As we get closer to the election, and McCain doesn't narrow his lead, we see an increasing desperation
on the part of those extremists who can't abide the idea of a Democrat in leadership.
That's right: I called you extremists. You are no longer evaluating evidence. The same thing
that turns you into a frothing maniac when a Democrat does it, you casually dismiss when a
Republican does it.
This is not American. That is Fascist. It's basically a campaign against an ideology, not unlike
the mindset of the extremists whose name you use to decry Obama.
Don't get me wrong. If McCain had the 10-point lead, the extremists on the Democratic side would
be just as insufferable. They'd be questioning this obscure thing about McCain, that obscure thing
about Palin in a desperate effort to claw their way back into contention.
But, clearly, you're unabashed in your embracing of McCarthy's ideals. You still cry, 'He's a
communist, therefore he's evil.' Moslem has, sadly, become the 'new Communist.'
In eradicating the threat against our soil and way of life -- in fighting against extremists who
hate us for what and who we are -- you have become just like them. And, while I realize you're
not strapping TNT to yourself and running into the DNC, your rabid rhetoric of hate is no different
than an Osama bin Laden video with the word 'American' switched out for 'Democrat' and the
words 'Praise to Allah' with 'Praise to all Republican ideals.'
That is: you associate disagreement with evil, and in this way George Orwell neatly predicted
the society you will ultimately live in, one with automatons following the rules unquestioningly.
I'm a believer that humans are affecting the world's climate, and I'm happy to discuss it. But I
merely think that people who disagree with me are misguided, not evil. I don't believe that
trickle-down economics is an effective model. But I don't think that the people who have faith
in that model are evil terrorists. And so on.
With modern McCarthyists, every disagreement is an assault on America. With modern McCarthyists
those who disagree with something are terrorists striving to rip America apart at the seams.
What the McCarthyists fail to realize that at the root of all terrorism is hatred (often tempered
with ignorance). Hatred obscures our ability to reason, our ability to be just, our ability to see
things objectively. Back in the 50s, we hated communists. Merely suggesting that someone
was a communist could get that person fired, could result in the vandalism of his house, and in
some cases, unjustly incarcerated. (In this way, our history sadly mirrors the Sharia law in
which a woman accused of adultery can be stoned without due process.) We used hate, a powerful
passion, to drive ordinary, decent people into frothing maniacs, caught up in the passions of
what amounts to an ideological riot.
Our Founding Fathers, to whom we ought to turn whenever we find ourselves in the midst of a
crisis of identity -- who are we as Americans? -- believed that difference, discussion, and debate
were signs of a healthy America, not a weak one. But at the root of independence is the freedom
to be different. The only points of unity that we as Americans require in our citizens are in our
rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and the contingencies which allow us to have
and acquire those things.
When hatred enters the picture, what we are doing is striving to stamp out difference, and in so
doing, we're willing to trample on the freedoms of those who disagree.
We cease to be Americans at that point.
My father and one of my closest friends are Republicans. I'm a Libertarian who tends to vote
Democratic. At no point in discussions with them does hate enter the picture. Indeed, we disagree
radically and often passionately on issues, policy, or the way to approach existing problems.
But we remain respectful of each other and our differences. And while I'm sure each of us walks
away from such conversations with the notion 'Gee, that other guy is crazy!,' we all support each
other right to differing convictions.
Hate is a very intoxicating passion. That's why terrorism is hard to stamp out. Hate is easily
manufactured and even more easily fueled. So, when we use hate as a driving force for assaulting
another person's ideology, we act as terrorists do -- we strive to eliminate disagreement and
difference.
Peaceful disagreement and difference are an ideological cornerstones for this country. McCarthyism
was a shameful departure from that. If we do not learn from our past in an effort to avoid the
mistakes made during it, then the greatness we have achieved will crumble under the mantle
of hate which we choose to wear.
Nemesio
Originally posted by NemesioWhy are you dragging Sen. McCarthy's good name through the mud? He obviously was correct -- we're on the verge of electing a socialist president!
As we get closer to the election, and McCain doesn't narrow his lead, we see an increasing desperation
on the part of those extremists who can't abide the idea of a Democrat in leadership.
That's right: I called you extremists. You are no longer evaluating evidence. The same thing
that turns you into a frothing maniac when a Democrat does it, you casu ...[text shortened]... under the mantle
of hate which we choose to wear.
Nemesio
Originally posted by der schwarze RitterLike Joe the Plumber, Joe the Ignorant Senator, doesn't have a good name.
Why are you dragging Sen. McCarthy's good name through the mud? He obviously was correct -- we're on the verge of electing a socialist president!
And you haven't responded to my proof that if Obama is a Socialist then John McCain is equally guilty. -
Don't believe me, just listen to him.
Originally posted by der schwarze RitterYou have a socialist President. That's the point. Under Bush, government has ballooned, and is
Why are you dragging Sen. McCarthy's good name through the mud? He obviously was correct -- we're on the verge of electing a socialist president!
funding all sorts of private projects. And, unsurprisingly, the majority of those projects are headed
by personal friends.
But because you're an extremist terrorist of ideology, you're not actually interested in socialism.
You're interested in party-ism. You don't actually fight against communist behavior; you fight
against individuals whom you have come to hate.
You excuse Bush's unmitigated socialistic policies because (you think that) he embraces your
ideology. But that's what McCarthyism does: it uses hate rather than reason as a decision-
making apparatus. You're not actually using any single lens as a standard of judgment through
which you examine every politician. You and other ideological terrorists are just casting aspersions
upon one group simply because they are members of that group, not for what those individuals
may or may not stand for. This is the textbook definition of fascism.
McCarthy was a fascist; he did not tolerate difference and he used hate to promote it. It was not
enough for him to disagree with an ideology; he had to stamp it out. In so doing, he encouraged
giving up the very thing he claimed to cherish (freedom) and became the very thing he hated
(fascist). He could have used intellect, reason, and education to compel people to his ideology,
but that's a slow process requiring the participation of the listener. Hate, and the fear that arises
from that hate, is a much more efficacious political tool, but ultimately it's a house built on a
foundation of sand. And you end up with a President like our current one who seems bent on
killing all of the things that makes this country special.
Difference is at the root of this country. Sameness -- whether it be ideological or economic -- is
not. The Islamofascists may have killed 3000 people seven years ago, but the extremists like
you (and the currently silent Democratic equivalents) do more damage through your continued
propagation of hate every day. The deaths of those innocents should have encouraged us to
embrace and cherish our freedoms. For you, they are just a foil to take those freedoms from
those who differ from you.
Nemesio
Originally posted by smw6869Have you been paying attention at all these past eight years?
Nemesio: You're a Libertarian???? You might want to freshen up on the Libertarian handbook. You vote for Dems? For larger Gov't? What gives?
Read what Ron Paul, a real Republican, had to say in 2003.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul117.html
In just two and half years, spending levels were 22% higher than when Clinton left office. Health
care spending was increased 36%, education 26%, and community and regional development
spending was up 31%. These numbers are all way the heck up now in 2008.
This doesn't include the increased spending for a war that was started on the basis of what amounts
to be a lie.
Under Bush, our government is a model for our private-sector economic collapse: spending on
borrowed money. Just like the banks are now suffering because they can't borrow anymore money,
it's very probable that the American government will go through a similar crisis. Sure, the
government can print more money but the result of that is the devaluing of currency like in
Mexico or Italy (under the lira) which means goods and services will simply inflate to hell.
I tend to vote Democrat because I find that (for all the wrong reasons, mind you) they tend to
embrace platforms that protect rights whereas Republicans tends to want to restrict them.
Because there isn't a genuinely viable Libertarian candidate, it means I have to be willing to
tolerate higher spending on welfare than I'd prefer (e.g.). Because I find welfare for food and
housing to be more acceptable than say corporate welfare for the exceedingly rich, or for the
purposes of blowing up civilians in other countries, I find that this is not a terribly hard decision
to make.
Nemesio
Originally posted by NemesioYou, sir, are a fake, phony, fraud. I'm a ideolgical terrorist? LINK PLEASE!!!!! No aspersion casting on your part. Listen up palsy man, i've NEVER voted for a Rep or Dem. I've been voting Libertarian as long as i'v been voting. Why don't you vote for Ron Paul then? You're no Libertarian.
You have a socialist President. That's the point. Under Bush, government has ballooned, and is
funding all sorts of private projects. And, unsurprisingly, the majority of those projects are headed
by personal friends.
But because you're an extremist terrorist of ideology, you're not actually interested in socialism.
You're interested in party-ism. ...[text shortened]... ey are just a foil to take those freedoms from
those who differ from you.
Nemesio
GRANNY.
Originally posted by NemesioYou tend to vote Dem even though you're a Libertarian? Are you sure you're not just a Librarian? You surely appear confused to me. What, do you wake up every morning and flip a coin? Some deep rooted, strong beliefs you have! You've never heard me say how great Bush is. Do you lump everyone in the same camp 'cause they differ with you? Sounds like it's a personal thing with you....idealogical terriorst are you? I'm for ELIMATING are military from around the world. I'm for a smaller responsible, fiscally conservative gov't so we can have SOCIAL programs that actuall help the needy, not just to line the pockets of gov't asministrators. If i'm a terrorist.....Shoot my a**. Ah, you don't have a gun? Some Libertarian! Pathetic!
Have you been paying attention at all these past eight years?
Read what Ron Paul, a real Republican, had to say in 2003.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul117.html
In just two and half years, spending levels were 22% higher than when Clinton left office. Health
care spending was increased 36%, education 26%, and community and regional developm ...[text shortened]... s in other countries, I find that this is not a terribly hard decision
to make.
Nemesio
GRANNY.
Originally posted by smw6869You are watching too many McCain commercials. Obama has said that he wanst to give more money to programs that are working and eliminate the ones that aren't. There should be a balance or a shrinking of the government, since we know how many government programs don't work.
Won't Obama's gov't be even bigger? Are you biting your nose off? Waz up!? I'm against both big governments.
GRANNY.
Originally posted by CliffLandinSorry, i broke my foot two weeks ago and been watching too much TV. I'v been stuck in the office all day. Can't say i've watched any commercials. Please inform me as to what programs are working. Take your time. Which programs will be eliminated? Take your time. Will Nat'l HealthCare be working? You know, like Soc. Sec, Medicare? I'm for programs that work. If the gov't takes 97% for administration costs. What's left? Gov't can't do anything Right. How can you be so fooled, every election, by all politicians. They're all what? You know! Say it! That's right.....suckers of the green weenie!
You are watching too many McCain commercials. Obama has said that he wanst to give more money to programs that are working and eliminate the ones that aren't. There should be a balance or a shrinking of the government, since we know how many government programs don't work.
GRANNY.