Obama’s War on Dissent

15 April 2009

– by Mike Murray

Today is April 15^th. Tax day. The filing deadline. And all across America, people will be gathering to protest (what they believe to be) the alarming fiscal and monetary policies of the executive and legislative branches of their federal government.

Were the protesters organized by MoveOn, The Daily Kos, Code Pink, ACORN – or any number of other leftist groups – they would be hailed as political “activists” by members of the mainstream media. They would be described as concerned citizens, purposeful and engaged – noble practitioners of their First Amendment rights.

But, because a healthy percentage of attendees of the Tea Parties will be members of no “progressive” organization, they will be treated far differently. Events already held – even ones that have drawn crowds of several thousand – have been largely ignored by the press. And what mention there has been has tended to be dismissive.

Today will be a different story. The sheer number of events, the likely volume of participation, the potential for organized disruption on the part of political partisans – all will converge, and will force the media’s hand. As a consequence, events held today will receive coverage.

It will be interesting to note the nature of that coverage. Time will tell. Whatever collective angle the Establishment Media employs, however, independent analysis will follow. (Try as they might, honchos at traditional press outlets will not get the last – nor even the definitive – word on this one.)

As for the Obama Administration, a pre-emptive strike against the protesters has already been launched. In recent communiqués issued from the Department of Homeland Security to law-enforcement agencies in all 50 states, an attempt has been made to portray those who disagree with federal government policies – and who have the audacity to lawfully organize and assemble with like-minded folks – as “right-wing radicals.”

Only a few short months ago, liberals considered dissent “patriotic.” Now, they label it “subversive.” (Look for them to soon take even grander leaps, all the way to “hateful” and “racist.”)

Not long ago, Obama’s minions sent out an army of canvassers to homes all across the nation. Their purpose: to try to persuade residents to sign a pledge of support for Obama’s fiscal policies. Think about that for a moment. A representative of the President of the United States, standing at your doorstep, demanding to know, in essence: “Are you faithful to Barack Obama? Yes or no. Sign here.”

Those who today condemn Senator Joseph McCarthy, for insisting at the height of the Cold War that suspected Communist Party members (Hollywood dabblers, mostly) pledge their loyalty to America, should be greatly perturbed by Barack Obama’s thuggish tactics. They should be appalled by his effort to get people to pledge their loyalty not to their country – but to a single person: him. But it seems that few leftists are dismayed. “Progressives” who are alarmed by the memory of megalomaniac McCarthy by and large give Obama a pass over his outlandish ambitions.

President Obama doesn’t believe that America is in a “war against terror.” He has made that fact perfectly clear. It does seem, however, that he and his staunchest supporters are fully committed to waging – and to winning – a “war against dissent.”

For the sake of our great nation, may they be wholly unsuccessful in that endeavor.

Berea Pundit