Election Snippet: Sarah Palin's Terrorist Associations

Normally in elections, I don't like playing the "guilt by association" game. If you've been in politics for any length of time, chances are you've worked with, or accepted money from, people you have some serious disagreements with. That's sort of how politics and government works.

So unless I'm convinced that Senator Blow's connection with a troubling political organization or a crazy religious leader is strong enough to suggest that they themselves share those troubling/ crazy views, I'm not going to give them too much shit for it.

But if they, themselves, are playing the "guilt by association" game against their opponent? Playing it to the balcony, loudly and repeatedly, for all that it's worth?

The way Sarah Palin has been doing with the "Barack Obama once served on a committee with former Weather Underground member William Ayers, therefore Barack Obama advocates terrorism" schtick?

Game on, baby.

Which brings me to this troubling story in Salon.com about Sarah Palin's husband... and his membership for seven years in the Alaska Independence Party. An organization that advocates Alaska's secession from the United States -- and that has repeatedly advocated violence and armed insurrection against the Federal government.

A key quote from the founder (now deceased) of the AIP, Joe Vogler:

When the [federal] bureaucrats come after me, I suggest they wear red coats. They make better targets. In the federal government are the biggest liars in the United States, and I hate them with a passion. They think they own [Alaska]. There comes a time when people will choose to die with honor rather than live with dishonor. That time may be coming here. Our goal is ultimate independence by peaceful means under a minimal government fully responsive to the people. I hope we don't have to take human life, but if they go on tramping on our property rights, look out, we’re ready to die.

And in 1993, shortly before his death, Vogler was scheduled to appear before the United Nations to to denounce United States tyranny and to demand Alaska's freedom... sponsored by Iran.

Oh, just a reminder:

This is Sarah Palin's husband. Not some guy she served on a committee with once upon a time. Her actual husband belonged to this organization. For seven years. And Sarah Palin herself supported them enough that, this year, as governor, she told them, "Keep up the good work. And God bless you."

As Salon writer David Talbot writes:

Imagine the uproar if Michelle Obama was revealed to have joined a black nationalist party whose founder preached armed secession from the United States and who enlisted the government of Iran in his cause? The Obama campaign would probably not have survived such an explosive revelation. Particularly if Barack Obama himself was videotaped giving the anti-American secessionists his wholehearted support just months ago.

Imagine indeed.

Spread the word. (And thanks to Jocelyn for the tip!)

Comments

[Nine]

Keith Olbermann has had quite a bit to say on the subject of Palin's hypocrisy too. (In fact, you only found part of it.) Over 11 minutes' worth: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/olbermann-special-comment_n_132456.html

[Nine]

I can't seem to post a comment without incident. Here is the link I gave above.

[G Felis]

In the same vein, here's a discussion of John McCain's long-time personal and political friendship (and political support from) convicted felon, notorious whacko, and recent terrorism/murder advocate G. Gordon Liddy.

Is it legitimate to smear McCain via his association with Liddy? Not really. But that's not the point. The point is that Liddy is an unrepentant vile criminal and lunatic with a comparatively close relationship with McCain. Compared to what? Compared to the reformed, violence-regretting, Chicago Citizen of the Year William Ayers' casual, not-particularly-close acquaintance with Barack Obama.

Shall we now talk about John McCain's many other very close associates that truly do reflect badly on his politics and character, like all the professional lobbyists for brutal dictators he hired to run his campaign?

Bah! Every time the McCain campaign and perky puppet Palin produce another smear of Obama, the attack on Obama proves to be demonstrably false and/or irrelevant, while vast mountains of evidence can quickly be found to show how McCain and Palin are actually guilty of the very sort of thing they are attempting to smear Obama with. We need a new word to describe this phenomenon, perhaps "hyper-hypocrisy."

[Nine]

I read somewhere recently that you can accurately predict what the right is about to do (or has already done or is in the process of doing) by what they accuse the left of doing.

Case in point...ACORN vote "fraud," though there's no such thing, I think we all know how Bush won the last two elections.