Fear Factor: Special Comment by my 72-year-old friend

By GottaLaff

My impassioned 72-year-old Twitter pal, who goes by the name 42bkdodgr, would like to share his feelings about the way the fear mongering and hypocrisy of the GOP. I am more than happy to oblige.

But first, a personal note from 42bkdodgr:

Many of you may wonder why I chose to use the “ 72 year old friend” as the introduction to my Special Comments. I selected the moniker so readers could see that from my age and life experiences I give a different perspective to the issues of today.

Now for his Special Comment:

Fear Factor

Liz Cheney, who branded lawyers who defended accused terrorists before the Supreme Court, as Al Qaeda sympathizers, seems to have forgotten the fundamental principle of our judicial system “innocent until proven guilty”. Attorneys are taught to defend their clients no matter what their own personal opinion may be.

The fact that the Justice Department hired some of the attorneys that represented terrorists during the Bush Administration didn’t seem to matter or occur to her.

Liz, like her father, loves to use fear words and tactics to rile their base and promote their right wing agenda. If one were to use Liz’s logic, Dick Cheney who believes in torturing terrorists, or as he calls it “enhanced interrogation“, is no different than Saddam Hussein.

Liz Cheney is receiving a lot of heat for her remarks, and rightfully so, even from conservatives within the Republican party; yet the use of fear seems to be in the Cheney’s genes and that of the Republican Party.

The “fear factor” has been part of the Republican strategy since 9/11, but now we have seen that this policy is officially part of their platform to get Republicans elected in 2010, from a Power Point presentation that was made by the Republican National Committee, in Boca Grande, Florida.

Bush and the GOP have used the “fear factor” to (a) get us into an un-necessary war in Iraq, (b) re-elect Bush in 2004, (c) fight Health Care reform, (d) fight the closing Guantanamo, and (d) fight the trying of terrorists in civilian courts.

This use of the “fear factor” since the election of Barack Obama, by the Republican Party and the right wing media, I believe, is one of the factors that has led to a significant increase in American hate groups.

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) published a report (Rage on the Right) this week that disclosed there was a 244% increase in the number of active Patriot Groups (militias and other extremist organizations) in 2009. Their numbers grew from 149 groups in 2008 to 512 in 2009. On March 5th we learned that the Obama Administration is considering trying the alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) in a military court instead of a civilian court in NYC.

For months the Republican Party and right wing media have been using the “fear factor” on the American public against having civilian trial for KHM. Like Liz Cheney’s undermining one of our basic legal principles, so is the Republican Party undermining the due process provision of our Constitution.

The fact that civilian trials were used to try terrorists during the Bush Administration doesn’t seem to matter to the GOP. The simple fact is, if Obama wants to do it, is enough reason for them to object. Hypocrisy at its highest level.

I beseech President Obama to support your Justice Department and bring KHM before an American civilian court to be tried for his accused crimes against humanity. To do otherwise is to play into the “fear factor” of the Republican Party and the right wing media, which will only embolden them and their supporters to continue their fear mongering methods.

Its time Mr. President to show Republicans and the right wing media that the “fear factor” doesn’t belong in American politics.

Many thanks again for another thorough, relevant piece, 42bkdodgr. You often say what many of us are thinking and feeling, and we thank you for your unique perspective.