September 19, 2010

Republicans banking on Islamophobia?

Gingrich Calls For Federal Ban On Shariah Law In US | TPMDC.

We have a guy here in Oklahoma who has pushed for the same thing. Is this really an issue? Or is this just a dog whistle? After all, who here is for sharia law? Not me, and certainly no Americans I know. I think this is Gingrich betting that his ticket to the President is to be the toughest on Muslims and to raise as much fear as he can about them. Tell me that isn't fascist.

But also, I would love some assurance that the religious right--the same people who did nothing when Bush authorized torture against Muslims--will not cheer Gingrich on this.

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Different topic, but one thing that we have noted before is that now that Christine O'Donnell won her primary, there are no moderates in the Republican Senate race, and none that even believe in climate change. Of course, their knowledge of the subject is next to nothing, but they are convinced that any attempt at "greening" America is some Socialist Kenyan plot. (The stupidity really does burn). Well, not only are they anti-intellecutal and anti-science, but as Thomas Friedman points out, they are cutting the throat of our economic future as well. Turns out, China is embracing the issue of climate change and fundamentally attacking it at a technological and economic level. They are investing in green communities and houses, and even factories. And those American companies that want to participate, are doing so without American jobs because our politicians are a joke. Check that. Our conservative politicians are a joke--from both parties.

Got to love American conservatives right now. They will call you a fascist or Hitler for wanting to expand healthcare, and would prefer that sick people talk to someone else (can't someone else do it?); they will cheer and demand more torture because they truly believe that Fox's 24 was a documentary; and they will mandate that kids only be told to avoid sex, but absolutely ban any discussion of safe-sex or contraceptives--even though as a policy, it clearly puts a lot of kids at risk for STDs and unwanted pregnancies.

The GOP--their new slogan should be something like: We hate Science and Muslims.

2 comments:

Bob said...

"Or is this just a dog whistle?"

We are way beyond the dog whistles of things like "state rights". This is prettyy open race and religous political warfare and scaremongering.

Streak said...

Unfortunately, I think you are correct, Bob.