My Perspective: Angry Mobs or Concerned Citizens

There is nothing artificial about the outrage over healthcare and for many Americans to be called angry mobs rather concerned citizens should make millions of Americans who have went to town halls across this nation angry if they were not already. For the Democratic National Committee to release a memo and an ad that labels protestors as angry mobs or right wing extremists, is a shame but what is even more sad is that the Republican National Committee is trying to portray itself as sympathic but in reality they are trying to earn political points by coming to the side of the people. Both the RNC and the DNC don’t it, we the American can be angry at times but don’t call us a mob. We are concerned citizens who want answers and while some of us love to scream and shot, all of them who scream and march at these town hall meetings are not right-wing extremists, tea-baggers, or birthers as some liberals would want people to think.

Many of the YouTube videos I have seen, I see angry senior citizens screaming at their politicians about healthcare and even some liberals screaming and hollering because they don’t want to lose healthcare. Are these outbursts orchestrated, perhaps but if there is one thing I know, you don’t have to orchestrate a gathering or coheres people into doing something when they are already mad, upset or angry about it to begin with or if they passionate about it. If people are passionate about something than it doesn’t take much for them to gather to stand for just like many did for the Obama campaign as well as for other policies and politicians throughout our nation’s history.

So for people to try to label these concerned citizens as an angry mob or to act like there is a difference between liberal protests or activists and conservative one’s than they need a listen in reality. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that the difference between organized protests by the DNC or liberal groups and the RNC and conservative groups is that conservatives are bragging while if that is the case than liberals are complaining because conservatives are beating them in their organizing efforts. However the left wing is actually mounting their own efforts MoveOn.org and SEIU getting ready to have their protests attend healthcare town halls of both liberal and conservative Congressional leaders while also asking their members to call their Senators or Congressional leaders to express their support for healthcare reform. Still there are other union organized efforts asking union members to call their Senators or Congressional leaders to tell them where they stand on healthcare reform.

There are all types of organized efforts and at many of the town hall rallies that have taken place already, there are people at these town halls who are mad, who are angry and who want answers. So for anyone to label these people as a mob when they haven’t done anything of the sort is the sad irony of this debate because any group that marches or protests or disrupts an even will be labeled a mob even if it is peaceful or loud. It needs to be clear that this type of labeling needs to end and for Democrats to simply feel that these individuals who are complaining don’t have legitimate concerns don’t really know what they are saying. I ask Democrats to take their talking points from Ben Cardin who says that his Congressional leaders can learn a lot from the opinions of the American people who are passionate about healthcare reform. I ask Democrats not to take the Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi approach that these outbursts and protests are artificial because the truth is, the American people don’t like to be ignored.

Therefore Democrats who come on television and say that these people who attended their town halls were just there to disrupt or were planted can be simply wrong because from all the videos where bursts have emerged, they are in areas where there are a large amount of conservatives in those Congressional districts. So to ignore those voters can be harmful and to ignore all outbursts and protests all together will be foolish for Democrats when some liberals are angry about healthcare because they don’t understand it or they don’t want to lose the type of healthcare they have now. In fact from a lot of the videos I have seen, I see a lot of senior citizens and middle aged individuals in the audience, not a whole lot of young people who should also be at the town halls because we the ones who don’t have healthcare in this nation to begin with.

Still citizens in this country are concerned from liberals to conservatives to moderates. For any Congressional leader or the RNC and DNC to pit us the American people against each other or for us to dislike the insurance companies which for many of us, we already don’t like, is not necessary. What the DNC and the RNC need to do is work together to produce healthcare reform that all Americans can benefit from? We can’t continue to yell and scream and drown each other out in this debate because no one wins a shouting match unless your initial goal was to just shut down debate to begin with than you perhaps win. So if people are providing talking points no matter if it is special interests groups, the RNC, the DNC, labor, etc. than tell those you are organizing to at least be respectful at these town halls so everyone can be heard.

All of this has gotten out of hand and it will only get worse unless we the American people learn to agree to disagree but do all of it in a respect and generous way. It is not about being a Democrat, Republican or Independent but it is about us the American uniting to be respect. We have to calm the tone of the healthcare debates in this nation. However that starts with our Congressional leaders calming their rhetoric and their tones toward one another but that would be too good to be true so it will take us the American people protesting a little bit more peacefully without all the shouting matches to drawn the other side out. We are all concerned citizens or at least we should be when it comes to healthcare and other issues in this nation but what we have to do first is learn to respect each other.

We are not an angry mob and we shouldn’t be labeled as such. We shouldn’t label those who don’t support as racists either just because they disagree with Obama or Obama’s policies. This is why it will take us the American people must learn to tamper our attitudes and our actions even in the face of adversity. We are neighbors, we are friends, we are family, we are co-workers, and we are Americans despite our differences on the healthcare debate. We are all concerned citizens and even with our concerns we need to manage our actions and our attitudes so that we can have a fair, honest and respectable dialogue or debate that teaches all sides what exactly is being proposed, what isn’t and how does it all break down within the 5 bills in Congress (3 in the House, 2 in the Senate).


Sources:
RNC Memo
The Democrat National Committee (DNC) released a memo late yesterday attacking you as a right-wing extremist.

We saw this sort of vitriolic rhetoric this past April when Democrats smugly dismissed grassroots protests against their out-of-control spending. These Tea Parties were ruthlessly mocked by the liberal elites and the mainstream media.

Now as public support for the Obama Democrats' government-run health care plan unravels, they're using this fear-and-smear tactic to silence ANY American who disagrees with their risky scheme to nationalize one-fifth of our economy and limit your health care choices. It's a page out of their standard playbook of name calling and outright lies to stifle all debate.

Republicans want responsible health care reform that makes health care more affordable and accessible, and keeps you and your doctor in charge of your medical choices -- but we want to get it right and we want to do it without ramming it through Congress on a trumped-up deadline.

Help Republicans fight back against Obama and his political attack dogs' dishonest vitriol and tell them your voice will not be silenced. Please read the memo below from the DNC and make a secure online contribution of $25, $50, $100, $500 or $1,000 to counter the Democrats' outrageous and false charges today.

Sincerely,Michael SteeleChairman, Republican National Committee

From: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 4:03:58 PM
To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Subject: DNC Statement on Republican Mob Rule

For Immediate ReleaseDate: August 4, 2009
Contact: DNC Press OfficePhone: 202-863-8148

Statement from DNC Communications Director Brad Woodhouse on the Republican Party and Allied Groups' Mob Rule

The Republicans and their allied groups - desperate after losing two consecutive elections and every major policy fight on Capitol Hill - are inciting angry mobs of a small number of rabid right wing extremists funded by K Street Lobbyists to disrupt thoughtful discussions about the future of health care in America taking place in Congressional Districts across the country.

However, much like we saw at the McCain-Palin rallies last year where crowds were baited with cries of 'socialist,' 'communist,' and where the birthers movement was born - these mobs of extremists are not interested in having a thoughtful discussion about the issues - but like some Republican leaders have said - they are interested in 'breaking' the President and destroying his Presidency.

These mobs are bussed in by well funded, highly organized groups run by Republican operatives and funded by the special interests who are desperately trying to stop the agenda for change the President was elected to bring to Washington. Despite the headline grabbing nature of these angry mobs and their disruptions of events, they are not reflective of where the American people are on the issues - or the hundreds of thousands of thoughtful discussions taking place around kitchen tables, water coolers and in homes.

The right wing extremists' use of things like devil horns on pictures of our elected officials, hanging members of Congress in effigy, breathlessly questioning the President's citizenship and the use of Nazi SS symbols and the like just shows how outside of the mainstream the Republican Party and their allies are. This type of anger and discord did not serve Republicans well in 2008 - and it is bound to backfire again.

Organizing for America
Members of Congress have been home for just a few days, and they're already facing increased pressure from insurance companies, special interests, and partisan attack organizations that are spending millions to block health insurance reform.

These groups are using scare tactics and spreading smears about the President's plan for reform, trying to incite constituents into lashing out at their representatives and disrupting their events.

The goal of these disruptions is for a few people to get a lot of media attention and hijack the entire public discourse. If they succeed, all Americans -- Democrats, Republicans, and Independents -- will continue to struggle under the broken status quo.

It's up to us to show Congress that those loudly opposing reform are a tiny minority being stirred up by special interests, and that a huge majority strongly supports enacting real health insurance reform in 2009.

Your representative, **********, has been fighting hard for real health insurance reform. Can you call the local office in ******? Let the person who answers know that you're a constituent. Then tell them: "Thanks for working to enact real health insurance reform this year. Voters like me support your efforts."

According to our records, you live in Michigan's 13th congressional district. Please call:

**********

Once you've made your call, click here to report it.

(Not your representative? Click here to look yours up.)

Calling should only take a few minutes, but it's a huge help. These local offices serve as the main connection between a member of Congress and voters in the district. And with representatives home on recess, the staff there are in daily contact with your member, keeping them updated on how many calls they receive that are for or against reform.

Once you've called, please tell us. Knowing how many calls are coming in from all around the country will help us better plan our campaign -- and help us show that the American people overwhelmingly want health insurance reform this year.


It’s Getting Ugly—MoveOn.org
It's getting ugly out there.

All across the country, right-wing extremists are disrupting congressional town-hall meetings with venomous attacks on President Obama's plans for health care and clean energy.

Last night in Tampa, Florida, a town hall meeting erupted into violence, with the police being called to break up fist fights and shoving matches.1

A Texas Democrat was shouted down by right-wing hecklers, many of whom admitted they didn't even live in his district.2

One North Carolina representative announced he wouldn't be holding any town-hall meetings after his office began receiving death threats.3

And in Maryland, protesters hung a Democratic congressman in effigy to oppose health-care reform.4

We've got a plan to fight back against these radical right-wingers. We've hired skilled grassroots organizers who are working with thousands of local volunteers to show Congress that ordinary Americans continue to support President Obama's agenda for change. And we're building new online tools to track events across the country and make sure MoveOn members turn out at each one.

But we need to scale up our efforts quickly to make sure this plan works. To really swing into action during this month's congressional recess, we need to raise at least $250,000 immediately. Can you chip in $25 to support our work?

https://pol.moveon.org/donate/august.html?id=16748-9925299-JefHxgx&t=1
If the shouts of the right-wing mobs are the only voices our senators and representatives hear over the recess, we'll have a hard time passing health care and clean energy legislation.

That's why we're launching our Heat Up Congress campaign so quickly to fight back, using new technology to implement rapid response town hall turnout, organizing personal phone calls from small business leaders and donors to their representatives, running new ads, and activating an energized network of on-the-ground organizers and volunteers.

This month could decide the future of health care and clean energy in America—and we're already one week in. If you've been sitting on the sidelines, now's the time to get involved

Democratic National Senatorial Committee
All week, fringe, far-right organizations funded by shady, unreported sources have been ginning up their supporters to disrupt Democratic town hall meetings. The goal: kill every attempt at health care reform and wound President Obama. One leaked memo written by a leader of the Tea Party Patriots tells protesters to "Watch for an opportunity to yell out. … The goal is to rattle him."

Things have really gotten out of hand. Just see it for yourself: