|
Edited on Fri Feb-08-08 05:16 AM by Drunken Irishman
We're falling into the same traps that were used against us not even 5 years ago.
Think back to 2001, if you will, because I think you'll remember a dramatically different America. The Twin Towers had just toppled over, Pres. Bush had soaring approval ratings and every house, car and bicycle was dotted with American flags. Then came the attacks from right-wing America. They attacked those who didn't support Bush, branding them un-American, traitors and unpatriotic. This was effective, because no one wants to be known as any of that. It was a fear tactic specifically used to scare people into supporting President Bush's plans post-9/11 and it worked.
Then came the Iraq War and once again America was divided into two groups: those who supported the war and those who didn't. The ones who didn't were ridiculed and became the foundation for hate not seen in this country in a long time. Not only were they again called unpatriotic, they were tagged with the unbelievable thought of actually being anti-America. People said we, the ones who opposed the war, hated this country. They told us to love it or leave it. They told us we were the wrong ones, the evil ones, the people who supported terrorism and impeded the progress of this nation. We were laughed at, demeaned and some of us were even assaulted. And why, because the government accomplished what it needed to do: force the population into supporting their cause by making the other alternative crazy, evil and anti-American.
Look, average Americans didn't want to be acknowledged as hating America. So they had two options, either support the country in a time of war, or look like you're helping the enemy. And that's exactly what they made us feel like, right? I mean, we were all on the right side of the debate, but screw rational debate. The right-wing radio blitzed the airwaves with talks of treason and Americans were scared into supporting an unjust, unprovoked, unilateral war. You had FOX News playing the National Anthem as we bomb Baghdad, CNN and others never questioning Pres. Bush, his administration and their policies, while also ramming this undefined hate down America's throats.
And here we are, 5 years after America invaded Iraq and we're starting to see it within our own party. This is something I've noticed from both sides, however, it's gone beyond just small-minded, juvenile attacks. Instead, it's become something far greater and far more devastating than what we've seen on this board yet. And I know people will say I'm over reacting or that it is comparable to the attacks we've seen in the past, but these attacks, these dissolutions about the Obama campaign appear to have the same foundation as the attacks and dissolutions many of us faced prior to the Iraq War. Paint someone as anti-American, tell others they're evil and hate freedom, then talk about how they partake in treason and you've got yourself a divide.
Now go out and tell people Obama's followers are a cult and they're crazy people who drink Kool-Aid and worship and grovel at his feet and you again create a divide. No one wants to be associated with a cult, no one wants to be known as being crazy. So what better way to sabotage a campaign than by latching onto a criticism that goes so far to the extreme that it seems so outlandish if you think about it, yet still can haunt someone to the core of their bones. Then you divide them. You say there is rational, clear, non-cult like thought on this side and irrational, cultish thought on that side. Now which side would you rather be on?
The messages about Obama and cults are strikingly similar to the smears used by many in the media to undermine and sabotoge the anti-war movement in 2002 and early 2003. I guess I just don't see how we can gain anything by using these same tactics on any of our candidates, whether it's Clinton or Obama.
|
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
