Even as John McCain slips further in the polls, Republicans are continuing to spread dangerous rhetoric about his rival for the White House. Seemingly summoning the days yore when the Confederacy and Union fought bloody battles, the GOP’s anti-America vs. pro-America talk is devise and harmful to America.
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During a stump stop last week in Greensboro, N.C., Republican vice presidential pick Gov. Sarah Palin referred to areas where Republicans dominate as the “real America.†That must mean the bastion of liberal thought known as the north is nothing more than a façade. A mockery of what it means to be a certified American state or a certified American (citizenship not withstanding).
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Goodbye democracy, hello McCarthyism. Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann channeled her inner McCarthy Friday during a Hardball interview with Chris Mathis. She called for an investigation into members of the House and Senate to see who is “pro-America†and “anti-America.â€
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It’s ridiculous to question a person or state’s patriotism because of opposing view points. It’s a fear tactic that seems to have become engrained within the GOP. President George W. Bush used the “with us or against us,†ultimatum when pushing for war in Iraq. The repercussions for such a sweeping conscious without much thought have been rather, un-American or un-democratic. The hasty passage of the Patriot Act after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks left Americans stripped of much of the privacy guaranteed by the Constitution. It’s the same mentality and blind allegiance that allowed vice president Dick Cheney unprecedented power during Bush’s second term.
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And now, the GOP continues to fan the flames of division and stigmatize non-aligning views. On Saturday in North Carolina, Republican Congressman Robin Hayes said “liberals hate real Americans that work and achieve and believe in God.â€
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Individual supporters have also taken it upon themselves to join the hunt. Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner has been receiving phone calls and emails threatening death after a battle over voting procedures with the Hamilton County prosecutor, who is also local chairman of McCain’s presidential campaign. The prosecutor, Joseph Deters, can’t personally be blamed for what these individuals have done. But, the nasty tone of McCain’s campaign has sent a message