Stop Saying “Enemies”
Political opponents are not enemies. They're just Americans with other ideas.
The regime that has usurped the powers of Congress, of the courts, and of the people enjoys throwing labels: scum, murderers, rapists, criminals. The epithets (and accompanying temper tantrums) are tossed indiscriminately at governors, senators, attorneys; and at academics, museums, and research libraries; in short, at anyone who might speak out against and challenge a despotic oligarch, a dictator of weak intellect and high intolerance. Yesterday a United States senator — Alex Padilla (D-CA) — was wrestled to the ground and handcuffed for even attempting to ask questions of the DHS secretary. The nerve of the man! Instead of meekly accepting the federal invasion of his state he demanded some accountability from the thugocracy. The right-wing echo chamber — which now includes official as well as unofficial organs of government communications — was quick to assert that he was disrespectful, charged the podium, did not identify himself, etc. etc. etc. It should go without saying at this point that every talking point asserted — did not identify, charged the podium, disrespectful — was false. A series of lies which the timid media will report with, at most, “some say that.” In other words: normalize the hatred, the vitriol, the intimidation, the false characterizations.
The entire establishment has forgotten, if it ever, knew, the importance of the Third Commandment. Ironic, from a crowd that claims the Bible as its own, believes the United States is a white Christian nation, and wishes to plant the Ten Commandments in every town square and courthouse in the land. Freedom of speech, of religion, of assembly: the core values of our founding have no place if we don’t agree with the Monarch. He is a mad-king failed pitchman and carnival barker. But let us not, please, speak truth to power.
I digress: my point was that the regime hurls names with an alacrity that would exhaust most schoolyard bullies. Everyone in disagreement — which is to say, about 60% of the nation on one or another issue — is branded an Enemy and targeted for elimination. This toxic rhetoric has now entered the lexicon of the Democrats, who send texts and emails begging for money to “fight our enemies.” Fight, absolutely. And I have no real quarrel with branding the regime as an enemy — of the people, of the rule of law, of honesty and compassion. But let’s not fall into the trap of thinking of political opponents as the Enemy Within.
Adopting the language of the oppressor is unlikely to change any minds, not least because it looks inauthentic. Signing on to legislation that does nothing to advance the interests of the American people demonstrates neither toughness nor willingness to compromise; it shows only that you got rolled, and you did it to yourselves.
Democrats need to stick to the core values that made America great and the indispensable nation. We can be great again, but GOP-Lite1 won’t get us there.
Politics has to become again the Art of the Possible. Right now it’s not even the Art of the Deal, it’s Might Makes Right. That’s not democracy, it’s tyranny. That is the enemy of the people.
“Hates great! Less thrilling!”