Demonization as a Political Tactic

Demonization is one tactic used to make points in the political debate. Republicans use it; Democrats use it; I use it; you use it. Wikipedia describes demonization as

the characterization of individuals, groups, or political bodies as evil or subhuman for purposes of justifying and making plausible an attack, whether in the form of character assassination, legal action, circumscribing of political liberties, or warfare.

The problem is that many people who use the tactic don’t realize they are using it. They really think that George Bush is evil or stupid, that FOX News is a shill for the Republican Party, or that Bill Clinton was worse than useless as a president. The people who come to believe these things invariably get their news only from slanted sources, and their outlook is a religion rather than a political awareness.

The conundrum of course comes when there really are devils. Again, we get back to truth. What is the truth?

If Bill Clinton, for example, ever did anything truly evil it was to lie under oath, no matter that it was about covering up a sexual peccadillo—it was a Chief Executive lying under oath. That is disgraceful. Maybe not evil, but close to unforgivable.

The Democrats and leftists demonize George W. Bush for many reasons. All of the reasons are conspiratorial. They ascribe motives to him, and then demonize him for these motives. He invaded Iraq to further his oil interests or those of his friends. He invaded Iraq to avenge the assassination attempt on his father. He is not running the country; Cheney and Rumsfeld are. These are all assumptions, without proof, and, I believe, without logic.

The only demonizing of Bush that has, in my opinion, any basis in fact is that he is “stupid.” Bush’s Bushisms

"You never know what your history is going to be like until long after you're gone." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 5, 2006

make him seem less than bright. They are fodder for the late night talk shows and comics like Jon Stewert. And since the demonizers take Stewert and Jay Leno as news, they believe they are hearing truth.

Believing Bush is stupid, of course, is patently absurd. You don’t win governorships and attain a high approval rating as governor, and win two presidential elections by being stupid. It is simply not possible. Yes, Bush was born into power and he has connections. So were a million other Americans. Bush rose above them all to become the most powerful man in the world. It is even probable, despite his present approval ratings, that he would win a third term, if that were allowed. He, not Carl Rove, not Dick Cheney, is politically canny. If Rove and Cheney suddenly were not around, George Bush would still be there, doing the right things at the right time to get elected again, despite his Bushisms.

Let’s consider FOX News, on their 10th anniversary. They rose from nothing to become the number one cable news outlet, far surpassing CNN at this time in viewership. Yet, because all the main media and late night talk shows are leftist (and don’t even realize it), FOX is demonized. All the left demonize them. I watch FOX, in addition to CNN, MSNBC, PBS, Al Jazeera, ABC, and on and on, trying to get all sides of issues. FOX truly is “fair and balanced,” as they claim, as opposed to all the other networks. FOX presents both sides of issues, and for this they are called “conservative” or “Republican.” NBC and the rest present only the liberal viewpoint, and they are called the fair ones, the balanced ones.

The problem is frame of reference. The norm had become leftist, Bush-bashing, anti-conservative. So, if you present both sides of an issue, pro- and anti-Bush, for example, you are a “shill” for the Republican Party. You “heathens” don’t stop at just Bush-bashing, like the other networks. You go on and present the other side, which breaks the norm. How dare you!

The biased, demonizing left had owned the media for years, and now they are crying because truth has crept into their midst.

Demonizing is an old political tactic. Abraham Lincoln was treated mercilessly. They called him a bumpkin (remind you of anyone?) and even a “monkey.”

The only tactic against demonization is, of course, to stay the course, do the right things, live a good life, and be effective. Eventually, history will treat you kindly for this. (Of course, you might get assassinated, literally, in the meantime, because of the demonization. That’s the price of being good.) We call the “monkey” now our greatest president. I doubt that George Bush will ever be called our greatest president, but he will one day be recognized for his accomplishments.

FOX News will live or die as a network depending on what they do next. If they overreact to their demonization, they might become a network like all the others, and so lose their competitive edge. If, however, they realize their original insight, that the people hunger for the truth, then they will grow and prosper in the next ten years.

If you are demonized in your life, then you know how it feels. All you can do is stand up for yourself, be assertive, and then just lead a good, productive life, assured that doing so matters. And it does. It counts, no matter that you are misjudged.

Life is tough and there are nasty people in it. I’m with you. God is with you. God bless George Bush (but please, God, put some sense into him about immigration and over-spending, will You?) Water off a duck’s back.

Rock


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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