The Onion, or the Post? ‘One Nation’ Article an Exercise in Parody
Rather than explain why I say that both the Washington Post article and its subject are unintentionally humorous, let me instead try to show you by writing a brief parody. Ahem:
Progressives hope ‘One Nation’ coalition can recapture grass-roots fervor
In an effort to replicate the tea party’s success, 170 liberal and civil rights groups are forming a coalition that they hope will match the movement’s political energy and influence. They promise to “counter the tea party narrative” and help the progressive movement find its voice again after 18 months of foundering.
The groups involved represent the core of the first-time voters who backed Obama, including the National Council of La Raza, the Service Employees International Union, the NAACP, the AFL-CIO, and the United States Student Association.
Leaders of the groups have been meeting for about three months in a planning process that some participants called arduous, debating everything from the name of the coalition to what the branding and logo should look like.
In forming the coalition, the groups struggled to settle on a name. Even now, two of the major players disagree about who came up with the idea of holding a march this fall.
Despite the friction among liberal groups, the effort behind One Nation was born of a certain necessity. Indeed, a promised overhaul of immigration law is virtually dead this year. Legislation that labor unions say would make it easier for them to grow their membership is stalled in Congress. The jobless rate is 15.4 percent for blacks and 12.4 percent for Hispanics, compared with 8.6 percent for whites.
The coalition’s first goal is to plan a march to “demonstrate to Congress that these agenda items have support across multiple demographics,” NAACP president Benjamin Jealous said. “This is a way to create some intensity,” said Eric Rodriguez, vice president of the National Council of La Raza. “Month after month, we spend time pointing to these employment figures, and we’re still not breaking through on the disparities in a way that we think is important.”
At their national conventions this week, NAACP and La Raza leaders will talk to their members about “One Nation,” and they are seeking money from foundations for the effort.
Kidding! I could never come up with something that amusing. The above, from the title to the last word, is not a parody at all but direct quotes, some rearranged, from the Washington Post article. It requires a writer with far greater talents than mine to parody an article that reports with a straight face, without a hint of irony, the birth of an organization
- that attempts to “imitate” an eruption of grassroots activism by convening months of meetings with leaders of groups;
- that after months of inter-group wrangling, comes up with the umbrella of “One Nation” to cover a bickering coalition of racial, ethnic, gender, and other special interest groups;
- whose member groups typically are more agitated by the “disparities” of racially and ethnically unequal unemployment than by unemployment itself;
- whose leaders can discuss what they mean by “One Nation” only by claiming to have support “across multiple demographics”;
- is an ostensible grass roots organization that can pay for itself only by “seeking money from foundations.”
“One Nation,“ not only divisible, but risible. You can’t make this stuff up, but at least you can laugh at it … unless you’re a Washington Post reporter.
One Nation sounds about as “grassroots” & spontaneous as an AIG protest—you know, where 50 buses of outraged “citizens” show up carrying professionally made signs, snacking on box lunches & pocketing expense money for a day’s “work” from SEIU’s petty cash. Then again, what would you expect from the left? These are the people who pass laws to make sure “volunteers” get paid.
By professional, I assume you mean without spelling mistakes or overt racism. Those seem to be some common tea party themes. MoveOn is very grass roots. Almost all decisions are based on all members voting. MoveOn events never cost in excess of $500 unlike grass root tea party movements. Check yourself.
Thank you for propagating dishonesty.
The Boston 2010 Tea Party event I visited had mispelled signs (held by counter protesters in a weak attempt to mock the Tea Party participants) and no visible racism of any sort. The Left continues to repeat the chant of “racism”, as if to convince themselves, but fiscal irresponsibility, bloated bureaucracy, and abusive government has no race.
Brian N is making things up and repeating lies. One should question why he feels the need to do this. Easier than honest debate, I suppose. And one of the Left’s basic reflexive defensive gestures.
Good move, genius, draw even more attention to the leftist agents provacateurs that tried infiltrating the Tea Party. I’ll confidently state that at least 100% of the “racists” observed there are your own people.
Maybe 110%.
And the remainder are simply lies created by you and spread by a compliant, complacent media.
Prove me wrong. And try not to think of your own peep who got busted – or rather, outed himself – bragging about his “Crash the Tea Party” enterprise. Somebody neglected to inform you folks that covert operations only work so long as they are – you taking notes, Poindexter? – covert. Get it?
That’s probably why you find so few leftists in Special Forces or the SEALS. They’re all waving their misspelled racist signs at the nearest Tea Party rally, whoring for camera time.
In what Afghan cave has this writer slept away the past century? “Progressivism” is entirely and only about top-down, command-and-control decision making! Its pretenses to the contrary are entirely for the consumption of the gullible.
But then, FireDogLake and similar sites on the Left are an integral part of the deceptions, aren’t they? Whether they’re aware of it or not, their importance to the masters of the Left lies in their usefulness in seducing others into marching, lockstep, into bondage. And thus be it ever, when some arrogate to themselves the privilege of dictating to others.
“One Nation,” eh? Gosh, that has a familiar ring:
Ein Volk!
Ein Fuehrer!
As Mark Twain once said, “History may not repeat itself, but it surely does rhyme.”
“We are one people, one nation, and the time for change has come!” — Barack Hussein Obama, January 20, 2009.
to the republic for which it stands, ONE NATION… So is our pledge of allegiance fascist propaganda? Why do you hate America?
“…fascist propaganda?”
Yep.
“Grassroots organization”?
Service Employees’ International Union… Check.
American Federation of Labor- Congress of Industrial Organizations… Check.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People… Check. (BTW, where I come from, you never, ever refer to a black man or woman as “colored”, and it’s been that way since the Sixties.)
And the National Council of La Raza… Check. (Right. Whenever I think of creating a “movement to unite people”, absolutely the first group I want in it is one whose avowed intention is dismembering Estados Unidos and creating something called “Aztlan’” on top of the ruins thereof. Real smart, “people”.)
All that’s missing is… ACORN.
I can almost hear Claude Rains as Captain Renault in “Casablanca” saying “Round up the usual suspects”.
“Grassroots”? Try “Astroturf”.
(I’ve been waiting a while to use that one on a “progressive” smugfest/thugfest. Thanks for giving me the chance, “One Nation” Number Whatever.)
clear ether
eon
… One Nation is not only divisible, but risible. You can’t make this stuff up, but at least you can laugh at it … unless you’re a Washington (com)Post “reporter.”
One Nation perfectly, Air-America-style, projects the inability of those who suffer the FasciSSocialist Psychosis to either understand the affront to Human Nature represented in their tyranny and/or to realize that no amount of fine tuning the content of their elitist member gangs will ever make them other than top-down elitist idiots.
And for what it’s worth, Australia’s (Constitution-loving, tea-party/small “l” libertarian-styled)One Nation was about as close to being “right wing” as is our own Constitution-loving tea-party movement.
Ad–even without an address it garners Post attention. Remember, the Post ignored the tea party and didn’t even report on the initial march until the numbers couldn’t be ignored. Then it megaphones the despicable lies about spitting and racism until even its own ombudsman noted that no one had taken up Breitbart’s bet.
I think it is very interesting and telling that both racialist organizations LaRaza and NAACP take their marching orders from white progressives. Also interesting is whether there will be a hispanic, black or white at the top of One Nation? Will there be a diversity quotient for staffing? Must not forget the gays, right…How will this group not compete with MoveOn?
blotto:
“I think it is very interesting and telling that both racialist organizations LaRaza and NAACP take their marching orders from white progressives.”
He whose bread they eat, his tune they sing…
If they have any luck at all, maybe they’ll last 10 minutes longer than the dozen people who got together and called themselves the ‘Coffee Party’?
Yet again the left demonstrates that it exists in a bubble of theory with only a tenuous and usually accidental connection to reality. Frances above has it just right. The Marxist-Leninist contribution to history was a totalitarian mindset that made use of the forms of democracy to gull the credulous until it was too late to avoid the noose. In the left’s ideal world elites guide the proletariat, peasants, masses or whatever term is fashionable at the time toward social goals decided upon by cliques. In one era it is control of the means of production, in another it is the redistribution of income. Those who get in the way are reeducated, sent off to gulags or when necessary slaughtered by the millions. There is no need to worry about packing your bag. Everything will be provided for you.
One Nation…under Satan!
Well done, John. I’m soon hoping for an article from the Wapo about how Lebron James escaped using the underground railroad from a salve job that paid $500 mil to a freedom job that pays $800 mil. This new slave salary will certainly help raise the average wage statistic for minorities in America. Jesse take note, a rising tide lifts all boats.
Spontaneity within progressive circles is probably like watching Jos Stalin, Chairman Mao, or Hitler dance. They didn’t – and the inherent lack of flexibility within progressivism doesn’t allow it to dance, either, i.e., they are about as flexible as a piece of 2×4 that has been soaking in motor oil for 3 years; something like how their president wants to appear flexible, but isn’t.
Indeed, a lot of progressives may think they are “wow” on the dance floor and that certainly extends to their self-appraisal – but delusion, as we’ve seen in the last 18 months, is also a by-product of the progressive ideology. It is not all that dissimilar, probably, to the amazement of Karl Marx when the world did not rise up and greet his pronouncements with the enthusiasm he thought they deserved. He died a sick and bitter old man; hence a foretaste of the progressive experience, we expect, as people’s interest in themselves exponentially surpasses their concern about the totality of mankind.
And that, curiously, is a function of removing religion from the public and public life along with the demonisation of its good work: an early by-product of the progressive will to power and control. I’d say it looks like an own-goal to me, but that would mean an indication of the self-destructiveness of progressivism and far be it from me to make such a judgement. Yeah, right.
why are so many warmerbagger’s racists?
I’m sorry, did you say something?
What proof can you show us that tea party people are racists???
Is that what the five of you did for the inaugural One Nation meeting? Come up with a new name? Personally, I would have gone with bigotbagger myself. Something with some verbal punch that you can spit out with righteous progressive contempt. Oh, did you know that Hitler never liked to ride in elevators?
Now keithacita, the adults are having a discussion so go outside and play, or pick up some aluminium cans for recycling. There’s a good boy.
Hehehe – remember the Coffee Party of last January?
Breatlessly anounced by the MSM as the great leveler against the Tea Party, after a few weeks of gosh! so painful coverage, they disappeared -
As far as the One Nation – the clumsiness of this “spontaneous” apparition of this organization tells me that the inventors of the defunct Coffee Party are behind this too -
Good luck – the One Nation has no influencing power and the August/September heat will melt it down to nothing -
Actually, Nancy Pelosi is one of the leading puppeteers
Mr. Rosenberg;
“Rather than explain why I say that both the Washington Post article and its subject are unintentionally humorous, let me instead try to show you by writing a brief parody”
My dear sir, I’m not at all certain that publicly admitting that you read the Washington Post, even for nothing more than the “yuks”, is entirely appropriate for mixed company.
Nothing good can come of such an admission. Next time, think of your reputation before you post, sir!
Now as to the inanity referenced in the post in question, it’s all quite simple.
George Soros, Warren Buffet, and Bill Gates,(as well as a plethora of second and third-ranked well-heeled liberal shitpokes), have absolute gobs and gobs of money just laying around doing nothing.
(In fact, I’m given to understand that Gates has a chamber with a mound of $500 bills, and is given to getting naked and rolling around on it exultantly howling: “Wheeeeee!” until the notes stick to his sweaty body).
The essence of modern Progressive politics as practiced on the national stage is to create new and more absurdly outlandish vehicles where Gates and his ilk can dispose of those $500 bills once they get “stale” and are replaced with new crisp “fresh” banknotes.
…one nation, under the SEIU…
…funded by Soros & friends
It’s kinda sad when you really think about it. They don’t know why it’s not working. They keep setting up these liberal alternatives to the Tea Parties–groups that they’re sure will mobilize the liberal ‘majority’.
But they fail to coalesce.
They still control most of the media.
They still have large liberal groups with lots of cash to bankroll these things.
Why? Why doesn’t it work?
Because of the Tea Party. The Tea Party isn’t a ‘group’–and it’s definately not a ‘party’. It’s Americans so sick of what the left is doing to this country that the finally became motivated to do something. Nothing more. They form groupings and alliances at will–without worrying about ‘branding’ and logos’.
And they pay attention.
By doing so they’ve revealed something that has been hidden. The left has no ‘grassroots’. Everything they do is orchestrated. Top down–just like the Communist nations they quietly revere. We were just treated to the unveiling of two actual leftist conspiracies–one in which media colluded to produce a favorable spin for the left(The Journolist affair) and one in which scientists and bureacrats perverted science to create conditions favorable to an overarching leftist program(Climategate).
Think those revelations just happened? The media are trying to make them go away–but, thanks to motivated Americans, the stories are already too big to disappear.
The Tea Party is nothing but grassroots–the GOP establishment, if it wants a place, has to hold on for dear life. One Nation is the Coffee Party is Media Matters is Moveon.org is the DNC–and, sadly there’s an ‘is’ after DNC as well, to that party’s everlasting shame.
I get the impression that it’s sorta like Clinton…throw it out..and keep doing it..pretty soon people will be numbed and not pay attention.
I think Hillary will be running against this adm…Obama personally.. I don’t know what will be worse.
“They don’t know why it’s not working.”
This is a classic Cargo Cult reaction, trying to replicate the appearance of individual liberty and individual power, while being utterly terrified of the responsibility that accompanies both.
They look into the Abyss and they want to jump…
So..
Much..
Being that the secretive One Nation program is astroturfing at it’sfinest, we can expect it to be nothing less than a top-down cartel, dictated by the most tyrannical of union thugs, race mongers, professional politicians (looking at you, Nancy Pelosi) and lobbyists alike.
A better name for this latest top-down progressive commissariat would be “Done Nation”. Stick a fork in it – progressives are done like dinner.
They really need to start practicing their indignation and honing their conspiracy theories in order to explain the pending Democrat losses in November.
I read they’re organizing a March on Washington this fall before the elections. It will be interesting to see their signage and how much garbage they leave for the taxpayers to clean up. The teapartiers left the area in pristine condition, the Obama innauguration crowd left it looking like the city dump.
The good news is that these idiots take months to agree on a name and a mission and still aren’t certain of what they are doing or why. The bad news is that is that from this talent well Obama draws the people he uses to staff agencies responsible for things like the federal response to the Gulf oil leak and terrorist attacks. Good luck, America.
It’s… the Judean People’s Front!!!!
Down with the racists! Viva La Raza!
Are you intentionally being ironic? Please say yes….really…please….
I doubt he knows what the word means. “Viva la raza” is probably the only English he knows. /sarc off
Here’s the website
http://www.onenationworkingtogether.org/main.aspx
I went to the website you gave for this grassroots movement then google-mapped the street address:
1333 H St NW, Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20005.
It’s located in the same office building as John Podesta’s
CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS — 2 BLOCKS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE!
Co-incidence?
Say, what happened to the Coffee Party?
Didn’t catch on? So now it’s “One Nation’s” turn to try, is that it?
Keep’em coming, we’ll just reload.
Don’t bother. Just cue the laugh track.
cheers
eon
H.L. Mencken once said: “Liberals have many tails, and chase them all.”