The Coming of Age of a Two+ Century Stratagem
Our state stands on the precipice of potency or collapse, as does our nation. The November elections will decide which one it is; whether Oklahoma voters rescue or surrender their state. They will confront grave circumstances on their way up to the polls to counteract and avert our state's handoff to enemy powers. Of the numerous factors and solutions before 2022's voters, a first could be to sideline typical Republican partyism to encourage singlemindedness. Taking on the stack of issues before us ought to be the highest priority. Because the situation, as it is now, resembles a household that wakes to see its world turned upside down. Although it seems all the screaming, infighting, and fist-shaking must be tamed, the truth is what lies outside the house poses the more significant threat. However, the infighters have become addicted to fighting, shredding the home's foundations. What is the answer? It redirects the fighter's faces toward the window to see their squabbles as more of an instrument, a divisive device, than discord between them. Take the following scenario as an example.
The Benevolents & the Apprehensibles
Two years ago, the Benevolent family met new friends. The two families hit it off immediately, happily sharing common goals and ideas. It seemed they could not find a difference of opinion on anything. You name the subject, and both groups readily agree on it. Their blossoming friendship continued for the better part of a year as the friendship grew. They socialized together, dined, and went to various venues together, many of them political. The meetings they attended concerned the Benevolents who dismissed their concerns as the give and take part of the relationship. The two families were inseparable, even their children. Coming up on the end of their first full year of friendship, the Apprehensible family fell on hard times. Bad business deals and economic downturns caused them to lose most of what they had gained over the years. Lastly, the Apprehensible family lost their home and, with no money to save it, were forced out of it. No matter. Their friendship with the Benevolents came to the rescue, and they opened their magnificent home to their new family friend. What could be more perfect? Now neither of them would have to travel to meet up. They would just gather at the center of the very spacious Benevolent home. The families' daily mingling gradually gave way to routine, and while everyone was thrilled with the arrangement, normalcy eventually settled in.
On the surface, things were great, but suddenly conversations changed. Criticisms became more frequent and hurtful. The shared ideas that brought them steadily turned out not to be the same at all. Somehow the Apprehensible family becomes something else altogether. Subtilty dinners and game nights became conflicts as the Benevolents were asked to see the Apprehensibles as their mentor. They knew how life should be lived, and power was won. Even this, in the beginning, did not bother the Benevolents who thought they could use a little more sophistication. Conversations ceased to be lively and fun and grew increasingly grave as the Apprehensibles assumed the role of the Benevolent's thought leaders, and it took some time for them to realize it.
The Apprehensibles got the point that they ceaselessly dismantled the Benevolent's views, values, beliefs, and family culture. Slowly the Apprehensibles undid everything that made the Benevolents who they were, from home décor to childrearing, to self-improvements and consciousness. It was fair game for the Apprehensibles, the last domain being politics and government. The Apprehensibles weaved their preferences in every conversation. The Benevolents were no longer free to question what they were told but cunningly manipulated into accepting it at face value. Over time, the Benevolents noticed their family was being shredded. Their children became moody and sullen, constantly venting their dissatisfaction with their life. The parents found their once fertile lines of communication eroding as they could no longer hear each other as they once did.
The Apprehensibles had done their job well, but the Benevolents were not ready to let go of the friendship for several reasons. The main one being they could not accept that they had misread the Apprehensibles. They were not prepared to say this supposed fun-loving, charismatic family duped them. Inwardly, the Benevolents agonized over the idea of welcoming and embedding the Apprehensibles in their lives and home. These were scary thoughts for the Benevolents; as their blinders melted away, they found themselves trapped. Their desire for intelligent conversation and innovative thinking caused them to drop their guard, although they were usually naturally suspicious. But the Apprehensibles were masters at concealment. Their camouflage stealth was honed to fine art to portray and display anything their targets wanted to see.
Whatever they responded to favorably, Apprehensibles became, socially and psychologically morphing into whatever the Benevolents yearned for in a friendship. Adoration, flattery, consensus, recreation, you name it, the Apprehensibles were skilled at it. To isolate what would help them reach their consciousness conversion goal with the Benevolents. They entered the Benevolent's world to seduce, recruit and overpower them and their children. The Republican Party is the Benevolents, and the Democratic Socialists are the Apprehensibles. Benign acquaintances become subversive friends that mask their recruitment objectives and overthrow agendas beneath warm, only here to help veneers.
When the Benevolents realized what had happened, they were already entangled with the Apprehensible for many things. Their lives and privacies were vulnerable and exploitable, not to mention their seclusion from all of their other relationships on account of the Apprehensibles unexpected hostility toward what they stood for; not to mention the Benevolents found themselves and their identities lost in the Apprehensibles ideologies. Unaware, they were added to the rolls of a
machine they knew little about and would have avoided if their Apprehensibles had not been so charming and liberating.
To be continued...
Learn more about Dr. Paula Price and her political leadership initiatives at https://www.meetpaulaprice.com/about-my-political-leadership