[Peace-discuss] A Dystopic Strategy?

[Phil Stinard]

Fantasies are fine, Mort, but publicly (and personally), I find such 
strategies troublesome.  My guiding principle is that I wouldn't treat 
someone in a way I wouldn't want to be treated.  Privately (and 
impersonally), I wouldn't recommend that someone advertise the fact that 
they were doing it.  I find the following especially troubling:  "At 
critical moments leaks could be given out to disrupt their evil designs."  
Evil designs?  Are you serious, or tongue-in-cheek?

Bottom line to Paul:  If your sister and brother-in-law are open about what 
they're doing, and the Republicans know what they're doing, then maybe they 
can make a postive change in the Republican party.  My parents were 
Republican, and I used to be Republican once, when I was young and carefree. 
  (Guilty pleasure:  I voted for Gerald Ford.  My following votes were 
Anderson, Mondale, Dukakis, and Clinton.  What can I way?  I had a long 
childhood.)  I didn't have the patience to try to effect a change in the 
Republican party, but maybe your family does.

--Phil

>Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2004 22:05:13 -0600
>From: Morton K.Brussel <brussel4 at insightbb.com>
>Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] A Dystopic Strategy?
>To: "Paul M. King" <pmking at uiuc.edu>
>Cc: peace-discuss at lists.cu.groogroo.com
>Message-ID: <B90D8D82-32CD-11D9-81F3-000502314E22 at insightbb.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
>
>Hi Paul,
>
>Interesting letter. I've been  fantasizing recently about the
>possibility of infiltrating the Republican (and Democratic) parties,
>ultimately leading into the executive branch and other government
>agencies. There is a need to penetrate the cloak of silence and secrecy
>which exists there so as to confront and destabilize them. This would
>require committed activists willing to join the two party politics and
>work to gain the confidence of their leaders; moles. We could then play
>the same tricks on them as they play on us. At critical moments leaks
>could be given out to disrupt their evil designs. I feel we need spies
>on our own government. Your sister and her husband thus have an idea
>which could be a step in this direction, although their motives are
>somewhat different.
>
>Just a thought.
>
>Mort
>
>On Nov 9, 2004, at 1:25 PM, Paul M. King wrote:
>
> > [I'm interested in hearing what others think about these
> > tactics. My sister and brother-in-law are thoroughly
> > frustrated and are thinking about joining the Republican
> > party. I'll forward your thoughtful replies to them. Thanks.
> > ..:: paul king]
> >
> > ---- Original message ----
> >> Date: Sun, 7 Nov 2004 11:25:12 -0700
> >> From: "Tom Corbet" <tcorbet7 at comcast.net>
> >> Subject: RE: [Peace-discuss] fun with maps
> >> To: "'Paul M. King'" <pmking at uiuc.edu>
> >>
> >> Dear Paul,
> >>
> >> My spouse is considering a rather interesting move to counter the
> >> evangelical movement in this country; he may join the
> > Republican party.
> >> I'm not very good at stating his rationale(s) for possibly
> > doing this, so if
> >> you're interested in details you would need to ask him.
> > Basically, it's
> >> like infiltration, hoping to bring the Republicans to their
> > senses that they
> >> have many, many party members who don't like the political
> > evolution they're
> >> witnessing and want a return to more moderate positions...
> > interesting
> >> concept.  I think all the appalled Democrats and Republicans
> > who can't bear
> >> the polarization of this country and the threat of a legal
> > theocracy
> >> emerging, should ban together and form a party called
> > REDEMption.  I suspect
> >> if something like this solidly developed, maybe at least a
> > few big political
> >> names might be persuaded to join, like McCain, Chaffee,
> > Obama, Feingold,
> >> etc.  I'm sure this idea has been floated many times through
> > the years - now
> >> is the time to act.  After all, the Republican party had it's
> > birth in the
> >> 1850's, when the country was so deeply divided on slavery, in
> > order to
> >> provide a moderate, centrist position - hence President
> > Abraham Lincoln.  If
> >> it worked once, it can work again.  I'm sure a party like
> > this wouldn't be
> >> as liberal as I would like it, but it's a hell of a lot
> > better than the
> >> political "Inquisition" that is now taking shape.
> > _______________________________________________
> > Peace-discuss mailing list
> > Peace-discuss at lists.cu.groogroo.com
> > http://lists.cu.groogroo.com/cgi-bin/listinfo/peace-discuss