When the Golden Rule is Used to Silence Dissent and Protect the Politically Powerful – Religion Dispatches

On Sunday, NBCs Meet the Press interviewed Senator Ron Johnson. ABCs This Week interviewed House Minority Whip Steve Scalise. CBSs Face the Nation interviewed Senator Lindsey Graham. Fox News Sunday interviewed Senator Rand Paul. Theyre all Republicans and they had a message for a combined television audience of millions: Donald Trump won.

Not in those exact words, but that was the clear implication. This thing or that thingit didnt really matter what thingmeant in their view* that the former president was robbed and the legitimacy of the current president, Joe Biden, is somehow suspect.

I bring this up not because yesterday was a disaster for journalism and the integrity of the public square (though it was that). I bring this up because it seems to provide an answer to the question that haunts democratic discourse: How does a republic deal with parties that lie so intensely, so voluminously, and so shamelessly? Some say we should afford them the same respect we ourselves would expect. If we call them liars, that might encourage them to lie even more given the outrage of being called liars. Better to check their facts, state the truth and move on in hopes that they behave in kind.

This was certainly the thinking behind Frank Brunis latest, titled Must We Dance on Rush Limbaugh Grave? The Times columnist said Sunday that while the radio broadcaster, who died last week, was a white-power racist, sexist, fear-mongering, homophobic crank (not his words), its crude and rough and, worst of all, screechy to say as much about a man recently killed off by cancer. Its one thing to speak ill of the dead, Bruni wrote, but the pitch of that ill-speak neednt be screechy. The manner of it neednt be savage. It has more credibilityand I think, more impactwhen its neither of these things. And we preserve some crucial measure of civility and grace.

For four decades, Rush Limbaugh had the biggest media megaphone through which he spat poison every day straight into the ears of 20 million Americans. He lied and lied, and he lied and lied. If there were no Limbaugh, there would be no President Trump, who himself told more than 30,500 lies, falsehoods and misleading claims during four years. Their canon of lies includes lies about the covid pandemic, culminating in a death toll now exceeding half a million. Their repertoire of lies includes lies about the election, culminating in the worst attack on our government since September 11, 2001. Their stockpile of lies includes The Big One repeated Sunday by three GOP senators and one GOP House leader to the detriment of millions of television viewers. How does a republic deal with parties that lie nonstop? Theres never been an easy answer. Whatever it is, its not civility and grace alone, because they alone do not work.

Its not that I think Bruni is wrong to remind people to follow the Golden Rule. Hes correct, in a purely abstract sense, to say that, If youre going to fling your opinions at the world, you must be braced for the world to fling its reaction back at you. Those are the terms of the contract. But we are not talking about public morality in the abstract. We are talking about public morality in this place and in this time and in the spirit of defending our republic from ghouls who have conspired, and are still conspiring, to bring it down. Moreover, a Golden Rule thats wholly decontextualized and dehistoricized can be a gag preventing us from speaking the truth and silencing all but the most powerful.

You know who Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) is. During last weeks deep freeze in Texas, she started a fundraiser that has raised, as of publication, nearly $5 million to alleviate hunger and suffering in the Lone Star State. She was doing for Texans what youd think Texans would do for her (and other New Yorkers). But instead of gratitude, the Texas Republican Party answered generosity with slander: The gesture is appreciated, but it doesnt remove the fact that her Green New Deal philosophy failed Texans, wrote Chairman Allen West.

Fact No. 1: The Green New Deal is Ocasio-Cortezs policy idea; its not anything more yet.

Fact No. 2: Texas has nothing to do with her policy idea.

Fact 3: Wind power accounts for 10 percent of energy production in Texas. Conclusion: West is smearing Ocasio-Cortez even as shes trying to help.

This is clear later when he writes that Ocasio-Cortezs charity is not charity. What appears to be the Golden Rule is actually something sinister. West wrote: What Texans found out this week is that wind energy, and solar, are not reliable, dependable, and available energy resources. Therefore, maam [Ocasio-Cortez], youre not going to buy off Texans for your green new deal energy pipe dream for $2 million [my italics]. Ocasio-Cortez did not blame Texas politicians for the straits theyre in. Her pitch has not been screechy, as Frank Bruni wrote. Her manner has not been savage. She has been living up to the Golden Rule according to Brunis advice. But what does she get in return? Lies, slander, contempt, and rancid accusations of trying to buy off Texans.

Ocasio-Cortez (as well as Beto ORourke, whos also raised impressive sums) is modeling what Texans could expect from a government of, by and for the people. Thats a threat to corrupt parties like the Texas GOP. Its therefore in the interest of people like West to run Ocasio-Cortez down, even if he comes off as gauche in the process. Fact is, coming off as gauche might be a good thing, as a lack of manners and etiquette and decorum tends to look like authentic strength, and, when thats set side-by-side with kindness, authentic strength usually wins though its a lie. The real problem, West might as well have said, isnt that Texas is corrupt. The real problem isnt that the states government failed its people. The real problem is carpetbaggers and their New York values coming down here, making us look bad. Thats not nice.

As I said, Bruni isnt wrong in terms of substance. Hes wrong in terms of engagement. Hes so aloof as to be extraterrestrial. This is the world we live in. This is the world we struggle to change. Its not going to change if truth stops at the border of politeness.

*I put view in quotes, because a lie is not an opinion.

**Ted Cruz went to Cancun. Gov. Greg Abbott is AWOL.

Excerpt from:

When the Golden Rule is Used to Silence Dissent and Protect the Politically Powerful - Religion Dispatches