Carey Roberts
Turning the state against law-abiding citizens
By Carey Roberts
In every fascistic society the government eventually resorts to the vilification of its own citizenry — that's the schoolboy lesson from 20th century Italy, Soviet Russia, and of course, the Third Reich. So what are we to make of Democratic leaders who use ugly stereotypes to revile opponents of healthcare reform as "un-American," "Ku Klux Klan folks," and "rabid right-wing extremists"?
And what of President Obama's August 6 admonition, "I don't want the folks who created the mess to do a lot of talking."? Apparently he was referring to Republicans, conveniently ignoring the fact that the bloated Medicare and Medicaid programs were the brainchild of Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson.
That same week the White House launched its fishy-fact hotline to combat "disinformation about health insurance reform." That's right, if you are one of millions of Americans who believes Obamacare will escalate the national debt, ration medical care, and pay for abortions, obviously you've been duped.
To avoid further embarrassment, please report for assignment to the appropriate re-education class.
Actually, the Obama Administration's purge of the political opposition started months before — on April 9 to be exact. That's when the Department of Homeland Security released a document bearing the none-too-subtle title, "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment."
Warning "rightwing extremists may be gaining new recruits by playing on their fears," the report is a concoction of loony conspiracy theories, not a document that resembles anything like a credible intelligence assessment.
And exactly who are these potential extremists?
Well, are you White? Then you have likely "capitalized on related racial and political prejudices in expanded propaganda campaigns."
Are you a returning veteran? Do you believe in the Second Amendment? Have you ever worried about "perceived government infringement on civil liberties"? Are you opposed to abortion? Do you question federal authority in favor of state or local authority? Wary of illegal immigration?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, Homeland Security has now classified you as an extremist.
That's right folks, we've eliminated the terrorist threat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now we can go after the real terrorists — all those returning G.I.s who were expecting a hero's welcome!
The bizarre DHS report set the stage for media coverage of the April 15 Tea Party protests. Despite the spirited tone of the rallies, media commentators took delight in linking the event to an obscure homosexual fetish. And President Obama pretended to not notice, with ABC inexplicably reporting, "The White House says the president is unaware of the tea parties and will hold his own event today."
A call to arms was sounded at the state level. A Maryland National Guard report warned ominously, "Commanders are encouraged to update alert rosters and review emergency evacuation plans/rally points. Ensure all facilities have emergency phone lists posted (i.e. FBI, FIRE, POLICE, HOSPITALS, EMS, ETC...). Be aware of and avoid local protests."
Yikes!
Then on June 26 the White House named feminist Lynn Rosenthal as the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women. It's no secret the domestic violence industry is marinated in make-believe statistics, anti-male ideology, and ever-expanding definitions of abuse. So with that appointment the White House placed its seal of approval on the continuing wave of unconstitutional mandatory arrests of Americans falsely accused of "domestic violence."
(A few days after Rosenthal's appointment, former NFL quarterback Steve McNair was shot and killed by his ex-girlfriend as he slept. But according to the $4 billion abuse industry, a woman killing a Black man is not domestic violence, so no cause for worry.)
And two weeks ago President Obama upped the ante, authorizing Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate whether CIA officers broke the law to interrogate al Qaeda suspects.
The truth is, as a result of enhanced questioning methods, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed spilled the beans on a whole range of al Qaeda activities. This information led to "specific, actionable intelligence, as well as a general increase in the amount of information about al Qaeda and its affiliates," according to a recently-released Department of Justice memo. But Obama brushed that aside.
Presidential shunnings. A White House snitch line. Peaceful protesters smeared as terrorists. A politically-motivated witch hunt of government officials.
It's all so....post-Orwellian.
© Carey Roberts
September 9, 2009
In every fascistic society the government eventually resorts to the vilification of its own citizenry — that's the schoolboy lesson from 20th century Italy, Soviet Russia, and of course, the Third Reich. So what are we to make of Democratic leaders who use ugly stereotypes to revile opponents of healthcare reform as "un-American," "Ku Klux Klan folks," and "rabid right-wing extremists"?
And what of President Obama's August 6 admonition, "I don't want the folks who created the mess to do a lot of talking."? Apparently he was referring to Republicans, conveniently ignoring the fact that the bloated Medicare and Medicaid programs were the brainchild of Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson.
That same week the White House launched its fishy-fact hotline to combat "disinformation about health insurance reform." That's right, if you are one of millions of Americans who believes Obamacare will escalate the national debt, ration medical care, and pay for abortions, obviously you've been duped.
To avoid further embarrassment, please report for assignment to the appropriate re-education class.
Actually, the Obama Administration's purge of the political opposition started months before — on April 9 to be exact. That's when the Department of Homeland Security released a document bearing the none-too-subtle title, "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment."
Warning "rightwing extremists may be gaining new recruits by playing on their fears," the report is a concoction of loony conspiracy theories, not a document that resembles anything like a credible intelligence assessment.
And exactly who are these potential extremists?
Well, are you White? Then you have likely "capitalized on related racial and political prejudices in expanded propaganda campaigns."
Are you a returning veteran? Do you believe in the Second Amendment? Have you ever worried about "perceived government infringement on civil liberties"? Are you opposed to abortion? Do you question federal authority in favor of state or local authority? Wary of illegal immigration?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, Homeland Security has now classified you as an extremist.
That's right folks, we've eliminated the terrorist threat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now we can go after the real terrorists — all those returning G.I.s who were expecting a hero's welcome!
The bizarre DHS report set the stage for media coverage of the April 15 Tea Party protests. Despite the spirited tone of the rallies, media commentators took delight in linking the event to an obscure homosexual fetish. And President Obama pretended to not notice, with ABC inexplicably reporting, "The White House says the president is unaware of the tea parties and will hold his own event today."
A call to arms was sounded at the state level. A Maryland National Guard report warned ominously, "Commanders are encouraged to update alert rosters and review emergency evacuation plans/rally points. Ensure all facilities have emergency phone lists posted (i.e. FBI, FIRE, POLICE, HOSPITALS, EMS, ETC...). Be aware of and avoid local protests."
Yikes!
Then on June 26 the White House named feminist Lynn Rosenthal as the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women. It's no secret the domestic violence industry is marinated in make-believe statistics, anti-male ideology, and ever-expanding definitions of abuse. So with that appointment the White House placed its seal of approval on the continuing wave of unconstitutional mandatory arrests of Americans falsely accused of "domestic violence."
(A few days after Rosenthal's appointment, former NFL quarterback Steve McNair was shot and killed by his ex-girlfriend as he slept. But according to the $4 billion abuse industry, a woman killing a Black man is not domestic violence, so no cause for worry.)
And two weeks ago President Obama upped the ante, authorizing Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate whether CIA officers broke the law to interrogate al Qaeda suspects.
The truth is, as a result of enhanced questioning methods, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed spilled the beans on a whole range of al Qaeda activities. This information led to "specific, actionable intelligence, as well as a general increase in the amount of information about al Qaeda and its affiliates," according to a recently-released Department of Justice memo. But Obama brushed that aside.
Presidential shunnings. A White House snitch line. Peaceful protesters smeared as terrorists. A politically-motivated witch hunt of government officials.
It's all so....post-Orwellian.
© Carey Roberts
The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
