“Raise your hand if you’ve ever posted anything online to quote-unquote ‘own the libs,’” US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley asked at the High School Leadership Summit at George Washington University, according to The Hill. “The vast majority raised their hands in response, and then erupted into spontaneous applause,” they write.
The four day Leadership Summit, presented by Turning Point USA, featured luminary speakers including Jeff Sessions and Donald Trump Jr.
Owning the libs is not the slam dunk it seems, according to Haley. She wants kids to get serious about what it will take to keep the future as regressive as the present.
“I know that it’s fun and that it can feel good, but step back and think about what you’re accomplishing when you do this — are you persuading anyone? Who are you persuading?” Haley asked. “We’ve all been guilty of it at some point or another, but this kind of speech isn’t leadership — it’s the exact opposite.”
“Real leadership is about persuasion, it’s about movement, it’s bringing people around to your point of view,” she added. “Not by shouting them down, but by showing them how it is in their best interest to see things the way you do.”
That’s right you rambunctious kids. Stop memeing. Stop shitposting. Stop hanging around universities wearing diapers.
It’s strange that Turning Point USA, a youth organization founded by conservative shitlord Charlie Kirk, would host a speech about the uselessness of posting online—the bulk of the organization’s work seems to be making unfunny and unconvincing memes. They’ve also been in the news recently for their inadequate response to sexual assault at their events.
If you listen to Haley, you might conclude that memes actually don’t lead to solid political victories. Don’t take your eyes off the prize, kids. You, too, could one day be the least respected ambassador in the UN.