DANGERS OF IRRESPONSIBLE SLOGANS

The Tribune
Monday, October 05, 2009

IN THIS column on Thursday we published Thomas Friedman’s New York
Times article that stirred up a heated debate in the US because it
equated the atmosphere of hate being built up around President Obama
by his right wing opponents with the bitter atmosphere created by
extreme right wing settlers and politicians against Israeli Prime
Minister Yitzhak Rabin that ended in his assassination in 1995.

Friedman, an authority on the Middle East, who at the time of Rabin’s
assassination was in Israel interviewing him, warned of the dangers
now being fomented in the United States by irresponsible smear
campaigns being spread by politicians, chat show hosts, blogs and
the ill-informed — all under the guise of freedom of speech.

Some brainless American wag protested that Americans can talk the
violent talk, but would never commit the unthinkable sin — they
weren’t like the firebrands in the Middle East, or so he claimed. He
forgets that Man –no matter his colour or culture –will, under
certain conditions, commit the unthinkable. What makes Americans
so different? Don’t they live in a country that in the course of
its relatively short history assassinated four presidents and made
unsuccessful attempts on 11 others?

In Israel in the early nineties Prime Minister Rabin faced the same
vicious taunts from the extreme right when he made history by starting
the first official Israeli negotiations with the PLO.

The incitement started with the politicians in parliament calling
Rabin a "friend of terrorists." It was picked up in the streets
and mushroomed into images of Rabin, a Jew, in Arab dress, and in
Nazi uniform.

Now let’s turn to the US. During the presidential campaign Sarah
Palin, for example, called Obama a "pal of terrorists." And what’s
wrong with that? What is wrong is that not only is it not true, but
as America is now waging a global war on terrorists, anyone who is
a friend of a terrorist is a traitor to his country, and sho n our
country such an accusation would be defamation — an accusation that
exposes a man to hatred, ridicule or contempt by his peers.

But Americans, many of whom in our opinion don’t know the difference
between freedom and licence, cannot see the dangers in what they
are doing. They say they are protected by their First Amendment —
freedom of speech. Unfortunately, too many of them have not yet
learned how to use this freedom responsibly.

Early last month an elderly American of Armenian background was
arrested because he tried to grab and destroy a flier being passed
out by supporters of a politician that likened Obama’s health
care proposals to the Nazi extermination of the Jews and other
"undesirables."

Those handing out the fliers called police, accused the old man of
assault, and had him arrested. He explained that his was an emotional
reaction on seeing the fliers to what he and his family had suffered
under the Nazis. As a child in Armenia he had witnessed the horrors
of Nazi Germany — two of his uncles killed, his father wounded and
his brother starved to death. And so when he saw these Nazi posters of
the president he admits that his reaction was "personal and emotional."

He complained of being taken to court because of an attempt by
"an old man who says that you cannot insult the president with this
outrageous campaign."

These posters are being displayed everywhere — whether sensible
Americans like them or not — they show Obama as Hitler with the
Fuehrer’s silly little moustache painted under his nose. It is indeed
offensive.

As the Armenian said: "I saw Hitler’s soldiers. I saw swastikas every
day. To call Obama stupid, even criminal — okay, that’s politics. But
Hitler? It’s hurting to anyone no matter who is president."

Here in the Bahamas anyone whose propaganda would stir up such anger
and hatred that violence would erupt would be locked up in Fox Hill
prison accused of incitement to riot or violence.

But not so in America — they abuse their First Amendment right and
get away with it.

ainst President Obama’s health care plan, then bring sensible and
constructive arguments to the table, but to try to defeat a plan that
they do not like or understand by lies and propaganda illustrates
the depth of their ignorance.

We often thought that if we lived in the US we would be a Republican,
but the irresponsible behaviour now on display with so-called
responsible Republicans sitting in the background with smirky smiles
instead of condemning the behaviour of their supporters, leaves us
with nothing but contempt for the lot of them.

In the meantime, while Americans are scrapping among themselves,
the Chinese put on a magnificent display on Wednesday to celebrate
the strides they have made in their 60 years as a Communist nation.

This is a country that has achieved much through hard work,
determination and discipline.

Meanwhile, Americans should stop their petty bickering, consider what
is happening in the world and give their future in that world some
serious thought.