Righteous Indignation - Book Summary

Discover the conservative battle plan against the Left’s media dominance

The American political landscape has always been a battleground of ideologies, where liberals and conservatives vie for the hearts and minds of the nation. But there's more to this clash than mere policy debates. Andrew Breitbart, a conservative commentator and media visionary, identified a critical front in this ideological war — the media. He contended that the Left's grip on American media and pop culture posed a significant threat to conservative values.

Breitbart's alarm over the media's sway was far from unfounded. He observed liberal ideologies being transmitted through news outlets, television shows, and even via the glamour of Hollywood. His insights form a clarion call to conservatives, encouraging them to understand these tactics and ready themselves to reverse the liberal tide.

As we delve into this narrative, we'll uncover strategies conservative activists can use to navigate and reclaim influence in the media landscape.

We'll explore:

- The reason behind Martin Sheen's public name-calling of President George W. Bush;

- Tactics for engaging journalists and making sure conservative stories gain traction; and

- Why it's crucial for a conservative activist to always be prepared to capture and share video evidence.

Unraveling the entanglement of the political Left and the media

The influence of the political Left in American society is a point of contention fraught with claims of manipulation and control, particularly where the media is involved. To those on the right, there's a sense of alarm about the narratives being spun and the overt alignment of various media platforms with leftist ideologies. Take, for instance, the saga that unfolded during Clarence Thomas's Supreme Court nomination in 1991, which many conservatives see as emblematic of the Left's harmful tactics.

Picture a story of triumph, a son of a sharecropper ascending to the zenith of America's justice system. This was Clarence Thomas— a testament to the American dream. Yet his narrative was marred by allegations of sexual harassment that many on the right viewed as politically motivated attacks, especially considering Thomas's conservative stance on issues like abortion. The media's apparent bias in favor of the Left's narrative during this period was a wake-up call for conservative onlookers.

This episode stoked a growing wariness among conservatives regarding the Democrat-Media Complex, a term coined to describe the symbiotic relationship between the Democratic Party and media outlets. The insinuation is clear: control the narrative, control public opinion. And if the media's portrayal of events is one-sided, the societal scales could tip dangerously.

Indeed, the reach of this influence was magnified during the 2008 presidential election, with media magnates like Oprah Winfrey showcasing Barack Obama on her influential platform, helping cement his public image.

It's within this context that conservatives confront the daunting challenge of countering an entrenched media narrative. And the battlefield has expanded beyond traditional media to the digital frontier—social networks, online videos, and tweets are the new tools of engagement.

One poignant lesson highlighting the power of new media came when the author faced false accusations of inciting violence at a Tea Party event. It was only through video evidence that the narrative was corrected, demonstrating the power and necessity of new media in documenting and disseminating the conservative counter-narrative. This is the new arena where battles of perception and influence are fought — and one that conservatives are learning to navigate more strategically by the day.

The roots of media bias: Tracing back to Marxist philosophy and activist tactics

The dense entanglement of media and politics doesn't have a modern inception but rather can be traced back to the intellectual framework established by the Frankfurt School and its band of Marxist-influenced scholars. During the tumult of World War II, European academics carrying a trove of progressive ideas crossed the Atlantic and brought their critical theories to America's academic and cultural circles.

Enter Herbert Marcuse, a name that might not ring a bell for many but whose ideas echo loudly through the decades. Marcuse was a powerhouse of the Frankfurt School, and he found a receptive audience among the radical youth of the 1960s—those who chanted "Make love, not war" and rebelled against the conventional mores of their parents' generation. A proponent of radical social change, Marcuse suggested a capitalist downfall could be achieved by rallying marginalized groups—ethnic and sexual minorities he saw as a new American proletariat—in lieu of a traditional worker's revolt.

Fast forward, and such perspectives were increasingly reflected in academic curricula, with courses on gender and queer studies garnering space in universities across the United States.

Then, there's Saul Alinsky who took the baton from Marcuse, transforming complex philosophical concepts into actionable tactics for social change. Alinsky, a pragmatic community organizer, had a flair for the theatrically subversive. Imagine his audacious idea for African-Americans to conduct a flatulent protest at a symphony—such stunts underlined his use of ridicule to challenge social norms and pierce through cultural barriers.

Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals" crystallized his strategy into a handbook for the disempowered seeking to upend the established order. His instructions to "pick the target, personalize and polarize it" encapsulate his embrace of the politics of personal destruction. This approach frames political opposition as a clash between absolute good and absolute evil—a tactic which has, arguably, contributed to the deep polarization witnessed in today's political discourse.

Media might and Hollywood clout: A lens on the Left’s cultural dominance

Ponder the true influence of Hollywood's glitterati and the media machine that paves their way. These forces, endowed with the power to shape public perception, have historically played a pivotal role in peddling the Left's messaging. But just how deep does this influence run?

Consider the virulent attacks on President George W. Bush. Even before he took presidential office, liberal platforms were vehemently challenging his legitimacy and painting him in a damaging light. The Florida election results of 2000—which saw Bush declared the victor—sparked a nation-wide campaign challenging his presidency, with slogans such as “Not My President” emblazoned across bumper stickers, seen everywhere from urban highways to the author’s babysitter’s vehicle.

In Hollywood, A-list celebrities like George Clooney, Robert Redford, Susan Sarandon, and Madonna were united in their disapproval, publicly voicing criticism against the Bush administration. The reach of their condemnation knew no bounds when actor Martin Sheen, who portrayed a fictional American president on television, branded Bush a “moron” on international media.

This pervasive pattern of televised and print media attacks highlighted a concerning reality: Hollywood and the media wielded a dangerously potent tool of influence, akin to a Left-serving propaganda machine.

With a drive to check this imbalance, the author set out to shine a light on the often-unseen mechanisms of Leftist information control. His strategy was multifaceted: launch The Huffington Post with Arianna Huffington and let the Left articulate its perspectives for all to witness. His bet was that the more the Left's arguments were seen in the open, the clearer their fallacies would become, exposing a parallel between supposedly neutral outlets like The New York Times and overtly partisan platforms like The Huffington Post.

Yet, in time, the author's alliance with the Left-leaning platform began to chafe against his conservative principles. Feeling the need to assert his own identity and beliefs transparently, he chose to openly align with the Republican cause, knowing full well the complexities involved in navigating and, potentially, recalibrating the intricate machinery of American media and culture.

Conservatives turn to the digital frontier to combat the Left's media stronghold

In an era where traditional media has seemingly been woven into the fabric of left-leaning perspectives, the Right has charted a course through the burgeoning expanse of new media. Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and pioneering news sites such as breitbart.com are democratising the information landscape, offering conservative voices the vehicles they need to mount a counteroffensive against the Left's narrative stronghold.

Harnessing these new channels, the Right seeks to disseminate its message and disrupt the Left's long-standing media dominance. The advent of smartphones, social media, and instantaneous communication has leveled the playing field, providing a powerful arsenal for conservative activism.

The implosion of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) underscores new media’s transformative potential. When activists James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles went undercover, recording damaging consultations within ACORN, they didn't simply hand the recordings to any single news outlet. Instead, they initiated a coordinated release across multiple platforms, from Fox News to YouTube, employing a "drip-drip-drip from everywhere" strategy. Their bombshell revelations, gaining traction through sharing and reposting, epitomized the viral power of new media.

But the Right's strategy must be more nuanced than simply harnessing technology. Prominent Republicans are urged to preempt attacks by laying bare their indiscretions—transparency defuses the Left's inclination to weaponize moral hypocrisy against conservative figures. By owning their narratives and deflating stereotypes, conservatives can weaken the stigma that often shadows the right wing.

Moreover, conservatives are encouraged to be judicious with their news choices while proactively contributing to the mediasphere. It is a call to arms for each individual to engage, to disseminate pivotal narratives, and most importantly, to ensure that compelling conservative stories are told, shared, and heard, unfiltered and beyond the clutch of a biased mainstream media.

The conservative battle cry against the Left's grip on media and culture

In this exploration of modern political warfare, the underlying message is crystal clear: the political Left has long held sway over traditional media and the halls of Hollywood, crafting narratives that often clash with conservative values. What this calls for, the book argues passionately, is an assertive response from the Right, leveraging the democratic capabilities of new media platforms—Twitter, Facebook, and forward-thinking news sites—to challenge and ultimately break the Left's hold on American culture and discourse. Through strategic transparency, concerted dissemination, and an embrace of the digital age's tools, conservatives are beckoned to rise and reclaim their voice in the nation's ongoing ideological saga.