"If we define an American fascist as one who in case of conflict puts money and power ahead of human beings, then there are undoubtedly several million fascists in the United States.'
-Henry A. Wallace
"When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross."
-Sinclair Lewis
Today is the day when Americans should be celebrating Independence Day, the day when our founding fathers cast away the yoke of tyranny imposed by a cruel king and declared that they would have no more of it. However, the Republican party and the losers, thugs and miscreants whose loyalty to it is far greater than to the country itself have other ideas, and another agenda. They are going to seek to use this day to wrap themselves in the flag, attack their fellow Americans and to wage war against the very liberty for all that it is supposed to stand for.
The opportunists are everywhere, according to Newsweek a right-wing counterpart to the liberal Daily Kos will be rolled out with the backing of Christian radio conglomerate Salem Communications. Of course this will be the unique brand of `Christianity' where the teachings of Jesus Christ have been twisted, re-interpreted and packaged for mass consumption to condone greed, exploitation of the poor, violence and wars, intolerance and above all the glorification of the flag and the cross. The website Townhall.com will serve as the internet based gathering place for propagandists and those who spew hate, denounce dissenters, wage economic terrorism in the form of organized boycotts to keep the media in line and disseminate the daily White House talking points to the masses. The site has piggybacked onto the Fourth of July holiday under the pretense of launching a revolution, is this really any different than the charlatan used car salesmen who drape their lots in star spangled banners and bunting so as to entice customers to purchase their `quality pre-owned vehicles'? Like many of the used cars the reactionary conservative message is a lemon, unfortunately it still holds far too many in its hypnotic sway.
Conservative Paul Craig Roberts has always gotten it. Principled true conservatives of the Paleoconservative variety have in fact been the most outspoken critics of the Bush-Cheney junta, the corrupt rubberstamp Republican Congress and their legions of angry activists who regularly gather in mega-churches to cook up the deadly brew of religion and nationalism ready to march onward into battle while high off of the fumes of Rapture and Rush Limbaugh. Dr. Roberts learned very quickly about what happened to those who deviated from the party line, once a darling of the right he was denounced in the harshest terms by the goose-stepping Kool Aid drinkers of the reactionary right. In his latest column published today that refers to denial about the illegal and immoral war in Iraq and the growing revelation of atrocities makes the following statements about this vile and powerful force that has used subterfuge and deception to steal away America.
"Americans who get their propaganda from Fox "News" or are told what to think by right-wing talk radio hosts are outraged at news reports that US troops planned and carried out the rape and murder of a young Iraqi woman. They are not outraged that the troops committed the deed; they are outraged that the media reported it. These "conservatives," who proudly wear their patriotism on their sleeves, dismiss the reports of the incident as a Big Lie floated by "the anti-American liberal media" in order to demoralize Americans and reduce public support for the war. "
And:
"Many Americans are so unsophisticated that they refuse to believe anything bad about their country. They regard acceptance of unpalatable truths as disloyalty. This failure of American character is why Bush has been able to get away with transgressions that scream out for his impeachment and trial as a war criminal. "
"Whoever put out that propagandistic slogan, "support the troops," and the ribbon decals was a master propagandist. "Support the troops" means to deny the reality of the war and the behavior of the troops. "
He closes with:
"America has become a land of evil. The rest of the world hates and despises us. And we are going to pay a terrible price for it. Bush's belief that our superpower status makes us immune to the opinion of others goes beyond hubris into insanity."
I am sure that the e-bund at Townhall.com will have plenty of ammo for Roberts over this one, the denunciations will be flying like bullets and the bombastic rhetoric will detonate like bombs as the newest front in the right-wing war on America opens today. How far have we descended into the abyss that this is the dialogue on the Fourth of July? How have we as a people allowed ourselves to be deceived by Republican propagandists who would turn Jesus Christ into a vengeful and violent crusader against liberals, the United Nations, other faiths and to wrap him in the flag as though it were the Shroud of Turin? This is a passage from the multi-million selling `Left Behind Series' by Timothy LaHaye that have become more influential in America today than the bible itself.
"Jesus merely raised one hand a few inches and a yawning chasm opened in the earth, stretching far and wide enough to swallow all of them. They tumbled in, howling and screeching, but their wailing was soon quashed and all was silent when the earth closed itself again."
In Republican America the Beatitudes have gone the same way as the Bill of Rights and "that goddamned piece of paper" the Constitution.
Today on Independence Day all Americans should take a moment away from their BBQ's, fireworks, flag waving and the glorification of the state that this national holiday has been very conveniently and perversely altered by the extremist right to signify to actually read the Declaration of Independence.
Then honestly reflect on how our founding principles have been betrayed by the ruthless thugs in the fascist Republican party.
"In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."
-The Founding Fathers
GBCW MY ASS!