For months, we have heard various Republicans suggest that there may be a need for a revolution or that they might have to secede. They have talked about the oppression of the Obama administration and the fear that it is turning into a dictatorship.
Comments like these from Michelle Bachmann:
I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous on this issue of the energy tax because we need to fight back. Thomas Jefferson told us, "Having a revolution every now and then is a good thing," and the people – we the people – are going to have to fight back hard if we’re not going to lose our country. And I think this has the potential of changing the dynamic of freedom forever in the United States.
We are at the point, Sean, of revolution. And by that, what I mean, an orderly revolution -- where the people of this country wake up get up and make a decision that this is not going to happen on their watch...
There is no free country for us to repair to. That's why it's up to us now. The founders gave everything they had to give us this freedom. Now it's up to us to give everything we can to make sure that our kids are free, too. It's that serious.
Jon Voight:
Free the nation from this Obama oppression.
Sarah Palin:
Mark my words, this is going to be next, I fear, bail out next debt-ridden states. Then government gets to get in there and control the people.
Newt Gingrich:
We are seeing the biggest power grab by politicians in American history. The idea that they would propose that the treasury could intervene and take over non-bank, non-financial system assets gives them the potential to basically create the equivalent of a dictatorship. [...] Look, it absolutely moves it towards a political dictatorship
Alan Keyes:
Obama is a radical communist, and I think it is becoming clear. That is what I told people in Illinois and now everybody realizes it's true...He is going to destroy this country, and we are either going to stop him or the United States of America is going to cease to exist.
Chuck Norris:
How much more will Americans take? When will enough be enough? And, when that time comes, will our leaders finally listen or will history need to record a second American Revolution? We the people have the authority according to America's Declaration of Independence, which states: That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government..."
Is it any surprise they are trying to cement some sort of connection between the Republican party and the Iranians fighting in support of Mousavi right now?
We saw Pete Hoekstra ridiculously comparing the oppression of the Iranian protestors to the plight of Republicans in congress. Now we see a Republican state senator David Thomas from South Carolina doing the same, via Twitter:
Iran election protests. Tea Parties Middle Eastern style...continues.
Even Al Jazera [sic] is reporting on protests in Iran. Satelite [sic] "Link TV" showing much protest video. Tea Parties mid East style.
He has a point: the objective of the tea parties was to hint at revolution against this "oppressive" Obama government.
The Republicans are making a deliberate effort to support Iranian protesters not because they actually care about Iranians (does anyone forget McCain's "Bomb bomb bomb Iran?" or Republican calls to bomb them all and "let God sort them out?") but because they want conservatives to believe they should identify with the Iranians' situation.
They are trying to indicate to their supporters how heroic it is to fight an oppressive government and are hoping for the Iranian people to succeed so it can serve as a model for conservatives to overthrow this government. They are also being vocal in criticizing Obama for not doing more to "intervene" or side with the Iranian protestors to give the impression that he is siding with Iran's autocratic leadership--because they want Americans to believe that, like Ahmadinejad, Obama is a would-be dictator.
Perhaps the Republicans have read a lot of Leon Trotsky, who believed the Bolshevik revolution in Russia would set his theory of "Permanent Revolution" into action. After the peasants overthrew the oppressive Czarist regime, Trotsky expected workers in all capitalist countries to unite and overthrow their "oppressive" leaders. He had very high hopes for communist revolutions in Germany and India and was disappointed to see revolutionary stirrings fizzle out in Germany.
Of course, there are major differences between Iran and the United States, which most recognize. President Obama and democrats won their elections justly, without fraud. Some republicans counter this with direct or indirect hints at Obama's "illegitimacy" (ie, the "Birther" movement), which you will note received a renewed push this past week.
The second difference is that the conservatives in the United States are not being oppressed. Most of the policies they object to are expansions of freedoms, not curtailing of freedoms.
So they manufacture imaginary future freedom restrictions, like Obama "coming for your guns" or the "Fairness Doctrine", which Rush Limbaugh aggressively asserts Obama will institute (or find some other way to take over the media):
We could reach a point where Obama controls radio and TV, because he will own it by virtue of the banks he controls owning it.
This is a very stealth way – you don’t need the Fairness Doctrine. You don’t need localism. [...] So, if you think that the media in this country cannot also be owned by Barack Obama, think again."
Of course, there is no indication that President Obama has any intent of implementing state-controlled media. Quite the opposite--he has stated that he does not support any such thing.
Michael Steele warns of the government "Health police":
Well you’ll get issued, Doc, you’re gonna issue, to your patients, a health care card that’s gonna be part of a national ID system that, you know, every time I charge something or use that card, it’s going to show up on a grid what I’ve done and what I have failed to do, according to the government plan. So the government will know whether or not I’ve had my physical at the appropriate time and then probably some health police will come knocking on my door telling me I’m now costing the system money because I haven’t, you know, gone and done my preventive care.
FOX and Republicans are well aware there is no government oppression taking place against Americans; Obama has no plans to control the media, come for anyone's guns, or institute health police. But this is what they use to try to foment the hate and revolution they crave.
We can all see the injustice being done to the Iranian people--the brutality unleashed against peaceful protest, a right guaranteed in the Iranian constitution. Where was the brutality against the Tea Parties? There was none. Was Norm Coleman denied a recount? No, although Republicans are spinning that the election is being "stolen" to give Democrats unopposable power (the imaginary magic number "60").
What the Republicans fail to realize is that, unlike Mousavi, they do not have the support of the majority of the people; they are far outnumbered by the opposition, which is us.
The false sympathy of these typically Muslim-bashing Republicans for the Iranian people sickens me. How dare they try to co-opt the suffering these people are experiencing to further their political goals?
The Republicans prove once again that they have no integrity. It kind of reminds me of someone...what is that guy's name...oh, yes...Ahmadinejad.
UPDATE: A few more examples of Republicans trying to draw parallels between themselves and the Iranian protestors, courtesy of Think Progress:
"I wonder if there isn’t more freedom on the streets of Tehran right now than we are seeing here," ripped Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif.), the ranking Republican on the Rules Committee, to Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) at the raucous hearing.
Rep. John Culberson, (R, TX):
Good to see Iranian people move mountains w social media, shining sunlight on their represssive govt - Texans support their bid for freedom.
Oppressed minorities includeHouseRepubs: We are using social media to expose repression such as last night's D clampdown sutting off amends.