The Booing at Wellstone’s Funeral

Posted on November 7, 2002 in Citizenship Courage & Activism

I think the Democrats cost themselves the Senate because of the way they responded to the booing of Trent Lott. Republicans are strong these days because they allow their followers to express their anger. The Democrats told their’s to shut up and killed the spirit.

Anger need not have violent expression for an outlet. An election is a nonviolent civil war which we agree to hold every two years instead of maiming each other. Those who booed Lott had just cause to be angry. The Democratic leadership effectively invalidated the feelings. The result was that the anger turned to depression and people didn’t go to the polls.

The Democrats can win if they validate the just anger that people feel about the stolen election, the war against our will, and other follies of the Bush Administration. The Republicans have not been nice and apologetic. Neither should we be.

Remember, Democrats: Depressed people don’t vote. You need to inspire some controlled militancy as the Republicans have done with their fundamentalist minions. Seize on the righteous anger, Democrats, and you will win by a landslide in 2004.

Lynn and I had a modest disagreement over this one. To clarify my position, however, what the Democrats should have done was say “The booing was unfortunate, but look at how Trent Lott antagonized these people over the years.” And they wouldn’t be lying.