Commentary: The Democratic Party and the power of projection | Nvdaily

In the pages of the Daily, Democrats consistently label members of the Republican Party as “fascists” and other derogatory names. As a member of the Republican Party who grew up in a Democratic household, I find this deeply disturbing. I contend that all people are individuals and should not be categorized or labeled into distinct groups and doing so impedes progress in establishing a constructive dialogue between parties who share differing opinions.

I recall from my college psychology classes that there is a phenomenon known as “projection.” Projection is defined as “the ego defending itself against highly negative parts of the self by denying their existence in themselves and attributing them to others, breeding a misunderstanding … projection incorporates blame shifting. ”Wow it appears that one political party uses this method to accuse us of what they are doing!

While Democrats accuse Republicans of being fascists, they are the political party that manipulates and distorts the news for political gain. The suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop story by Facebook prior to the 2020 election and the recent revelation of censorship at Twitter vindicate this statement. Democrats consistently suppress free speech and then cancel those who do not hold their progressive views. It is rather ironic that those who backed the free speech movement in the 1960s have now become today’s thought police and censors.

Democrats accuse Republicans of a “war on women” but yet they work to eradicate the concept of gender. Women’s hard-won gains in high school and college sports through years of effort have been wiped out through their push for “gender fluidity.”

Democrats accuse America of “colonialism” and “systematic” corruption while they have seized control of nearly all of America’s cultural institutions: primary and secondary education, the media, the entertainment industry and Big Tech. We and our children are told not only what to think but how to think or suffer the consequences.

Why does the Democratic Party do this? The answer is quite simple “Accuse your enemy of what you are doing, as you are doing it to create confusion.” The above quote has been attributed to both Karl Marx and Saul Alinsky. Many on the left today are a disciple and intellectual descendant of both — Hillary Clinton wrote her college thesis on Alinsky. This tactic was also employed by Joseph Goebbels, chief propagandist for the Nazi party. Germany cleverly accused their enemies of what they themselves were doing.

I am advocating my fellow Republicans give the Democrats a stiff dose of their own medicine — projection — NO! If we are ever to solve the many and complex issues facing this nation, we must put partisan politics aside and work for the greater good. Ronald Reagan consistently reached across the aisle to not only Democratic opponents but to the “Evil Empire” of the Soviet Union without compromising his conservative principles for the betterment of mankind. Perhaps there is a lesson here …

James R. Poplar III, of Quicksburg, proudly served with the U.S. government for over 40 years. He specialized in national security affairs at both Vanderbilt and the National Defense University.