GOP propaganda -- well, is such a harsh comparison appropriate?

I've gotten word that some people may have been offended by my last (previous to this) blog post.

Honest disagreement can be a good thing. It can foster better understanding, if it leads to honest discussion.

Because those potentially offended did not come to me with the concern, I can only speculate on some of what they may have been offended about.

In the post at issue, I cited a quote widely attributed to German World War II propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels.

If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it...

I also quoted a press release issued by the Arizona Republican Party regarding the referendum effort seeking to put HB2305 on the ballot for the people of Arizona to decide whether to allow the bill to become law or to exercise the People's Veto as prescribed in the state constitution.

That press release, as reported by the Yellow Sheet Report (7/25), specifically said the intent of HB2305 was to fight voter fraud in Arizona. In that same edition, Yellow Sheet reporters and editors said that the AZ GOP did NOT name any specific persons or groups as having committed any such fraud and the Republicans did not cite ANY actual allegations of voter fraud having occurred.

There have been NO reports of any allegations of non-citizen voter fraud having occurred in Arizona from the 2012 election -- that I have been able to find. The most specific reporting, that I found with a Google search, is from September 2012 in the Tucson Sentinel. That story indicates the only cases that have been found and prosecuted involve persons voting in Arizona and another state in the same election. 15 cases. That would not have changed the outcome of any particular race even if all 15 cases were in the same district, in the same election. Not even close.

Is it fair to say that the Arizona Republican Party knowingly is making false charges when it puts out press releases like that? I think so. The AZ GOP could easily dispel my claim by citing any reports of actual voter fraud, if it actually had any.

Michele Reagan, who started pushing many of the provisions in HB2305 from the start of the 2013 regular legislative session, has made the same claims WITHOUT ever citing any specific incidents or allegations of voter fraud.

Is it fair to say that Michele Reagan knowingly has been making false charges in print and broadcast media when she says things like that? I think so. Michele Reagan could easily dispel my claim by citing any reports of actual voter fraud, if she actually had any.

Yesterday's blog post also indicated that the German World War II propaganda minister added more to the statement when he made the claim about getting people to believe a big lie told often enough.

....The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.

Do we have to sit back and let Arizona Republicans get away with telling the big lie often enough to get people to believe it? I do NOT think so.

To the point of my having possibly offended people with the harsh comparison, I specifically refrained from the use of two particular, very inflammatory words, hoping to make my point without offending anyone other than those whose oxen actually get gored by telling this particular truth.

If I did not succeed in that endeavor, I sincerely apologize.

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One such person in particular apparently was offended (or at least did take strong issue with what and how I made the case), is Lou Lernor. He apparently goes to great lengths to keep people from knowing who he actually is and uses on Facebook -- contrary to Facebook policy -- the fake name, "Lou Show."

Because of his incivility and habitually rude behavior toward me in particular, I blocked him on Facebook close to, if not more than, two years ago. Mr. "Show" recently claimed to be a lifelong Democrat. However, perhaps because he doesn't get to post abusive comments to my Facebook timeline, he does so, about me elsewhere.

I have no problem with him disagreeing with me. I have no problem with him being angry with me. But I personally don't think he should be allowed to disrupt the efforts of Green Party, Libertarian and Democratic activists simply because he disagrees with me.

Mr. "Show" posted this comment:

This is really outrageous! I’m a lifelong Democrat and I see nothing wrong with HB 2305. It is hypocritical for Steve Muratore, editor of his “Arizona Eagletarian”, to mirror the Democratic party line of complaining about HB 2305 while also claiming that the Republicans are taking a page out of the Nazi playbook by Geobbels that if you tell a lie long enough then people will start to believe....

Bully for Mr. "Show" to see nothing wrong with HB2305. He is entitled to his belief. I also have no problem with him claiming that I'm hypocritical. But him disagreeing with me doesn't mean I have to let him get away with making silly statements without calling him out for it.

Last I checked, Mr. "Show" is not the final arbiter of whether the Democratic Party or the overwhelming majority of Democratic activists is allowed to take the position that there IS something wrong with HB2305. I understand that bill to be a naked attempt by Republican state lawmakers to grab power away from the majority of Arizona voters. Clearly, the intent of HB2305 actually IS voter suppression. As I understand things, Democratic Party officials and activists pretty much all agree with me on that position.

So, Mr. "Show" disagree all you want. In fact, make your case in writing on your blog, if you have one. But don't expect that you will escape criticism from those who disagree with you.

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If you (anyone) disagree with me, let's have an honest discussion.