out the tiny few who are worth two hoots (in an economic sense: theologically, they are certainly God’s children) in the #OWS crowd. As for the rest: no more love than bread and water. Because making peace with Commie stupid is the first step toward becoming Commie stupid.

Category: Red State

Comments

43 Responses to “Can You Make Peace With Stupid?”

  1. Mike
    October 15th, 2011 @ 10:14 am

    If you were even able to convert one percent of the rabble in the OWS “movement”, you could say that you had made a major accomplishment. But like you said, you can’t fix stupid, so it would probably be a worthless endeavor…good luck with that.

  2. JeffS
    October 15th, 2011 @ 10:14 am

    I’m with the tough love as well. 

    Start by shutting down all of the food shipments to the #OWS brats.  I’m certain that there plenty of genuinely hungry people who would love fresh, hot food.

    Escalation should be gradual from there, but were I in charge of the NYPD, I’d have my stocks of CS and regurgitant gas inventoried, and live ammo purchases increased.  Just in case. 

  3. Joe
    October 15th, 2011 @ 10:38 am

    OWS is a gift.  I say let them continue to foul public parks and annoy hard working citizens.  They have been embraced by the Democrats.  To paraphrase Debbie Wasserman Shultz, the Dems own OWS.  Let this continue until the waifing odor of patchuli become impossible to cover the body odor and fecal matter.  Let them camp out through the cold rains of November in New York City and other places they are.  Let this be a symbol for what Obama and the Dems have brought us.  The more images of a porcine bristled Michael Moore waddling around those protests until he gets on his wizard  supermarket scooter and buzzes back to his multi million dollar apartment is just priceless. 

  4. Joe
    October 15th, 2011 @ 10:40 am

    All we are saying is give stupid a chance! 

  5. Joe
    October 15th, 2011 @ 10:57 am

    Let them continue to live in their self generated filth.  They are a gift to us and a PR disaster for the Dems and their stupid policies. 

  6. Joe
    October 15th, 2011 @ 10:59 am

    Let’s admit, we all were stupid at least once.  We generally learned from our mistakes.  Let these young people camp out and enjoy living in tents in 40 degree rain.  It is delightful to camp out this time of year.  What Obama has sown, so shall he reap.  This is the equvalent of an Obama “Hoover” camp.  We should call them Obama camps. 

  7. Joe
    October 15th, 2011 @ 11:14 am

    Obamacare is falling apart.  Talk about stupid.  As Debbie Wasserman Schultz would say:  The Dems own Obamacare too.

    http://althouse.blogspot.com/2011/10/obama-admistration-abandons-part-of.html

    And the firedoglake crowd are starting to turn on their savior: 

    http://althouse.blogspot.com/2011/10/obama-is-despicable-man-dishonest-and.html

  8. Joe
    October 15th, 2011 @ 11:19 am

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/obama-plans-to-turn-anti-wall-street-anger-on-mitt-romney-republicans/2011/10/14/gIQAZfiwkL_story.html

    Obama trying to turn OWS against the GOP.   I did not realize the GOP was in power right now.  Don’t the dems control the Senate and the White House? 

  9. Christy Waters
    October 15th, 2011 @ 11:32 am

    Well, you know what the Good Book says about sparing the rod.

  10. Daily Pundit » Attention Where Attention Is Due - And That Ain’t Here
    October 15th, 2011 @ 11:32 am

    […] Can You Make Peace With Stupid? : The Other McCain Or somebody dealing with a park full of petulant, overgrown children. At that point, I’m far more inclined to tough love. If the little brats really think they are making a statement, teachers such as cold and hunger should be brought in. Also, the word ‘no’. Let these knuckleheads cry ‘uncle’. Then put the little jackwagons in a Gunny Ermy situation, where they can find out what real authoritarianism is like. I have it on some authority that a boot camp environment can be a great way to go ‘cold turkey’ on stupid. […]

  11. Christy Waters
    October 15th, 2011 @ 11:38 am

    I love cool weather camping… but that’s because I can build a campfire and roast marshmallows. Mmmmmm, yummy!!

  12. ThePaganTemple
    October 15th, 2011 @ 11:47 am

    This really boils down to a question of pedagogy

    From what I’ve seen of that bunch its more like it boils down to a question of pederasty. I’ve seen pictures and videos which shows kids as young as ten or younger in this bunch. Social services would be well within their rights to snatch them up. On the other hand, half the social service workers are probably already there with their own kids.

    Rubber bullets. They’re made for a reason.

  13. Joe
    October 15th, 2011 @ 11:48 am

    That is because I presume you do not camp with make shift tents (you are prepared) that leak and crap outside your tent opening.

  14. Joe
    October 15th, 2011 @ 11:49 am

    They are obviously spoiled children.  Now they have to wallow in it. 

  15. ThePaganTemple
    October 15th, 2011 @ 11:49 am

    By the way, this is just a dry run for the 2012 elections. You don’t think they’re going to disappear by then do you? When they say they want to collapse the system, they mean what they say.

  16. CalMark
    October 15th, 2011 @ 11:50 am

    Yeah, aren’t Boehner & Co. constantly telling us that the GOP controls only “one-half of one-third?” 

    They tell the base that, to get us silly peasants to sit down and shut up.  They never use it to defend themselves against Democrats.

    It is either cowardice, or they’re all secretly committed liberal Democrats.  Can’t think of any other possible explanation!

  17. Mike
    October 15th, 2011 @ 1:04 pm

    Okay…stupid more than once, but like you said, some of us learn from our mistakes.

    Reminds me of a camping trip me and some buddies took down in Mississippi. Me and one other guy told the rest of them that where they wanted to set up camp was not the best place, but they insisted. And being the democratic group we were, they won and we camped where they wanted on the only piece of dry ground in the middle of a swamp. In the middle of the night came a rain storm and we were inundated with water…about four inches of water. Everything was soaked, except the beer of course.  We were a wet miserable group and I learned my lesson about Democracy.

  18. Tom Callow
    October 15th, 2011 @ 1:14 pm

    The GOP is trying to break the Tea Party Patriots and all other Conservatives by giving them the impossible choice of Mittens or Obama.
    The Soros funded media and the VanJones backed groups are tying to foment and agitate to distract and get some sort of foothold on independents.
    If you or I feel like we are being led by fools is it any wonder at all?
    Thank god for Smitty, and all Conservatives.
    The Conservative Bloc needs to coalesce before the OWS/Leftist bloc does so we do not have to fight that battle for Independents in an uphill fashion.
    Robert Stacy McCain and Smitty are fighting, time for the rest of us to engage.

  19. Anonymous
    October 15th, 2011 @ 1:24 pm

    You have so few high profile public figure conservatives that have a record of attempting to reach out for common ground in the marketplace of ideas with wider swathes of “We the people”.

    The only public figure I’ve seen make public connections is Gov. Palin, when she tried to connect a common ground in her Wisconsin speech (i.e.  Union Brothers and Sisters) and then her Sep 3 crony capitalism speech.
    I think this is part of why the left saw her as a threat and tried to take her down.Also, from Hank Paulson’s book “On the brink”      ” The Palin selection had clearly revitalized him, and he began   by saying he wanted to introduce me to his running mate, whom he put on the phone with us.     McCain had little more to say as I described the actions we had taken and why, but Governor Palin immediately made her presence felt. Right away she started calling me Hank. Now, everyone calls me Hank. My assistant calls me Hank. Everyone on my staff, from top to bottom, calls me Hank. It’s what I like. But for some reason, the way she said it over the phone like that, even though we’d never met, rubbed me the  wrong way.     I’m also not sure she grasped the full dimensions of the situation I had sketched out — or so some of her comments made me think. But she grasped the politics pretty quickly.     “Hank,” she asked, “did any of their executives get golden parachutes? Did you fire all the people you need to? Hank, can we claw back any of their compensation?””

  20. Joe
    October 15th, 2011 @ 1:31 pm

    I agree about the GOP, but OWS will back fire on the Dems.  I hope they pull shit like this around October-November 2012.  Vote for Obama or we will occupy your town squares and shit in public!  Yeah, that is a winning message for the Dems

  21. chuck coffer
    October 15th, 2011 @ 1:38 pm

    Personally, I’m fine with some tough hate. Give’em what their dishing out. Screw them. They aren’t the 99%. They’re the one tenth of one percent. They’re vermin.

  22. rosalie
    October 15th, 2011 @ 1:40 pm

    I hope the beer was of some consolation.

  23. Adjoran
    October 15th, 2011 @ 1:45 pm

    He should join their You Tube “I am the 99%” campaign.

    Oops:  http://tinyurl.com/3e7vktf

  24. Adjoran
    October 15th, 2011 @ 1:46 pm

    Pigs wallow in their own excrement, and seem to enjoy it.

  25. Adjoran
    October 15th, 2011 @ 1:47 pm

    You’d need a Mayor with a spine for that.

    Sorry!

  26. Adjoran
    October 15th, 2011 @ 1:49 pm

    Agreed – especially as long as they stick to Democrat-controlled cities (which most are, anyway).  Let them enjoy the, er, fruits of their labors.

    They should have signs:

    “THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY SMELLS LIKE!”

  27. Leslie Eastman
    October 15th, 2011 @ 1:56 pm

    LIVE BY THE ALKINSKY RULES, DIE BY THE ALKINSKY RULES.

  28. Anonymous
    October 15th, 2011 @ 2:20 pm

    Actually pigs don’t do that if they aren’t in a pen and therefore forced to.

  29. Anonymous
    October 15th, 2011 @ 2:24 pm

    The NYPD doesn’t see these nitwits as all that dangerous. Notice the absence of riot gear when the mild confrontations occur.

  30. Anonymous
    October 15th, 2011 @ 2:30 pm

    I heard Debbie opining the other day that getting confirmation of Obama’s nominee to head the new consumer credit agency was one answer to their demands.

  31. Anonymous
    October 15th, 2011 @ 2:38 pm

    They may be stupid enough to believe, but will not actually collapse any system by camping in a park and getting a handful of people arrested every couple of days. They are probably selecting who gets to be arrested by drawing straws or perhaps by consensus. A brilliant plan if you think about it, as that is their best shot at getting a shower. 

  32. Anamika
    October 15th, 2011 @ 2:41 pm

    At least we tried:

    Open Letter to that 53% Guy

  33. Anonymous
    October 15th, 2011 @ 3:06 pm

    Unfortunately this pot ain’t gonna boil over in as dramatic a fashion as we’d like. Either weather or plague (most likely flu or dysentery) will substantially reduce the numbers of campers. The Unions, Acorn types and other professional left organizations may be able to keep generating demonstrations but they just won’t maintain that flavor of body odor and patchouli. Imagine if the Madison protesters had been forced to camp outside. There aren’t any public buildings in either NY or DC that they’ll be allowed to requisition. I saw a video the other day of a park occupation in Asheville NC the campers there are already wearing winter coats. Unless these people decide to go for broke this will fizzle. 

  34. ThePaganTemple
    October 15th, 2011 @ 3:12 pm

    The question is, what will they do on election day, and if they’re piled up in front of the polls blocking the way to and from, what will be done about it? The good thing is, if that happens its liable to hurt the Democrats far more than it would the Republicans, but by the same token, this could be Obama’s excuse to declare the election results null and void.

  35. Anonymous
    October 15th, 2011 @ 3:28 pm

    Talk to Colorado’s governor, John Hickenlooper, who yesterday ordered the dismantling of Denver’s tent city, sent in the cleanup crew, and told the babies to obey the rules.  (He’s a freakin’ Democrat, believe it or not!)

    I had been calling him John Pooperscooper for a long time (he was Denver’s mayor ’til he got elected gov last year).  Seems the name is very appropriate.

  36. Should We Find Common Ground with OWS? | The Lonely Conservative
    October 15th, 2011 @ 3:28 pm

    […] sure there are some folks who have joined the movement that we could find common ground with. But I tend to agree with Smitty on this one. Most of these kids are in desperate need of some tough love.You’ve got a park full of bratty, […]

  37. TR
    October 15th, 2011 @ 3:43 pm

    Yes and as much mileage as Debbie Downer gets from OWS it appears that Erickson wants his RedState Stamp somewhere on the event also. Ever since Erickson went on his childish hour-by-hour tirade against Sarah Palin I dismiss him as a fool who prefers a food fight to someone who would atempt to make any progress with a pedogogical approach. 

  38. Trochilus
    October 15th, 2011 @ 4:02 pm

    That’s “Ermey” to you, puke . . . with an “e.”  Now drop down and give me 25!

    As for making nice with the radical occupiers, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:

    “I firmly believe that you live and learn, and if you don’t learn from past mistakes, then you need to be drug out and shot.”

  39. Trochilus
    October 15th, 2011 @ 4:21 pm

    Ha ha!

  40. steve benton
    October 15th, 2011 @ 5:34 pm

    They want to steal America’s wealth, take it away, and give it to someone who has done nothing for it. What the hell do we have in common with them? That’s like appeasing the media so they’ll like us.

  41. Leslie Eastman
    October 15th, 2011 @ 7:31 pm

    There is a new Twitter stream that mocks the rabid element of OWS. It
    is #YouMightBeAFleabagger. Like the #AttackWatch thread, some of the
    entries are hilarious, yet true. Check it out.

  42. #Occupy « Chockblock’s blog
    October 16th, 2011 @ 2:08 am

    […] Time and again, the left has tried to sneak evil, Marxist ideology and power grabs when we try to make peace. Give them any part of what they want and doom will result. Let the world see who these assclowns really are. Because making peace with Commie stupid is the first step toward becoming Commie stupid. – R.S. McCain […]

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    October 16th, 2011 @ 9:25 am

    […] (the Other McCain) wonders if you can make peace with […]