This morning's news brings word of the democratic policies of the benevolent organization in charge of Gaza, Hamas. According to the Associated Press, "Hamas militiamen beat protesters with clubs and rifle butts to try to stop a demonstration by political opponents in the Gaza Strip on Monday, but hundreds chanting 'We want freedom' defied the ban."
Freedom is a funny thing. To hear the usual suspects tell the story, it is usually Israel, and sometimes Fatah to blame for any lack of freedom in the Occupied Territories. But as reports from Gaza plainly tell us, it's not quite as simple as that.
Hamas is no more interested in democracy than Robert Mugabe is. What they are interested in is power, and only power. They may have come to that power via democratic means, but it is plainly evident that they don't intend to spread democracy to those suffering under their rule. If they had an easier road to power in Gaza than democracy, I think it's fairly obvious they would have used it.
Many members of Daily Kos have fallen prey to the idea that Hamas has either democracy or the best interests of the Palestinians at heart. A sample of diaries excerpts and comments include:
The Hamas victory in Gaza represents a victory for Palestinian democracy over the proxy forces of the occupation, the Palestinian Contras.
Would somebody please tell me why we should like Fatah better than Hamas?
Gazans are living desperate times, but not because of actions taken by the Hamas government. Rather, Gazans' problems seem to be largely caused by outsiders
Now in power, Hamas has shown just how interested in democracy they really are:
Hamas men arrested several demonstrators and confiscated equipment from news photographers and cameramen seeking to cover the arrests, including an Associated Press camera.
[...]
"Treating people in this way when they came to raise their voice in a peaceful demonstration is something that is condemned, rejected and cannot be accepted," he said. "We are astonished by the decision to ban demonstrations."
Following the protest, Hamas squads raided Gaza offices of media organizations seeking material from the rally, eyewitnesses said. Staff at Gulf-based satellite broadcaster Al-Arabiyya said the Hamas men seized a camera, videotape and tripod from their premises.
Hamas may have been democratically elected. And isolating them appears to have done little good for anyone involved. But make no mistake about who they are: a self-interested terrorist organization. Anyone who thinks their leadership has the best interests of the Palestinian populace in mind should think again.