Haters and Addiction: Republicans and Emotional Crack Cocaine

Jungian analyst David E. Schoen, in his book, The War of the Gods In Addiction, writes:

"chronic hate — especially on a collective societal level, because it fuels and energizes people away from feeling hopeless — can 'become addictive' and 'take on a life of its own,' greatly affecting groups and masses of people. This certainly seems to be what happens in racism, genocide and 'holy wars.'"

This speaks to what is happening right now in the way some Republicans and Fox News are fanning the flames of hatred. And is a serious warning of the trouble that could be brewing.

The interesting insight in this observation though is that this hatred energizes people away from feeling hopeless. And responsible people would want to consider in just what ways the people who have been attracted by this insanity are indeed feeling hopeless. Because this is what must be addressed.

Of course, we've heard the "presenting problem" in the last few days — members of the middle and lower middle class believe the line they've been fed about paying more taxes. Or they are rightly angry about feeling squeezed financially while bankers collect bonuses for driving the country into a ditch — and hopeless about their ability to affect change in their own lives, blaming forces on Wall Street, which make a good target, since they certainly share blame.

Democrats are not demagogues — at least not in my lifetime. They do not rally popular anger. Right now though, I think in a most un-Buddhist way, that fire must be fought with fire. That the lies must be met head on with strength.

And quite frankly, I think the laws that enabled media domination (so that Murdoch can own two papers and a TV network in one market) ought to be repealed. And the FCC should be as vigilant about calls for violence as they are about wardrobe malfunctions.

Hate is emotional crack cocaine. And the Republicans are feeding it to that part of the population that feels hopeless for whatever reason. Kind of like supporting the Taliban to get rid of the Russians -- it comes back to bite you in the ass.

But when I read that right wing hate groups are on the rise, that gun sales have skyrocketed since the election, I hear governors talking secession, and congressmen calling for political killings. And I don't hear enough in the mainstream address this insanity — well, for all the signs that equated Obama with Hitler, this sure looks like the right is fomenting a rather rabid form of fascism. And it's time to pull the fire alarm.

Is there a 12-Step Program for Hate? There ought to be.