The Martyr Game

Every political movement yearns to produce martyrs.  If no real martyrs exist, then martyrs have to be invented.  When I was younger and foolish, I joined many political movements and every one of them, without exception, had its martyrs.

In the great tradition of the Tawana Brawley hoax, yet another phony martyr seems to have appeared on the scene, Kansas University Professor Paul Mirecki.  Read Michelle Malkin for the bizarre details.  Mirecki claims to have been assaulted by Christian fundamentalists wielding an iron rod, but he mysteriously escaped serious injury.  Two pickup truck driving rednecks assault a wimp college professor with an iron rod, and the prof suffers only a bruise or two?  Give me a break.  How did Mirecki escape these thugs, get back in his car and drive away?  His story is a blatant hoax.  (This will not stop his political allies from believing him.)

Why do political movements salivate over martyrs?  Somehow, the existence of martyrs is supposed to prove the abiding evil and viciousness of the other side.  That evil and viciousness are universal human characteristics… well, you can’t say that. 

The underlying statement of all political groups, when they play the martyr game is:  “All good, peaceable and decent people believe as we do.  People who disagree with us are violent, mean spirited sons of bitches, likely to commit murder and mayhem for the sheer joy of it.”

When I was younger, I was an ardent leftist.  As I’ve aged, I’ve become much more conservative.  Years of association with both leftists and rightists has convinced me that people are just about the same everywhere, no matter their political affiliation.  Violence, hatred and evil exist within the human heart.  We are sinners.  Thus, every political group is capable of violence, hatred and evil.  No exceptions.

Mirecki’s story appears to be to be bunk.  Mirecki obviously understands the need of all political movements to embrace a martyr, and he’s playing the martyr game for all it’s worth.

Comments

[Peter]

An absurd story ... so now we have to deal with Christian fundamentalist vigilante gangs?

[actus]

Conservatives are really good at spotting faulty intelligence.