MASONIC DIVERSION TACTICS
-
Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. Regardless of what you know, don't discuss it,
especially if you are a public figure or lodge official. If it's not reported, it didn't happen, and you never have to deal with the issues.
-
Become incredulous and indignant. Avoid discussing key issues and instead focus on side issues, which can be used to show the topic as being critical of some otherwise sacrosanct group or theme. This is also known as the “How dare you!” gambit.
-
Create rumormongers. Avoid discussing issues by describing all charges, regardless of
venue or evidence, as mere rumors and wild accusations. Other derogatory terms mutually
exclusive of truth may work as well. This method works especially well with a silent press, because the only way the public can learn of the facts are through such “arguable rumors”. If you can associate the material with the Internet, use this fact to certify it a “wild rumor” which can have no basis in fact.
-
Use a straw man. Find or create a seeming element of your opponent's argument which
you can easily knock down to make yourself look good and the opponent to look bad. Either make up an issue you may safely imply exists based on your interpretation of the
opponent/opponent arguments/situation, or select the weakest aspect of the weakest
charges. Amplify their significance and destroy them in a way which appears to debunk all the charges, real and fabricated alike, while actually avoiding discussion of the real issues.
-
Sidetrack opponents with name-calling and ridicule. This is also known as the primary
attack the messenger ploy, though other methods qualify as variants of that approach.
Associate opponents with unpopular titles such as “kook”, “right-wing”, “liberal”, “left-wing”, “terrorist”, “conspiracy theorist”, “radical”, “militia member”, “bigot”, “racist”, “religious fanatic”, “crazy person”, “slanderer”, “sexual deviant”, and so forth. This makes others shrink from support out of fear of gaining the same label, and you avoid dealing with issues.
-
Hit and run. In any public forum, make a brief attack on your opponent or the opponent
position and then scamper off before an answer can be fielded, or simply ignore any answer. This works extremely well in online and letters-to-the-editor environments, where a steady stream of new identities can be called upon without having to explain criticism reasoning—simply make an accusation or other attack, never discussing issues, and never answering any subsequent response, for that would dignify the opponent's viewpoint.
-
Question motives. Twist or amplify any fact which could be taken to imply that the
opponent operates out of a hidden personal agenda or other bias. This avoids discussing
issues and forces the accuser on the defensive.
-
Invoke authority. Claim for yourself or associate yourself with authority, and present your argument with enough “jargon” and “minutiae” to illustrate you are “one who knows”, and simply say it isn't so without discussing issues or demonstrating concretely why or citing any sources.
-
Play dumb. No matter what evidence or logical argument is offered, avoid discussing
issues with denial they have any credibility, make any sense, provide any proof, contain or
make a point, have logic, or support a conclusion. Mix well for maximum effect.
-
Associate opponent charges with old news. A derivative of the straw man, usually, in any large-scale matter of high visibility, someone will make charges early on which can be or were already easily dealt with. Where it can be foreseen, have your own side raise a straw man issue and have it dealt with early on as part of the initial contingency plans. Subsequent charges, regardless of validity or new ground uncovered, can usually then be associated with the original charge and dismissed as simply being a rehash without need to address current issues, so much the better where the opponent is or was involved with the original source.
-
Establish and rely upon fall-back positions. Using a minor matter or element of the facts,
take the “high road” and “confess” with candor that some innocent mistake, in hindsight, was
made, but that opponents have seized on the opportunity to blow it all out of proportion and
imply greater criminalities which, “just isn't so”. Others can reinforce this on your behalf, later.
Done properly, this can garner sympathy and respect for “coming clean” and “owning up” to
your mistakes without addressing more serious issues.
-
Enigmas have no solution. Drawing upon the overall umbrella of events surrounding the
crime and the multitude of players and events, paint the entire affair as too complex to solve.
This causes those otherwise following the matter to begin to lose interest more quickly
without having to address the actual issues.