It has become quite obvious (but not to some “thought leaders”) by now that the Filipino public holds Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to standards different to what mainstream media and the cliques of “socially-aware” liberals put up. Despite months of harping about “human rights”, “civil liberties”, and all the other trendy stuff Liberals love, hardly a dent has been made on Duterte’s ability to push through many of his convention-shattering initiatives.
The trouble with mainstream media is that they still haven’t learned that their golden age of talking at their audience has long gone. This is the age when talking with one’s audience is the order of the day thanks to Internet technologies such as social media.
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The same disconnect can seemingly be observed nowadays in the United States as its coastal liberals start to come to terms with what the leadership of their new president Donald Trump means to their way of life. Mainstream media there have also been busy fielding stories about the latest “thought leader” who has “bravely” spoken up against Trump’s “Muslim ban” (among other supposedly “heinous” initiatives). Big names such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg have been quoted. Earlier, during that Women’s March thing, it was aged celebrity Madonna’s profanity-laced words that stood out and “went viral” despite other more coherent and more intelligent speakers airing their ideas during that protest event. Celebrity, indeed. Mainstream media has certain old habits that die hard. Lapping up celebrity is one of those habits.
Less known but just as big a target as celebrity entrepeneurs and performers are auto industry CEOs. Many of them kept notably silent for several days following Trump’s “Muslim ban” announcement. Unfortunately silence-shaming is the outrage fad at the moment with mainstream media keeping score — ensuring that readership is kept informed of the who’s-who via a running tally of CEOs who (1) remain silent and (2) have spoken out.
Thing is, we are hearing a lot from these big voices amplified by corporate-funded bullhorns. But what about the lot who are neither big, rich, celebrated, nor have access to those bullhorns?
Perhaps we are seeing, yet again, the same mistake being committed today that cost the Democrats — and the Philippines’ own Liberal Party — the elections last year. Liberals continue to remain comfy in the notion of their self-appointed righteousness and the self-delusion that theirs is the popular ideology. True, maybe. Then again, maybe not. Meanwhile, those silent sectors of society go about their day-to-day business, very likely unaffected.
One man’s outrage may be another’s don-t-give-a-shit.
Different location, different situation, and so, different standards.
Because mainstream media control what content hits our screens, they get to determine what the standards are. That’s fine, as long as they also mainatain a running reality check on whether or not those standards remain relevant to the average schmoe.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
To answer the question thus posed: if people who supported DT all the way to the White House are now silent, they are either 1) waiting for further news, since apparently ten days of chaos aren’t enough, or 2) know by now that the manchild they elected is indefensible and irredeemable.
A number of government officials have reached the latter conclusion (only for the aptly named Spicer telling them to get on with the program or fuck off). The acting attorney-general reached that conclusion (only to be fired for doing her job). The media that aren’t Fox, Breitbart, or a host of right-wing sites are doing all they can not to reach that conclusion (only for the aptly named Conway to tell them off at Fox, saying certain media personalities –she doesn’t say who — need to be fired for reporting so truthfully and so negatively on DT).
I’ve long reached that conclusion, but then I loathe people like DT. Now I get that you jerk off to the jackboot, but maybe it’s time that you acknowledge not alternative facts, but real true un-Trumped reality, benign0.
@Pallacertus: Just calling it the way I see it. The only assertion I make here is that whilst Liberals and their media are seemingly singing off the same hymn book and making good use of all the billion-dollar assets media assets at their disposal, it remains to be seen whether or not what they shriek about resonates beyond their comfy beach houses and city condos and into the American heartland. Considering that mainstream media and all these experts had failed to read the public sentiment accurately in 2016 and, as a result, lost that election, well, I’m not gonna be quick to come to conclusions on the matter of who will win this media circus. If you interpret that as me “jerking off to the jackboot”, well, I’ll grant that for you to visualise in your pointed head as you read our brilliant work here. 😀
LOL, un-Trumped reality. I guess the reality in the liberal safe space still refuses to accept that Trump exists, is going to make you uncomfortable, and will not go away, regardless of the degree of political correctness.
The fact that I’m posting here shows that I know who DT is (Answer: Delirium Tremens) and has made not only me but various peoples of whatever ideology not only uncomfortable but enraged.
As for whether he will go away — a lot will depend on whether the Supreme Court calls foul on his most outrageous EOs and on whether the GOP majority in both houses of Congress are bothered enough by the outrage, by DT’s minions’ outbursts against the media, by DT himself pushing through EOs of dubious legality (at best), going so far as to fire the acting attorney-general for doing her job (and smearing her in a press release for the ages — seemingly written by a baby who has never been told “no” his entire life). If either folds… have you read David Frum’s latest article for the Atlantic, Amir?
(Should that happen — since you guys at GRP value unpredictable men, it’s at least a looming possibility — how would you like it?)
It’s also quite disappointing that some emergent “thought leaders” comment on international affairs yet it’s obvious that they haven’t even bothered to watch or listen to an interview of the foreign leaders they discuss. Sigh. And I thought they were quite adept researchers and googlers.
Hey, liberal troll, quit whining and bitching. The days of Liberalism are way over due. People around the world got tired of drinking the Kool aid. As for Trump, he is here to stay. DEAL WITH IT SNOWFLAKES!!!
The anti-Trump comments regarding the immigration ban on certain people from Muslim countries is based on national security. It’s just more America-bashing. The reason is because Trump, unlike Obama, is enforcing current, existing U.S. law. Trump is cracking down on illegal aliens, who are felons by definition. Are countries not allowed to enforce their own laws? Obama broke federal law by refusing to arrest illegal aliens. If I go to the Philippines ( like I did last year), and stay past the 21 days my passport allows me, I am deported and probably blacklisted. I should be because I am an illegal alien in the Philippines; they have the right to kick my ass out and send me back to America. Is that racist because I am Caucasian? No. It’s called the law. If Americans don’t allow people to come here illegally, the Leftists call them Nazis and racists. Mexico sometimes imprisons illegals in their country – but America can’t because the emotionists will cry racism. It’s time for soft people to grow up.
Greg,
I am a liberal myself. I dont cry and dont whine about what DT does. But as far as I know not one person coming from those 7 mentioned countries has ever committed a crime in US. On the other hand, those ‘9/11 terrorists’ all came from other countries not mentioned by DT. Does DT have a hidden agenda? Is he too soft to ban people from Saudi Arabia too bec of his oil interest?
If he wants to do something really good against terrorism then he should ban a lot more countries.
In short: do something good or dont do it at all.
Robert,
Yes I agree that Trump is being selective, which is hypocritical. The U.S. is ‘friends’ with some bad dictatorships, which makes the U.S. complicit in crimes against humanity. I don’t know about his oil interests but there are other countries that ought to be on the list.
Greg,
forget about labeling DT as hypocrite. I am more worried about DT’s supporters and voters who cheered this specific EO. Those supporters may think now that US is safe(r). But again not one person coming from those 7 mentioned countries committed a crime. Now what if a group from KSA will enter US today and hijack a plane and plunch it in the Empire State Building? I am sure it wont happen but thats NOT the point. DT wants to make believe that US is safe(r) now. And thats not true.
So let me ask you,Mr Haighton, are we Americans just going to wait for another 9/11 to happen. The fact of the matter is, the Muslims and their demented culture is not compatible with our American values. We are not as Naive as like the Europeans and look what’s happening to them. This liberalism needs to stop before it destroys humanity. Remember that the NAZIS collaborated with the Muslims in WW2. You can never forget history. Christians and Islam don’t mix. Remember the Crusades. It happen for a Reason.
“This liberalism needs to stop before it destroys humanity.”
How will that happen? How will liberalism destroy humanity?
Just being right doesn’t give the world an obligation to obey you. You still have to work things out to make what you want happen in the world. But if it still doesn’t work out, tough luck. It’s not necessary your fault, but hey, you can’t just say, the world must obey me because I am right.
Question is, are the people who claim to be right really right, or did they just pretend to be?
Obama placed an order of six months ban on Iraqi travelers to U.S., a few years ago…no demonstrators, not even a whimper from the mainstream media.
The ban is where the countries are mostly in conflicts , where terrorists are mostly active. It is not about religion. It is about, the safety of us living in America. The liberal mainstream media, twisted everything. The Hollywood liberals, who are Obama and Hilary Clinton minions are enraged.
Saudi Arabia is fighting with the U.S. , against Radical Islam. They have a new King, who have different approach to radical Islam. Obama and Hilary Clinton refused to call the ISIS and Al Queda terrorists: Radical Islam. The ideology of these people is , the same ideology of the 11th century , Islamist…to conquer territories and convert people to Islam by terrorism…
Who created this mess of refugees anyway ?
It was Obama and Hilary Clinton who empowered the ISIS terrorists to establish their Caliphate in Iraq and Syria. Obama pulled the U.S. troops in Iraq, leaving a vacuum , for the ISIS to fill up. Obama and Hilary Clinton, tried to overthrow, Pres. Bashar Al Ashad of Syria. Obama and Hilary Clinton overthrew Pres. Kadhafy of Lybia. They also tried to overthrow , Pres. Erdogan of Turkey. ISIS and Al Queda came in; and there were conflicts in these countries. People flee the fighting; and become refugees.
Unfortunately, ISIS and Al Queda , put their fighters and terrorists in these fleeing refugees. To enter Europe and the U.S., for the purpose of committing terrorism. Look up, what happened in France, Belgium and Germany…
It is the right move for Pres. Trump, to put a 90 day ban on these refugees; until we can formulate a good vetting system, for anyone entering the U.S. Entering the U.S. is not a right, but, is a privilege granted by the U.S. government…refugees, included…
The Democrat Liberals; theirmainstream media propagandists; the minions of Obama and Hilary Clinton, twisted this Executive Order, as a ban to all Muslims. You can see, how evil these Liberal Democrats are !
I agree with you that Obama created a lot of this refugee mess, but if you read the executive order, it even places a ban on legitimate and already highly vetted Green Card holders who only happened to be out of the country at the time. So they literally couldn’t get back into the country even though they were legitimate! Just because it’s not technically a ban for the entire Muslim world doesn’t make it right.
As for the Iraqi ban – that was because they found evidence that two (just two) Iraqi immigrants were planning to send weapons to Al-Qaeda. Trump’s ban is otherwise completely different because it basically just assumes EVERYONE from those countries is planning to be a terrorist without evidence,. Meanwhile, most of the 9/11 hijackers came from Saudi Arabia , which quietly funds terror operations everywhere even though their King says he wants to fight it.
If you want a more likely group terrorists in North America, maybe you should look to those creepy white kids like Dylann Roof and that mosque shooter Bisonnette.
Yes Potus Donald Trump doesn’t Critisize Barry Soetoro Obama bin lying Saudi Arabia Muslim supporter.
Interesting post. Thank you for sharing.
– Gustavo Woltmann
I would like to think that us fancy coastal liberals are actually getting to know the base we isolated ourselves from by at least pointing out to them how Trump is flipflopping like the salesman he is.
Underneath all those little riots that the mainstream media uses to paint their elitist broad brushes over everyone, you have people actually getting to know their Congressmen and Senators, trying to make sure that the Republicans get kicked with the same obstructionist shoe that they used during Obama’s years in office. The elites still do control enough Senators to get Trump the margins he needs for his appointees like Secretary of State (and Exxon CEO) Tillerson.
But with midterms in 2018, the lessons of the Tea Party aren’t lost on not-rich liberals who know how to use social media as well.
@Frank:
It does not mean that , if you are a green card holder, or a naturalized U.S. citizen. You are not capable of committing terrorism in the U.S. The Executive Order protects people living in the U.S., from terrorism.
You don’t gather evidence of people to commit terrorism. You PREVENT them from committing terrorism, in any way, it can be done…this is a PRE EMPTIVE strike against terrorists.
Most of those terrorists are of the Radical Islamic religion. So, it is just natural to suspect Muslims, to be terrorists…
“An ounce of prevention , is better than a pound of cure”, they usually say …
By object is meant some element in the complex whole that is defined in abstraction from the whole of which it is a distinction.