slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Marina Medvin

Posted: Apr 26, 2018 12:01 AM

(The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent the views of Townhall.com.)

Mob mentality is a fascinating aspect of human nature, but a dangerous one.

Mob mentality, group identity, and group-think describe the same type of human behavior - actions that individuals take when coming under the influence of a group, doing irrational things that are not in their individual best interest, losing their self-awareness.

Mob mentality is so dangerous that states will legislate extra penalties for crimes committed by mobs, in an attempt to dissuade mob crimes. In Virginia, for example, there are about a dozen offenses specifically addressing mob crimes. And every individual who is in a mob is held responsible for the acts of the mob, showing legislative understanding of the mob as a conspiracy and the participants as accomplices.

In the history of politics, humans have used political mobs to commit lynchings of African Americans, anti-Semitic atrocities throughout Europe, and destruction of businesses in American cities. Political mobs were responsible for bringing the N**is to power in Germany, and political mobs were responsible for bringing the C*******ts to power in Russia.

More recent political mobs included widespread littering of our nations’ capital and publicly burning swastikas in celebration of the political party that caused the war that achieved the most deaths of any war in human history. Mobs are dangerous. Mobs are bad.

And yet we see political mobs in Congress. We see politicians endorsing ideas not in congruity with their beliefs, but in conformity with their party, with their mob. For example, Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) recently compared how politicians in US Congress endorsed similar letters warning the President about commencing offensive strikes against Syria without congressional approval. In 2013, while Barack Obama was president, 119 republicans and only 21 democrats signed the letter. In 2018, during the Trump presidency, 73 democrats and only 15 republicans signed an almost identical letter. “Very few of us signed both,” Amash observed. Addressing the disparities, Amash noted that “something else is at work at the macro level: double standards, selective outrage, and hypocrisy.” I agree with him but I add mob mentality to the list.

Surely these politicians would, on an individual basis, believe that congressional approval is either required or not under identical circumstances. Their ability to all of a sudden distinguish the law on behalf of their party is just what it seems - an excuse, to act in conformity with their party mob. (more)

https://townhall.com/columnists/marinamedvin/2018/04/26/the-danger-of-political-party-mobs-n2474515

Rose42

Good article. It takes courage to free yourself from the herd. I wish more would forget about party and do whats in the best interest of the country.

Canuckus Deploracus Loc: North of the wall

One would almost expect there to be a mechanism in government to check such practices....

Although a constituency that was politically aware might be check enough...

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

Good article. When one is inside a mob, not conforming can be fatal ( literally and politically ).

plainlogic

Well, it has to do with the media first. The DemonRATS are the conductors and the main stream medias are the orchester. together they play the liberal mob, the mob with no thinking or common sense, they follow the lead from the f**e news.

These medias run their organizations like Goebbels run his N**i enlightenment and propaganda machine; to manipulate the populace who are susceptible to be manipulated by buzz words.
The Democrats and rinos together have operated like this for decades, the masses of citizens had thoughts something was amiss for decades but had no concrete facts to support their beliefs. Today though? yes, those beliefs have come to fruition. Trump HAS brought to light what has been going on with the manipulation of the Government mob, they are no more different than the mafiosi; they are able to do this with the Government power and purse strings.

When, are the masses of US citizens going to the polls and clean out the Politicians mafiosi rule that's in Washingtons political houses, when? What has been brought to light should sting the heart of all patriots.

bahmer

Amen and Amen spot on there Rose we elected individuals not mobs.

debeda

This is so true. Border security comes to mind, when it's in the best interests of the people the mob mentality v**es against it. Infanticide another.

debeda

politically aware AND not ignored by their elected "representatives ".

Rose42

I don't like the term demonrats though it is applicable to some individuals. Just as 'repuke' is applicable to some individuals.

The blame can't be put on the shoulders of the democrats for republicans do the same thing and you can bet if all the stations were right biased instead of left they'd likely be just fine with that. Both have propaganda machines and both are pretty darn good at what they do. There is another group that has no party affiliation that has its own propaganda. But we won't talk about that.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Thank you, Rose, for your usual reasoned response.

plainlogic

There is:In most cases, a federal investigation is triggered by the filing of a credible crime report. That's the start of spin.

This is why, when factions within Government political offices are threatened by wh**ever, they do just what has been done by them for decades. They start with disparagements, when that fails, they parse verbiage to initiate investigations.

Case in point: During Hillary Clinton's debacle of hidden e-mails, bleach bit, smashing cell phones destroying the SIM cards etc. Don't forget about Huma Abedin mails to husband Weiner.

Her use of a private email server as secretary of state and got caught, saying she "made a mistake" ( it was a mistake she got caught )

There were classified docs sent in Emails but were destroyed, bleach bit sim card destroyed and cell phones smashed to pieces. Comey protected Clinton by saying there was nothing there. It's worked in the past with deflections from Government depts. This time it didn't go away and thus, the dog and money show for the last couple of years is a GROSS miscarriage of justice to say the least.

Politicians and Officials in the Government need to be charged with offenses they perpetrated.