A bit far-fetched perhaps?

That's what some of you are no doubt thinking, I'm sure. But I have to say, I don't think so. I don't think I'm even pushing the envelope.

I'll admit that the discussion has been a bit abstract, perhaps even a bit academic, but the issue at hand is anything but that. How we talk about something doesn't change its nature; it only reflects our relationship to that something at a given point in time. A couple of real-life circumstances can perhaps make this clearer. Let's look at one here:

We like to think that we -- in the US, in Germany -- live in nations guided by the rule of law, that we have certain, inalienable (human) rights that are both respected and protected by those we have elected to serve us. After all, isn't that our naive assumption about how democratic societies work? (This is assuming, of course, that we live in such societies.) It turns out, however, that things are perhaps not quite as they appear.

In a recent opinion piece on truth-out.org, Henry A. Giroux took the Obama administration to task for its approach to the so-called "War on Terror", the use of drones, and a shift in policy that includes America's own citizens in its highly questionable tactics. Giroux minces no words in pointing out just how far a democratically elected government will go in nullifying, if not simply eradicating, long-standing, accepted and constitutionally-guaranteed rights. He describes the current state of America as "authoritarian", but I don't think that goes nearly far enough to describe what is happening. When you think about the gallons of pepper spray that have doused how many Occupy and other protestors, the word "repressive" crosses my mind as well.

Fighting fire with fire is never a sound tactic when dealing with anything other than a brush or forest fire. As the Kabbalists have long declared, "you become what you hate". And, this seems to be a fitting description of America these days. This isn't a matter of left or right, of Democrat or Republican, what was started under one of those banners is being continued and even enhanced under the other. Becoming what one hates affects everyone, regardless of their political persuasion.

So, on just who or what are you focusing your own hate?