Monday, September 15, 2008

On opponents and enemies

Adkisson was hardly a lone gunman. He clearly had folks like Limbaugh and Glen Beck and Karl Rove whispering in his ear. And if you listen, you can still hear them: Obama is different… Obama wants us to lose the war… Obama is the Antichrist… Obama called Sarah Palin a pig… Obama wants kindergarten kids to be taught sex education…
When you characterize your opponent(s) as depraved, treacherous, evil and perverse, he becomes an enemy instead of an opponent. He becomes dangerous and destructive instead of just disagreeable or dissident. This is the essence of Neocon politics. Once they convince their constituents that Democrats and liberals are diabolic and life, liberty and way-of life-threatening, it makes them easier to condemn, slander, sabotage, character-assassinate and ultimately—in Adkisson’s case—murder.
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