When I was in grade school and middle school, my friends and I conceived an expression to describe kids who were always complaining and crying about something; screaming meemees.   We used the expression frequently, and it always seemed to fit the bill.

This past Friday, a woman from New York State called into the national Rush Limbaugh radio show.  She stated that President Bush knew that the 9-11 attack was going to occur and did nothing as part of a conspiracy to take us to war.  Mr. Limbaugh asked her, “Why did Bush want 3,000 Americans to die?”  Her response was, “So he could turn around and convince the American people, as he did with part of them, that we could attack Iraq.” 

In an earlier post, I talked about the concept of ‘brainwashing.’  As I mentioned previously, those of us who remember the former Soviet state, remember the state run media and the misinformation that was intended to make Soviet citizens think what the government wanted them to think.  This same phenomenon can be seen in America in 2006.  In one respect it’s sad, in another very scary. 

When the insane theory that Rush’s caller believes, first reared its ugly head, it should have been dispelled for what it was; fantasy, hyperbole, character assassination, baseless rumor and urban myth.  Twenty years ago, it would never have gained traction.  The country was saner then.  It would have been quickly dispelled for the slanderous, distasteful trash that it is.  But twenty years ago, the U.S. did not have a movement that was hell-bent on dethroning a President.  There was not a seething hatred that would allow any myth, any story, and any rumor so perverse and without merit to gain traction and be perpetuated by so many deluded people. 

In 2006, America is faced with a problem.  We have people like the caller to Rush Limbaugh’s radio show that are so deluded, brainwashed and filled with visceral hatred that they can not see reality.  They are willing to take a President of deep faith, a person with a genuine love of this country, someone who is committed to protecting us, respecting the office of the President and honoring his family, and berate his character to a degree that few people have been victim of.   And why? 

Those who are Bush haters have evolved, and been easy targets for the rumor mill for several reasons.  They hate that he won office in 2000, they hate that he won office in 2004, they hate that he does not move in the direction of media polls, they hate that he is trying to root out terrorists in other countries, that he deposed a tyrannical leader of a country who enslaved 27 million people.  They hate that this President restored human rights and dignity to those enslaved and repressed in two countries, and they hate that he stands for many good things that make them uncomfortable.  They want instead a President that will bow to special interest groups, a President who will tell them what they want to hear, a President who will allow dictators to repress people around the world, a President who will endear him or herself to Hollywood, a President who doesn’t care about anything but slapping the right people on the back, throwing expensive parties at the White House, becoming an icon for popular culture.  This is what they want.  They will heap these nonsensical stories, propaganda and misinformation on this President, until they think they can send him packing.  This is their mission.

I have met many people like the woman who called Rush Limbaugh’s show.  They usually don’t have time for deep research.  Their views and news comes from the mainstream media.  They easily buy into the hype they hear about Republicans, Christians, Conservatives and the like.  They believe that all the folks in these categories are rich, cannot think for themselves (ironically), are anxious to suppress the poor, give government access to private information, repress civil rights, hate those who live alternative lifestyles, support corporate power and a host of other things.  They are willing to make these sweeping generalizations despite what facts, figures and documented evidence may show to the contrary.  So they view President Bush as the quintessential culmination of all these things.

It would be easy to label these Americans as ‘screaming meemees.’  It would be easy to bemoan the fact that they are so out of touch, and that they are spoon-fed by a Republican, Christian hating national and local media machine. Those who are interested in factual information, from unbiased sources could go on with their lives and ignore the screaming meemees of the world.  The problem is that these people are dangerous.  They threaten to disrupt this countries security, this countries culture and our very future.  They feed off of misinformation, hype and propaganda, and are willing to steer our very destiny with their baseless beliefs. 

History will treat George Bush well.  Presidential historians will view him as a President who got things done.  He lived up to his campaign promises.  He protected the country after the worst attack in our history.  He loved his family and his country and did nothing to disgrace either.  While the screaming meemees will keep this information out of the high school and college text books, the facts will remain.  What history will also show is that during a period of many years, the United States was under the influence of propaganda………..not from the government, as in the former Soviet Union, but from within the culture. 

Senator Robert Byrd’s remarks about Judge Samuel Alito, as he announced that he would vote for the judge’s appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court:

“My considered judgment from his record, from his answers to my questions, and from his obvious intelligence and sincerity, leads me to believe him to be an honorable man who loves his country, loves his Constitution and will give of his best. Can we really ask for more?”

The e-mail I sent to Senator Byrd this evening:

Dear Senator Byrd,

You have my sincerest thanks and appreciation for your remarks about Judge Alito recently.  The stand you have taken on his behalf shows one thing clearly about you sir; principle.  You have stepped out above the fray, and have put principles first. There are many others who could learn from your example and leadership.

Judge Alito seems, in every way, to be a man of principle also.  I believe he puts this above any personal beliefs he holds.  He should make a very good jurist.

My prayers go out to the families of the miners who have recently lost their lives in your state.  I pray that Mr. McCloy will have a full recovery. 

Thank you again Senator.  You have the respect and admiration of many of us on the right. I haven’t always agreed with your positions, but I will always believe that you have a set of values that transcend partisan politics.

Indeed, there have been two other Democratic Senators who have vowed to vote for Judge Alito; Senators Tim Johnson of South Dakota and Ben Nelson of Nebraska.  My hat is off to both Senators. 

While Senators like Kennedy, Leahy, Feinstein, Harkin, Durbin, Reid and Schumer continue to be mired in their own propaganda machines, a very few of their Democratic colleagues are weighing facts and not fiction.  Senator Feinstein continues to make disparaging remarks that are so extreme, so without merit, that only the fanatical left will be duped. 

Let us not forget the $30 + million dollars raised, and being spent, by radical groups trying to derail Judge Alito’s appointment.  Their campaigns contain no factual information, but their supporters in the press will give added punch to the misinformation, much like throwing gasoline on a fire. In the end, it is all character assassination. 

Those who eagerly anticipate the abortion of the next 40 million babies are lining up to throw their punches at the judge.  We can be thankful though that a few Senators, from the opposition party, are saying ‘enough is enough is enough.’