In a charged political and cultural climate, one conservative voice is urging a counterintuitive approach to engagement: laying down the rhetorical weapons. Writing for American Thinker, Ned Cosby—pastor, veteran, and educator—draws an unexpected parallel between 19th-century buffalo herds and modern ideological battles, suggesting that humility, not confrontation, might be the wiser path.
The Buffalo Lesson
Cosby recounts a scene from Ken Burns’ Lewis and Clark documentary, where explorers yielded to a massive bison herd crossing a river rather than forcing passage with their guns. ‘They respected the procession, waited their turn, and witnessed something extraordinary,’ he writes. The analogy? Today’s ‘buffalo’—immigration, LGBTQ rights, failing schools—require similar patience and respect rather than combative posturing.
The Pulpit Problem
A recent sermon on Romans 13, which addressed adultery and homosexuality, left Cosby uneasy. Despite the pastor’s attempts at compassion, the tone veered toward condescension. ‘There is a difference between pointing out the sins of others and honestly acknowledging our own faults,’ Cosby argues, channeling Calvin Coolidge’s terse response to his wife about a sermon: ‘He is against [sin].’
The Nate Bargatze Effect
Here, Cosby turns to an unlikely teacher: stand-up comic Nate Bargatze, whose self-deprecating humor disarms audiences. ‘His willingness to make himself the butt of the joke makes him approachable,’ Cosby notes, contrasting this with religious messaging that often alienates by implying moral superiority. The lesson? ‘We are unlikely to get [society’s] attention by standing in front of them, pointing fingers, and shouting commands.’
Amazing Grace, Not Moral High Ground
Cosby points to John Newton, the slave trader-turned-author of ‘Amazing Grace,’ as a model. Newton’s power came not from denying his past but from openly grappling with it: ‘He understood that he was not standing above the rest of humanity, but among those desperately in need of mercy.’ For Christians today, Cosby insists this posture—grounded in shared fallibility—creates space for meaningful dialogue where condemnation fails.
The Herd Mindset
The essay’s closing plea rejects tribal warfare in favor of collective honesty: ‘Perhaps the best way to get the attention of the buffalo is not to stand in front of them with our guns blazing, but to begin by confessing that we are part of the herd.’ In an era of culture-war artillery, Cosby’s call for introspection stands out—not as a retreat from conviction, but as a strategy to make conviction heard.
Source: www.americanthinker.com — https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/11/getting-the-attention-of-buffalo/