If you haven’t noticed, our country and world have been taken over by a right-wing cabal who: show no respect for human life and no mercy to the suffering; have instituted public education that teaches rote memorization in place of critical thinking; have built many new prisons in remote places around the country (read: security); are disregarding—as seen at the Republican National Convention—the Bill of Rights; are trying to replace our right to natural medicines with deadly, expensive pharmaceuticals; are spreading violence, disease, fear and injustice at home and abroad; and are now bankrupting our country (carefully making it look like things out of their control are to blame) to harness our “free economy” under complete government control. In a word—fascism. Webster: “Characterized by rigid one-party dictatorship, forcible suppression of the opposition … the retention of private ownership of the means of production under centralized government control, belligerent nationalism and racism, glorification of war.”
It may be too late, but if you love your freedom, be sure you register and vote. (Obviously not for McCain/Palin!)
— Claire Angelo
Asheville
People now get it. Virtually every thinking citizen understands the veracity in your concerns, and are moving stongly in Obama’s direction. Even those who in better times might not be inclined to support him are doing so now.
It is true that there are some in this country (thankfully a minority…vocal though they are, they’re still a minority) that understand what the neo con Republicans are doing, and they support it, all the while claiming to be ‘good Americans’ and ‘patriotic’. Well, if they can re-define the word ‘conservative’ to mean total, unthinking fealty to their Dear Leader, they sure will try and re-define words like ‘patriotism’.
Unfortunately for them, the public does get it. And they are rejecting it.
…yeah, the NeoCons are scum, but be careful. Obama is handled by the same puppet-masters (namely Brzeznski – did I spell that right?) who know a nation of fools will get behind the same policies and Fascism if the ball is passed back across the political aisle to a fresh new face.
It would not be so hard to swallow if the guy had been the “elected pres” The voters voted democratically, and it didn’t matter. The writing was on the wall in huge letters 8 yrs ago.
Funny how things work out. Al Gore has the Nobel Peace Prize and respect for him continues to rise, while Shrub is likely going to be remembered as the Worst president ever.
Small satisfaction that, but satisfaction nonetheless.
With what is going on – shrubs fault or not, there is no satisfaction.
I’m sorry I was around to experience the worst president ever, now my kid will reap the benefits for years to come.
Yes, vote as if your freedom depended on it, because it does! If Obama is elected, he will listen to the ACLU and soften our defenses and intelligence gathering ability. It will take just one illegal border crosser from Mexico to sneak up to Phoenix and set off a dirty nuclear bomb. That act of terrorism will cause an enormous ripple of fear across the country as millions of people will become sickened from radiation poisoning. This is one scenerio that the current administration knows has been planned before. Without the Patriot Act, they would’ve gotten by with it. If Obama removes the Patriot Act, we will be vulnerable. How many here would enjoy being forced to bow down to Mecca 5 times a day?
How many here would enjoy being forced to bow down to Mecca 5 times a day?
Keep peddlin’ that fear stuff, because it’s all you’ve got to sell!
Oops, it turns out that the NSA has actually been listening to and saving Americans’ abroad (including GIs) intimate conversations, instead.
Why is it that the supposedly tough conservatives are such cowards, while it is liberals that are willing to take some risks in order to preserve our freedoms?
Al Cottingham’s post is a textbook example of the bankruptcy of the Republican ‘campaign’. Full of fear-mongering and devoid of facts.
Yep, that’s all they have. Expect the shrillness level to increase exponentially as we get closer to the election.
Uh? does anyone remember that 9/11 was on Dubbyahs watch and the only attack against Bin Laden to any success was under BC’s watch?
In Afganistan they had Bin laden in the crosshairs and weren’t allowed to pull the trigger. After 9/11 the only plane that flew was to remove Bin Laden’s family from the US….didn’t anyone in W’s admin or the CIA want to talk to them?
Ken: “Keep peddlin’ that fear stuff, because it’s all you’ve got to sell!”
No it isn’t Ken. It is a legitimate concern, whether you like it or not. You Ken have been living under the protection of the US military these many years. You have grown soft and think we can just say nice things to our enemies and give them American “rights” without trying to gather intelligence, and then they will just like us and sing “kumbya”.
It is your kind of thinking that ushered in the 3000 world citizen murder on 9-11-01 in NYC. Whether you like it or not, there are people in the world that want to destroy this country. The adults know this and protect us. The “artist” types whine and complain, all the time being protected by the US military. Think about it.
Nope, sorry, it’s just typical rabid right-wing fear-mongering — and it’s beginning to look like the people aren’t buying it as readily as they were.
“It is your kind of thinking that ushered in the 3000 world citizen murder on 9-11-01 in NYC. ”
You disgust me. Really. You live in a strange, sick world. And to think, you actually hate people from NYC. You hardly consider it part of the USA. Personally, I think Al, Marcia, and Nam Vet all conspired to attack the Twin Towers on 9-11.
And Ken: he aint ‘peddling it’, he’s giving the stuff away for free ‘cuase NO ONE is buying it!
So, to recap… McCain is going to make us pray to george bush 5 times a day? And then illegal immigrants will bring dirty socks to Arizona, overloading the nations laundrey machines,?
OMG!
Well Al
Do you believe that the Iraq war has made us safer or more at risk?
Dudes, dontchaknow Obama is going to win! Dont let these rightwingers getcher goats. We are going to have change in this country. We are going to have sustainability. We are going to have social justice. And we are going to have film festivals where art movies such as Pink Flamingos will be seen and understood as the art they really are. Obama will figure out a way to make life perfect for us artists, and for the poor. Letr’s eat the rich and all live well. Let’s all stay weird.
Al: It’s sad you believe that another country/race/religion should be killed because of YOUR fear. It 100% wrong.
“You Ken have been living under the protection of the US military these many years.”
That’s very true. It makes me feel all warm and cozy every night knowing we’re all living under the protection of the military. For years I watched Nazi Germany, Stalin’s Russia, North Korea, China, Cuba and thought, “when will it be our turn to get that kind of protection only foreigners can afford?”
Al Cottingham, I salute you for your well thought out arguments and principaled stand to defend our ability to bask in the protection of fascism. If it weren’t for upstanding citizens like you, we might all have to think and make decisions, and burden ourselves with personal freedom, and such. Where would we be then?
I got a notification of a reply from Dorothydrads, but can’t see the reply here. Am I doing something wrong?
Update:
Palin is even more of a joke than she was 8 years ago.
Obama maintained and expanded the intrusive National Security State.
Shrub’s title as the Worst president ever is already under threat from Trump.
Obama killed bin Laden.
Al Cottingham’s paranoid ravings were not borne out, but his xenophobia is as popular as ever.
Jim Bob Thornton’s hopeful wishes were not borne out. Until his last year Obama was depressingly moderate, mostly continuing GOP policy although he looked much better while doing so.
Carrie’s “100% wrong” is still the prevailing direction.
We still serve the Pentagon and merchants of death, nothing else matters.