User login

You DO NOT need to register to VIEW articles and comments. To add a comment you need to register. Registration is FREE!

Visit BuzzFlash on:

Facebook

and

MySpace

click here

See All The BuzzFlash Premiums

The Real America Vs. the Republican Party of Intolerance

Submitted by mark karlin on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 6:53am.

Other

A BUZZFLASH EDITORIAL

Message to the Republican Party: The "Real America" is not a region, religion or a demographic of people – and it is not rallies composed of rowdy, bigoted hooligans.

The "Real America" is a gift given to us in the form of the Constitution and a system of government that guarantees rule by the consent of the governed – and that includes all citizens who are eligible to vote – and a nation that abides by the rule of law.

A BuzzFlash reader recently sent us this quotation from Robert F. Kennedy:

What is objectionable, what is dangerous about extremists, is not that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant. The evil is not what they say about their cause, but what they say about their opponents.

Forty years after his assassination – during a decade when the guns of intolerance attempted to shoot down the "Real America" – Robert F. Kennedy could not have more aptly described and pinpointed the grotesque character of the Republican Party since the advent of Richard M. Nixon.

As we know, the smug, hateful, religious extremist, and morally reprehensible heart of the GOP has beat all the stronger over the last 8 years. It has reached a new level of a Frankenstein parody of the "Real America" – our Constitution and our system of checks and balances – during the McCain campaign.

The genius of the American Revolution was that it gave birth to a nation that allowed for a country that was Constitutionally bound to refresh its leadership on an ongoing basis, subject to the choice of its citizens – and put into place a balanced system of checks and balances to ensure that no branch of government became too powerful or "monarchical" in nature.

The "Real America" is written into our founding documents, not into a self-anointed mob of self-righteous and ethically-challenged members of one political party.

We detest the exclusionary, greedy arc of the Republican Party since Nixon, but we don’t deny the right of the haters and bullies to share this nation with those who understand our Constitutional roots. We are all part of one national community with the right to disagree about ideas.

We are, after all, a nation of inclusion, not exclusion. The "Real America" is a concept shared, an adopted identity (for we are all – except Native Americans – descendants of immigrants to this land) that champions liberty, religious freedom, economic opportunity on a level playing field, and complete freedom without regard to ethnic, gender or social background.

In 2008, we have a choice between the faux "Real Americans" who promote intolerance with incendiary rhetoric and a wink and a nod – and the "Real America," a leader who bases his principles on the Constitution and the rule of law.

The choice should not be a hard one to make if you believe in the "Real America" of the promise of this great experiment in democracy.

BuzzFlash proudly endorses Barack Obama for President of the United States.

A BUZZFLASH EDITORIAL

Seconded!

Submitted by babytwin1960 on Mon, 11/03/2008 - 8:57am.

I'm with you! I'm sick of not so much divisions as much as divisiveness. What's wrong with some people? Who has the right to call himself/herself a "Real American." What the hell does that mean, anyway? White, Protestant, last name with no more than two syllables, bland as Wonder Bread? Makes me think of those whites who bitch and moan about affirmative action. I cornered one such person once with this response: "How come no one mentions NEPOTISM?" She shut right up after that.

Let Obama restore reality to USA, not the faith of swindlers

Submitted by Reasoner101 on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 10:21pm.

I am visiting the red state of Oklahoma today, and took the opportunity to discuss the election. In the midst of an otherwise rational discussion about which candidate would be better for the middle class and health care, a woman in her late forties told me, "I just can't vote for Obama. He is a Muslim. And that's their plan: to secretly control our country by having one of theirs become president.” The comment reminds me of the term a White House aide, in 20004, used to reporter Ron Susskind for a profile on the George Bush that appeared in the New York Times Magazine, saying that the Administration had led the country without our “reality-based community.” The senior Bush aide told Susskind, “We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality.” (see http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/17/magazine/17BUSH.html) Well, this Administration has created its own faith-based reality for eight years now. They’ve made out like bandits, redistributing billions for their funders and families, and getting re-elected in 2004. It’s the rest of the country, the middle class, the working poor, the residents of New Orleans, the people who are jobless, those who need health care, and the hundreds of thousands of shattered lives in our military and in the nation of Iraq, who have paid the price. Not to mention our Constitution, civil rights, and the Geneva Convention. It is this “faith-based” Bush government, with the support of Republican members of Congres like John McCain, who have pushed true big government, increased its power over our lives, forced hundreds of thousands of members of our National Guard and Reserve to fight in its illegal war in Iraq, invaded our privacy, trashed our rights to Habeas Corpus, gutted the checks and balances over executive power, to a degree never before witnessed in U.S. history. But it is Obama they accuse of being for Big Government? Speaking as one American to another: it’s time to restore reality to our national discourse. And responsibility to our government. Vote Obama this Tuesday.

After the last 8, pyrrhic

Submitted by quicklime on Wed, 11/05/2008 - 9:39am.

After the last 8, pyrrhic years we've finally turned the corner and are headed towards some serious change. Somebody turned the light on and the roaches are looking for something to crawl under. They'll be back. It'll start with mealy-mouth innuendo and a slow rise in the volume.We can't let them get another toehold.

Gagworthy

Submitted by babytwin1960 on Mon, 11/03/2008 - 9:04am.

Don't I HATE it when whites--especially white WOMEN (maybe because I happen to be one)--say stupid stuff like, "I-can't-vote-for-Obama-he's-a-Muslim" blah blah blah. Oh, PLEASE! I get so viscerally angry at this crap that I think horrible things like, "Is her husband/boyfriend a racist, xenophobe, or homophobe and did she pick it up from him and adopt his views to keep him?" I'm sorry, but, these are the women so stupidly gullible. Y'know how other white people with racist views piss me off about whites? Well, when women utter such garbage, I take it personally "A working person who votes for a Republican is like a chicken who votes for Colonel Sanders"--on a lawn sign

Intolerant?

Submitted by vernfitz on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 9:55pm.

Liberals do one thing exceptionally well. They tell people what I, a conservative, believe. Thanks, I really need the help. Just let me clarify a couple of things. I'm not racist, homophobic, bigoted, judgemental, or hateful. Now I do have my own beliefs that I know I'm not allowed to have. And to the "open-minded" left, that makes me all of those things. See its like this. I believe in God, so that makes me judgemental. I don't believe that people are born gay. This makes me a homophobic. I'm a republican. This means I'm racist. I don't believe that abortion should be used as a form of birth control. This means I'm against choice. All these things make me hateful. But, here's the problem. I don't fit into your "box". My best friend is a gay black man. Tell me again what I am? I keep forgetting. What makes me pissed is this. Quit telling me that if I don't think the way you do I'm hateful. It looses its effectiveness when your so hateful about it yourselves. Conservatives have had liberal ideology shoved so far down our throats we can't hardly breath. Sure there are people on the right who push it. Just as there are those on the left. But the truth of the matter is that if you met me and we discussed all of this. You would like me. And I would like you. We don't HAVE to agree. But if you persist in not allowing me to have me own opinion, then are you really progressive. Are you open minded? Are you tolerant? I'll tell you this. I'm hopeful that the replies to this will be progressive, tolerant, and open-minded. Go vote, I absolutely hope you vote. I already have. We live in the greatest nation on earth. out fitz

I'm a liberal

Submitted by babytwin1960 on Mon, 11/03/2008 - 9:14am.

I'm a liberal, and, I'm not hateful. But, abortion isn't used as a form of birth control; and, it is NOT a decision that a woman makes willy/nilly. What's a woman who finds she's pregnant but who either cannot nor will not wish to carry the pregnancy to term? Is she supposed to continue the pregnancy, give birth, then give the newborn away so it can be hopefully adopted? And, what are the chances of it getting adopted if it is either dark-skinned and/or physically imperfect in some way? And...OK...you think people "aren't born gay", that they CHOOSE to be gay. OK, that's cool. You're right, it IS a choice....A CHOICE TO BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF AND NOT LIVE A LIE. I said as much to a gay co-worker: when I first mentioned it was a "choice", she froze; but, when I finished with "to be honest with yourself", she breathed a sigh of relief. Besides, WHY would anyone choose to be harrassed, maybe even KILLED? Matthew Sheppard, anyone??? "A working person who votes for a Republican is like a chicken who votes for Colonel Sanders"--on a lawn sign

reactionary noise

Submitted by Ken duerksen on Mon, 11/03/2008 - 6:04am.

No one said "conservative"... the article was about the radical, demagogic GOP. If you vote McCain you are throwing in your lot with a morally and philosophically bankrupt crowd of frightened, hateful fascists; whatever you may think that you personally believe. Ken Duerksen

The problem is...

Submitted by VettaKing on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 11:02pm.

People are born gay. The fact that you pretend not to believe it, or even the fact that you tolerate your black friend's (if he even exists, I doubt it) "sinful" lifestyle is irrelevant. Your god makes you judgemental because the god you believe in is derived from racially supremecist fairytales that perpetuates hatred and evil against anyone who believes differently. Whether you like it or not you belong to a party of racists, bigots, and gay bashers as perfectly represented by your current candidate's campaign. You will find no apologies from the left for calling you out on your prejudices. Why should we tolerate irrational hatred of others whos' only sins are to be born of a certain orientation or ethnicity? If that's tolerance, than we want no part of it. Why do Republicans slander liberals with terms like "moral relatavist" and then want us to be "open minded" about their immoral beliefs? Your entire argument is absurd and is nothing more than the talking points of the disgraced. History will judge you harshly. Your time will come to an end. You will just have to get used to it.

Not Intolerant

Submitted by the_Lensman on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 10:37pm.

There truly is a place in society for the conservative point of view. It is the Yin to the liberal Yang. There must be balance in the universe. What has me angry at the Republican form of Conservatism is there willingness to lie cheat and steal. If they truly believe they are right and their way is the true way, then they should honestly present their case. Don't purge voters to prevent the opposing view from being heard. Don't lie and repeat the lie ad nauseum knowing that there are some poor uninformed souls out there that will believe just because it has been said. Democracy is suppose to follow the will of the people not the will of a few who have successfully grabbed control of the media. The truth will out in the end nothing that is real can be hidden forever if the progressive way is wrong it will collapse of its own accord. But, look at the economy now, after 28 straight years of conservative economic policies the fruit it bears is coming to full term. The middle class is collapsing under the burden of debt that they have been forced to bear. My great grand kids will still be paying off the debt run up by the current administration.

We shouldn't confuse

Submitted by Clemsy Diggs on Mon, 11/03/2008 - 5:57am.

We shouldn't confuse conservatism with the extremism which it's allowed into its house. You are quite correct, there is validity to the conservative point of view which, if balanced with the liberal, moderates change.

Not necessarily a bad thing.

However, once they demonized liberalism in all its forms, and made it the enemy, they gave power to the beast at the heart of their soul.

Well done, Newt.

Liberal Demons

Submitted by babytwin1960 on Mon, 11/03/2008 - 9:24am.

How true about the demonizing of liberals. It makes me crazy that anyone who truly believes that one group of people is superior to the other only or primarily because of their race, religion, gender, sexual preferences, or whether they are rural or urban, college educated (or any higher ed) or not...whatever. Rich or poor or somewhere in between. It really drove me nuts the day after Obama made his speech at the DNC when some of my co-workers were saying, "Oh, he'll do this and he'll do that" in mocking tones. I spoke up, "No, he won't do it all, but, he'll have the intelligence to pick the right advisors." They shut right up after that. It is NOT bad to be a conservative. We need conservatives. What IS bad is when conservatism runs amok and is used as an excuse to be a bigoted jerk "A working person who votes for a Republican is like a chicken who votes for Colonel Sanders"--on a lawn sign

i agree quicklime. (with ur comment)

Submitted by Nephwrack on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 6:42pm.

but remember there have been many buddhist warriors. ;-) Om Mani Padme Hum

God Help Us if McCain's energy expert is Palin !

Submitted by quidam56 on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 6:10pm.

http://www.wisecountyissues.com

Lib Losers Without ''Win at Any Cost"?

Submitted by Kevin Schmidt S... on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 6:09pm.

The only reason why the thuggish GOP has been winning is because of Progressive and Liberal refusal to hold them legally accountable for their actions. That pussiness is now at an end! This election is about the restoration of accountability, the Rule of Law, Habeas Corpus and the U.S. Constitution, not to mention the prosecution of traitors, thieves and criminally negligent malfeasants.

Sean Hannity SHUT UP !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Submitted by quidam56 on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 6:07pm.

Fox News says the GOP is the party of GOD. I doubt He put these three hundred fifty million year old Appalachian Mountains here for the mega profit machines to decapitate and gouge to get the coal all for the love of money ! www.wisecountyissues.com

Another Republican Victory

Submitted by victorg423 on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 2:21pm.

I ask myself what will happen if the republicans manage to steal another election. If they manage to manipulate the system to further their own ends. If they arrange to advance their agenda at the expense of all those with different ideologies. I once read how the British objected to the way the colonists waged their revolution. They declared that the colonists were uncouth and did not obey the generally accepted rules of warfare. If the colonists had stood in rows in some open field facing the British in their nice, matching uniforms with their delusions of moral superiority, I suppose the British would have been satisfied. The British lost. Is one reason for their defeat the greater intent of the colonist to win at any cost. Progressives today often sit back and moan and wail about how "unfair" the republicans are. About how philosophically inferior the republicans are compared to the progressives with their more lofty & fair & just ideas. Meanwhile the right wing zealots win. They achieve victories, some small & some not so small. They have been repeatedly making victories since the 50's & 60's, and I don't have personal knowledge of events before then. And so called progressives continue to flounder and to demonstrate their lack of coordinated effort for sustained periods of time. And for every "victory" there are twice as many "defeats". The republicans control a much larger geographical area of the country. The non-republicans exercise control over pockets of the country. But the progressives fail to consistently display the planning & coordination necessary for future successes. And when the republicans pull off another coup de theater, what will most of the progressives do? Effectively nothing other than a few non-focused displays of anger & aggression. While I loathe the philosophies of republicans, I just wish I could respect & admire the activity of the majority of progressives who primarily view their opposition to the republicans as nothing more than some intellectual exercise. I hope that smugness works out well for them when the republicans complete their control & enslavement of the progressives, the liberals, & anyone else not being adherents of the right wing agenda.

Neocon black hole

Submitted by willymack on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 1:15pm.

There's a point beyond which no escape is possible from a black hole, which is the ultra-dense remains of a giant star which blew off its outer layers in a supernova while its core contracted into something so dense that not even light can escape from it, spacetime itself is warped, and all the known laws of physics disappear. That point is called an "event horizon" The thugs who call themselves republicans are that black hole, whose voracious maw consumes anything or anybody unlucky enough to get too close to their event horizon. Don't be too surprized if mcfool pulls off a "miraculous" comeback in these few days before the "election", and "wins" the presidency. That'll put us right at the event horizon, I think.

I want to.....

Submitted by onlinesavant on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 12:44pm.

make "conservatism" (Regressivism.) small enough so that it can be drowned in a bathtub.

Maybe Grover Norquist should drown in a bathtub?

Submitted by Norm on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 11:53pm.

It would definitely cleanse his sins.

The Real America

Submitted by mockrin2 on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 11:47am.

The Declaration of Independence says that all of us have the right to "life, libery, and the pursuit of happiness". The Constitution says "We the people...", not "We the rich, white, Christian, heterosexual, war loving, female hating males."

Mere Words Won't Turn This Great Nation Around

Submitted by Norm on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 10:56am.

I guess the good thing about the WW II defeat of Germany was that they knew unequivocally that fascism just doesn't work. The German people were beaten both physically and emotionally for allowing a monster to dictate their lives for 12 years. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the American People who have been under the rule of the radical wing of the Republican Party for 28 years. White Supremacists plan the murder of Barrack Obama and the US Attorney in Denver fails to press charges. What will happen to this US Attorney when he leaves office next year? Is he going to start singing Kum-Ba-Ya now that we have a Democratic Administration? I doubt it. I like Obama's inclusiveness philosophy. Not all Republicans are bad just as not all Democrats are good. IMHO, however, bad apples in police departments across this country dictate how Americans are treated by their local constabulary. This, to me, is what has to change at ground zero. Honesty and integrity must regain its higher value than political connections and expediency. Obama must hire executives with honesty and integrity. Obama must make honesty and integrity the hallmark of his administration. The Milton Freedman School of Neo-Conservative Economic Theory must be totally discredited because it is inherently corrupt - not because it is "conservative" or "Republican." Robert Bork, Alan Greenspan and the rest of the "Self-Regulatory Thugs" must be discredited for being thugs. They must be made accountable for their thuggery. We as Americans will not be "out-of-the-woods" with the election of Barrack Obama. There are still plenty of "American monsters" out there who continue to spout their venom and hate. These people must be brought to justice unless we want to become another Germany.

Fascists didn't lose WW2.

Submitted by bettysdad on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 4:17pm.

They changed venues.

Only the Bush Crime Family et al changed venues

Submitted by Norm on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 11:51pm.

Actually, the Bush Crime Family simply stayed in the USA and cut back operations in Germany once WW II was lost.

Louder! Louder!

Submitted by Clemsy Diggs on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 9:51am.

That folksy voice you hear, telling us who the 'real' Americans are, is an important one. Oh, yes indeedy. The volume of her voice is an indication of the health of our own revolution.

The louder she is, the sicker we are.

Her audience is of limited imagination, and is easily swayed by the warm, fuzzy security of everyone thinking the same thoughts, believing in the same god and defining the same enemy.

They define patriotism as nationalism. They treat this sentiment like an Old Testament religion: you're either with us or against us, saved or damned, chosen or cast out.

There is a threshold beyond which there is no return. We're close to it. McCain would probably take us over it, for all he's sold his soul to that demographic.

People should have to pass a vocabulary test, (liberty, democracy, inalienable, self-evident, etc.) and study 1930's Germany as a requirement for voting.

Sara Palin is doing us a favor. She's showing us our brown shirts. As good progressive Americans who acknowledge that people have a constitutional right to be assholes, we should thank her, then raise our voices and DROWN HER OUT.

You're right

Submitted by cagey on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 12:29pm.

Palin and her ilk are doing us a favor by showing us the dark side of human nature that IS INSIDE ALL OF US, much as we deny it. It's by bringing it into the light and giving it a megaphone that we can see it, own it, and CHOOSE not to act on it. Instead, like you say, we can DROWN IT OUT with actions and words that come from our better nature.

BRAVO!!!

Submitted by Janejane on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 9:31am.

I agree with Mark who wrote this article. How dare the Republians like Sarah suggest that they are the Real America! They would have it that they are the only ones you should vote for. Isn't that considered socialism, to wit, they always say that Obama leans towards? Shame on them for calling the rest of the USA un-real or un-American for having a difference of opinion.

Hear hear...

Submitted by TJAmericanWay on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 8:17am.

Excellent editorial, and for me right on target. I've found myself asking questions along exactly the same lines for years, both in the political and religious domains. Just as these "Real (Republican) Americans" show so much intolerance, so do so many alleged "Christians". In both arenas, hypocrisy abounds. Just as these "RRA's" seem completely unaware of the content and meaning of our Constitution, so do the majority of Christians in relation to the teachings of Jesus. That is unless it suits their needs... Try as I might I have yet to understand the reason for this. All I can assume is that there are deeply seated psychological reasons that drive this type of dichotomous behavior. Questions like these fall into the area of human behavior that seem to defy all logic, much like the research that has proven that pedophiles are in majority people who have been sexually abused themselves at an early age. No matter how I try to twist my mind around the reasons for these types of behaviors, in the end I just don't 'get it'.

I have a couple of standard phrases that I often use when I run into those who are beating this type of political or religious drum of intolerance. "What would Jesus do?" and thanks to Keith O. "Hey, read the Constitution, it's fun." That's about as far as I will allow myself to engage people of this nature because I've found that trying to reason logically with people of these mindsets is much akin to arguing with a drunk, or trying to teach a pig to sing, regardless of whether or not it's wearing lipstick.

Spot On!

Submitted by the_Lensman on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 9:10am.

I agree whole heartedly. My you usually shouted refrain when I watch the Republicans take the truth out for a joy-ride is. "These people make my brain hurt!" unfortunately it is not just an expletive, my head really does hurt after a few minutes of their convoluted arguments.

As a halfassed buddhist I'm

Submitted by quicklime on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 11:51am.

As a halfassed buddhist I'm forced to short-circuit my sometimes attempts at compassion. I and many others have been on the business end of the last 8 or more years of the arrogant, hatefulness. Show no mercy towards these reptiles. Torch them. Slag them. Burn them completely out of existance. Let them experience the crap they've been shoving on anyone who they've seen as being different than them. Blow them completely out of the water and everytime they stick their heads up stomp them flat. Hopefully I can relearn some compassion after the 4th. But not now.

Get FREE BuzzFlash News Alerts