A friend recently introduced me to the concept of negative sentiment over-ride. It means that the observer (usually the spouse) perceives everything through a lens of negative pre-disposition. The opposite, positive sentiment over-ride, is what we engage in when we first start dating: everything has a positive explanation and foibles are overlooked. (My wife still suffers from this!)
So, as I reflected on the media’s treatment of those of us that are pigeon-holed into the conservative loft, I became convinced that negative sentiment over-ride was a very apt description; no matter what conservatives do or say it must have a negative genesis – borne out of their dark heart. ‘Stopping the boats’ can never be portrayed as a policy designed to save lives, put criminals out of business, and have an intake of refugees based on need. Rather, it is portrayed as wanting to make the lives of some poor wretched souls even more wretched. After all, this is the only reason conservatives get up of a morning. Similarly, balancing the budget isn’t about protecting future generations from a burden of debt, passing on a nation that is better off than when we inherited her, or curtailing our generation’s irresponsible selfishness to maintain our lifestyle. No, it is about putting the economy before people, dollars before welfare.
Having called this bias out for what it is and the unprofessional approach by the Canberra media pack, courtesy of the Australia’s front page on the 19th October, Paul Murray Live on the same evening and the ABC’s AM program I was warned that payback and retribution would be swift. And so it was.
During an ‘interview’ (using the term extremely loosely) where the interviewer had clearly one purpose in mind – shout me down, interrupt and abuse –  I used a particular word. A word used to describe a group of people by one of that group’s greatest ever leaders, Martin Luther King. A word in the title of many charitable and self-advancement organisations including those helping young members into a tertiary education and a ‘progressive, innovative and 21st century’ organisation promoting the interests of the female business and professional women of this particular sector of the American community. A word used to describe Obama’s special type of ‘magic’ by the Los Angeles Times as it was championing his cause for the Presidency. A word authorised by the Obama administration for use in the last US Census with which people could self-identify. A word used to describe a genre of spiritual music.
In case you haven’t guessed it, the word describes a particular section of the American community and begins with the letter ‘n’ and ends with the letter ‘o’.
In using this apparently ‘offensive’, ‘inappropriate’ and ‘racist slur’ I was allegedly denigrating the very man I was praising and quoting – the Hon Clarence Thomas’ (Justice of the US Supreme Court) judgement against changing the definition of marriage.
Nobody has yet been able to explain to me why I would wish to racially denigrate a person whose aid I was calling upon in a radio interview. But such was the outrage that even the overpaid and quite clearly underworked Race Discrimination Commissioner found it necessary to weigh in. Fairfax and the ABC celebrated and punished me with broadcasting the considered views of the Senate’s Einstein double Senator Lambie after which they enlisted the hapless Bill Shorten. (You know, the same Bill Shorten who, as a Minister, told Annie the pie shop owner to ‘get effed’ for not having any hot pies.)
Their joint intellectual and moral authority served as a double whipping with a limp lettuce leaf from which I am slowly recovering. In stark contrast, the public reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. If per chance a lefty luvvie is reading this, by accident or, because of deep seated recidivism for which they are seeking therapy,  or engaging in an exercise of ‘know thy enemy’, might I suggest you don’t look at the Sydney Morning Herald’s own use of the word – they’ve used it a number of times, including this year. You might have to dump the SMH or excuse Abetz. Now there’s a dilemma for you!
The negative overdrive was countered by a well spring of public support which has left me thankful for the whole exercise.