Complaining as a job title

No solutions, just intimidate and irritate

In the last few posts we've established three premises about the chronic complainers (CC). (They are the ones demonstrating and demanding that Costa Mesa authorize more police positions and that the Mayor drop his lawsuit against the police union.)

First, they aren't well informed. Next, they haven’t established credibility. And finally, they aren't making logical arguments. (1, 2, 3) We've also shown that their stands on two comparable issues are opposite – regardless of the principle involved they choose to oppose the Mayor’s position. (4)

Single-source complaints

A brief survey of two week’s articles and comments in the OC Register and the Daily Pilot suggests that the letter-to-the-editor writers have a common source for their demands. Either coincidentally or deliberately, they are following standard propaganda guidance: they try to make it seem that a slogan or idea is universal by repeating it and by sourcing it through several venues.

 

We've also watched bogus agitation and exploitation used to build furious “outrage” about 100 feet of volunteer trail improvement and a turnaround planned more than a decade ago for Fairview Park. They've suddenly shown sad-faced concern about protecting Native American artifacts that might remain in the Park area. And, they've recruited Newport Beach’s Banning Ranch protesters for more volume. The CC must enjoy marching with signs and apparently feel compelled to discharge their outrage-de jour during Council and Commission meetings.

Will it matter

Although there’s been a lot of noise and venom, few Costa Mesans have been affected yet. This is similar to historical events in which a few loud, often obnoxious people affected the well-being of many. The example of Nazi Germany is prominent; the Nazis started with very few members but they were loud, repetitive – and they faced a large population who didn't want to get involved.

If that occurs in Costa Mesa, what is best for Costa Mesa will be ignored and what is best for some small, special interest groups will prevail. The special interest groups to fear, in our opinion, aren't the youth sports enthusiasts. They are the Anti-Righeimer/ Mensinger groups who hide behind their “concerns” about police, park and Native American artifacts to make political attacks.

Trained well or did their homework

Alinsky taught principles of forcing administrations to bend to your will in the 1960’s, writing the definitive text (at the time) on agitation (5). Propaganda experts advise that repeating a message endlessly makes it become accepted as truth. More recently, and closer, a law-firm published their “playbook” of cynical advice about forcing local government to agree to what police unions demand. Alinsky’s rules, propaganda principles, and the playbook are being followed.

Fueling so much tumult, even though the number of participants is small, takes a lot of time and money. We have to ask, cui bono? That is, who benefits?

Next, our final post on this: Could the CC be right? 

1) Cops and mayor’s suit:  Here

2) Police studies: Here

3) Broken window: Here

4) Different stands -- same principle: Here

5) Rules: Here

    and Here