Un-American

It is hardly a secret that both Democrats and Republicans tend to give speeches before people guaranteed to support them with a minimum of pesky dissent. For example, President Bush gives many speeches for military groups, while Senator John Kerry addresses union crowds. While such practices may not be strictly cricket from a public-participation standpoint, campaigns are generally not in the habit of actively excluding anyone who doesn't support them 100%.

Until now.

Vice President Dick Cheney was in Rio Rancho, New Mexico yesterday to give a campaign speech. Now, this being America, one would think that people have the right to see public officials in public settings on public property without being required to support them politically. Apparently not, for the Albuquerque Journal reported that when the state Republican party provided public passes to see Cheney, there was one small condition. You see, anyone who wanted to see their Vice President had to sign a sheet of paper endorsing Bush for President and giving the campaign the right to use their names. Republican State Senator Dan Foley said the policy was put in place because a "known Democrat operative group" was planning to mount a protest at the rally.

You mean people might actually (gasp!) speak out and say they disagree with our elected officials? No, no, no, can't have that! The GOP has to make it look like all right-thinking Americans support the President and his policies, and that everyone who doesn't is some hippie Commie Saddam-loving gay-marrying flag-burning jihadist. And that means keeping anyone who might possibly react with anything other than complete and total adoration far far away.

And what's the best way to keep the infidels from polluting the ranks of the faithful? Why, with a good old-fashioned loyalty oath, that's how!

Yes, the Republicans have turned the clock back to the early 1950s, when teachers, writers, actors and others were required to sign oaths pledging complete allegiance to the United States on pain of blacklisting. Only total supporters are allowed, and everyone else can cool their heels in the Free Speech Zone and think about the price of disagreeing with those in power. (This ungodly concept, of whose name George Orwell would be proud, is designed to manufacture an image of unanimity and unquestioning support by relegating all protestors to a point far away from the actual event and the press. To wit, protestors at the Rio Rancho rally were penned in a full half-mile from the event.)

Once again, the GOP has showed its boundless talent for ham-handed stupidity. Staging rallies in front of generally supportive groups is one thing, but making people sign an endorsement as the price for seeing their elected representatives is way out of line. Loyalty oaths have always been un-American, but it seems that the Republicans just don't get it.