Stopping the new Stormtroopers

The Republican Party is not satisfied with trying to undo 200 years of progress along the path of democracy so boldly forged by our founders. They are now the new Stormtroopers, silencing dissent with violence. The once Grand old party is now led by the likes of Sarah Palin and Sharron Angle, members of the supposed ‘fairer’ sex, who exhort their followers to violence, if necessary, to overthrow our government.

Today’s Republican leadership, combined with the hate, fear and violence-inspiring rhetoric of Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, Sean Hannity and others is directly and unlawfully causing violence in our world. It is no exaggeration to now compare their tactics, including riling this dissension with outright lies and incredibly false propaganda, with the fascists of old.

The Brownshirts and Stormtroopers of Nazi Germany readily clubbed, shot or arrested all who dared oppose candidate Hitler, before he won the election. Upon taking power the attacks intensified. After so many acts of violence, the opposition—the ones who stood for truth, righteousness and justice—were indeed silenced for good. The monster thus unleashed and unopposed and in concert with Germany’s biggest corporations, devoured their world with ghoulish and ghastly brutality.

Life’s most vexing tragedies begin with unappreciated irony and innocence. Pretty Sarah Palin promoting guns. Sharron Angle (close to Angel) fomenting violent overthrow of the government. And now, right here in quaint picket-fenced Lexington, Rand Paul Brownshirts, big brawny men, wrestling down and stomping an innocent girl’s head into the concrete curb.

It must not be tolerated! The Attorney General must work with federal authorities to bring the full force of state and federal law to bear against not only the foot stomper but also the mouthpieces of destruction. Free speech is one thing, a precious thing to be protected. But exhorting followers that violence is justified to thwart a government they wrongly categorize as a threat to be exterminated is not.

18 USC 2385 is the Federal statute outlawing advocating the overthrow of the government. It says in part: “Whoever knowingly or willfully advocates, abets, advises, or teaches the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying the government of the United States or the government of any State…Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.”

Palin, Angle, Beck, Limbaugh and many others have already crossed the line. Where is the government these Republicans complain so loudly about? Perhaps afraid to do what it is supposed to be doing—protecting law and order in a civilized democracy—so as not to add fuel to their fire. Regardless, our government must act. Federal law enforcement authorities must confront any and all appeals to violence, to “Second Amendment remedies” or other calls to overthrow our government.

Our future absolutely depends upon it.

The Armageddon Election

This is the Armageddon election. Should they retake Congress, as is likely to happen, Republicans will have ridden hypocrisy, hatred and home-schooled ignorance to victory and worse, America's demise. For this election is not merely a choice between partisans who are otherwise united around our social compact and the government that enables it. No, this election pits a post-Reagan Republican Party, taken over by radical tea partiers who, unlike responsible conservative leaders of old, are intent on destroying our government and reversing over 200 years of progress along the path our forefathers set for us, against the Democrats who have time and again come to the rescue of it.

This is no hyperbole. A nation cannot long endure the divisive stress of so many citizens opposed to their government, no matter how misinformed. When a majority of voters are either so uneducated, or so willfully misled to support a party that promotes the destruction of Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and civil rights; that opposes federal government oversight and regulation of Wall Street, mines, drugs and many other areas of consumer protection; that promotes or by its silence tolerates a resort to guns and violence in order to instill their warped view of the Constitution; that vilifies gays, immigrants, the unemployed and welfare recipients; and that rushes to support the proven failed policies that twice brought our country to the brink of destruction, then that nation cannot stand, much less continue to flourish.

While this is my prediction, it most certainly is not my hope. I hope that enough Americans can see through the ruse and vote for the Democrats in this election. I hope that a new generation of Republican leadership will arise who accepts our social contract, our government and our democracy. I hope that all elected officials regardless of party will act responsibly and respectfully as trustholders for the people, and not for special interests or hard-held ideological beliefs.

Mostly I hope that a nation of mostly self-professed Christians would heed the true teachings of Jesus, and not the wayward traditions of man.