Dear HCN,
In Jon Margolis’ article
on “property rightsniks’ (HCN, 6/5/00: Can ‘property rightsniks’
stop a popular bill?), he says, “Mainly, though, the very
irrationality of the opponents is rational. Their purpose is not to
make sense, nor even to win votes, but to oppose, and to prosper
while doing it. Cushman’s American Land Rights Association is a
(perfectly legal) racket. It flourishes by keeping its constituents
as upset as possible; the angrier they get, the faster flow the
direct-mail contributions.”
This startling
diatribe precisely describes one of the central dilemmas of modern
politics and is characteristic of all special interest groups,
including environmental groups. On my desk as I write is a
direct-mail appeal from the Sierra Club that consists of 10
separate pieces, including a form letter to Rep. Barbara Cubin. “I
am appalled by the federal government’s participation in the
reckless destruction of these precious lands by logging interests’
is the angry language someone wishes me to mouth on their behalf,
after contributing $15 to $100′. There is a special free gift and
color pictures and sound bite spin and endless blather necessary
for the special interest group, in this case the Sierra Club, to
prosper and keep up the flow of direct-mail
contributions.
Another example from Wyoming is
the Equality State Policy Center, invariably described as a “good
government watchdog group.” They are a special interest group with
an agenda, accountable to their donors and no more endowed with
righteousness than you or I. What I object to is the spin, the
media’s willingness to wink and apply white hat/black hat labels,
when the nature of modern politics – politics since the dawn of
time – is the clash of interests. It is necessary for us each to
see those interests clearly, to see through the refraction of spin.
Interesting to see the pot call the kettle
black.
Fred
Parady
Rock Springs, Wyoming
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline When the pot calls the kettle black.
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