Uncivil Action

Remember the “Brooks Brothers Riot” in Florida during the Bush-Gore recount in 2000? All those screaming, fist-waving preppies, all dressed up to protest the counting of ballots. Of course, they turned out to be GOP operatives flown in for the “spontaneous demonstration.” A total put-up job designed to intimidate and to bully. Remember the Tea Party protests organized by Faux — sorry — Fox News? Again, nothing spontaneous or grassroots about that bunch.

Don’t misunderstand me, I am not an opponent of good old-fashioned organizing. But what we saw this week in Pennsylvania with Sen. Arlen Specter (D) or in Texas with Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D) isn’t civil action; it is more akin to mob creation. It isn’t moving the dialogue forward, it is designed to push forward the yellers and the screamers — fake outrage that disrupts other people’s free speech.

Anyone who believes this isn’t organized uncivil action designed for chaos doesn’t remember the past. The issue of health insurance reform and moving the nation forward on healthcare is just too important to be treated this way. Hopefully, it will backfire.