-- Is the Right Right?

For years we've referred to the Republican party as the right and the Democrats as the left, indicating their relationship toward the center, but it needs to be stressed that when we call the Republicans the right we are indicating the opposite of left, and not correct. Take, as an example, some of the words of Republican pundits.

Ann Coulter, for example, has attacked four widows of the 9/11 attack claiming:

These broads are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by grief-arazzis. These self-obsessed women seemed genuinely unaware that 9/11 was an attack on our nation and acted as if the terrorist attacks happened only to them. ... I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much ... the Democrat ratpack gals endorsed John Kerry for president ... cutting campaign commercials... how do we know their husbands weren't planning to divorce these harpies? Now that their shelf life is dwindling, they'd better hurry up and appear in Playboy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Coulter

Or Rush Limbaugh, speaking about Michael J. Fox when the actor appeared in an ad supporting a measure to allow embryonic stem-cell research:

"He is exaggerating the effects of the disease," Limbaugh told listeners. "He's moving all around and shaking and it's purely an act. . . . This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/24/AR2006102400691.html

How about this from Michael Savage:

And I want to tell you something, and I'm going to say it to you loud and clear. The radical homosexual agenda will not stop until religion is outlawed in this country. Make no mistake about it. They're all not nice decorators. You better get it through your head before it's too late. They threaten your very survival. They went after the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is now caving in to the homosexual mafia. They will not stop until they force their agenda down your throats. Gay marriage is just the tip of the iceberg. They want full and total subjugation of this society to their agenda. Now, if you want that and if you don't think it's a threat -- believe me, that is what's going to occur in this country.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200611140008

How about Bill O'Reilly, speaking about bloggers:

I think - I have to say President Bush has a much healthier attitude toward this than I do. Because if I can get away with it, boy, I’d go in with a hand grenade.

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/10/19/oreilly-blogosphere-grenade/

All of these commentators have two things in common; first, they're all right-wing conservatives, in varying degrees, and second, they're all hate-mongers. They aren't giving an issue with a logical conclusion, they're giving an issue and then saying horrible things about other people, trying to instill fear in their listeners to further their belief, or use outright violence against those who disagree. All of these indicate a hatred for other people, or other groups of people.

When did we, the American people, become so shallow and so inhumane that we would promote such actions? Why are people who spew hate not only allowed to do so on our airwaves, but are among the highest listened to shows on talk radio? Why are their books on best seller lists when they spew such hatred?

Ironically, many of these people claim to be Christian, yet there is nothing about hatred that is a Christian value. Consider that both Matthew and Luke state that Jesus said, "Love your enemies" (Matt: 5:43, Luke 6:27). How, then, can these people claim to be Christian, yet put out such vitriol against others? It doesn't matter who the others are, because even if they are enemies, Jesus' teaching is that we are to love them. Going after them with hand grenades brings "tough love" to a whole new level.