Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Why the Wilson resolution was needed

The House of Representatives today passed a resolution of disapproval for the actions of Rep. Joe Wilson, Republican from South Carolina. Many GOP representatives condemned the resolution, saying it was a waste of time and a political "game" being played by Democrats.

In all seriousness, the resolution was desperately needed.

The nation is currently embroiled in a heated debate centered upon the role of government in people's lives. Conservative critics have pushed their supporters to take to the streets, to demonstrate in so-called TEA Parties, and to disrupt town hall meetings of Democratic members of Congress.

This resolution is not critical of the position Joe Wilson took (even if it's factually inaccurate), nor on his right to free speech. What it IS critical of is the lack of decorum that is engrossing the conservative movement and the Republican Party.

It is not acceptable to call the president a liar in the middle of a joint session of Congress. If that sort of behavior is acceptable, what will be next?

Now, there will be some who will say, "Well, President BUSH was booed during such a session of Congress!"

That may be true, and that sort of behavior is not acceptable either. However, the former president was never singled out and called a liar before a joint session of Congress. That body may have disagreed with his views, and may have expressed them vocally -- but they never called him a liar during one of those speeches in a way as demeaning as Joe Wilson did to Barack Obama.

Bush also faced many protesters who called him a fascist, just as they're calling Barack Obama that today. However, that sort of behavior was never tolerated by the Democratic Party as much as it is today by the Republicans. The mainstream left never accepted the 9/11 Truth movement as legitimate the way the right is legitimizing the "Birthers" today.

The behavior exhibited by extremist conservatives today is outrageous. That it's become a pivotal part of the Republican Party's base is disturbing.

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