During a Chris Matthews’ interview[1] on MSNBC, when Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-Minnesota) called for the media to do a “penetrating expose” revealing any "anti-American members of Congress," it sent levelheaded Republicans running in the other direction. Following Bachmann’s Macaca moment, the G.OP. pulled support from her 2008 reelection campaign. Though during this election cycle, suggesting certain Democrats are anti-American is becoming more common. While campaigning for his brother, Joe McCain called Democratic-leaning areas of Northern Virginia "communist country." Similarly, while on the stump, Sarah Palin has repeatedly referred to “real America” implying that some areas of the country are less than patriotic. But what’s the basis for such despicable attacks and exactly who are these anti-American Americans?
The common example cited by the real Americans above is Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s former preacher whom has been known to provocatively speak-out against American policies both past and present. He objected to the use of torture by our military, our past treatment of Native Americans, the black community and Asian Americans (and to be fair, a few silly falsehoods as well). While I wouldn’t adopt his overly aggressive demeanor to express it, I happen to agree with the Reverend on his more valid objections.
I’m not alone. Speaking of the same concentration camps that Wright spoke of, which corralled roughly one-hundred-thousand Asian American citizens post WWII, Ronald Regan proclaimed, “those camps were motivated by race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.” Is Ronald Regan anti-American? By Bachmann’s standards he is – although, these recent attacks hopefully aren’t really meant to rally a pro-American lynch mob and embark on a witch-hunt for so-called America haters. It’s more likely that while their party has run out of political ammo, a select few G.O.P. members are exhibiting pure desperation by resorting to the theater of the absurd.
This squawking from the extreme right seems like a political Hail Mary, and whether or not they actually believe their own quasi-patriotic psychobabble, this notion of smoking-out anti Americans in itself, is something we would expect from a more fascist country – not “the land of the free”! The viscous divisiveness of this rhetoric aside, such talk rails against a fundamental American principle, as set by our forefathers such as Thomas Jefferson, who said, “The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive!” and Abraham Lincoln, who affirmed, "To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.” Are these men promoting anti-Americanism or are they prompting us to exercise our rights when we detect our Country has fallen short of her trumpeted ideals?
Granted, Lincoln wouldn’t say, “God damn American,” but the basic idea behind unrest with one’s government is parallel to his statement. Would Rep. Bachmann, Palin or Joe McCain classify our forefather's voices as anti-American? I doubt it (unless they have hopes of being hauled off the public stage, and wrapped in red, white and blue colored straight jackets as permanent residents of the United State Hospital for the politically insane!).
My point is that these ridiculous charges not only stand in stark opposition to a very American principle, but they dangerously flirt on fringe of fascism. Now I don’t think these folks are fascists (not consciously anyway); but by scorning any opposition to U.S. policy, they sponsor an extreme hawkish nationalism, which do expresses some sickening elements of it.
Ideologically speaking, as communism is the opposite of capitalism in economics, fascism is contradictory to our governmental system of free democracy. Furthermore, the right to oppose one’s government as detailed by our First Amendment is an important safeguard, primarily cemented in place, ensuring that all citizens shall forever have the means of notifying their leaders when they disagree with them. When dissenters are bludgeoned into silence for fear of being deemed anti-American and shunned like would-be terrorists – the means to learn from our missteps or change course will be forfeited and the voice of the people snuffed-out. Any silencing of the people cannot espouse the democratic concept of a Government “of” “for” and “by” the people. Thus, contrary to incendiary voices like Congresswoman Bachmann’s, if there is such a thing as “real Americans,” as put by Abraham Lincoln, they are not the cowards who, refusing to dissent, swallow whatever they are fed – they’re the voices who bravely “keep alive” Jefferson’s “spirit of resistance to government” and refuse to gulp down what they don’t agree with. In that spirit, without the likes of brave women suffragists, jailed and force-fed refusing to eat, dissenters who risked their well-being by demonstrating for what they believe – what of our blessed America would we be so proud of?
The common example cited by the real Americans above is Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s former preacher whom has been known to provocatively speak-out against American policies both past and present. He objected to the use of torture by our military, our past treatment of Native Americans, the black community and Asian Americans (and to be fair, a few silly falsehoods as well). While I wouldn’t adopt his overly aggressive demeanor to express it, I happen to agree with the Reverend on his more valid objections.
I’m not alone. Speaking of the same concentration camps that Wright spoke of, which corralled roughly one-hundred-thousand Asian American citizens post WWII, Ronald Regan proclaimed, “those camps were motivated by race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.” Is Ronald Regan anti-American? By Bachmann’s standards he is – although, these recent attacks hopefully aren’t really meant to rally a pro-American lynch mob and embark on a witch-hunt for so-called America haters. It’s more likely that while their party has run out of political ammo, a select few G.O.P. members are exhibiting pure desperation by resorting to the theater of the absurd.
This squawking from the extreme right seems like a political Hail Mary, and whether or not they actually believe their own quasi-patriotic psychobabble, this notion of smoking-out anti Americans in itself, is something we would expect from a more fascist country – not “the land of the free”! The viscous divisiveness of this rhetoric aside, such talk rails against a fundamental American principle, as set by our forefathers such as Thomas Jefferson, who said, “The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive!” and Abraham Lincoln, who affirmed, "To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.” Are these men promoting anti-Americanism or are they prompting us to exercise our rights when we detect our Country has fallen short of her trumpeted ideals?
Granted, Lincoln wouldn’t say, “God damn American,” but the basic idea behind unrest with one’s government is parallel to his statement. Would Rep. Bachmann, Palin or Joe McCain classify our forefather's voices as anti-American? I doubt it (unless they have hopes of being hauled off the public stage, and wrapped in red, white and blue colored straight jackets as permanent residents of the United State Hospital for the politically insane!).
My point is that these ridiculous charges not only stand in stark opposition to a very American principle, but they dangerously flirt on fringe of fascism. Now I don’t think these folks are fascists (not consciously anyway); but by scorning any opposition to U.S. policy, they sponsor an extreme hawkish nationalism, which do expresses some sickening elements of it.
Ideologically speaking, as communism is the opposite of capitalism in economics, fascism is contradictory to our governmental system of free democracy. Furthermore, the right to oppose one’s government as detailed by our First Amendment is an important safeguard, primarily cemented in place, ensuring that all citizens shall forever have the means of notifying their leaders when they disagree with them. When dissenters are bludgeoned into silence for fear of being deemed anti-American and shunned like would-be terrorists – the means to learn from our missteps or change course will be forfeited and the voice of the people snuffed-out. Any silencing of the people cannot espouse the democratic concept of a Government “of” “for” and “by” the people. Thus, contrary to incendiary voices like Congresswoman Bachmann’s, if there is such a thing as “real Americans,” as put by Abraham Lincoln, they are not the cowards who, refusing to dissent, swallow whatever they are fed – they’re the voices who bravely “keep alive” Jefferson’s “spirit of resistance to government” and refuse to gulp down what they don’t agree with. In that spirit, without the likes of brave women suffragists, jailed and force-fed refusing to eat, dissenters who risked their well-being by demonstrating for what they believe – what of our blessed America would we be so proud of?
