It seems to me, as I read conservative website after conservative website, that conservatives are dedicated to their agenda with the fervor of the most religious of zealots. Really, the mullahs in Iran would love this level of dedication from Iranians.
In the past three years, I’ve seen them go from right-wing to wild-eyed, far-right extremists in the blink of an eye, egged on by media like Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, Malkin and Beck to distrust everyone not like them with fervor approaching apocalyptic levels as we close on November.
Their evolution shares frightening similarities with the rise of Germany's Nazi Party:
Growing control of the media and continual assertions that only their claims can be believed.
Demonization of political opponents as disloyal to the country.
Characterizations of progressives, artists and the arts, and homosexuals as degenerates causing moral decay in our society.
Characterizations of unionists as thugs.
Appealing to religious/nationalistic belief to exclude others’ moral, civil, and legal rights.
Characterizations of small religious and racial minorities as evil that need to be restrained, expelled, and/or eliminated.
Anger at the country’s loss of prestige and promises to restore it via the military.
I believe many of them have been sufficiently primed to pick up a gun if things don’t go their way come November. I believe some percentage of them are dedicated enough to emulate Islamist extremists and lob grenades and strap bombs to themselves. We're seeing the beginning already with arrest after arrest of extremists targeting law enforcement, clinic bombings, and police ambushes. It's only going to get worse.
And almost half of Americans identify themselves as conservative.
Conservative and religious zealots are telling us gays should be rounded up in concentration camps. They're telling us non-Christians don’t deserve constitutional protections. They're telling us America should be an explicitly Christian nation. Telling us that women should no longer be allowed to vote. Telling us science should be corrupted by religious myth in our schools.
None of which is new; they've always been around. What IS new is that mainstream conservatives are no longer disavowing any of the extremists, no longer criticizing them as the extremists they are.
The question I think we need to begin thinking about now is how far are we willing to go to defend our beliefs, our version of America? Because if you’re not as dedicated as conservatives are, you’re going to be big time losers.
Liberals have already pretty much lost the fight over unions (check out the past 3 decades if you don’t believe me), education, abortion (let's face it, it's just about a lost cause too), and limiting big corporations.
The country's moved to the right; you can argue with me till you’re blue in the face but the reality begs to differ with commentary I see coming from liberals.
Conservatives will be willing to go to extremes to defend their beliefs. I guarantee you if Obama wins they’ll start the bombing and shooting. And I guarantee you the Limbaugh's and Hannity's and Malkin's of the world won't have any problem being their apologists. And I also guarantee you there will be many other conservatives cheering them on. It will be the American equivalent of a new IRA.
If Republicans win, and continue to win, I see concentration camps in America’s future. I see thousands of political prisoners.
Hyperbole? Overreaction? Hysteria? Read history. This is exactly what happens every time zealots gain power. Without exception. I’m writing a novel about it right now.
It's going to happen. They're dedicated to their cause. How dedicated are you to yours?