Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsGov. Scott Walker's feelings are hurt, here's why that doesn't matter
Gov. Scott Walkers feelings are hurt, heres why that doesnt matter
Responding to party criticism by tearing apart entire party only fosters environment where anger is invalid form of expression
by Lucas Johnson · May 1, 2018 fShare tTweet
Joey Reuteman/The Badger Herald
Anger is a funny thing. It consistently toes the line between fueling passionate movements and inciting unproductive and obnoxious debate. Anger was the fuel behind the Civil Rights Movement, the Womens Marches and the March for Our Lives, fuel motivated by an intense desire for equality and fair treatment. Anger is also unfortunately behind the oppositions to all such movements.
Anger has the power to build an influential socio-political movement from scratch and fuel an intense and equally vigorous opposition to that movements messages simultaneously. Anger is what attracted more than one million demonstrators into the streets to shed light on the mistreatment of women spurred on by our current administration. Anger is also what fuels television anchors on Fox News to ignorantly condemn the movement entirely and question its validity in the first place.
For all its faults, however, anger is an unparalleled source of action. Feeling that burning sensation inside rarely manifests in a passive attitude. Its nearly impossible to completely ignore a feeling of unbridled anger. Even in commonplace interactions, if those closest to you feel angry, theyre going to let you know in some capacity. As such, anger is a perfectly valid form of expression and one that, at a base level, fosters action something intrinsic to political activism.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, however, has not addressed anger from his opponents as input into how his administration can improve. Instead, Walker labels angry individuals as harmful to our democracy, thinking for some reason this is a productive use of his voice as state leader. In a recent segment of Fox and Friends, Walker had this to say about Democratic anger: Their rhetoric is increasingly not just liberal, but filled with hatred and anger towards me, towards the president, towards Republicans in general.
Walker shockingly wasnt finished there, citing cases in which his integrity as governor was called to question. In a January issue of the Hudson-Star Observer, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tony Evers referred to Walker as an idiot after Walker rejected federal Medicaid matching funds.
To top it all off, Walker mentioned a radio interview in which fellow gubernatorial candidate Matt Flynn had a scathing review of Walkers fitness for the governorship, saying hes too stupid to be governor.
Walkers outright criticism of Democratic anger is effectively framed as a defense of conservatism. Im sure hes not a fan of being called an idiot, but if his immediate strategy in addressing this criticism is to publicly tear apart an entire party, hes doing himself and the public no favors.
In any political role, criticism is inherent to the job and Walker should know this. Sitting in front of a camera on a heavily-followed conservative news program to essentially say my feelings are hurt is not the role of a political leader. Id go so far as to say this hyper-defensive response is Trumpian. While the words used by Democratic criticizers arent particularly productive, Walkers response is less so.
Heres why.
Walkers comment on Fox and Friends criticizes not just an angry Democratic response, but decries anger as a form of expression at all. Walker has every right to disagree with liberal perspectives, thats a primary role of conservative politicians its why we have parties in the first place. But Walker has no right to delegitimize the expression of anger in any capacity.
By publicly fostering a political environment where anger is not to be tolerated is to encourage an environment where stagnation and submissiveness reign high. A silencing of the loud, the proud and the passionate does nothing but reinforce a system where criticism is met with rampant defense rather than concerted administrative improvement.
Defense is as natural to humans as anger. But like anger, both can be controlled. Should Evers and Flynn have insulted Walker so childishly? Most likely not. But should Walker have abused his platform to deepen divides between parties? Absolutely not.
Perhaps if Walker took such criticism as fuel for improvement, he wouldnt feel the need to call to question an entire partys voice in the first place.
Lucas Johnson (lucasjohnson@badgerherald.com) is a sophomore majoring in journalism and strategic communications.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
3 replies, 824 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (3)
ReplyReply to this post
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Gov. Scott Walker's feelings are hurt, here's why that doesn't matter (Original Post)
jodymarie aimee
May 2018
OP
Eliot Rosewater
(31,096 posts)1. One needs to know only ONE thing about this vile prick
This horrid woman has 3 billion in the bank, for real, and her biggest concern is firemen being paid too much.
GOD i HATE these FUCKING people
Heartstrings
(7,349 posts)2. He needs to go!
GOTV against Walker!
Blue Owl
(49,902 posts)3. I recall a recent T-shirt I saw some tRump supporters wearing
Said something along the lines of "FUCK YOUR FEELINGS"