“You’re a racist!” We’ve all heard that often enough. In fact, as was once said in saner times about opportunistic patriotism, it’s now racism charges that are the last refuge of a scoundrel. But there is a way to counter these scoundrels and seize the advantage.

No, the answer isn’t to explain yourself. It’s virtually always the case that racism-charge hurlers don’t care about Truth, anyway, but simply want to hurt you and win. The actual remedy?

Remember that the best defense is a good offense and hit them back — hard. And the following short response should become standard when accused of racism.

Simply say, “No, you are the racist — because you wouldn’t be making your accusation if I wasn’t white.”

This not only is rhetorically effective but has another upside: It’s very often true.

This can’t be said about leftists’ racism charges. As is the case with the charges being leveled at the currently protesting Canadian truckers, such charges constitute a reflexive device employed out of prejudice and/or because it works.

But don’t let it work. Fight fire with fire, intensified with the accelerant of Truth; parry faux moral outrage with real moral outrage.

Level your retaliatory charge with passion, with the righteousness that breeds bravery. Wag your finger and make it stick. If necessary, add, in reference to the accusation hurled at you, “It’s disgusting — and you ought to be ashamed of yourself. And if you continue this disgusting, racist behavior, it means you’re a bad person.”

This strategy can put the race-card accuser on his heels; if it doesn’t, it at least can enable you to push back and achieve parity.

Unsurprisingly, it also accords with a number of power-attainment rules promulgated in socialist Saul Alinsky’s book Rules for Radicals. To wit (all quotations are Alinsky’s):

• “RULE 11: ‘The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative.’ Never let the enemy score points because you’re caught without a solution to the problem.” The aforementioned race-charge response is a solution.

• “RULE 5: ‘Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.’ There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions.” Use the countering-racism ridicule — if necessary, mercilessly.

• “RULE 6: ‘A good tactic is one your people enjoy.’ They’ll keep doing it without urging and come back to do more.” What’s more satisfying than beating a scoundrel at his own game (in this case, a racial one)?

• “RULE 12: ‘Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.’ Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions.” It you’re debating with others present, your morality-based counter-attack gives you at least a chance of winning their sympathy.

To be clear, I wouldn’t use this strategy with a liberal who debated in good faith (an ever-rarer creature, indeed); that would be dishonorable. I’d mount rational refutations in that case. But if someone attacks with fists flying, you respond in kind. If he attacks with lies flying, you likewise strike back hard — with damning Truth.

Remember here that logical arguments matter, but are weapons suitable only to certain situations and with people receptive to Truth. Consider also that just as people don’t follow ideas — they follow people — people don’t fight ideas (except metaphorically). They fight people.

You win wars by defeating the foot soldiers who, whether or not subscribing to the ideas ostensibly motivating their military campaign, are fighting against you. Cold cultural and political wars are no different.

Of course, “War is not ‘the best way of settling differences,’” as G.K. Chesterton wrote in 1915 before adding, “it is the only way of preventing their being settled for you.”

Right now matters are being settled for us in a most unsettling way, partially because conservatives are busy playing Mr. Nice Guy. But those who can’t be reasoned with can only be fought. And when in the course of trying to destroy all that is great and good evil people try to hurt you, you hurt them back — badly and repeatedly, till they can fight no more.

For those interested, a few years ago I made a video (below) about defeating racism charges.

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