I don't know how many individuals use twitter (not to be confused with the number if identities on twitter, since one individual can have multiple identities to the extent of creating "an army of one"...), but there is a sort of discussion list, akin (for those of your who don't tweet) to the "threaded topics" on Usenet, called "#iamthemob". As far as I can tell, its raison d'être is to oppose, regardless of merit, any-and-all health care reform proposals made by non-Republicans.
The "mob" epithet, one should note, was directed towards a minority of people who do not attend town halls so as to participate in question-and-answer opportunities, or even to debate, but rather, to stop the democratic process by simply generating enough noise to drown out anyone who is either genuinely seeking answers to their health-care questions, or who
Now, granted I am only an eggplant, but I personally would much prefer to be a part of something called #IAmTheCogentOppossition. (If you don't know the meaning of the word "cogent", that's OK, this should help you out: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=cogent+defin.)
Although it's always dangerous to assume, I do assume that at least some people feel that "iamthemob" is supposed to protest the oversimplistic generalizing of any and all conservatives as being part of the above-referenced raucous group. The problem with that is, the only thing others can actually observe is behavior, not intent, and adopting mob behavior, or even a mob epithet, is not very condusive to having one's views perceived as being worth consideration. It's simply the nature of human nature that people tend to look askance at those who choose to associate themself with something that's widely perceived as being negative.
The fact is that many, and perhaps even most, people do have some legitimate concerns over various issues related to the different iterations of the proposed health care bill, but the way to have one's concerns heard is not to merely shout at the top of one's lungs along with some number of other people who are simultaneously shouting other things at the top of their lungs . That is what mobs do.
The plain fact is that there is a difference between debate, even passionate debate, and mob behavior. There is also a very real difference between people who have specific concerns about health care reform, and those who simply want to halt any process that might include opinions which differ from their own.
I personally don't give a hang whether people who behave like a mob are organized or not, are funded by insurance companies or not; I don't care what politicas a mob participant claims to esposue, or what car they drive, or whetehr they never ever pick their nose. In practical reality, what is relevant is not their intent, but whether their behavior infringes upon everyone else's freedom of expression, everyone else's right to have their concerns heard and taken into consideration by their duely-elected officials. If it is the case that such infringement occurs, and most especially if it is deliberate, then yes, it's mob behavior, regardless of each participating individual's intent. And no, saying that does not "pass judgement" on any individual - as stated, all that anyone can observe is behavior, and let's be honest: nobody is "perfect", and even the most patient, caring, "good" person can sometimes fall into bad behaviors, and criticizing thse bad behaviors is in no way a "judement" that the individual is "a bad person". (I only mention that fact because the difference, although important, seems to increasingly be overlooked, resulting in an increase in, well, bad behavior. )
Perhaps the saddest part of mob behavior is that the above-mentioned infringement also affects people who might have been potential allies, but who instead become disgusted with the tactics of intmidation and bullying that characterize a mob.
And so, I don't understand why or how it would be a point of pride to voluntarily associate oneself with any mob, regardless of its supposed political leanings, because ultimately, a mob is not about views or concerns or thoughts - a mob is about raw unfiltered negative passion, and no mob has ever solved any problem; the only thing a mob can do is bulldoze, and possibly destroy completely, something which exists - solutions only come later, after the blood has soaked into the ground and tempers have become exhausted.
What exists is at least some measure of a democratic process, the liberty to debate issues. If this is being bulldozed, what is supposed take its place?
I think this is a question each individual should aske before proudly stating that he or she "is the mob", and then consider the possibility that it is perhaps better to dissociate from any mob, and participate in cogent debate rather than exercise censorship-by-noise.
Of course, again, I'm only an eggplant, so...
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