Reply #79: I hope global1 and Javaman are correct [View All]

And thank them for saying gently: Stay Calm.

I'm actively involved in Genocide Watch and Save Darfur. ACTIVELY. I've heard people in the media today and yesterday make allusions to "First they came for . . ."

When I express worry - it's because I DO see an analogy. No - not to the Nazi persecution of Jews, homosexuals, the 'deviants', the communists, the mentally or physically impaired etc. etc. This isn't like Pol Pot. This is nothing like the Armenian Genocide. Not the Balkans. Certainly not the gassing of the Kurds.

It's: Cut the Tall Trees. There are 'blessed' media outlets that drill this drivel of hate into peoples heads every single day. They have been all but brainwashed.

I belong to a site whose main focus is on relationships. It's women only, the membership is called prior to being allowed access (step relatioships, making sure it's not someone's husband's ex wife, etc. etc.). But there is a "Political Board" there. There are a handful of us die hard libs, a lot of what I consider the 'innocent's, a few true Conservatives, and a handful of Foaming at the Mouth Ditto and Beck Heads. Their hatefulness is apparent.

I could post there:
I am going to support the NRA, Anti-Gay Legislation, and the Patriot Act and I'm a Dem - and they'd scream (yes lots of emoticons there to get the point across) - You are a sociaaaaaaaaaaaaalist! You are a commuuuuuuuuuuunist! Your are eviiiiiiiiiiil. You are a blooooooooo sucker. Get a joooooooooooooooob. Leeeeeeeeeches! Eeeeeeeeeeevil! Baby Killeeeeeeeeeeeeer!

I've never seen so many people (who by the way also post in the Money and Credit forum about how broke they are) whiiiiiiiiiine about things that are in their BEST interests. I posted David Frum's article from American Enterprise Institute last night (outlining how the Right has done themself a disfavor by working for Fox) and *crickets*.

There is one woman in particular who cannot or will not see anything except the fact that Obama is a dangerous, believes the people who threw bricks are Democratic plants (Beck anyone?), Dingell (sp? I'm not quite sure of how to spell the nice Congressman from MI's name my apologies) gave away our BIG PLANS to Control the Masses, I'm a socialist, a communist, need to be stopped, etc. etc. By the way - she and her fellow Right/Libertarians/Birthers always say Obama and HIS SUPPORTERS . . .

She's not the only one. That level of 'ignorance' - the 27%?

I see no difference between them and the Hutus in the Rwandan Genocide. And we, the US refused to jam the airways. Now I know we have Freedom of Speech in the US, and that's a wonderful thing.

But we have a solid example of WHAT happens when 'uneducated' people are fed by their own will a message of fear, of hate, of Stopping Them Now, of Cutting the Tall Trees.

I have a friend, 30, former US soldier that served in Iraq and Afghanistan. After FINALLY getting out of the military, the Princeton Graduate took a job in Rwanda for a year and a half. He came back to the US in May, a leftist Democratic party member. We met while out in Princeton one night and had a lovely discussion about a little thing I did via Rwanda Partners a few years ago (phone system stuff for free), and his experiences there. He's met survivors, victims, perpetrators, and a few Twa (the tiniest members of that country :-) ). He left after a year and a half because he believes it is going to happen again.

We spoke this morning on another matter and he said: justanothergen - Remember when I said - I left because it was going to happen again. And I say, "Yes!"

He says, "With my degree in Politics from Princeton, 3 tours in the middle east as an infantry combat soldier, my year and a half in Rwanda - I'm telling you. This shit scares me."

DU'ers - This is the tough guy. This is not a weak man. And he is certainly not a dumb dumb. He's informed. He's seen the hate we've perpetrated abroad, the deaths caused abroad first hand. And he's seen the aftermath of death. People with hack marks.

And I said you K - it scares me too.

And he said - Just remember. All they heard over and over again was to fear the takeover by the Tutsis, they wanted to control them. They heard this day after day after day. There was a racial element to it. There is a racial element to this. And these people when told to cut the tall trees - will.


All of that said, if you have read any of my short one liners or two liners that past few days - I'm happy about the reform. But I believe this has sent these people who have heard WE - the Obama Supporters - are dangerous dangerous who want to control them - can and WILL act when told to cut the tall trees.

If you really dig into the Rwandan genocide - the individual stories, and there are many out there on the web in books, etc. etc. You will read time and again: It was my neighbor. I knew they were a Hutu. But I never thought they would actually DO that.


If you've read this far. Thanks. I generally don't cause problems at DU, or try to instigate things. I try to be respectful of people. I figure, we have HUGE tent on the Left. But I've sat at Genocide Remembrances and I've sat next and become acquainted with a woman who hid in her attic during the Rwandan Genocide and gave birth in the last 2 days. :-) That woman - Jeanne - would tell you. Beware of neighbors who seem 'kind to your face' but hold hate in their heart to you when they close their front door.


My final comment - Jam the Airwaves of any station that plays Liddy or Rush. And black out Fox news for a month until this all gets:
Investigated
Discovered
And Resolved

I know not very pro-1st Amendment. But at the end of the day - we've seen what happens when 'long held resentments' by weak minded people get mushed together with hate speech and calls to 'arms' on the air.