The political climate is heating up even more since the health care bill passed. I understand that an overwhelming majority of the American people want it repealed. People are angry at the process that was used to get this bill passed as well as the fact that it did pass. I don’t agree with what the President and Democrats have done either, but this is NOT the way to persuade your case! I’ve been preaching about speaking in grace and with respect for YEARS, especially when it comes to political and religious issues. Not only is speaking with respect, godly and morally right, it’s simply more effective.
Notice how he puts his hand on the shoulder of those he tries to “interview.” This is, in my opinion, disrespectful and disingenuous. Then he thanks them for what they have done just before he lowers the boom and admits why he is really there. This is not just disingenuous, but a lie. Once you lie, are disrespectful or rude, there is no way to be persuasive. Using these tactics may look funny to those who agree with you, but they are not helpful in getting your point across. They are actually contradictory to his stated purpose of getting answers from these representatives. Even if the idea was to “show them up”, it would have been much more effective, to have asked the question respectfully and honestly and waited for them to entangle themselves in their answer to specific questions.
Being disrespectful not only isn’t effective, but it gives the other person a reason to dismiss you and what you say. I suspect very few would think of Mr. Mattera as a serious journalist and that gives the other side reason to dismiss him (and other conservatives) as a lunatic.
Here is blogger/journalist Jason Mattera being interviewed and lectured by Bill O’Reilly:
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