As typical conservatives, Republicans are not only resistant to progress, they are inherently incapable of change. They are as incapable of changing their practice of taking from the masses to enrich the wealthy few as they are wavering from their six-year assertion that an African American President hates America and gives aid to the enemy to destroy America. However, their issue with Barack Obama is not necessarily his skin color or his party affiliation although they are certainly a contributing factor. The conservatives’ real issue is that the President does not allow Republicans to dictate how America is governed. In Republicans’ minds, because President Obama is not with them, he hates America and supports its enemies.
In keeping with the George W. Bush ideology that any American, or any nation, that “is not with us is our enemy,” Republicans are once again portraying the President of the United States as an enemy conspirator and collaborator with the Islamic State. Not because he has joined forces with Iran, Saudi Arabia, France, Russia, Iraq, Iraqi Kurds, and Turks to destroy the Bush-created ISIS, but because he adheres to America’s long-standing exceptionalism of giving war-weary refugees a safe haven.
The latest Republican accusation that the President of the United States is defending Bush’s creation ISIS and waging war on Republicans as surrogates for “true America” is Representative Ann Wagner (R-MO) and Rush Limbaugh, respectively. They are not alone in their assertions, but they certainly represent the mindset of the conservative movement.
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Obviously, in Ann Wagner’s mind because the President disagrees with Republicans on the Syrian refugee issue he is supporting the Islamic State. On a radio interview Wagner said that because the President “picked a fight with the GOP over refugees, he was standing up for ISIS.” Wagner also said “the president’s comments about refugees,” being women and orphans, and “mocking Republicans and calling their rhetoric a potent ISIS recruitment tool was disgusting and an absolute disgrace, and a stand against the side of freedom;” all because the President disagrees with stupid, cowardly, panicked, and cruel Republicans. Wagner even thought to include the 47 House Democrats who joined Republicans to reject Syrian refugees as completely agreeing that the President is against freedom and for ISIS.
Rush Limbaugh took a slightly different approach in claiming that the President hates America and considers that nation’s “number one enemy is the Republican party and the conservative movement.” Limbaugh claimed that because the President is not following the Bush war-first agenda his foreign policy is “inept and incompetent and nonexistent.” While he was demeaning the President for not being a Republican warmonger, Limbaugh laughingly dismissed the barrage of Republican “bigotry” attacks against Muslim Americans; including claiming that “the President and those others like him” support ISIS as pay back against patriotic Americans for what they believe are “America’s past crimes.”
First, President Obama never said Republicans or conservatives are America’s number one enemy. However, many, many Americans know this is a true and verifiable fact of life. It is noteworthy that this President has been extremely generous in praising Republicans as being great patriots who have a different idea about how America should be “ruled” according to conservative tyranny and loyalty to the rich. In fact, these latest remarks that the President supports ISIS because he is not a cruel Republican fundamentally proves the point that they truly believe that anyone who does not embrace conservative dictates believes that Republicans are “America’s number one enemy.” This is a uniquely neo-conservative ideology and the GOP’s six-year crusade to obstruct any form of governance that is not Republican social conservatism (theocratic libertarianism) proves it.
Now, just because the President did not say Republicans are America’s greatest enemy does not mean there is not a very substantial number of Americans who believe that to be true; including that congressional Republicans have come precariously close to committing treason by conspiring with foreign governments against the United States. And regarding ISIS, if George W. Bush did not invade Iraq for regime change, oil, and to kill over half-a-million innocent Muslim civilians, President Obama would not have to invest American assets to destroy the extremists.
As far as who in America is actually “standing up for” and aiding ISIS to achieve their goals; that is solely Republicans, all manner of conservatives, and the hate-filled religious right. Remember, the most recent Republican lurch toward Nazi fascism targeting Muslims is precisely what the Islamic State leadership said they needed as “a very potent recruiting tool” back in February. It is noteworthy that the ramped-up bigotry toward Muslims due to the rise of George W. Bush’s ISIS began long before Paris was attacked. Republicans have been driving the American increase in “repression and Islamophobia to sufficiently unbearable levels;” precisely what President Obama is attempting to stop.
Republicans know President Obama is not supporting ISIS or standing up against freedom just because he refuses to let them run the country. They also understand that he does not consider them to be “America’s enemy number one” because of Syrian refugees that would not exist if Bush did not invade Iraq. However, they have claimed this President hates America since before he was sworn into office when the Republican Party and conservative movement officially became “America’s enemy number one;” it is something the President never said but no small number of Americans know is true.
Audio engineer and instructor for SAE. Writes op/ed commentary supporting Secular Humanist causes, and exposing suppression of women, the poor, and minorities. An advocate for freedom of religion and particularly, freedom of NO religion.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn’t look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
