terrorism
▸ noun: the calculated use of violence -- or threat of violence -- against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear
Is it stretch to suggest that the political campaign of John McCain and Sarah Palin is, by some measure, "terrorizing" the American electorate with their rhetoric?
We’ve continually seen their rallies bristling with palpable hatred ("Terrorist!"), intimations of violence ("Kill him!"), and real fear ("We’re scared.") — all of it a direct consequence of the McCain-Palin (especially Palin) talking points ("Domestic terrorist . . . domestic terrorist . . . palling around with domestic terrorists . . ."), calculated to provoke exactly these reactions.
Conversely, Barack Obama is maliciously and deceptively impugned, for what? For teaming up with a group of illustrious and civic-minded Chicagoans, several years back, to engage in — wait for it — public school education reform???!!!
21st-century, "American[?]," "presidential[?]," political rallies in which participants are incited to clamor for the death [???!!!] of the opposing candidate?
My outrage-meter has been red-lined and pegged full-tilt (illegal war; "offical" torture; warrantless surveillance; the rapacious, death-throe orgy of "voodoo economics;" etc.) these last, long, horrible eight years. But this is a new and utterly deplorable obscenity in the politics of smear and division. They have out-Roved Karl Christian Rove, these two.
And to what end? Has there ever been a time when unity of purpose has ever been more critical to our future?
I'll say it: McCain and Palin are terrorizing the American electorate -- inciting unwarranted and irrational fears, vile hatreds, and real violence -- with the abhorrent innuendos and despicable smears they have aimed at the next President of the United States of America, Barack Hussein Obama.
Not only should they face resounding defeat at the polls next month, but condemnation should and (pray) will rain down upon them in a crushing torrent far greater than any of the "critiques" they have endured (one of the best), thus far.
These two -- candidates John Sidney McCain, III and Sarah Louise Heath Palin -- have sold their political souls. And they have, by their deliberate and unconscionable calumny, forever entered that reviled place, a certain region of "hell" in human history, declaimed by FDR: "infamy."
John and Sarah -- domestic, political terrorists.