A Bad Case of Protest Envy

Those familiar with Sigmund Freud will recall a rather famous gender-based postulation in which he investigated the causes for certain human feelings of inferiority and psychic conflict.  Currently, debates are raging over the rights of the federal government to impose its will upon our everyday lives.  As the number of Americans standing up in opposition to attempts to socialize the United States medical system increases, so do the numbers of those who wish to hear these concerned citizens silenced.  More strikingly, with each passing day it seems as if those who wish to silence the critics are suffering from a rather Freudian condition of seeing a superior counterpart to their own position, thus spurring on feelings of anxiety, animosity, and pure envy.

This counter-protest began in earnest during the widespread and heavily-attended Tax Day Tea Parties on April 15th, 2009.  Spurred on by members in the national media, liberals immediately dismissed these protesters in a number of colorful ways.  If you attended any of these public exercises of your First Amendment rights, you were likely a:

Right Wing Extremist

Tea-bagger

Racist

Conspiracy Theorist

Obama-hater

Potential Terrorist

As public opposition to socialized medicine increases, so have the attacks from the left.  However, instead of only coming from media outlets, it’s coming from elected officials.  If you exercise your First Amendment rights to peacefully protest socialized medicine and massive unprecedented government spending, in addition to the above-mentioned list, you are likely a:

Liar

Nazi Sympathizer

KKK Sympathizer

Member of a Mob

Insurance Company Shill

Paid Representative of the Republican Party

Potential Timothy McVeigh (special thanks to Washington State’s Democratic Representative Brian Baird)

Evil-Mongerer (special thanks to Democrat and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for introducing a new phrase to the English lexicon)

Those who actively smeared these hundreds of thousands of peaceful protesters were simply following along with the radical Saul Alinsky playbook, Rule #5: “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.”  According to Alinsky, there is no defense to ridicule – and it infuriates the opponent.  While Alinsky did a pretty thorough job of outlining effective rules for radicals, perhaps he did not give enough credence to the Machiavellian idea best summarized by Joe Louis: “The best defense is a good offense.”

Much to the chagrin of the Alinsky faithful, everyday Americans who wish to avoid the socialization of our great country are not intimidated or frightened by these attempts to ridicule.  Instead, they have become more bold, more determined, and more vociferous.  Whether it be because of personal attacks by the media and the government, or because of active intimidation efforts such as the recently withdrawn “flag@whitehouse.gov” initiative, these free Americans realize that those in power wish to silence any and all opposition – and they refuse to shut up and sit down.  They have also seen what will happen when they disagree with the policies of the party in power, and it scares the hell out of them.

Those in opposition to recent and massive government incursions into key economic sectors (such as the auto, banking, energy, and financial industries) understand that should the final shoe drop and the medical industry be socialized, the effects could be disastrous.  Not only would the quality and availability of care suffer, but the tremendous financial burden of the government taking on an estimated 1/5 of the economy would likely bankrupt the country.  Of course, this brings on the question as to how a bankrupt nation would provide health care to its newly claimed subjects.

In the larger scheme of things, these concerned Americans understand the inherent dangers of a too-powerful government.  They understand that the role of the government should be to help manage, rather than to completely take over and dictate the terms.  They understand that the government that governs least, governs best.  They believe in their own independent ability to make the right decisions for themselves, rather than depending upon a nanny government to coddle them and decide what’s best for them.  In short, they believe in the ideas and philosophies established by our nation’s founding fathers.

But what is really driving the attempts by the media and liberal politicians to silence those who are peaceably exercising their First Amendment rights?

Perhaps it’s a bad case of “Protest Envy.”

After all, it seems throughout the last several decades that protesting was the sole domain of the liberal activist.  Save the rainforest.  Stop all war.  No blood for oil.  President (insert name here) is a Nazi.  Et cetera.  Since the main vocation for these liberal protesters was usually just that – protesting – they really didn’t have any other responsibilities to get in the way of their noble struggle against “the man.”

However, lately it seems like the tables have turned.  The whole world is upside-down and the liberals have been completely caught off guard.  Hard-working, middle-class, taxpaying Americans – with jobs – are out in force and refusing to allow their republic to be swiftly, radically, and fundamentally transformed by a far-left administration.  These Americans don’t protest for a living – and most have never protested anything in their lives.  But they see that should they do nothing, they will wake up to a country they no longer recognize.

Of course, this has really gotten under the skin of those who thought the only “real” protester was one with liberal ideas.  After decades against fighting against “the man,” they believe that theirs is the only cause worth fighting for.  The struggle against oppression is the highest priority, as long as that oppression is coming from the “right.”

But “the man” is carrying a new banner.  This time, those in total power of the government seek to expand federal power to new heights and dominate the vast majority of essential social resources.  By commandeering these resources, they know they will be able to control the population more completely.  The oppression is real and dangerous to those who value liberty and freedom.

What the liberals in the media and in government are trying to tell you (if only you would listen) is that you are only allowed to protest something if you agree with them.  Any cause is protest-worthy, as long as it is consistent with a liberal-progressive philosophy.  If it isn’t, then you’re crazy, uneducated, or ill-informed.

Simply put: If you don’t agree with them, you’re a bad person.

Most importantly, you’re trespassing into their area of expertise.  They are the ones who have perfected the art of protest, and you’re stealing their shtick.  Even further, they see the passion and determination of conservative-minded Americans such as yourself, and they are more than a little jealous.  If only they had a cause to defend that was so fundamental to the foundations of our free nation.  They’re green with Protest Envy, and they will do anything they can to shut you up.

In the end, the coordinated attempt to silence these Americans has only caused the protest movement to become even more resolute and more determined.  Perhaps these freedom and liberty loving Americans are following the advice of Obama White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina: “If you get hit, we will punch back twice as hard.”

One can only imagine the vitriol that will spew out of the liberal media and politicians if and when their protest envy reaches critical mass.  Perhaps they should take heed to the warnings inherent in Freud’s postulate, as in his example this type of envy is quickly followed by self-castration.  Of course, one could argue this is already taking place.