Conservatives Parrot the Party Line
Conservatives have been in a fury of indignation at Barack Obama. I mean, that's nothing new, but in the words of the old song, "what is it this time, baaaby?" For a hint look at the following cartoon, from Michael Ramirez, a cartoonist whose instinct for the cheap shot even beats my own:
With all those parrots, this could never have escaped Green Eagle's piercing vision.
And so clever. I mean, there Obama is, accompanied by all of those evil left wingers who also attacked the Honduran military coup. I mean, what a great way to make your point, Michael.
All over the right wing media and blogosphere, one can find the same argument, although not, I must confess, adorned with the parrots. Obama is siding with evil communists in opposing the coup.
Now, here's the thing, though. Despite having to work with his beak, Green Eagle can use teh google. So he went looking, and found that there are some other parrots that belong in that cartoon. Here's a short list of others that also opposed the coup:
France, Spain, Italy, Britain, Germany, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador, Taiwan, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Paraguay, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, the U. N. General Assembly, by vote by acclamation without one single objection, the European Union.
I'm sure I could find more if I wanted to keep googling. Now, I have to admit that 25 parrots would have made the cartoon a little crowded. Still, don't you think it's fudging with reality just slightly for the American Right to totally focus on Obama and three of their favorite demons?
Note: In the interests of full disclosure, I must reveal that I already thought Michael Ramirez was a dick way back when he was working for the L. A. times.
With all those parrots, this could never have escaped Green Eagle's piercing vision.
And so clever. I mean, there Obama is, accompanied by all of those evil left wingers who also attacked the Honduran military coup. I mean, what a great way to make your point, Michael.
All over the right wing media and blogosphere, one can find the same argument, although not, I must confess, adorned with the parrots. Obama is siding with evil communists in opposing the coup.
Now, here's the thing, though. Despite having to work with his beak, Green Eagle can use teh google. So he went looking, and found that there are some other parrots that belong in that cartoon. Here's a short list of others that also opposed the coup:
France, Spain, Italy, Britain, Germany, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador, Taiwan, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Paraguay, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, the U. N. General Assembly, by vote by acclamation without one single objection, the European Union.
I'm sure I could find more if I wanted to keep googling. Now, I have to admit that 25 parrots would have made the cartoon a little crowded. Still, don't you think it's fudging with reality just slightly for the American Right to totally focus on Obama and three of their favorite demons?
Note: In the interests of full disclosure, I must reveal that I already thought Michael Ramirez was a dick way back when he was working for the L. A. times.
Comments
You might be interested in this piece: http://newmatilda.com/2009/06/30/does-us-really-democracy.
Can't currently add Australia to your list, I'm not sure of our government's position. We don't have an embassy in Honduras and consular responsibility comes out of our embassy in Mexico.
As you are from Australia, you would have no reason to be particularly aware of the hundred year long history of U. S. destruction of elected governments in Central America.
Just as with our malicious interference in Iran over the decades, it has left us with precious little moral high ground from which to assert ourselves. No one in these countries has any reason to trust the United States, and sadly, this leaves Obama with little maneuvering room, short of traditional Republican mindless belligerence.