GOP: The New American Jingoists

Is it me, or does any one else find the use of a Navy Seal's heroic story to sell us a President and Vice President a reprehensible practice? Of course, the W, Rove and Co perfected this tactic long ago - using slain soldiers as rationale to toss more flag draped bodies onto the C-130's headed for American soil. The McSame/Palin camp are following the well worn GOP political playbook.

This nasty political practice is not only real dirty, a ruse to spur patriotism among ordinary people, but outright offensive. The piece that makes the use of Michael Monsoor's story particularly despicable is that Mike Monsoor died in Iraq when he really didn't have to - Iraq is the war we didn't need, shouldn't have entered, and was brought to you by the GOP.




That Michael Monsoor is a hero is not in doubt. Indeed he was. But using his story for political gain? Disgusting. Showing this video at the GOP convention has obvious political aims. In short, it demonstrates how shameless those leading the GOP are. They are using a hero's story to foist their political agenda. Instead of standing on the shoulders of great men, they are stepping on the boddies of our fallen heros. For that, I say, shame on them.

In the end, the "America or Country First" slogan places jingoism at the fore of the whole Republican modus operandi. But using it to tout their candidates as the best for America is also offensive. This is more of the dualistic practice perfected by the W, Rove and Co. political propaganda machine of the "you're either with us, or against us" fame (where did that put Switzerland in 2001, btw?).

The implication the GOP convention slogan is that if you are not for McSame and Palin, you are not for America. Don't fall into that trap people. It's a simple political parlor trick. Add the slogan to the shameful use of heroes (our war dead and injured, caused by a war we didn't need) into the political cocktail the GOP are pouring in Minnesota over this week, and you have a lot of drunk republicans: the New American Jingoists, who believe George Bush was Right (despite all evidence to the contrary), and McSame and Palin can do no wrong as long as it's in the name of "America" or "Country First."

This political practice (using soldiers for political gain) is shameful and the slogan is divisive set out to polarize our great nation even further. I'm not for McSame or Palin, but I'm definitely for America, but don't hate me because I disagree with you (but I expect some of you will, which is just QED).

I'll leave you with this report just for fun...