From Opponent to Enemy

The assassination attempt on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords can’t be dismissed as the actions of one lunatic. Hatred and contempt for political opponents are dividing the nation Obama wanted to bring together.

Even if the Tucson shooter’s motives remain unclear, the shots were fired in an America that has long been deeply divided politically and marked by open hatred. The decline of the political culture began during George W. Bush’s presidency when he divided the country with his Iraq war. The controversy about Saddam Hussein’s weapons was ideological and not fact-based. “Patriotic” Americans — i.e. those who supported invading Iraq — stood opposed to liberals, whom they accused of misunderstanding the dangers of Islam. Shortly after Obama began his health care reform initiative, the whole scenario was repeated. The defenders of “real” America raged against those who supported (almost) universally mandated health insurance, calling them traitors to American ideals.

From then on, there was no going back. Obama was branded as a murderer, as someone with no respect for the dignity of life and who wanted to transform America into a socialist society. Polarizing television shows and special websites provoked an avalanche of anger with the goal of defeating Democrats in the midterm elections. The only voices heard were those that turned the rhetoric of escalation up a notch. No one now seems safe from this trend. When the Republicans announced their imminent intention to repeal health care reform, they dramatically labeled their overblown initiative the end of Obama’s “job killing” health care law. Their list of verbal gaffes and personal defamations was lengthened with no difficulty whatsoever. Whoever didn’t agree with them was called an enemy. It’s just a short step from there to violence.

All respect for political opponents is lost in such an environment, and it’s a complete mystery how they expect to reach bi-partisan agreement on issues such deficit reduction, budget cuts and job creation. The next big agenda item will be a resolution to raise the national debt ceiling so that the United States will be able to service its debt. In reality, a routine occurrence for every U.S. administration is already being hyped as a decisive battle between conservatives and liberals. Republicans are already ridiculously demanding a quid pro quo from Democrats and are treating the matter as if it were partisan politics.

Perhaps everything will be put on hold for a while following the Tucson attack. Perhaps people will listen again, for just a moment, to the voice of reason and not to the preachers of hatred. The congressional recess this week is a good sign. But it’s only a beginning — nothing more than that.