Not in my backyard!
We are Americans, we’re tough, and we can handle anything except Muslims.
The Republican Party is really good at sending strong messages as a political party. They have co-opted many symbolic themes of strength from the opposition and in doing so, painted them as being against these same principles much to their detriment. They are by reputation the party of fiscal responsibility, strong military defense, family values and extremely patriotic. As a political party, they have used this reputation they have harnessed and manipulated to brow beat into submission the opposition party when it comes to legislation, political opponents when it comes to elections, and as a cultural weapon to divide and conquer the voting public. The Republicans have long been known for being strong on defense of this nation and cutting taxes for the rich to have the poor pay for the military. They do this is as it is practical for them, as the poor are the ones who will be employed by the military and die. According to one Rick Santelli, Wall Street Broker and staunch supporter of McCain, the Republican Party is not made up of losers, like those who might have to get a job by joining the military. The men of their party usually speak out in a forceful ‘we don’t take no nothing from anybody’ manner when it comes to dealing with others on the international stage. These stands taken by this party has been for them a statement of character, for the party, for potential individuals representing them, and against any who oppose them. These are statements of strength, conviction, courage and power.
So the most powerful representative speaking out in defense of taking just those kinds of stands as leaders of this country and elected representatives of the Republican Party of this great nation, former Vice President Dick Cheney is going around making just such a statement. For after 9/11, and being supposedly caught off guard with the attack that took place that day, the tough guys reaction to the attack was to invade two Muslim nations with our military. Totally tear down our Democracy as it was known to exist by the changes that became known as the Patriot Act. He swears by all considered to be red state in mentality and true American patriotism, the best way to prosecute this war on terror was to use enhanced interrogation techniques referring to tactics legally determined to be criminal. Their legality adjusted by the justice department at the behest of the Bush Administration to their puppet AG Alberto Gonzales. Through the Justice Department and the Patriot Act legislation they bogarted thru Congress, they changed the rules of the game, the way the game was played and then the game itself with the false reasons to go to war with Iraq.
So, this party of tough guys decides to go extreme in exacting revenge on the weaker states of the Muslim nations that exist today using methods techniques and principles once deemed proper for petty third world dictators and such. They sit in wait for another attack, any kind of terror event to prove that the present administration is wrong in not continuing the use of these illegal tactics to keep Americans safe. They suggest that closing Guantanamo prison is another major policy failure of President Obama’s decision making process that will endanger our security. They continue that theme with attempting to invoke fear and quiet hatred and prejudice by claiming ‘enhanced danger’ of bringing the detainees here to America. Fear of some dreaded attack from some outside radical Muslim group seeking either to free their brethren or revenge on the community at large and then some spectacular Hollywood prison break. If not for the amusement of the entertainment value, one might just shake their heads.
But, here’s my point on this, we are the toughest nation on the planet, we lock up over 1 million criminals in this country, more than anyone else on the planet. We have the most highly secure super max prisons in the world which already house some of the country’s known worst criminals, and Dick Cheney and the Republican Party wants us to believe that we can’t keep 240 prisoners locked up or some of their associates from breaking them out just because they are Muslim. Personally, as an American, I am more than a little insulted by that very concept. What kind of tough guy would say that about the most beautiful country in the world he loves so much? That is not very patriotic where I come from.
© 2009, agentleman.
