Finally, MAGA and Libs Agree?
"Even Liberals Get it Right Once in a While!"
So a funny thing happened the other day. I do some of the social media posts for my local League of Women Voters Chapter, and I was glancing through my photos, looking for one to post. I came across one I happened to take at the weekly honk’n wave protest in my neighborhood, a photo of a girl holding a sign. Not a big deal, just business as usual. I posted it, with a caption, and forgot about it.
Now as a general thing, my posts get three or four likes. I might aspire to a couple of shares, or even a comment or two.
At last count (and still climbing) this post has 2,400 likes, 401 comments and 156 shares. Good heavens. The sign in the picture read: WAR WON’T ERASE THE EPSTEIN FILES. It seems to have struck a nerve.
I sighed when I saw the number of comments. Aargh. Four hundred and one trolls come out from under the bridge, and I’ll have to hide all those nasty, profane insults. But you know what?
The comments were overwhelmingly positive.
I couldn’t believe it. An issue that (almost) everyone agrees on! Commenters were largely united in the necessity of releasing the files and the evil of protecting pedophiles. My favorite comment being: “Even liberals get it right once in a while.”
The issue of the Epstein files is a bit submerged lately, but it hasn’t gone away. It’s still out there, and it’s a very sore point for Trump supporters.
So why is this important? I think we all need to think about messaging. We need to be selective about what messages we should amplify. And this is a big one. The entanglement of Trump in the Epstein files is a message we should repeat loud and clear as the midterms approach. In social media posts. In Letters to the Editor (which tend to be read by older, conservative voters). In protest signs. In conversations.
Words of one syllable. Clear, simple messages. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. That’s the MAGA playbook, and it works. Repetition breeds belief.
TRUMP IS IN THE EPSTEIN FILES.
REPUBLICANS PROTECT PEDOPHILES.
WAR WON’T ERASE THE EPSTEIN FILES.
Remember when he summoned Republican congressional reps to the actual Situation Room to pressure them to hide the files—and failed? This is the one issue where Republicans have dared to break free of the cult of obedience. It’s a big loser for them in the midterms.
Getting back to the original Facebook post—amid the negative comments, and there were quite a few (“You’re the scum of the earth,” etc.) were some really enlightening ones. They revealed the misconceptions that many people have. When I wonder how my neighbors can be so cruel and misguided, it’s good to remember that they’re not all rotten, evil people—some of them are acting on bad information. Several people commented that it’s those darn Democratic judges who are withholding the files, which of course is completely untrue. One commenter specifically blamed Obama Supreme Court justices for the cover-up. Google it! he challenged doubters.
Many others harped on the point that Biden should have released the files, as though that excuses the Justice Department from doing so now. Biden’s name comes up a lot as a useful scapegoat.
Another interesting footnote—as the caption, I had written something like “Protesters standing for democracy.” And many commenters gleefully brought up the point that (according to them) we live in a constitutional republic, not a democracy, stating it as though it clinched the argument. They were very insistent on this point—we do not live in a democracy. I’m not sure why they thought it was so very important. Perhaps it’s because the word democracy sounds like (ewww) Democrat? And we Republicans live in a Republic, take that, Dumocrats! Or perhaps it’s that many of them are very focused on their constitutional rights, specifically the 2nd Amendment ones.
This is useful information because it tells us that appeals to “save democracy” or statements like“democracy is under siege” will fall flat. References to the CONSTITUTION are likelier to resound with this audience. If we hope to change their minds, we have to learn to speak their language.
As I’ve said before, even the nastiest comment fuels the rise of the post through the social media algorithm, so I don’t delete them, just “hide” them. But I think it’s worthwhile to skim through the comments sometimes and read what the trolls have to say. As Nelson Mandela said: “Know your enemy—and learn about his favorite sport.” The favorite sport of many MAGA folks is troll-posting, and it’s a valuable window into their thought processes.
Checking out the comments (just hold your nose) can help us find common ground with the opposition—there’s so many things we agree on. The Epstein Files. High gas prices. No one likes the war in Iran. Even gun control issues—I support common- sense gun laws, but I know many ethical hunters who care passionately about wildlife and habitat protection. We (literally) have some common ground there.
And of course I support the Constitution! We’re all hovering around the same page there, even though sometimes we interpret it a bit differently. (what is a “well-regulated militia” anyway?) But surely we all insist on our freedom from tyrants who ignore our rights.
Dear Friends,
Are you furious about the state of the world and wondering what to do about it? I hope you’ll continue to check out The Optimistic Activist.
Every now and then I post some ideas for doing something. How to get out the vote, spread the word, and support progressive candidates. Ideas for simple but effective activism. As easy, as practical, as do-able as I can make them.
Together, I think, we can really make a difference.
“Optimism is a strategy for making a better future.”
--Noam Chomsky
