The media is the (message) lunatic fringe

Anchor babies, that Muslim Obama born in Kenya who happens to be a socialist anti-Christ. These are just some of the totally ridiculous assertions made mainly by the political right in our country over the past couple of years.

The “anchor babies” I refer to are products of  the mind-bogglingly stupid charges made by some of the real out-there politicians including Texas state Rep. Debbie Riddle and U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert. Both are, not surprisingly, Republicans. Riddle was caught looking awhile back during an interview with Anderson Cooper, where Mr. Cool actually showed some cojones as an interviewer. The Texas House member had been spreading a story based on what she said was from conversation with FBI officials that pregnant women are being sent by terrorist organizations into the U.S. to have their babies. That way, when the children are older, they can be sent into the U.S. with no worry because they will be American citizens.

Cooper also nailed right-wing hack Gohmert, who had made a speech on the U.S. House floor about the anchor baby subject.

If this stupidity does nothing, perhaps it does furnish a context to the “Birther movement,” those who believe President Obama was born in Kenya despite his producing a birth certificate and a proof of a birth announcement in a Honolulu newspaper.

Such ridiculous rumors would have been laughed off or faded years ago. But these days because of 24/7 cable news, the Internet and a well-oiled right-wing propaganda machine, the rumor mill continues to run wild. Check out this story regarding a poll that 18 percent of Americans believe Obama is a Muslim.

There is no direct proof as of yet, but it seems much about which Americans get up in arms these days is fueled by that propaganda operation. The right has become the loudest among the media these days, thus they get their opinion blasted like a foghorn out as fact. It goes via talk radio, through Fox News and other News Corp. outlets such as the once respectable and conservative Wall Street Journal. Finally, cable news gets their ratings because they have found people screaming at each other is what their viewers presumably want. Why News Corp’s fatcat owner Rupert Murdoch doesn’t even have to hide his affiliations and feelings these days. For instance, how about a nice $1 million for the Republican Governor’s Assn.? Fair and balanced? We report, you decide? And if you believe that, I’ve got this nice, peaceful little mountain home high in the mountains of Afghanistan I’ll sale you, cheap.

It would be inaccurate and rude to call those who believe the anchor baby stories, that Obama is a Muslim born in Kenya, etc., sheep. Some are sheep who worship at the throne of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and the rest of the sordid right. Most, however, are just caught in the trap of hearing arguments tainted through filters that really don’t look at the facts involved but instead at emotion.

I still believe, somewhat, in Karma. I also firmly believe in gravity. What goes up must come down. Eventually, the lunatic right will finally nail themselves to the wall. Unfortunately, it might take a civil war or perhaps a world war led by an American fascist version of Adolf Hitler to precipitate their fall. Still, even something such as beating the Tea Partiers and other fellow travelers like a rented mule at the ballot box this November may finally demoralize this fringe. Then they can go back to wearing tin foil on their head and receiving signals from Alpha Centauri and beyond. It is where they belong.