Heckling Secretary Nielsen and shunning Secretary Sanders seemed to me at first a bit brusque, even misguided. What good ever comes from shouting at an extremist? After all, we know they only tend to double-down on the convictions at issue. That the two events occurred at two different stakeholder levels – in the first case it was fellow patrons of the establishment and members of the public, while the other involved the business’s owner – will be important considerations in a minute. But they both seemed a little empty to me at first.

However, neither case is analogous to confronting any mere supporter of the administration’s policies. The persons occupying these appointed positions are in fact enablers of those same policies, ones which many see as anathema to American legal, political, and cultural mores. By confronting these persons, there is an element of Truth to Power involved. Heckling and even shunning seem then mostly justified.

The true irony of the situations is what makes both acts so meaningful. As has been noted plenty of other places, this administration and the party that it has hi-jacked, the GOP, trumpet the ability of business owners to refuse service based on their beliefs about others’ behaviors, practices, and lifestyles. The primary focus of anti-immigrant hysteria is on Mexico. Sanders was “86’ed” for her practice of spinning lies, corruption, and other crimes, and Nielsen was caught at a Mexican repast, respective to these outrages. Doubtless, whether the targets appreciated the message, certainly We, the People, are able to appreciate the subtext for what it is. Supreme dissing of policies.

However, I think this should help clarify that the Truth to Power in these acts is not directed at the officials themselves. Yes the acts were focused on these person. However no one expects either person to budge having been impacted on by the public’s enthusiastic suasions. In fact, no one considers these persons to be legitimate holders of their offices or competent wielders of their official capacities and authority.

Well, no one who retains an ability to recognize characteristics such as competence or legitimacy. Many have been effected by the media-lead social-engineering campaign of the past 36 months (!).

Social engineering? What? Mm-Hmm. You know that trope, the one that says the other side is trying to destroy the country? And says every member of Teh Other Side is a pawn, brainwashed, incapable of engaging in intelligent, considered conversation, and generally ridiculed, that trope? Yeah, that is social engineering. The old way of thinking was not like that. It involved a sense that compromise, mutual concession, and forced cooperation were important elements of the game. That people’s political beliefs could be discussed, even influenced, by each other, in ways that made the whole more than the sum of its parts. It was me and you and us.

But then, lesser of two evils. And, never so-and-so. But, resistance and deplorables. An administration and its media opposition. Dealmakers and deepstaters. Us and them.

We lost some important things. Let us all work on getting them back (and oh it’s gon’ be hard and no guarantees).

But back to the discussion at hand: Truth here is being spoken to the People. To remind us all of the truth that it is US who hold the Power right now. When there is an illegitimate State, the People have their Duty. And that Duty right now seems to include asserting our community standards. Letting our sense of justice put right what has been knocked a’kilter. Which case sounds more effective to you? Which case spoke to you? Would you heckle? Would you shun? Why?