GOP 101: Burn a fag, but not a flag

So, the predictable Karl Rove 2006 election strategy has come to pass: trivial, divisive issues that will fire up and distract an American public that is otherwise sick to death of this administration's disastrous policies.

First divisive issue - flag burning. This cartoon probably states my feelings on this better than any 50 paragraphs I could type:

I don't know what I find more incredulous: that Republicans have the balls to try this tactic again, or that the American public can't see right through it. A Constitutional Amendment to ban flag burning would cut right at the heart of what our democracy stands for, period. We have the right to express dissatisfaction with our government, and if a few wayward souls think burning our flag is the way to express those feelings, let them. Would I ever do it? Not a chance, but I'm outraged the government wants to outlaw it.

This is a replay of President Bush Sr., circa the early 1990s: His popularity was going in the toilet (and in the current case, the president's party as well), so he wrapped himself in the American flag. The amendment failed then, and it failed now, but there are two chief differences between then and now: the country is in much worse shape now, and the vote was much closer this time. The measure passed the House, and it failed in the Senate by a single vote. A single fucking vote, people. If this doesn't wake you up, I have no idea what will.

Spearheading the flag burning Amendment is this stupid ass:

Utah Republican Senator Orrin Hatch. This guy must really hate our Constitution, because since he took office in 1977, he's proposed amending it over three dozen times. It makes one wonder if this idiot has done anything other propose Amendments. Banning flag burning takes the cake, but a close second was his half-baked attempt in 2003 to tinker with the guidelines of who can be president as outlined in the Constitution.

Back then, Hatch proposed amending the Constitution to allow foreign-born citizens to run for president. A quick recap, if I may, with some research from the San Francisco Chronicle:

Sen. Orrin Hatch, a Schwarzenegger political friend, proposed allowing anyone who has been a U.S. citizen for 20 years and has resided in the country for 14 years to be elected president. Hatch denies that he proposed the amendment with Schwarzenegger in mind, but it turns out that the 56-year-old actor-businessman was naturalized in 1983. [Emphasis added]

Coincidence? Yea, sure. A little more from Hatch:

"I believe the time has now come to address the antiquated provision of the Constitution that requires our president to be a natural-born citizen," Hatch said. Hatch spokeswoman Margarita Tapia denied the proposal had anything to do with Schwarzenegger, who has raised money for Hatch. "It was a policy judgment. We didn't do it with one specific person in mind, " she said Monday.

Fucking liars. But, I digress.

Back to the issue at hand, and that's Hatch's idea to ban the burning of the American flag. When asked the day before yesterday if he thought this was the most important thing the Senate could be debating, Hatch deadpanned, "You're darn right." Really, Orrin?

Maybe you've heard of: the war in Iraq, exploding deficits, our porous borders, immigration problems, our deteriorating environment, stem cell research, energy problems, etc. I could go on and on. But this is what our leadership in Congress elects to spend its time on? Why am I not surprised?

Hatch continued, and I QUOTE:

"Bringing it up at this time is not an election year ploy. We have Democrats and Republicans who feel deeply about this issue. It is bipartisan. Last time we brought it up was the year 2000."

Was there an election that year, Orrin? And it's worth noting that yes, some Democrats supported this Constitutional Amendment proposal, and that's because they are pussies - too afraid of being painted as unpatriotic for not supporting such a measure. (Or perhaps it could be "not supporting the troops," it just depends on what the Republican slogan du jour is.)

Here's a pretty big issue Congress could be spending its time on - how about Hurricane Katrina fraud? How is it that some assholes of unspeakable morals and ethics always find a way to defraud our government, victims, and ultimately, taxpayers, in times of national crisis? And how is it that our government never seems sage enough to prevent it? 9-11 is the most horrifying example, but Katrina is the latest, to the tune of about $2 billion. Federal prosecutors estimate they will be prosecuting Katrina fraud for the next 6-8 years.

Take a look...

...at all of these new mobile homes that the government has spent $600 million on to purchase for Katrina homeless. I'm so proud that my government has procured these mobile homes to gather so much rust. They sit at this site, while people continue to struggle in New Orleans, many without homes. You're doin' a heckuva job, Dubya, a heckuva job.

***

On to wedge issue number 2, and that's gay marriage. Again, I turn to cartoon for laughter, and to finely illustrate my point:

Ahh, I could probably stop typing right here, and that cartoon says it all. Hell, all DNC Chairman Howard Dean needs to do is make this the slogan of the Democrats: "Republicans - the party that tried to write hate and intolerance INTO the Constitution." Yea, that would just about do it.

This is yet another election-year ploy to fire up the radical religious right. The only mystery about it this time is whether this trite red herring will be enough to distract right wingers into voting for a party that has failed miserably on so many fronts, or will this tried-and-true tactic of distraction work magic for Bush and his minions once again? Funny how we didn't hear much about gay marriage last year, but in the spring of 2004 it was an issue of vital importance.

I'm not going to trot out statistic after statistic about gay marriage and straight marriage again. The numbers are convincing, but there are some on the right who will never let go of the idea that homosexuality is for beasts and devil worshippers. And I have nothing but all the contempt and scorn in the world for people who believe that, most of whom have probably never even known a gay person.

How funny is it that the Department of Defense still classifies homosexuality as a mental disorder? That's something that mental health professionals stopped doing back in the 1960s. Hey, some year our government is bound to catch up.

***

The third wedge issue that the Republicans are trotting out to tremendous PR effect, because it's on the lips of many people at water coolers every Monday morning, is our language.

Aah, I love the smell of xenophobia in the morning. I heard similar sentiments like the one above come out of the mouths of many of my relatives this past weekend when we were all gathered at my aunt's house after my Nan passed away.

This hysteria that's sweeping the nation about English and Spanish is comical. Ohmygod! Unthinkable! Americans learn a second language, get cultured, and be open minded? The fucking planet could stop rotating and we could all fall off the other side.

Hey, this just in, you agents of intolerance - Latinos are now the number one minority in America (or will be by the beginning of next year, they are neck and neck with African-Americans). Imagine these same intolerant people in 1863:

"Niggers? Free?!? What are we going to do next, allow them to vote?!?"

Okay, a bit dramatic, but the connection isn't too obscure. I find people who oppose a bilingual society just about as offensive as the N word in the above paragraph.

So, Republicans are now trying to capitalize on this wedge issue, too, declaring that English is the official language of the United States. Wow, thanks, geniuses. I guess bilingual signs signal the impending collapse of civilization. I ask you, what would be so horrible about a bilingual society?

Need an example of a bilingual society that works? How about we look to Canada? In many parts of that country, there are bilingual signs.

What's so horrible about that? What's more, we have many bilingual signs here in America, too, and you may not have even noticed them, nor cared about them until politicians started beating the drums of intolerance. Here's one you probably see every time you are in a shopping mall or restaurant:

Know what? I actually like having signs like these around. They help me learn a language, Spanish, that any American who hopes to be successful this century will have to know. Put our having a bilingual society to a vote tomorrow, and I vote yes, just like I'd vote yes to gay marriage, and an absolute no fucking way to banning flag burning.

I'm sick to death of Republicans and their agents of intolerance on the right shoving their morality down the throats of us all. You see examples of it every day - in addition to the three wedge issues above, the "War on Christmas", "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance (that phrase was added in 1954 by a Republican controlled Congress - it wasn't even in the original version), The FCC dramatically increasing fines for people uttering swear words that I hear every day on the street, etc.

Hey Republicans, this is not a Christian nation, and God is not a Republican. Pick up a history book and you'll quickly find out - this nation was founded on religious freedom, not religious freedom as long as you are a Christian. Deal with it. I'm sick to death of Republicans getting election year amnesia by forgetting the Bill of Rights, which guarantee me the right to express my opinion and say what I like. Hey, Congressional Republicans - fuck you.