If you are loving the notso G OP convention, the speeches of Palin, Thomas, Giulliani and company, I’d be embarrassed. Of course, some of you probably aren’t and may be thinking the same about me in relation to the Democratic convention.
Fact is, however, that none of the speakers in Denver spoke critically of McCain except in regards to the failed Bush policies that he vows to continue. None of the Democratic speakers condemned an entire religion, the Muslims. None of the Dems even hinted at any religious test for the presidency, much less a fundamentalist Christian one. No Dem invoked religion, hatred of another race or culture, or fear as a reason to either vote for them or against McCain.
However, every Republican speaker has done so. It is vile. It is hypocritical to their professed belief in Jesus Christ to lie, to invoke his name in a false appeal to fear. Yet the hypocrisy of donning the cloak of Jesus while acting precisely in the opposite manner is totally consistent with the notso G OP since the Reagan revolution, and even moreso during the Bush tenure.
For 6 years, SIX YEARS, they controlled both houses of Congress AND the White House, a period in which our current problems were created. What was once a surplus has become a record deficit. What was once a near-balanced budget has become an unprecedented disaster. What was once a world-respected America has become a world-reviled renegade.
Yet these charlatans claim the Democrats will somehow outspend the Republicans who have, in their 6 years of control recklessly spent RECORD amounts! Further,the self-professed disciples of Jesus crucify the Democrats for choosing peace, and peaceful approaches to troubled areas, as being the wrong way.
Did you get this? Jesus’ way, according to Palin, Thomas, Giulliani and company, is the wrong way, the evil way, the LOSING way. Instead, as if we have forgotten that Bush sold the Iraqi war on lies and misinformation—a war that went horribly wrong and for which we will pay for many decades—they have essentially called for permanent war.
Watching the Convention Tuesday night I was greatly amused by the repeated promotion of AMERICAN UNITY. Did they not realize that the number two in their party, McCain’s running mate Sarah Palin, once belonged to The Alaskan Independence Party that called for Alaska to secede from America?!
And now, after two nights of what seems more a Saturday Night Live parody than the real thing, I will agree with my buddy that “I’ve never known how great John McCain was till tonight.” Palin touts McCain as one who will keep America safe like he apparently did in Vietnam. While my admiration runs deep for a man who answered the call of duty and who suffered so much in the prison camp I must ask in response to Mrs. Palin's claim—What did McCain do in the Vietnamese war--like Iraq one we wrongly, unnecessarily and illegally waged—to keep us safe? Was he, before his capture, one who napalmed Vietnamese kids? Did he help kill the over two million Vietnamese civilians who did not in the least jeopardize our safety?
The fact is, these Republicans still believe the Vietnamese war was right and just and that our only mistake was in not nuking them into submission. The real danger is that these people are still in the thralls of this flawed mindset, and so see nothing wrong with the Iraqi war or, more importantly, future wars if pursued against any country that they find sufficiently scary, ie opposed to our will and way.
Thus, get ready for perpetual warfare. Iraq? We are there forever. And Iran is on deck with China in the wings.
Get ready to send your children or grandchildren to battle my friends. This Republican ideology is based on error and fear and opposes every principle of Universal Morality and the REAL teachings of Jesus. Should they retain power they will follow this false dogma to a guaranteed state of constant conflict and our ultimate destruction.
This is not to say that Obama and the Democrats will “make it all better.” His own militant bias is seen in his avowal to increase our presence in Afghanistan, and to use pre-emptive and unilateral force in even the vaguest of circumstances. Yet, in every other way he, and the Democrats, start from a position of an open-minded inquiry and dialogue and not an automatic mind-shutting “Islamic terrorism—KILL!” mentality.
The fact is that people will, for the most part, not be swayed. Those who are diehard conservatives, or who are totally prejudiced towards blacks will vote McCain; those who are…well, what do I say here—sensible, fair, in tune with the American ideal of sharing and caring, compassionate, what?—will vote for Obama.
How many swing voters, who they are and how the candidates may sway them I do not know. But it is obvious the Republicans are banking on their usual M.O. that the average voter is a shallow thinking, superficial automaton.
This year, however, they just might be surprised. I truly hope so.
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