The ACLU: Do-Gooders in Action

[andyfox]

"Time to stock up on ammo and purchase that new rifle"

No need. Just get an "armed response" sign and post it by your door. It's done wonders for me.

[Zeno]

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And I do have a problem with hyperbole and exaggeration.

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If 'they' (the ACLU) wish to elevate the organization they can solicit funds in a more civil way, and do so without resorting to the same bombastic tactics of, say, John Kerry, Otto Von Bismarck, or Mussolini. I really don't expect the ACLU, or anyone else for that matter, to take this approach but it would be interesting to see if it could occur at least once.

It illustrates that one must not only shout but needs to scream apocalyptic consequences in order to be heard above the din of noise that permeates almost all media. All reasonableness and civility is cast aside in the name of securing or progressing 'your agenda' or ‘your cause’ or whatever particular brand of snake oil is presently being spooned to the public by organizations out to save humanity from X, Y, or Z.


Le Misanthrope

[Zeno]

[ QUOTE ]
No need. Just get an "armed response" sign and post it by your door. It's done wonders for me.

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True enough! That repulsive and offensive sign even took me aback. I soon recovered of course, but I must admit that I have a grudging admiration for your chutzpah.

But I like to have backup not to mention a number of different 'options'. And some people can’t read or may miss a sign in the dark, so I will be purchasing a rifle. Really, I just what to target shoot, I belong to a gun club and they have rifle competitions.

-Zeno

[Zeno]

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The GOP caters to these people.

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Have you ever considered that you to, perhaps, cater too much to the 'other side'? Thus, it is possible you engage in the same type of exaggerations and propagansit hooey as the Republicans, just from a different angle. Everyone does not fit into the same net.

Objectively reread your own post.

Le Misanthrope

[jj_frap]

As allies of the secular state, the ACLU must be supported.

We can't play poker if braindead religious conservatives turn America into a White Supremacist Jesusland.

[kurto]

I wish you would just come out and say what you object to. I'm aware of what I wrote.

How do I 'cater' to the other side? I gave a list of ways the religious right has pushed a religious agenda. I believe the agenda is country to one of the founding principles of our country.

I don't think all Republicans do this. But the GOP DOES solicit their vote and Bush is the only president that I'm aware of in my time that has so strongly promoted their agenda.

Nothing I listed was obscure (except perhaps the Hubble reference). Much of what I talked about is all relatively recent events.

Furthermore, I've read/seen interviews with many religious folks who are quite open about their agenda (ie... they unabashedly proclaim they believe our nation should be ruled by how they interpret Biblical values.)

I have no problem with you disagreeing, but you didn't counter anything I wrote.

And where I agree with you... both sides engage in exaggerations, propaganda and hyperbole.

But that doesn't mean that there's not some truth to the ACLU's claim.

[kurto]

Not that this excuses it, but I don't think there's an organization out there that doesn't sell themselves with messages "full of such exaggerated hooey, scare tactics, and stretches of logic"

Bush sold the war with fear tactics of nukes exploding over american cities.

I already mentioned the GOP flyers where they said if Kerry won, the Bible would be banned.

Howard Dean is being rudely hyperbolic these days.

Just about every advertisement on TV does it.

(on that note, I was reading a book about an American who lived in England for decades and then moved back to the US. His book, based on a series of columns he wrote, recounted his culture shock. One of the things I found amusing was his comparison of US advertisements with those in England. In England, advertisements aren't supposed to exxaggerate. They're very straightforward. So, in OUR pharmaceutical ads, you're led to believe if you take a drug, it will cure you, make the sun come out and you'll conquer the world. In Britian, the ads for the same product are likely to say, "take this and might feel marginally better in a few days.")

[ACPlayer]

The reason they use exaggerated hooey, scare tactics, and stretches of logic is because that is what works in direct mail programs. If you look at any direct mail peice for anything you will find similarities.

Remember that direct mail works on trying to get a return of .1 to .4 percent of the pieces sent out. So, when they send a million piecs of mail they expect responses from 10,000 to 40,000 people. The .4 percent standard is considered to be at the high end of returns.

Serious people realize that if you want to really understand the ACLU or other organization, reading their direct mail piece is hardly the way to understand whether they are a serious organization or simply charlatans. A close look at the actual work done is better.

I believe that the ACLU is a fine and worthwhile organization (as it seems you do too). Unfortunately we cannot agree with everything that a group does. The ACLU is a net positive.

[ACPlayer]

2008 Republican Nominee to be anointed

Well, OK, my title for this USA Today article may be exaggerated. But take this quote from the article:

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Leaders of conservative Christian organizations plan to jointly interview Republican contenders for the 2008 presidential nomination, perhaps even endorsing one of them — steps that could expand their already considerable political influence.

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[Zeno]

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Not that this excuses it, but I don't think there's an organization out there that doesn't sell themselves with messages "full of such exaggerated hooey, scare tactics, and stretches of logic"


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Why is that so?

And do think that was the point of why I started this thread?

-Zeno