LibertyMinute October 10 2013

Self-appointed leftist ?watchdogs? have condemned what they call ?eliminationist? speech on the part of conservatives. That term supposedly describes the variety of political rhetoric intended not merely to discredit the views of an opponent, but to dehumanize him in a fashion that would incite violence or even official punishment.

Author David Niewert describes eliminationism as the product of ?the hard-wired right wing [which] desires to eliminate, by violent means if necessary, anyone deemed the Other, or the Enemy.?

That tendency is visible on the right ? but it?s hardly exclusive to it. It is a trait shared by all political movements that claim the right to subjugate those who disagree. The government shutdown has brought to the surface a severe strain of eliminationism among Obama?s disciples.

Obama?s allies in the media have execrated Republicans as secessionists and neo-Confederates ? that is, a movement that should be exterminated through military force, if necessary. The leftist Crooks & Liars blog, which publishes Niewert?s writings, has accused congressional Republicans of being the equivalent of al-Qaeda. Democratic leaders have referred to Republicans as ?terrorists,? ?bombers,? and ?hostage-takers.?

Eliminationism isn?t a product of ideology, but an expression of what the Epistle of James calls lust ? in this case, the evil desire to dominate others.

Let us take back the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.