56 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 5 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
Exclusive to OpEd News:
OpEdNews Op Eds    H2'ed 4/25/11

"Let's Talk About THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM!"

By       (Page 1 of 2 pages)   34 comments
Follow Me on Twitter     Message Andrew Schmookler
Become a Fan
  (31 fans)
Last week here, at http://www.opednews.com/articles/I-Am-Running-for-Congress-by-Andrew-Schmookler-110421-986.html, I announced my two-part campaign to try to change the destructive political dynamic in this country.  One part is an electoral campaign for the congressional seat in the 6th District of Virginia, where I live, and the other part is an effort to try to take my message national.  My message --encapsulated in the slogan "Let's Talk About THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM!"-- I described as being "not only a call to battle, [but] also the weapon of choice against this destructive force, and a strategy for victory in that battle."  And I there gave a very quick overview of the idea about "The Elephant in the Room" of today's American political system, and of why talking about the two-fold problem --the elephant, and the failure to confront it-- can be key to solving that problem.

Here I will expand a bit on that previous, brief explication.  (In my next posting here, I will expand further --in an essay, or "speech," of about 2500 words.)  These are the essential components:

****************

 

 

-          America now faces one of the gravest crises in the history of the nation.

-          In the American political realm, a battle now that must be fought if we are to meet this historical challenge successfully.

-          The way to fight and win this battle is by talking about "The Elephant in the Room."

-          The idea of "the elephant in the room" identifies two problems:   the elephant, and the fact that people act and talk as if it were not there.

-          The "elephant" in our American room is the unprecedentedly destructive force that has arisen on the political right.

-          We can see how this "elephant" is damaging everything in America that it touches.

-          Taking power away from this destructive force is Job One for us Americans, because until that job is done, none of our other jobs can get done right.

-          In a democracy, the only way a force like this can gain power is by deceiving the people about its true nature.

-          The way to defeat this destructive force, therefore, is to expose it for what it really is so that, discredited in the eyes of the American people, it loses its support.

-          Yet both the national media, and our national Democratic leaders, act as if these are normal times in American politics, refusing to confront this unprecedented force.

-          Both sides of our political divide have their defects, but they are complementary, not symmetrical:   one insists on making a fight of everything, even when there's no need, while the other shrinks from the fight, even when it is absolutely necessary.

Next Page  1  |  2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Supported 6   Well Said 5   Must Read 3  
Rate It | View Ratings

Andrew Schmookler Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Andy Schmookler, an award-winning author, political commentator, radio talk-show host, and teacher, was the Democratic nominee for Congress from Virginia's 6th District. His new book -- written to have an impact on the central political battle of our time -- is (more...)
 
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Follow Me on Twitter     Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Why Do Conservatives Like Colbert? Article Plus Critique

Mel Gibson's Rant as Profound Clue

To Anti-Obamite Lefties: It Doesn't Matter If You're Right

How Important is the Loss of Friendship?

# 8 Beliefs that Make Liberal America Weak: Barriers to the Source of Moral and Spiritual Passions

Power and Corruption: Just What Is Their Relationship?

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend