We’ve Been the Silent Majority for Too Long

 

“We have always spoken out against the Left and it never works.” That’s what I’ve been told by my fellow Ricochettis for years, and my response is, really?

My disclaimer is that I’ve only been following politics for about the last 15 years, and rabidly for only five years, and the perception I have is that we’ve spent a lot of time complaining about the Left and their co-conspirators (known as the media). But when have people of the Right spoken out in a way that they’ve been heard? I have the impression that we’re residing in one giant conservative echo chamber where our protestations, condemnations, and statements of misery have been bouncing off each other as we bang our heads against the wall in frustration.

For a long time, I think our silence came from our belief that politeness was important, that we didn’t want to behave badly the way they did. I get that. I’m a pretty polite person myself, and even if I disagree with people, they may not even know I dislike them. But who were all the people who spoke out vehemently about conservative values and the Republican Party in a way that didn’t sound like boilerplate and just plain ordinary? Who attacked the Left for their lies and their failures? How did I miss it?

But please don’t tell me that conservatives have always spoken up or spoken out about injustice and the new and exciting ideas we offer, and that no one listened. That’s one of the reasons that Trump was elected; he was going to drain the whole Washington swamp. People finally wanted to vanquish the feckless people in Congress and the decaying bureaucracy.

We have to speak out now, and we need to find creative ways to reach the rest of the Silent Majority. They are out there, waiting for us to tell them the truth.

It’s never too late. But please don’t tell me that you’ve been doing it for years and that no one listened or paid attention.

So what are your suggestions to reach our friends and colleagues? I’m listening.

Published in Politics
Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 56 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Phil Turmel Inactive
    Phil Turmel
    @PhilTurmel

    dittoheadadt (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn:We have to speak out now, and we need to find creative ways to reach the rest of the Silent Majority. They are out there, waiting for us to tell them the truth.

    It’s never too late. But please don’t tell me that you’ve been doing it for years and that no one listened or paid attention.

    So what are your suggestions to reach our friends and colleagues? I’m listening.

    Well, I can only speak for myself, but I offered these suggestions here in Ricochet nearly five (5) years ago (generated all of 14 comments, while a thread on Young Earth Creationism spawned more than 1,000 comments…), and I shared them elsewhere as well. So I think I can tell you that I’ve been doing it for years and that no one listened or paid attention. ?

    And, I can tell you I will continue to do it for years…and no one will listen or pay attention. (Of course there’s always the distinct possibility that they’re bad ideas…but I don’t see anyone else coming up with anything.)

    All of your suggestions in that thread point at actions by someone else.  The real question to ask is “what will *I* do to promote conservatism?”

    As noted by others, people actively involved on the left are not reachable.  They are “bought in” to the left’s lies.  My target audience, and I would suggest yours too, is the not-terribly-political neighbours and acquaintances and colleagues.  The common sense admonition to “not talk politics or religion in public” may be common, but it is not at all sensible, if one cares about the future of this country and the world.

    Not that one needs to be irritating, — it often helps to point people here if a conversation is going off the rails — but political BS and the misleading memes it relies on can be gently challenged.  Even if you don’t change the mind of your counterpart, you might influence a bystander.  Peoples’ minds can be changed.

    • #31
  2. Lois Lane Coolidge
    Lois Lane
    @LoisLane

    Hypatia (View Comment):
    They’re now re-fighting the Civil War–which Republicans already won–and casting us  as the losers!

    That’s hilarious.  I love this point.  :)

    • #32
  3. Lois Lane Coolidge
    Lois Lane
    @LoisLane

    To answer your question, you feel out people a little, talk and listen.  I just had a lovely conversation with some dude who fixed my computer about history, statues, and politics.

    Notice that order again.

    We opened with history, went to statues, and ended up at politics.  We built up a little trust with one another from topic one to topic three so that when we had points of contention in that last space, we also had already shown we knew a little something-something and weren’t crazy.

    Also, we didn’t dive into screaming intransigence… just an exchange of thoughts.

    It was nice.

    • #33
  4. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    RushBabe49 (View Comment):
    And the reason conservatives don’t march is that we are too busy earning our living or raising our own children. The marchers are predominantly college “students”, government employees, and aging hippy retirees. Hey, all you hard workers out there are paying for the marchers!

    You’re doing the good work, RB49! And inspire us all!

    • #34
  5. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    civil westman (View Comment):
    This is a good part of why, for example, medical costs are so high. Refrain from acting and you may well face a lawsuit for “negligence” – not doing enough. Never mind that most illnesses are slow in their progress, self-limited or already lethal by the time they are diagnosed. i.e. taking one’s time – watchful waiting – is a sensible and cost-effective strategy, but is seldom used for fear of litigation based upon unrealistic expectations; the expectation that every human problem has an immediate technical solution.

    A very thorough and thoughtful response, civil–as always. This paragraph reminded me of a friend who did a massive amount of research and discovered many years ago (he wasn’t a medical type) that sometimes it made sense to wait out the development of certain prostate cancers. It was an uphill battle for him at the time. Eventually people started paying attention; even the media was engaged. Murray himself finally passed away–I don’t know if the prostate cancer finally caught up to him, but it may very well have been old age. And he didn’t have to go through the debilitating results that prostate surgery often brought. Sometimes patience goes a long way . . . . thanks.

    • #35
  6. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Phil Turmel (View Comment):
    Not that one needs to be irritating, — it often helps to point people here if a conversation is going off the rails — but political BS and the misleading memes it relies on can be gently challenged. Even if you don’t change the mind of your counterpart, you might influence a bystander. Peoples’ minds can be changed.

    Hear, hear, Phil! I think a lot of us need to at least reconsider our decisions not to discuss politics with our friends and relatives. Some people are definitely unapproachable, but we never know when our words may get through.

    • #36
  7. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Lois Lane (View Comment):
    We opened with history, went to statues, and ended up at politics. We built up a little trust with one another from topic one to topic three so that when we had points of contention in that last space, we also had already shown we knew a little something-something and weren’t crazy.

    Brilliant, Lois! This makes perfect sense. Having some level of trust is so important. I think for me, too, is to remember I’m sharing ideas, not looking to humiliate the other person or convince them in that moment of my views. Your conversation with that fellow demonstrated that there is at least one reasonable conservative. Well done!

    • #37
  8. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Unsk (View Comment):
    Well now is the time to really speak out.

    Check out this youtube video by a member of the Charlottesville police:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFNOfG7Zbzc
    Police: Charlottesville Was ‘Inside Job’ To Ignite Race War

    “A Charlottesville police officer has come forward to express his anger at being told to “stand down” by the city mayor during violent clashes between protesters. He also claims the protests, which pitched “white supremacists” against members of Antifa, were “set up” to further the agenda of the elites.”
    “We [Charlotesville police] were ordered to bring the rival groups together. As soon as they were in contact with each other, we were told to stand down. It was outrageous. We weren’t allowed to arrest anyone without asking the mayor first. We weren’t even allowed to stop the driver as he sped away.“
    “The event was being set up as far back as at least May and it went like clockwork.”
    Michael Signer, the mayor of Charlottesville, ordered police to stand down during the most chaotic and destructive period of the protests – despite police protests against the orders.
    “We wanted to do our job and keep the peace. But these mother******s in charge really want to destroy America.”
    “Fox News reporter Doug McKelway was on the scene in Charlottesville and he backs up the police officer’s claims.”

    Please tell me why Jeff Sessions isn’t all over this? This is a game changer. The Democrat Left’s hands have been caught in the criminal cookie jar big time , and all Jeff Sessions can do is mumble some pieties about “hatred”.

    There is no excuse not to have a wide ranging criminal investigation into this “set up” riot and consequential murder by Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer who has a long history as a democratic activist and as an aide to John Podesta at the Center for American Progress.

    I encourage everyone to listen to this youtube. I heard one outrage after another. It’s hard to be certain whether everything can be verified, but enough of it makes sense that I give it good marks. One thing is certain: I am not giving up my voice or my ideas for these people! Thanks, Unsk.

    • #38
  9. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    @gossamer (View Comment):
    So I think an important thing for us to do-why I joined Ricochet-is to let the silent majority know that we still have a majority. We have to be healthy and strong. Some call it an echo chamber, and that is certainly true, but it is also a network where we articulate our concerns, and strengthen our arguments. And we buck each other up, because we have to stay strong. It’s our job.

    Well said, gossamer. My plea, though is that we stay strong AND find new and better ways to tell the silent majority we are here AND somehow get them engaged, to enter the conversation. Ricochet is a great way to do that. Any other suggestions?

    Here’s a couple:  Give to conservative causes, vote in all elections, especially local, write letters or send email and let companies know that you’ll spend your money elsewhere if they are in favor of politicizing their products (this Fall sports season should be interesting), contact your congressman or senator, support conservative movies by buying a ticket, support your local church or synagogue, pray, buy books by conservative writers, and don’t focus on the dark, focus on the light – sometimes you have to just turn it off.

    • #39
  10. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Front Seat Cat (View Comment):
    Here’s a couple: Give to conservative causes, vote in all elections, especially local, write letters or send email and let companies know that you’ll spend your money elsewhere if they are in favor of politicizing their products (this Fall sports season should be interesting), contact your congressman or senator, support conservative movies by buying a ticket, support your local church or synagogue, pray, buy books by conservative writers, and don’t focus on the dark, focus on the light – sometimes you have to just turn it off.

    Well said, FSC. These are great. I’m encouraged because I already do some of them and hadn’t thought about them as helpful. Thanks!

    • #40
  11. Goldwaterwoman Thatcher
    Goldwaterwoman
    @goldwaterwoman

    Susan Quinn: We have to speak out now, and we need to find creative ways to reach the rest of the Silent Majority. They are out there, waiting for us to tell them the truth.

    I’m afraid that we’ve been shouted down for so many years we just stopped speaking until this most unlikely of presidents came along who seemed to understand. And you’re so right that we sat quietly in our little corners for fear of being thought of as rude  or as obnoxious as the other side is. It’s time to start writing to our Congressman and Senators to let them know how we really feel.  There is a silent majority, and we’re just beginning to find our voice.

    • #41
  12. Goldwaterwoman Thatcher
    Goldwaterwoman
    @goldwaterwoman

    RushBabe49 (View Comment):
    The marchers are predominantly college “students”

    Two of my children attended the University of Washington here in very blue Seattle. There were frequent ads in  the UW Daily for students to get paid for various protests, always from leftie groups. Not once did I ever see an ad from a right wing group in support of a Republican speaker or cause. Most of the kids who answer the ads are there strictly for the $$. We need to mimic the left and get behind our own organizations.

    • #42
  13. Judithann Campbell Member
    Judithann Campbell
    @

    Goldwaterwoman (View Comment):

    RushBabe49 (View Comment):
    The marchers are predominantly college “students”

    Two of my children attended the University of Washington here in very blue Seattle. There were frequent ads in the UW Daily for students to get paid for various protests, always from leftie groups. Not once did I ever see an ad from a right wing group in support of a Republican speaker or cause. Most of the kids who answer the ads are there strictly for the $$. We need to mimic the left and get behind our own organizations.

    Roughly half a million people of all ages march for life in Washington every year, and none of them are paid :) I am not a hard core volunteer now, but 20 or so years ago, I was, and what I really wanted was not 500 other hard core volunteers-I would not have have known what to do with them. What I really wanted was for 500 or 1000 people to show up at events, so when the cameras showed up, there would be a crowd.

    I am definitely not suggesting that conservatives should become professional protesters; Attending one or two events a year does not qualify you to be a professional protester :)

     

    • #43
  14. Judithann Campbell Member
    Judithann Campbell
    @

    Also, much if not most of Trump’s momentum was based on the size of the crowds at his rallies. People who showed up at those rallies played a huge :) role in electing Trump, just by showing up.

    Showing up works :)

    • #44
  15. Unsk Member
    Unsk
    @Unsk

    Thanks Susan,

    What does it for me is that Doug McKelway basically reported something similar as he saw the riot play out on Fox.  What this policeman  appears to saying is that the  Charlottesville riot was  a deep seeded conspiracy  planned well in advance by government authorities that was intended from the get go to  cause a very troubling riot where people would get hurt.  It should be an enormous scandal and there needs to be a very thorough and transparent investigation to uncover the real truth.

    • #45
  16. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Unsk (View Comment):
    Thanks Susan,

    What does it for me is that Doug McKelway basically reported something similar as he saw the riot play out on Fox. What this policeman appears to saying is that the Charlottesville riot was a deep seeded conspiracy planned well in advance by government authorities that was intended from the get go to cause a very troubling riot where people would get hurt. It should be an enormous scandal and there needs to be a very thorough and transparent investigation to uncover the real truth.

    The question is: is there anyone in the mainstream media who is as outraged by this story as we are, and who will report on it? I’m not optimistic . . .

    • #46
  17. Goldwaterwoman Thatcher
    Goldwaterwoman
    @goldwaterwoman

    Judithann Campbell (View Comment):
    Showing up works ?

    And that’s my point. The Dems do it best. We need to get with it.

    • #47
  18. dittoheadadt Inactive
    dittoheadadt
    @dittoheadadt

    Phil Turmel (View Comment):
    All of your suggestions in that thread point at actions by someone else. The real question to ask is “what will *I* do to promote conservatism?”

    Yeah, “someone else,” like the people in power who have the greatest opportunity to reach the masses.  Me, I do what I can in my little corner of the world.  But my individual impact is utterly negligible, and all but irrelevant compared to what the “someone elses” who are already in positions of power and influence could accomplish. I have no power.  I have no wealth.  I have no position.

    Makes no sense for me to try to reinvent the wheel from square-one (no pun intended).  What am I going to do, start a television network or a traveling road show of conservative movers and shakers?  Why not leverage the assets already out there??

    • #48
  19. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    dittoheadadt (View Comment):
    What am I going to do, start a television network or a traveling road show of conservative movers and shakers?

    Now there’s a thought! Seriously, though, most of my attention goes to those of us who are not formally in power, because I seriously question whether those in power are interested in furthering a conservative agenda (instead of their personal agendas), or even if they know what conservatism means anymore. We should be able to rely on them to carry the torch with vigor and voice, but I don’t see it happening. So it’s left to us, unless something drastic happens and they suddenly decide to do their jobs. Sad.

    • #49
  20. dittoheadadt Inactive
    dittoheadadt
    @dittoheadadt

    Phil Turmel (View Comment):
    All of your suggestions in that thread point at actions by someone else. The real question to ask is “what will *I* do to promote conservatism?”

    As noted by others, people actively involved on the left are not reachable. They are “bought in” to the left’s lies. My target audience, and I would suggest yours too, is the not-terribly-political neighbours and acquaintances and colleagues.

    Seems like a false dilemma logical fallacy.  Why can’t the “real” question be both?  What’s wrong with the premises behind each of my suggestions? Why can’t we pose broad, big-picture ideas and solutions for those in position to carry them out, while we do our own little parts at home?  Thing is, I don’t see the Right or the GOP doing anything substantially (or even incrementally) different from the same-old, same-old of the past.  One would almost think they prefer the status quo…

    I agree that our target audiences are neighbors, etc, and that part does need doing.  But how’s that paradigm working out for the door-to-door LDS recruiters?  Are their numbers blooming?

    The one-on-one approach is not going to reach the persuadable masses who get their news from the CNNs and BSNBCs of the world, the persuadable urban Libs and Dems who’ve never lived among conservatives and so only know the caricatures they’ve been fed, for but two examples.

    The Right needs to emulate Amazon, not just Amway.  Yet no one seems to understand this.

    • #50
  21. dittoheadadt Inactive
    dittoheadadt
    @dittoheadadt

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    dittoheadadt (View Comment):
    What am I going to do, start a television network or a traveling road show of conservative movers and shakers?

    Now there’s a thought! Seriously, though, most of my attention goes to those of us who are not formally in power, because I seriously question whether those in power are interested in furthering a conservative agenda (instead of their personal agendas), or even if they know what conservatism means anymore. We should be able to rely on them to carry the torch with vigor and voice, but I don’t see it happening. So it’s left to us, unless something drastic happens and they suddenly decide to do their jobs. Sad.

    As I was writing as you were writing, “Thing is, I don’t see the Right or the GOP doing anything substantially (or even incrementally) different from the same-old, same-old of the past. One would almost think they prefer the status quo…”

    • #51
  22. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    dittoheadadt (View Comment):
    As I was writing as you were writing, “Thing is, I don’t see the Right or the GOP doing anything substantially (or even incrementally) different from the same-old, same-old of the past. One would almost think they prefer the status quo…”

    Great minds . . . btw, aren’t the LDS one of the fastest growing religions?

    • #52
  23. Goldwaterwoman Thatcher
    Goldwaterwoman
    @goldwaterwoman

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):
    We should be able to rely on them to carry the torch with vigor and voice, but I don’t see it happening. So it’s left to us, unless something drastic happens and they suddenly decide to do their jobs. Sad.

    Well, dear Susan, you inspired me. I had a call this morning from the RNC asking for money for “Trump’s agenda.”  Instead of giving him my credit card number, I told him that I wasn’t going to give the RNC one more dime unless the Republicans in Congress started backing our president in thought, word and deed. He pushed back telling me they were behind “Trump’s agenda” (his words), but I would have none of it.

    • #53
  24. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Goldwaterwoman (View Comment):
    Well, dear Susan, you inspired me. I had a call this morning from the RNC asking for money for “Trump’s agenda.” Instead of giving him my credit card number, I told him that I wasn’t going to give the RNC one more dime unless the Republicans in Congress started backing our president in thought, word and deed. He pushed back telling me they were behind “Trump’s agenda” (his words), but I would have none of it.

    Whoa, you go girl! Good job! (Uh, “girl” is just part of that phrase. . . )

    • #54
  25. Goldwaterwoman Thatcher
    Goldwaterwoman
    @goldwaterwoman

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):
    Whoa, you go girl! Good job! (Uh, “girl” is just part of that phrase. . . )

    I love being called girl. Not to worry.

    • #55
  26. EHerring Coolidge
    EHerring
    @EHerring

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Randy Webster (View Comment):
    Back in the dark ages, long before Ricochet, I used to frequent political chat rooms and mix it up with the libs. One of them once complained that I didn’t respect her opinions (which I didn’t). I told her, “Of course I don’t respect your opinions. If I did, they’d be my opinions. I respect your right to have them, though.” It’s too much work, now, though.

    It’s pretty hard for most of us to have a conversation with the other side. That’s why I think we might want to focus on our own who haven’t taken sides and might be interested in truth and reason. I’m really uneasy about just sitting back, but I honestly don’t know where to begin. Thanks, Randy.

    I don’t care to talk to the other side.  It is like watching a bad movie for the tenth time.

    • #56
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.