A Reply to Joe Repya’s, “I’m Tired”

Effectively Countering Right Wing Talking Points: An Exercise In Exposing Highly Flawed Assumptions and Premises

This page is dedicated to creating and documenting effective communications with people who fiercely defend deeply entrenched beliefs based on objectively weak and/or logically corrupt rationale.

I will attempt to break down each separate bumper sticker grievance of “I’m Tired” by Joe Repya (a strongly vocal supporter of the current war in Iraq), to it’s rational origins as well as counterpoint each grievance. I invite you to do the same. The entire “I’m Tired” text appears below and as individual sections of text on separate pages so extensive commenting can be focussed on each of Joe’s points.

The Historical Situation:
I was reading an interesting post on alternet.org titled, “Fighting Words: How to Humiliate — and Convert — a Right-Winger”, By John Dolan, AlterNet. Posted March 25, 2008. Dolan’s perspective is that progressives should use more of a ‘fight fire with fire’ approach relative to communicating with die hard “right-wingers”.  He suggests that the progressive and peace communities drop the use of politically correct and courteous conversation in favor of employing a more aggressive and jocular “in your face” mocking and mean spirited sparring tone.

The article was not the best composed piece but the topic was hot, over 400 comments have been  posted to date…after all, these were fighting words! Needless to say, I could not resist a response. I wrote a reply titled, “Silence Is Not An Option”, where I proceeded to recount my own general experience with engaging aggressively in conflict in order to find a way around, over, under or through someone else’s walls of rationalized self defense to earn mutual respect.

A few hours after my original post, I received a reply titled, “RE: Indeed, silence is not an option, (unless you happen to be on the other side like THIS soldier)”. The author of this comment just cut and pasted a written statement titled, “I’m Tired” by Joe Repya, Lieutenant Colonel, U. S. Army 101st Airborne Division; a 60 year old career soldier who served in Vietnam and the current Iraq War.  The body of Joe Repya’s statement repetitively uses the phrase, “I’m tired of…”, before describing every point on a list of gripes against people involved the progressive and peace movements or people who feel they have the right to express views contrary to his strong support for the war in Iraq.

I have to admit that when I first read the posted quote, I thought it was a manufactured right wing propaganda piece. Joe’s sentiments are chocked so full of standard republican play book, bumper sticker catch phrases with no reliable supportive empirical evidence…I had to google and wiki his name just to make sure that he is a real character.

After some brief research, I found out Joe is a real person who has ran (unsuccessfully) for elected office in Minnesota and is still running (extremely low in the polls as of this posting) for another office in the same state. As it turns out, his “I’m Tired” spiel is still pretty popular among some folks on the right side of the political spectrum; so popular that they often quote and spread it in across media.

I believe the popularity of “I’m Tired” is due to the fact that it resonates well with people who have found rationalized security by buying into the right-wing standard talking points being regurgitated by a military (trusted) man with “the perspective of first hand experience”. In fact, I think this is the very demographic and the very ignorant rhetoric we need to challenge with a more objective, rational, compassionate and humanely moral but popularly catchy set of talking points.

My Original Reply to The Main Article by John Dolan:

Silence Is Not An Option!
In my personal experience I have found myself [sometimes] afraid to incite conflict for fear of retribution.  However, when I have chosen to confront bullies and people who are mean spirited, I acted aggressively, engaged in conflict and earned respect. I have experienced on more than one occasion that when I engage in heated conflict I have earned respect but only in cases where I have spoken or acted from the objectively moral higher ground. Alternatively, I have also found that by engaging people in rational debate with strong principal can be quite effective too.

In both cases, I have found it productive to always direct my points to attack my opponents ego; the same strategy my opponent will ultimately use. The whole dynamic seems to revolve around defending one’s sense of self pride. I have earned respect by challenging another person’s ego until the point where I have shown that I will not be steamrolled. It’s all about finding a way around, over, under or through someone else’s walls of rationalized self defense to earn respect. Once this point of tension has been reached, often a mutual respect of one’s adversary can be achieved. People often become good friends in this way and sometimes bitter enemies too.

In any case, we progressives need to continue to communicate our messages and challenge the very logic and premises that our aggressive opponents spew forth on a regular basis. In this regard, my contribution to the effort is focussed on providing progressives with a means to broadly disseminate their voices whether boldly and publicly or quietly and discreetly. Repetitive messaging works, it’s the basis of advertising, learning and propaganda; let’s use it effectively and with great frequency.

One thing is for sure; silence is not a viable option if you care about bringing America back from the brink of social implosion.

The Original “I’m Tired” text:

“I’m Tired”
by Joe Repya, Lieutenant Colonel, U. S. Army 101st Airborne Division
followed by an interview

Two weeks ago, as I was starting my sixth month of duty in Iraq, I was forced to return to the USA for surgery for an injury I sustained prior to my deployment. With luck, I’ll return to Iraq to finish my tour.

I left Baghdad and a war that has every indication that we are winning, to return to a demoralized country much like the one I returned to in 1971 after my tour in Vietnam. Maybe it’s because I’ll turn 60 years old in just four months, but I’m tired:

I’m tired of spineless politicians, both Democrat and Republican who lack the courage, fortitude, and character to see these difficult tasks through.

I’m tired of the hypocrisy of politicians who want to rewrite history when the going gets tough.

I’m tired of the disingenuous clamor from those that claim they ’Support the Troops’ by wanting them to ’Cut and Run’ before victory is achieved.

I’m tired of a mainstream media that can only focus on car bombs and casualty reports because they are too afraid to leave the safety of their hotels to report on the courage and success our brave men and women are having on the battlefield.

I’m tired that so many Americans think you can rebuild a dictatorship into a democracy over night.

I’m tired that so many ignore the bravery of the Iraqi people to go to the voting booth and freely elect a Constitution and soon a permanent Parliament.

I’m tired of the so called ’Elite Left’ that prolongs this war by giving aid and comfort to our enemy, just as they did during the Vietnam War.

I’m tired of antiwar protesters showing up at the funerals of our fallen soldiers. A family who’s loved ones gave their life in a just and noble cause, only to be cruelly tormented on the funeral day by cowardly protesters is beyond shameful.

I’m tired that my generation, the Baby Boom — Vietnam generation, who have such a weak backbone that they can’t stomach seeing the difficult tasks through to victory.

I’m tired that some are more concerned about the treatment of captives than they are the slaughter and beheading of our citizens and allies.

I’m tired that when we find mass graves it is seldom reported by the press, but mistreat a prisoner and it is front page news.

Mostly, I’m tired that the people of this great nation didn’t learn from history that there is no substitute for Victory.