Let's say America has a Democratic president who, inexplicably, is viewed as much different from his predecessor. His policies are business at usual but the country's right wing portrays him as a dangerous leftist. Hate speech increases and threats rise, until ultimately, it all manifests itself in act of horrific violence.
Of course, I'm talking about Bill Clinton, the rise of right wing militias, and the bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City almost exactly 15 years ago. In the words of the immortal political philosopher, Jon Bon Jovi: "It's all the same. Only the names have changed."
Just as in 1995, the right wing movement (sic) inevitably lures in many who will use it as platform to express their simmering hatred for blacks, gays, immigrants, women, and most non-Christians.
Just as in 1995, we have things in common with the right wing protestors, starting with the fear, anger, isolation, frustration, and marginalization that results from living within a culture based on material consumption by any means necessary. As long as our culture--our system--is allowed to stay unchanged"we will be dealing with false conflicts between potential allies. The victims will stay divided while the top 5% remain above the fray
Yes, many of the Tea Partiers are victims of predatory capitalism just as we are and could even be comrades if they weren't so woefully and dangerously uninformed.
They talk about taxes but don't mention the military budget (where 53% of our tax dollars go to die). They complain about "the nanny state," but ignore corporate welfare. They perceive a Wall Street-funded politician like Mr. Yes-We-Can as a "socialist" and blame everything on "the government" while disregarding corporate power (in this equation, the government is clearly the lesser of two horrendous evils).
The Tea Partiers exist because corporate media propaganda has convinced them equality, justice, and tolerance is a threat to their alleged freedoms. Just as bad: it's also convinced them George W. Obama represents this threatening form of equality, justice, and tolerance. They were tricked"but make no mistake about it, so was the Left.
A radical response to this so-called movement requires balance. We have to challenge right wing hatred and intolerance at every turn, of course, but do so without defending President Obama who is little more than Ronald Reagan in blackface.
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