Opposition = Enemy?

[LuckyTheDog]

This is a further "working out" of something I posted earlier:

I have been thinking a lot about how the right wing has blurred -- maybe even rubbed out -- the line between "political opposition" and "enemy." The consequences potentially are dire for American democracy.

Comments critical of the Bush administration and its policies increasingly are seen by the far-right nutjobs as “anti-American.” It is an interesting phenomenon that is typical when countries start to slide into authoritarianism.

In a lot of countries, far right develops a sort of cult of personality around the “strong leader” whom they assume will “save” the nation and deliver it to some kind of glory – or reclaim some mythical past glory. At some point, they start to see that leader as a symbol of the nation itself. Eventually, the nation and the leader become one and the same in their minds. Patriotism becomes obedience and loyalty to the leader. Opposition to, or even criticism of, the leader becomes a sign of disloyalty to the nation – and even treasonous.

When that happens, the opposition becomes "the internal enemy" and is put into the same category as external enemies. The right’s reaction to Cindy Sheehan is a case in point. Whatever one thinks about her position, it ought to be beyond the pale to refer to her as “anti-American” or as being on the side of the terrorists. Yet, she has been called those things. Heck, I even saw a column about Peter Jennings (published before his body was cold) that referred to him as a “jihad journalist” because he referred to tow the administration line.

When that process begins, the number of “enemies” grows exponentially because any disagreement or lack of obedience is seen as a threat to the order of things. Agree to disagree? No way. Suddenly, it is OK to write books with titles like "The Enemy Within," "Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism" and to say things like "liberalism is a mental disorder” and “France is an enemy of the United States.”

It is really, really scary to see those things happening. I worry about how far it will go.

[jeffster]

1. Religion

I think this explains why the vast majority of right-wing nutjobs are Christians. I believe that most religious fanatics are people who cannot accept responsibility for their own actions. They cannot make change by themselves, or cause harm by themselves. They look to "God", or in this case, a leader, to follow like sheep. This way, they can share in the good feeling that they are a part of something, but without any of the moral responsibility. God wants Muslims dead.... Bush wants Muslims dead.... If I want Muslims dead, it's not my fault.

[VTMechEngr]

2. Do remember though

That while the majority of Rightwing Nutjobs are "Christian", the majority of Christians are not rightwing nutjobs.

[jeffster]

3. Of course

And also, I should say there are varying degrees. What I meant was that a lot of right-wing nutjobs are religious nut-jobs. I don't mean people who believe in Christ, and go to church, I mean the people who slant the bible's message, and blame everything in their lives on God.

There are nutjobs everywhere. It seems that one nutjob fits in to a wide variety of nutjob categories ;)

[murielm99]

7. It started with Newt Gingrich.

He did not want any fraternizing with Democrats. He set the tone. The demise of the Fairness Doctrine also further eroded political compromise and cordiality.

The rightwingnuts are just being used by the pukes. They are noisy, but not numerous. I don't know if they will wake up and realized they have been duped. Do we want them, if they ever do realize they are being used?

[kestrel91316]

4. You heard it here first: I AM PROUD TO BE A TRAITOR TO BUSH.

We need to shout this from the rooftops - all of us!

They are all insisting on calling us traitors. So we need to wear that badge proudly.

[RobertSeattle]

5. Cowardly Bullying Chickenhawks

Michael Savage, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Rush Limabugh, etc. They've got a great shtick - they can be a shrill as they want, but when we go shrill back they shreak like a 3 year old.

We're not Anti-American, we are Anti-Stupid.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

6. There is a difference, it's called the internet

It has become quite apparent that the old propaganda will not work anymore. The news outlets are trying really hard to infiltrate the on-line community, (click on ABC, NBC, CBS) and not come away with tracking cookies. It is funny, that, the underlinks ,(I think, are back).

This is the one thing, the neo-cons didn't count on. The U.S. population is educated. I am amazed at the computer literacy in our older population. I worked, temp., in 86, with a computer collegiate education, and people were freaked at computers then. They would say, "Don't touch it, it will break, yada, yada, yada".
I remember thinking, OMG, we are in trouble. I was not only wrong, but incredibly surprised that the senors are very internet Savoy.

Thank God. We have a really wonderful older generation that have not only the time, but the willingness to contribute to our society.

God Bless the Seniors, they have done so much for us ungrateful, younger generation. We have big shoes to fill, and it has to start now!

[seabeyond]

8. and...mommy i have a liberal under my bed

you are right. i live in said area. it is ok to diss the democrat in the ugliest of ways, and they dont even think there would be a possibility of dem being upset. the comments are just allowed. like calling a black names in the past. not even thought of as hurtful

[wli]

9. It is happening, and it has an ominous logical conclusion

These are fascists. They want to create their own Holocaust and incinerate Democrats alive in ovens. There is no getting around the naked truth of these genocidal maniacs' obsessive genocidal mania.