How the Left Uses ‘Kindness’ to Manipulate for Their Gain

Expanding Notions of American​ Kindness

Notions ‌of ‌American kindness during‌ and⁣ after ⁣the pandemic have⁣ expanded far beyond ​the⁢ Golden⁤ Rule.

A​ friend​ from ⁣Eastern Europe told me she learned about⁤ our obsession with “being⁢ nice” ​during⁢ her​ senior year⁢ in high ‌school‌ while ⁤living‌ in ⁤the‍ Midwest‌ as an‍ exchange student.​ In order ⁣to be well-loved ‍in ​the ‍United States, ‍above​ all else, ⁣you‍ must be ⁢kind,⁣ she observed.‍ When she makes plans⁢ with⁢ Americans, ⁣she questions ⁤if they‌ are ⁤asking ‍her to​ “grab coffee” just​ to be ​nice, or if​ they actually want​ to​ meet.

I ⁢was‍ skeptical about her ‌observations at ‍first, but ⁤then ​I considered the‍ way we⁣ describe⁣ the people we‍ like. “She⁣ is so‌ nice,”⁤ we‍ say. ​You⁢ never hear, ‍“She is ⁢honest⁣ and ⁢direct.”⁢ It ‍often​ seems ⁢we⁤ prefer being ⁤nice over being ‍genuine.

Manipulating⁣ Americans⁢ en ‌masse‍ is​ simple if​ we ⁤can ⁤be convinced‍ that⁣ something‌ we⁤ are doing — or⁢ not doing ‌— is ⁢unkind. ‌Video rental businesses‌ understood this well in the 1980s:‌ “Be kind, please rewind.”‍ So we⁣ did.

But ⁤during​ the pandemic, corporate‍ media⁢ inundated the public‌ with messages ‍dictating ⁤what ⁣to do‍ in ​order⁢ to ⁣be‍ “kind” — directives much ⁣more intrusive⁢ and⁤ disruptive to‌ life ‌than‍ simply ⁢rewinding​ videotapes ⁣or‌ returning ⁢grocery store carts ‌to the⁤ corral.⁤ Many in ⁣power pointed to⁤ “the​ science” ⁣to argue​ we had to ⁤isolate ourselves,⁤ maintain⁢ an ​arbitrarily ​determined six-feet ⁤social distance, ⁤keep ‌our children out of ⁤schools, ​wear ‌masks, ⁢and ⁤take ​an ‌experimental ⁢shot. ‌If we ⁤did not​ comply, ​we⁣ likely were ‍killing‌ someone’s‌ grandmother. ​And‌ really, what⁢ could‍ be​ unkinder ⁤than ‍that?

Even ​asking questions⁢ became⁢ socially⁢ unacceptable. ⁢When we scrutinized the effectiveness of ‌these policies and ⁤vocalized concerns about‍ citizens’ freedom ‍under what was‌ basically martial ​law,​ we⁢ were​ called selfish. ⁣When‌ some raised ⁤concerns⁢ that ⁤the Covid shot⁣ was ‍understudied‌ and could ‍cause⁢ severe ​health ⁣complications, ‍they were ‌chastised‌ as ‌“anti-vaxxers.”

President Joe Biden informed ⁢us‍ just how unkind it ‍was ⁣not to get the⁤ shot ‌when⁤ he‌ referred to Covid-19 as⁣ “a ‍pandemic‍ of⁢ the unvaccinated.” ‍Repeatedly, we​ heard messages ⁢from​ the president and⁢ many‌ others that‌ we ‍needed⁤ to be ⁤kind⁢ — ⁣Americans must‌ do what they are told, wear ⁢their ⁣masks, and ​get vaxxed.

The propaganda⁢ to ‍weaponize ‌American​ kindness was⁣ overwhelmingly ⁣effective.​ Meanwhile, ⁤the ⁢media​ largely ​ignored‌ early reports ​of ⁤myocarditis‍ as ​one‍ of ‌the side effects of‍ the⁤ shot. ⁢Big Tech even joined⁣ the “kindness” ⁤crusade by⁢ creating⁢ algorithms ‌that ⁣prevented⁤ social media ⁢users‍ from⁢ seeing vaccine ⁣skepticism.

Many ⁢believed ⁢Biden when⁣ he said ⁣Covid-19 was‍ not ‍transmissible ​with ​the jab,​ and many Americans ‌felt ‌comfortable ⁣mingling ​after months ‌of ‍isolation. At certain social ⁢gatherings⁣ and venues,⁢ guests were required​ to⁤ show‍ vaccine‍ cards —⁤ few things say ‍“celebration” ​more than ⁢“Show‌ me ⁢your ‍medical ‌documentation.” Ironically, this pervasive social requirement⁣ was⁣ in⁣ an ⁢effort‌ to ​seem “kind.”

However, ‍it is​ clear that ‌one side ⁤of these ⁤debates ⁤has a​ monopoly on what ⁣constitutes kindness.‌ When⁣ the ​students​ of ‍Fairfax County, ‍Virginia, ⁢were allowed​ to enter schools maskless‌ in ​March 2022,⁣ many were afraid‍ of ⁣retribution from ⁤teachers and ‌peers.

My son, ⁣one ⁤of ⁤the‌ few ‍maskless students in his ‌school ⁤at​ that ‍time,‍ was‍ bullied ⁤for‌ his ‍choice.‌ Another ‌student ​told him ⁤to “mask ⁤up and cover ‌your ugly face.”‍ On the same‌ day,⁢ my son’s⁢ classmate called ⁢her‍ mother during ⁢school because she​ was ⁣terrorized in ‍the ⁢cafeteria for not wearing her ⁤mask.⁣ This is‍ the⁢ type of “kindness” ⁢associated with ⁤virtue signaling.

As we’ve moved⁢ past Covid, many commentators⁢ have‌ highlighted ‌the ⁣policy‌ mistakes ‍and ‌crackpot⁣ “science”​ disguised ‌as ‍“kindness” ⁣throughout‍ the pandemic.‌ One suggested⁣ “amnesty”​ is ⁢needed ‍to move⁢ forward‌ together. In order​ to ‍grant a pardon, ⁢though, ⁤we have ​to ​reach a ‍public agreement‌ on ​what ‍was⁣ said ⁢and ⁣how ​it was wrong.‌ It’s impossible to ‌offer‌ forgiveness to policymakers who⁣ refuse to‌ acknowledge ‌wrongdoing.

I am ‌still waiting for ⁢an‌ apology from ⁢our ⁣school ‌district​ for illegally suspending ⁣my sons ​for ⁢39 cumulative days on “dress⁣ code” ‌violations ⁤for ‌not wearing masks. ‌Despite my ​appeals, ‍the school⁣ district ‌refuses​ to expunge​ the⁤ suspensions ⁢from​ my ⁤sons’ records. ‍School board members should ⁤know ⁢that kindness ‍includes​ apologizing for mistakes.

Because of⁤ our “unkind”⁤ advocating⁢ for‍ equal ‌opportunity, social ‌justice activists‌ call ⁣us ⁢“white ⁢supremacists.” ⁢When ​we⁣ stand up for ⁢equal⁣ opportunity in⁢ admissions to ⁣colleges and ‌to ⁢Fairfax ⁢County’s magnet ⁤Thomas​ Jefferson ⁣High⁤ School ⁣for⁢ Science ⁤and ​Technology, followers‌ of‍ the⁤ ironically​ racist‍ “anti-racist” doctrine ridicule⁢ Asian Americans as “allies‍ of white supremacy.” ‍The insult is‌ false and ⁣manipulative‌ — there⁢ are few ⁢more effective‌ ways to say ‍someone ⁢is‍ “mean” than to call him ⁣a ​“white supremacist.”

Some, ‌such⁣ as​ Fairfax County’s school board members, also⁣ believe⁣ “kindness”⁤ means denying⁢ biological‍ realities, or at ⁤the very‍ least,⁤ staying ⁣quiet ‌in their ⁢dissent. Males ⁢claiming⁤ to be⁤ women ‍are ⁣entering female ⁢locker rooms‍ and ‌bathrooms regularly.⁢ Many ‌female students ⁢in secondary⁤ schools​ feel⁢ unsafe using⁢ facilities ​during school ⁢hours. Even after the​ 2021 sexual ‌assault⁣ incidents‍ in public‍ schools⁢ in Loudoun ⁣County, ‌Virginia, ⁤American ​politicians ⁣continue⁣ to uphold so-called “transgender ​rights”⁢ over female​ safety.

Former​ NCAA​ swimmer⁣ Riley ⁢Gaines⁣ talks⁢ about ​how NCAA ⁢officials ​pressured ‌swimmers‍ to be⁢ “kind” ⁢to ‍Lia Thomas, ⁢the “transgender”⁣ swimmer born a male,⁤ who⁢ was‌ allowed ‌to share ⁣women’s ‌locker rooms. Meanwhile, ‍some ⁢school​ districts ​are ‌changing⁤ scientific words in public schools’ ⁤sex education‍ curricula⁤ from​ males‍ and females ‍to ‍“assigned males/females⁣ at⁣ birth.”

If ‌we ⁤publicly ⁢assert that ‌we have ​problems with any ⁤of this, ‍activists‌ are​ quick​ to disparage our character. They⁢ call‍ us ⁤bigots, ⁤or ‌even transgender‍ children ⁣killers.⁢ Activists manipulate⁣ emotions ⁣by claiming that‌ if‌ transgender ​teens‍ don’t ​get ​everything​ they ​want,‌ they or their‍ transgender friends ‍will ⁣kill themselves. In Fairfax County’s school ‍board​ meeting ‌speeches, we have‌ been⁣ told⁣ this ad ⁤nauseam ​— ⁣nice ⁤people‌ don’t⁢ kill ‌transgender‌ children. Kind ‍people stay quiet​ and allow ⁣males ‌to ⁣enter ⁣female⁣ spaces.

This⁢ is ⁢the⁣ ultimate ‍weaponization of kindness.

Undoubtedly, ‌we ‌are‌ better served⁤ when⁤ we ‌scrutinize what kindness entails — and it​ has​ far ⁤more ⁢to do with virtue​ than niceness. ‌For​ example, preserving‍ freedom for ⁣future ‍generations ⁤of Americans⁣ is⁢ virtuous; ‍protecting ‌civil liberties⁢ for⁢ our ‍children ​is ​the⁢ right ​and kind ⁢thing⁣ to ⁤do.⁣ Our ⁢kindness⁣ in ⁣practice⁤ must be‍ based ⁢on⁤ such virtue if​ we​ are to remain pensive ⁤and⁢ discerning.

So when⁤ we say⁤ to​ our ⁢acquaintances,‌ “Let’s ⁢go ⁢for ⁤coffee,” ⁤it would ⁣be ‌preferable if⁤ we were ‍being⁣ both ⁣genuine ​and ⁢kind.