Posted by
Jack Fisher on Friday, March 27, 2009 12:30:16 PM
Recently, Fox News talkshow host, Glenn Beck, did a segment on a report issued by the justice department. This report focused on domestic terrorism, that is the threat that certain citizens of this country may carry out acts of violence against it.
In any sense it is a valid issue to study. But the report reveals a disturbing undertone in listing potential terrorists as supporters of third party politicians like Bob Barr and unorthadox leaders of Republican Ron Paul. Their reasoning is that extreme political views are a precursor to terrorism. But that's a pretty big leap considering the measure of 'extremism' such ideas espouse. For parties like the communist party and the national socialist party, violence is part of their ideology. They both directly call for overthrowing the current order. But these views are the antithesis of that of Bob Barr and Ron Paul. To label their followers as potential terrorists is to paint a dangerous picture of where the mindset of the country is heading.
Anybody who remembers Ron Paul in the debates knows his message. He is a republican at heart, but his views are consistant with libertarian philosophy. Many say he is the only true republican because his views are closer to that of the founding fathers than anyone else in the party. And yet he gets marginalized just as libertarian candidates like Bob Barr do because their views do not reflect the current power structure. In fact, they are a threat to the current power structure. People like Ron Paul don't call for the government gaining more power, they call for it to be limited. No politician who values their career will ever say it overtly, but the last thing anyone in power wants to do is give it up.
This marks a dangerous trend for anyone with a true conservative view on government. If limiting government makes someone a potential terrorist, then how will their ideas ever be taken seriously? The truth is they won't because terrorist is such a dirty term. People put terrorists in the same category as murderers, rapists, and child molesters. But people in both the Democrat and Republican party want that because it means nobody can effectively challenge their dominance. Anybody who wants to serve in power needs ot go along with their agenda. It is a form of tyranny even though both parties claim they espouse freedom. But when anyone puts the principles of the two parties in the context of the founding fathers, the constitution, and the philosophy of a free society on which this country was founded on, they both fail the test.
The ultimate irony is that the views of Ron Paul and Bob Barr are more consistant with the philosophy of liberty than any republican or democrat. And Ron Paul has pointed that out time and again. But nobody listens because he is so marginialized that he can never further these deeply American principles. And if his followers are labeled as potential terrorists, what hope does he have?
It is sad that it's gotten to the point where politics has drifted so far from where the founding fathers intended that the idea of returning to their philosophies is deemed radical and undesirable. This does nothing to serve the people. It only benefits the parties currently in power, who do not want to see their dominance slip away even if it means forsaking the values of freedom they are supposed to protect. An important step to tyranny is crushing dissent. It doesn't have to be done directly. It only has to be done in a way that equates undesired ideas with undesired labels. And right now values of liberty are being equated with that of terrorism. With such a devious label, what kind of future can lovers of liberty hope for?