Roots of Political Extremism

On January 4^th Pakistan was thrown into a further sense of unravelling as a Salman Taseer, a prominent liberal politician and governor of Punjab, was assassinated. He was shot and killed by his own bodyguard for his defence of an illiterate farmer who was sentenced to death for blasphemy against the prophet. Interesting how a country founded on the principles of freedom of religion and thought (as Pakistan actually was) can so easily have become ideologically juvenile, such are the roots of political extremism.  

Days later, on the 8^th of January, US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was the target of a similar attack in an attempted assassination. She was shot – at point blank range with a handgun – in the head. Amazingly under any circumstances, she is still alive following the massive brain trauma (the bullet travelled the length of the left side of her brain), and is breathing own her own as well as responding to various physical commands. The story takes a less miraculous twist when one considers that six people were killed in the incident, including a 9 year-old girl, while 14 others were wounded from the gunfire. 





These politicians were attacked for one reason: their views conflicted with those of their attackers. As the US moves towards increased political polarization and radicalism – which has been the case with politically volatile debates regarding gun laws and the second amendment, as well as immigration, health care and the role of government itself – it will increasingly experience the ideological schisms and destabilizing influences present in  Pakistan. Surely it won’t you say?

Well consider this: federal and state agencies in the US currently monitor some 300+ well-armed militias who train on scenarios to overthrow the government (a constitutional and patriotic obligation they would say), gun control is practically non-existent while there is a proliferation of conventional weapons, and there is the continued inertia (see: ignorance) from large groups of people who refuse to enter the fold of moderate debate and perspective. Similarly in Pakistan there are a variety of well armed groups who aim to overthrow the government (those of Pakistan, Afghanistan and to a degree India), gun control isn’t very controlling and there exists a proliferation of conventional weapons – especially through illegal weapons manufacturing – and they’re having a bit of a hard time bringing large groups of people from various territories into a more moderate dialogue.

So the US increasingly resembles the political realities of developing nations with its fractured discourse. What’s perhaps most troubling since the Tuscon shooting is the amount of rhetoric that has continued to agitate politics rather than tear down the walls of partisanship and bigotry. Right-wing media outlets and commentators have been nothing but critical of Sheriff Dupnik for his comments chastising the practice of harmful and ignorant commentary in politics when he made statements such as, “the anger, the hatred the...bigotry that goes on in this country is outrageous.” People in the US are so hypersensitive about anything political that they take everything to the extreme, and when moderate thinking on the state of political discourse comes along it too is targeted with the same hyperbole that is at the very root of the issue.   

The likes of Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh would have you believe that the Sheriff was out of line for labelling such commentary as irresponsible, calling him immature and trying to argue that he is inciting a blood libel. Mr. Limbaugh in his cozy, ego-loving studio argued that “...what this is all about is shutting down any and all political opposition and eventually criminalizing it.” He continued by saying “the Sheriff of Pima County has made a fool of himself I don’t know if he knows it or not.” Charming as he might be, Rush is plain wrong. That he made an outrageous comment about the government eventually criminalizing political opposition is daft enough, the more troubling thought will occur when you consider his audience is in the ballpark of 15-25 million listeners.    

Politics is seldom pretty, more often resembling a nosedive from the ugly tree than any darling you might want to take home, no matter how polished it may seem. But without fair and honest public debate or opinion, as well as moderate and informed thinking, it will continue to breed hatred, discontent and unhinge trust in nations like Pakistan and the US. Tens of thousands took to the street to praise the Pakistani assassin and as a show supporting the death penalty for blasphemy, while in the States there is further political posturing and opportunism by those who would make a meal of a man looking for cooler heads and calm waters. These obstacles are the real roots of political extremism and it’s at such moments when there is a real need for détente, with the hope that individuals and groups might work towards common principles rather than dividing words.