The Democratic Party, both as a collective and individually, has many shortcomings. This is not a secret. But, no shortcoming is as apparent and frustrating as their inability or lack of desire to fight back against verbal attacks and political malevolence. As a progressive, it is one of the most infuriating and deflating characteristics.
Now, I will not front here. In the past (even the somewhat recent past) I have been as guilty of this as anyone. We liberal and progressive types tend to err on the side of pacifism and misguided civility. Democrats seem to possess an innate logic that the best way to respond to insults or verbal assaults or character assassination is by either ignoring the perpetrators or "killing them with kindness".
In theory the above responses seem appropriate. In a perfect world meanness and callousness could be adequately combated with kind words.
But, with some folks that simply will not work. Sometimes that shade has gotta be thrown. With some mofos they will only be put in their place if that clapback is put on their ass. Ya know what I mean.
Unfortunately, way too many Democrats and Lefties don't understand this or don't wanna accept it. Time after time Republicans, Conservatives and Alt-Right trolls will lie, spew half-truths and inject false and/or misleading narratives about Democrats and/or their policies. They do it because they know they'll receive little, if any, pushback. They know they can control the public discourse because Democrats and Progressives tend to cower or fear if they pushback substantially at all they will be labeled "uncivil" which, of course, is a bullshit label. As I have said before the "uncivil" charge is a jedi mind trick Conservatives play on Liberals to make them look weak. And, it usually works.
Democrats always take the bait, which allows them to be beat up and bloodied. So, they can take the spurious high road they allow themselves to be brow beaten and denigrated. Sadly, this causes some Dems to be feeble and feckless.
Speaking of feeble and feckless let me introduce one Charles E. Schumer, the U.S. Senate Minority Leader. The term "leader" is used in the loosest sense of the word.
Schumer is the prototype for what not to do when political enemies and antagonists attack.
Look, I acknowledge Schumer is definitional low hanging fruit. Political leaders are always easy fodder.
But, let's make no bones about this. As Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer FUCKING SUCKS!
The man has almost zero political skills or instincts. He has no backbone whatsoever. He will sell the Democrats or their political agenda down the river at the drop of a hat.
Remember, a year ago? DACA was on the table. The Democratic Party base made it clear the million or so DACA recipients had to receive citizenship before any federal budget was accepted. President Trump publicly berated Schumer over DACA and an impending government shutdown. The shutdown happened for a day or something. Schumer caved and no DACA deal was made.
Just this past Tuesday Schumer along with soon to be House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, met with Trump to discuss Trump's idiotic border wall and the federal budget. Trump decided to hold the trio's "discussion" about it in public. I am sure he thought he could embarrass Schumer and Pelosi publicly by doing his pseudo alpha male bullshit.
Well, it backfired with Pelosi and somewhat backfired with Schumer but not as much as the press played it up.
While Pelosi stood up to Trump, Schumer looked like a younger brother getting scolded by his older brother. Trump was spewing his usual bluster and lies about immigration and his "I need to make my penis look big" wall. To Trump's credit he was right in Schumer's space making his case. He challenged Schumer and was frankly confrontational without being threatening or menacing.
Now, this is Trump we're talking about so much of what he said was utter nonsense. But, he actually looked commanding with his pseudo alpha male facade.
So, did Schumer buck up back to him? Did he forcefully call him out on his bs? Nope. Chuckie was hunched over almost melting into the couch. He would barely make eye contact with Trump. He looked like a whipped dog, frankly. Well, like he always does. No bite. No fight.
Now, contrasting Schumer is the 29 year old congresswoman-elect from New York's 14th district, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
AOC, as her admirers and supporters call her which I am one, has been the target of ridicule, lies, smears and soft-core quasi misogyny and sexism ever since she upset long termed incumbent, Joe Crowley in the primaries. She has received criticism and heat from Democrats and Republicans.
AOC, who is a Democratic Socialist and will be the youngest member of Congress when she is sworn into office in January, has been the frequent target of Conservatives and Fox News especially. They really seemed obsessed with her. Conservative intellectual, Ben Shapiro, challenged her to a debate even though he wasn't her opponent in the general election. AOC refused saying she wouldn't be "catcalled", which sent Benjamin into a tizzy because a good Jewish Conservative like him would never be so crass as to solicit a woman.
Some tool from NewsMax, whose name escapes me and it doesn't really matter anyway, decided to play detective on Twitter and "expose" AOC as a fraud because she was not a simple struggling girl from the Bronx but was an Ivy League grad who grew up in Westchester, New York which is largely (but not totally) an affluent area. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez tweeted back informing this assclown she graduated from Boston University, which is not an Ivy League school, and she spent her "formative years" in Westchester when her mother decided the Bronx schools were inadequate. Her mother worked multiple jobs sacrificing so they could afford to live in Westchester. Their home, which I encourage you to see a picture of, was beyond modest and placed in one of the more middle class areas of Westchester.
This idea that Ocasio-Cortez is a fake populist is one Fox News and Conservatives have repeatedly attempted to push often falling flat on their faces. Of course, the hilarious irony these are the same people who support a self-proclaimed born into wealth billionaire who has never did a blue collar thing in his life, yet claims to be a blue collar populist , is not lost on me but it certainly is on them apparently.
AOC has received multiple attacks on her intelligence and youth.
A few weeks back she posted a tweet decrying Trump's treatment of migrants at the border citing the various times in history people have fled to America in an attempt to escape persecution and violence. Naturally, she used the Jews escaping the Holocaust as an example. This triggered South Carolina senator and newly volunteered Trump balls cleaner, Lindsey Graham, to tweet at AOC she should visit the Holocaust Museum and perhaps she is a little young and naive.
Again, the lack of awareness and the overwhelming irony is hilarious. The President literally coddles white supremacy and is an apologists for Neo-Nazis and White Nationalists.
Ocasio-Cortez responded by first tweeting, "I heard your "joke" about ethnic DNA preferences last month. Perhaps, you would enjoy a visit (or revisit) to the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture." She was referring to Graham's racist comment on Fox and Friends where he said, "It would be like terrible if a DNA test revealed he has Iranian ancestry." No response was given.
It was an excellent retort. She called out his racism while not personally attacking him. She used his own words against him. And, she used the same condescending tone to him he used towards her. Thus, why there was no response. Shade had been thrown and Graham knew it was a battle he'd lost.
Just a couple of weeks ago Washington Examiner "reporter", Eddie Scarry, tweeted out a pic of the back of AOC as she was walking down a hall. Scarry used the pic to point out her jacket saying something to the effect she doesn't look like she's a struggling girl from the Bronx.
On its face the pic was somewhat creepy and the implication was just stupid. But, if you dig into Scarry's pension to take secret pics of women it is really creepy. Not to mention his implication that AOC is a fraud was just idiotic because you could not tell how expensive the jacket was or wasn't from the pic. It was a plain back suit jacket with no visible label or markings.
Once again, Ocasio-Cortez displayed the correct way to fight back. She didn't stay silent nor did she start trippin with accusations of lewdness, which she would have been well in her right to do.
First, she tweeted that she was grateful Scarry thought her jacket was designer clothing. She said it made her feel good her thrift store shopping skills were on point. (I'm paraphrasing here, of course.)
Then, she became a bit more serious by pointing out how revealing it was the Right focuses so much attention not only on her but her clothing apparel. Also, she said it was not lost on her how obsessed some on the Right seem to be with her backside, and it was a bit odd for people to be lurking in the halls of Congress taking pics of her.
Scarry deleted the tweet afterwards and provided some absolutely asinine defense that he was simply "complementing" her. No, he was not. He was backtracking because the queen of political shade was exhibiting her skills yet again.
Another example of AOC fighting back the right way is last week when Mike Huckabee attacked her. Ocasio-Cortez had said that what she, Rashida Tlaib, Ayonna Pressley and the other Congressional Progressive women of color had achieved by winning their elections was historical. She listed a plethora of events that people said could not happen but did. She included the moon landing. Of course, she was not comparing her election to the moon landing but was simply illustrating what people say is impossible is possible.
Any intelligent human being could easily see this.
Well, here came Mike Huckabee. His Twitter finger got itchy. He decided to fire off a tweet basically calling her stupid. He totally took what she said out of context. Then, he decided to be a comedian saying AOC comparing her election win to the lunar landing was "looney".
Oh, Michael, you funny summabitch, you. You are as good a comedian as you were a governor or a preacher. Bruh, stick to your day job of being a crypto white nationalist and hiding your head in shame you produced Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Speaking of 'ol Smokey Eye, Ocasio-Cortez mentioned her as she retorted beautifully to Mike Huckabee. AOC tweeted at him to stop lying on her and leave the lying up to Sarah Huckabee Sanders "because she is better at it". Next, she asked Huckabee, "Why do call yourself 'governor'? You haven't been a governor for 10 years."
Oh, snap! Someone needs to check on Mikey to see if he got back up from that clapback!
Again! AOC went for the jugular without being overly mean or nasty. She simply used facts and intellect which we know to right-wingers like Huckabee are like sunlight to vampires or the truth to Donald Trump.
Needless to say, no response was forthcoming from Huckabee.
Democrats and Lefties must emulate AOC and stop acting like Schumer. It is just a fact Republicans fight dirty. They will say whatever they have feel they must to control the narrative. Facts and truth are but mere inconveniences. And, this is why they seem to always have a public perception of being strong while Dems are seen as docile and feckless.
Now, don't take what I am saying out of context like I am quite sure some will. I am not saying Democrats and Progressives should start lying, telling half-truths, making false equivalencies and conducting repugnant smear jobs. Leave that to the experts.
What I am saying is when attacked defend yourself and/or your position by going on offense. Do not just take shit and cower in the corner in the name of civility or because you are just being weak. Come out swinging. Take it to the bullies but not with rancor, venom, demonizing and certainly not violence. Go at them with facts, empirical evidence, wit, sarcasm and humor. You don't need to be cruel but be fierce and unyielding.
The Left must do what the Right does, which is stand up for their principles, convictions and policies. The Queen of Political Shade, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, has provided us a template. When she's attacked and maligned she fights back with intellect, facts and humor which quality "sit yo ass down" shade consists.
Doing the Chuck Schumer/Hillary Clinton thing of taking the high road hasn't worked and isn't going to work in this current political climate. I adore Michelle Obama but she's wrong when she says if they go low, we go high unless she means slap 'em in their teeth. Of course, I'm speaking figuratively.
Honestly, what makes Republicans appear strong is they fight. They are not interested in fighting fair. They just fight. Frankly, it's admirable.
Democrats better begin doing the same shit. People like AOC understand this.
President Obama made a lot of mistakes during his presidency. None, perhaps, so egregious as his overarching affinity to capitulate to the Conservatives in the name of bipartisanship despite Conservatives spitting in his face every time. But, one thing he did that made them hate him was his innate ability to throw shade at them in a manner they were intellectually ill-equipped to respond.
I have never seen anyone else be able to do that until AOC. She gets under their skin the same way Obama does.
Yes, like with Obama, the obvious reasons exist for why that is. But, also like Obama, it's because they fear her.
We need to give them cause to fear us too.
Now, I will not front here. In the past (even the somewhat recent past) I have been as guilty of this as anyone. We liberal and progressive types tend to err on the side of pacifism and misguided civility. Democrats seem to possess an innate logic that the best way to respond to insults or verbal assaults or character assassination is by either ignoring the perpetrators or "killing them with kindness".
In theory the above responses seem appropriate. In a perfect world meanness and callousness could be adequately combated with kind words.
But, with some folks that simply will not work. Sometimes that shade has gotta be thrown. With some mofos they will only be put in their place if that clapback is put on their ass. Ya know what I mean.
Unfortunately, way too many Democrats and Lefties don't understand this or don't wanna accept it. Time after time Republicans, Conservatives and Alt-Right trolls will lie, spew half-truths and inject false and/or misleading narratives about Democrats and/or their policies. They do it because they know they'll receive little, if any, pushback. They know they can control the public discourse because Democrats and Progressives tend to cower or fear if they pushback substantially at all they will be labeled "uncivil" which, of course, is a bullshit label. As I have said before the "uncivil" charge is a jedi mind trick Conservatives play on Liberals to make them look weak. And, it usually works.
Democrats always take the bait, which allows them to be beat up and bloodied. So, they can take the spurious high road they allow themselves to be brow beaten and denigrated. Sadly, this causes some Dems to be feeble and feckless.
Speaking of feeble and feckless let me introduce one Charles E. Schumer, the U.S. Senate Minority Leader. The term "leader" is used in the loosest sense of the word.
Schumer is the prototype for what not to do when political enemies and antagonists attack.
Look, I acknowledge Schumer is definitional low hanging fruit. Political leaders are always easy fodder.
But, let's make no bones about this. As Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer FUCKING SUCKS!
The man has almost zero political skills or instincts. He has no backbone whatsoever. He will sell the Democrats or their political agenda down the river at the drop of a hat.
Remember, a year ago? DACA was on the table. The Democratic Party base made it clear the million or so DACA recipients had to receive citizenship before any federal budget was accepted. President Trump publicly berated Schumer over DACA and an impending government shutdown. The shutdown happened for a day or something. Schumer caved and no DACA deal was made.
Just this past Tuesday Schumer along with soon to be House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, met with Trump to discuss Trump's idiotic border wall and the federal budget. Trump decided to hold the trio's "discussion" about it in public. I am sure he thought he could embarrass Schumer and Pelosi publicly by doing his pseudo alpha male bullshit.
Well, it backfired with Pelosi and somewhat backfired with Schumer but not as much as the press played it up.
While Pelosi stood up to Trump, Schumer looked like a younger brother getting scolded by his older brother. Trump was spewing his usual bluster and lies about immigration and his "I need to make my penis look big" wall. To Trump's credit he was right in Schumer's space making his case. He challenged Schumer and was frankly confrontational without being threatening or menacing.
Now, this is Trump we're talking about so much of what he said was utter nonsense. But, he actually looked commanding with his pseudo alpha male facade.
So, did Schumer buck up back to him? Did he forcefully call him out on his bs? Nope. Chuckie was hunched over almost melting into the couch. He would barely make eye contact with Trump. He looked like a whipped dog, frankly. Well, like he always does. No bite. No fight.
Now, contrasting Schumer is the 29 year old congresswoman-elect from New York's 14th district, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
AOC, as her admirers and supporters call her which I am one, has been the target of ridicule, lies, smears and soft-core quasi misogyny and sexism ever since she upset long termed incumbent, Joe Crowley in the primaries. She has received criticism and heat from Democrats and Republicans.
AOC, who is a Democratic Socialist and will be the youngest member of Congress when she is sworn into office in January, has been the frequent target of Conservatives and Fox News especially. They really seemed obsessed with her. Conservative intellectual, Ben Shapiro, challenged her to a debate even though he wasn't her opponent in the general election. AOC refused saying she wouldn't be "catcalled", which sent Benjamin into a tizzy because a good Jewish Conservative like him would never be so crass as to solicit a woman.
Some tool from NewsMax, whose name escapes me and it doesn't really matter anyway, decided to play detective on Twitter and "expose" AOC as a fraud because she was not a simple struggling girl from the Bronx but was an Ivy League grad who grew up in Westchester, New York which is largely (but not totally) an affluent area. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez tweeted back informing this assclown she graduated from Boston University, which is not an Ivy League school, and she spent her "formative years" in Westchester when her mother decided the Bronx schools were inadequate. Her mother worked multiple jobs sacrificing so they could afford to live in Westchester. Their home, which I encourage you to see a picture of, was beyond modest and placed in one of the more middle class areas of Westchester.
This idea that Ocasio-Cortez is a fake populist is one Fox News and Conservatives have repeatedly attempted to push often falling flat on their faces. Of course, the hilarious irony these are the same people who support a self-proclaimed born into wealth billionaire who has never did a blue collar thing in his life, yet claims to be a blue collar populist , is not lost on me but it certainly is on them apparently.
AOC has received multiple attacks on her intelligence and youth.
A few weeks back she posted a tweet decrying Trump's treatment of migrants at the border citing the various times in history people have fled to America in an attempt to escape persecution and violence. Naturally, she used the Jews escaping the Holocaust as an example. This triggered South Carolina senator and newly volunteered Trump balls cleaner, Lindsey Graham, to tweet at AOC she should visit the Holocaust Museum and perhaps she is a little young and naive.
Again, the lack of awareness and the overwhelming irony is hilarious. The President literally coddles white supremacy and is an apologists for Neo-Nazis and White Nationalists.
Ocasio-Cortez responded by first tweeting, "I heard your "joke" about ethnic DNA preferences last month. Perhaps, you would enjoy a visit (or revisit) to the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture." She was referring to Graham's racist comment on Fox and Friends where he said, "It would be like terrible if a DNA test revealed he has Iranian ancestry." No response was given.
It was an excellent retort. She called out his racism while not personally attacking him. She used his own words against him. And, she used the same condescending tone to him he used towards her. Thus, why there was no response. Shade had been thrown and Graham knew it was a battle he'd lost.
Just a couple of weeks ago Washington Examiner "reporter", Eddie Scarry, tweeted out a pic of the back of AOC as she was walking down a hall. Scarry used the pic to point out her jacket saying something to the effect she doesn't look like she's a struggling girl from the Bronx.
On its face the pic was somewhat creepy and the implication was just stupid. But, if you dig into Scarry's pension to take secret pics of women it is really creepy. Not to mention his implication that AOC is a fraud was just idiotic because you could not tell how expensive the jacket was or wasn't from the pic. It was a plain back suit jacket with no visible label or markings.
Once again, Ocasio-Cortez displayed the correct way to fight back. She didn't stay silent nor did she start trippin with accusations of lewdness, which she would have been well in her right to do.
First, she tweeted that she was grateful Scarry thought her jacket was designer clothing. She said it made her feel good her thrift store shopping skills were on point. (I'm paraphrasing here, of course.)
Then, she became a bit more serious by pointing out how revealing it was the Right focuses so much attention not only on her but her clothing apparel. Also, she said it was not lost on her how obsessed some on the Right seem to be with her backside, and it was a bit odd for people to be lurking in the halls of Congress taking pics of her.
Scarry deleted the tweet afterwards and provided some absolutely asinine defense that he was simply "complementing" her. No, he was not. He was backtracking because the queen of political shade was exhibiting her skills yet again.
Another example of AOC fighting back the right way is last week when Mike Huckabee attacked her. Ocasio-Cortez had said that what she, Rashida Tlaib, Ayonna Pressley and the other Congressional Progressive women of color had achieved by winning their elections was historical. She listed a plethora of events that people said could not happen but did. She included the moon landing. Of course, she was not comparing her election to the moon landing but was simply illustrating what people say is impossible is possible.
Any intelligent human being could easily see this.
Well, here came Mike Huckabee. His Twitter finger got itchy. He decided to fire off a tweet basically calling her stupid. He totally took what she said out of context. Then, he decided to be a comedian saying AOC comparing her election win to the lunar landing was "looney".
Oh, Michael, you funny summabitch, you. You are as good a comedian as you were a governor or a preacher. Bruh, stick to your day job of being a crypto white nationalist and hiding your head in shame you produced Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Speaking of 'ol Smokey Eye, Ocasio-Cortez mentioned her as she retorted beautifully to Mike Huckabee. AOC tweeted at him to stop lying on her and leave the lying up to Sarah Huckabee Sanders "because she is better at it". Next, she asked Huckabee, "Why do call yourself 'governor'? You haven't been a governor for 10 years."
Oh, snap! Someone needs to check on Mikey to see if he got back up from that clapback!
Again! AOC went for the jugular without being overly mean or nasty. She simply used facts and intellect which we know to right-wingers like Huckabee are like sunlight to vampires or the truth to Donald Trump.
Needless to say, no response was forthcoming from Huckabee.
Democrats and Lefties must emulate AOC and stop acting like Schumer. It is just a fact Republicans fight dirty. They will say whatever they have feel they must to control the narrative. Facts and truth are but mere inconveniences. And, this is why they seem to always have a public perception of being strong while Dems are seen as docile and feckless.
Now, don't take what I am saying out of context like I am quite sure some will. I am not saying Democrats and Progressives should start lying, telling half-truths, making false equivalencies and conducting repugnant smear jobs. Leave that to the experts.
What I am saying is when attacked defend yourself and/or your position by going on offense. Do not just take shit and cower in the corner in the name of civility or because you are just being weak. Come out swinging. Take it to the bullies but not with rancor, venom, demonizing and certainly not violence. Go at them with facts, empirical evidence, wit, sarcasm and humor. You don't need to be cruel but be fierce and unyielding.
The Left must do what the Right does, which is stand up for their principles, convictions and policies. The Queen of Political Shade, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, has provided us a template. When she's attacked and maligned she fights back with intellect, facts and humor which quality "sit yo ass down" shade consists.
Doing the Chuck Schumer/Hillary Clinton thing of taking the high road hasn't worked and isn't going to work in this current political climate. I adore Michelle Obama but she's wrong when she says if they go low, we go high unless she means slap 'em in their teeth. Of course, I'm speaking figuratively.
Honestly, what makes Republicans appear strong is they fight. They are not interested in fighting fair. They just fight. Frankly, it's admirable.
Democrats better begin doing the same shit. People like AOC understand this.
President Obama made a lot of mistakes during his presidency. None, perhaps, so egregious as his overarching affinity to capitulate to the Conservatives in the name of bipartisanship despite Conservatives spitting in his face every time. But, one thing he did that made them hate him was his innate ability to throw shade at them in a manner they were intellectually ill-equipped to respond.
I have never seen anyone else be able to do that until AOC. She gets under their skin the same way Obama does.
Yes, like with Obama, the obvious reasons exist for why that is. But, also like Obama, it's because they fear her.
We need to give them cause to fear us too.
