What do Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney and Lon Chaney Jr. have in common? They are forever known as the faces of the classic monsters Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, Phantom of the Opera, and the Wolf Man. Whether you were frightened by these classic representations or the continual evolutionary adaptations that have followed, we all know these monsters when we see them and we all do the same thing when they are thrust into our faces: we take a big step back.

            As interesting as the creatures themselves is the construction in how they are perceived. With this in mind, no relevant “monster talk” would be complete without addressing the most prevalent but least identified monsters of today. This identification is made if we are smart enough to expand our minds to enlightened ways of thinking and bold enough to shine our torches into the deepest, dankest recesses in which these illusive modern ghouls take refuge. The problem in the end is that when we finally take a bold look, we are more likely to find a beast with a three-piece suit and briefcase than a creature in rags and chains. In place of ravenous, blood-sucking fangs, we are likely to find smiling faces, stacks of ambiguous laws and a well-manicure hand that can whip out a signature in total darkness. Who are these new slithering, sinister surrogates of evil? Without a doubt it is the modern-day politician.

            This is not an indictment of all those who go into this field of public service, rather the recognition of a framing process that takes place where some politicians seem to shine while others are deformed by the monster politician persona. The term “monster politics” serves to describe an environment beyond normal debate and division that highlights the power of the psychological to supersede the theatrical. It is the process by which a politician embraces political circumstances in a way that generates a negative persona, alienating the politician from his or her constituents and creating a dangerous air of unpredictability that is not conducive to future political service. We can appropriately call this the “terminal term,” or the building of the non-re-electable politician. While this is not the inevitable ending point for all who serve in public office, it seems to be the unfolding story of Barack Obama.

            For perspective we should understand that all politicians come into office with a certain population that will always oppose them. Equally assured, all presidents through the course of their term have historically made pressing decisions that inflame segments of their own base constituency. Additionally, all presidents fall prey to the occasional faux pas, but monster politics is not evoked from these actions. Like the theatrical characters from which our perception of the monster arises, it is the actions after the critical incident—the bite, curse or lightening-induced creation itself—that frames the individual as the monster we know. It is the same with the president and it is here that Barack Obama, through his own actions, pushes the polls’ numbers of public sentiment toward the dark, dank depths of monstrous non-re-electability.

            CNN’s August 4, 2010 poll shows that 27 percent of Americans have doubts that Barack Obama is an American citizen. Also, the most recent Pew Research Poll shows that 18 percent of Americans believe the president is a Muslim. This is a 7 percent increase from 2009 poll results. From Democracy Corps’ July 2010 polling results, 55 percent of Americans think Obama is a socialist and 56 percent think he is too liberal. Arguably, both charges may be one in the same. For Obama supporters it is not just the existence of poll classifications such as these that should be disheartening, but also the fact that Obama’s numbers are increasing in these areas over time.

            It is the Obama administration’s inability to deflect, and often its overt actions, which perpetuate these negative attributes that have emboldened the classic monster politics scenario that now surround the president. Is the president a Muslim? Doubtful, but like an overactive Dr. Frankenstein, Obama has created his own monster persona through his own book quotes, Middle East apology tour, anti-Israel stance, and forceful, non-solicited statements such as those recently heard on the issue of the mega mosque fiasco near ground zero in New York. Like the fear and hatred generated by our classic monsters, the motivating force is the same in monster politics. It is the grouping of calamitous actions with alienation and unwanted mysteriousness, the latter two points exacerbating the first, which bring about such negative outcomes.

            That is, in simple terms, the monster truly does bad things, but that is not enough to bring about its bad reputation. It must be in combination with personal characteristics that are in opposition with, or simply alien to the general populace, as well as a mysterious nature that creates an environment of unpredictability. Welcome to the world of Barack Obama. With this knowledge there is little wonder why Obama’s two decades of attendance at a radically socialistic church under the tutelage of Reverend Jeremiah Wright fails to give him public identification as a Christian with a growing number of Americans. It is in part a lack of personal Christian identification, if not hostility toward Christian conservatives in America, which has prompted more and more people to speculate Obama as having alternative religious affiliations.    

            Is Obama an American-born citizen? Probably, but like a vampire that refuses to stand in front of the mirror to be justified, Obama’s secretive, if not deceptive, actions on this important issue breed the mistrust from which caskets are torn open, castles are stormed, moors are patrolled, and approval numbers plunge into the abyss. Is Obama a socialist? The president has done nothing here but reinforce the affirmative by his actions and rhetoric, but even many of the socialists of today have avoided being caught up in the career-ending calamites of monster politics. If the president continues to separate himself from the American people by attitude, rhetoric and policy, he will do more than open  the door to more grim conjectures about his future policies and personal character; he will have created his own forever-told horror story of the one-term president from the depths of monster politics.

Paul A. Ibbetson is a former Chief of Police of Cherryvale, Kansas, and member of the Montgomery County Drug Task Force. Paul received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Criminal Justice at Wichita State University, and is currently completing his Ph.D. in Sociology at Kansas State University. Paul is the author of the books “Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating A Society” and “Feeding Lions: Sharing The Conservative Philosophy In A Politically Hostile World.” Paul is also the radio host of the Kansas Broadcasting Association’s 2008, 2009 and 2010 Entertainment Program of the Year, Conscience of Kansas airing on KSDB Manhattan 91.9 FM, www.ibbetsonusa.com. For interviews or questions, please contact him at? ibbetson91.9@gmail.com

  Right now at ground zero in New York a battle over the construction of buildings following 9/11 is raging. It is hard to believe that almost nine years following the Islamic attacks that took thousands of American lives, post-9/11 construction has moved at the speed of a dying snail. Even more perplexing than the failure of New York officials to take on aggressive construction projects to breathe life back into areas destroyed by 9/11 is the proposed mega mosque building project only blocks away from ground zero.

 It’s times like these that a person has to shake his head and wonder, “Are you just trying to provoke me?” From Voice of America News, Carolyn Weaver reports on the plans of Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, president of what has been called the Cordoba Initiative to create a mega mosque and community center near ground zero. In Weaver’s report, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf attempts to frame the mega mosque as though it will be a cultural meeting point for as many non-Muslims as followers of Islam. With the long history of Islamic intolerance of what they consider non-believers, Rauf’s sales pitch demands a high level of scrutiny. To get further compliance, Rauf claims that those who oppose a mega mosque being built on the ashes of 9/11are Islamophobes. This is an insult to America’s dead and deserves a healthy rebuke, which I am ready to give.

Without question Imam Rauf is attempting to crack the political correctness whip on the backs of Americans in the hopes that fear of the bigot brand will allow Islamic expansion into what Pamela Geller of Atlas Shrugs has properly termed a “war memorial.” The idea forwarded by proponents that unity and tolerance can be achieved by building a mega mosque where Americans were butchered by Islamic radicals has the same tasteful appeal as building a Nazi gift shop at Auschwitz. So why create a religious supercenter in the most inflammatory place it could be built in America?

 The answer is to make a religious statement of supremacy by expanding mosque construction in areas of cultural and historical significance. This is not just an issue within the United States. James Delingpole of Human Events talks at length about the Islamic push for mega mosque construction near the site of the 2012 Olympics in England. On Pajamas Media Television in an interview with Baroness Caroline Cox, councilor Alan Craig, who spearheaded the opposition to the London super mosque project, aptly alluded to the fact that the mega mosques go far beyond benign meeting places of worship to what can be interpreted as overt symbols of Islamic expansion.

 Once again showing her moxie in the face of the politically correct whips, Sarah Palin called for New Yorkers to oppose the mega mosque at ground zero. After Sarah Palin, GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio stepped up in opposition to the mosque and called for Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to investigate Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf. If preliminary research on Rauf is any indication, the attorney general would be wise to take a long, hard look at the Imam who is rolling out the construction plans for the super mosque in New York.

  As Aaron Klein of WorldNetDaily reports, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf appears to be nothing short of a proselytizing Islamic radical. According to Klein, Rauf has publicly blamed America for 9/11, refused to recognize Hamas as a terrorist group and even was quoted as refusing to admit that Muslims carried out the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Even Rauf’s 2004 book titled “What’s Right with Islam is What’s Right with America” had a radically dark Arabic title when published overseas, “The Call From the WTC Rubble: Islamic Da’wah From The Heart of America Post-9/11.”Imam Feisel Abdul Rauf’s books, in combination with the super mosque project, congeal into nothing short of a two-headed snake that will strike all in its domain or a rabid dog raising its haunch to mark new territory.

 Either way it’s dangerous, deadly business that carries the unique, foul odor of anti-Americanism. The American people have no inclination, requirement or duty to be tolerant of such an aggressive affront to the dignity of our dead by those who would perpetuate the same mentality that has brought such pain to our people. The territorial mark of a mega mosque at ground zero in New York should be met with complete and utter rejection. 

Paul A. Ibbetson is a former Chief of Police of Cherryvale, Kansas, and member of the Montgomery County Drug Task Force. Paul received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Criminal Justice at Wichita State University, and is currently completing his Ph.D. in Sociology at Kansas State University. Paul is the author of the books “Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating A Society” and “Feeding Lions: Sharing The Conservative Philosophy In A Politically Hostile World.” Paul is also the radio host of the Kansas Broadcasting Association’s 2008, 2009 and 2010 Entertainment Program of the Year, Conscience of Kansas airing on KSDB Manhattan 91.9 FM, www.ibbetsonusa.com. For interviews or questions, please contact him at? ibbetson91.9@gmail.com

In 1997, under the direction of Andrew Niccol, people viewed on their cinema screens a sterilized world of growing government perfection. The movie, “Gattaca,” depicted a world where through genetic selection only children with their parents’ desired hereditary traits were given societal acceptance. The children that were born naturally, void of the process called preimplantation genetic diagnosis, were labeled “in-valids” and were treated as societal junk and placed in menial labor jobs. To the elites of this futuristic world, this made for a more productive humanity. Like liberals today, the power wielders of this science fiction story wanted to make their version of a better, more productive and certainly healthier society, and to do that they needed the power of the government. Gattaca was a world of sterilized government control where the “haves” and the “have nots” of social class warfare could be identified with the technological speed of an eye scan, cheek swab or blood test.

 It would be easy to leave these Orwellian-style cinematic depictions of worlds with governments running amuck at the doors of the theatre if it weren’t for the disquieting reality that society seems to mirror these movies at an alarming rate. One has only to look to recent events to see that it is the modern liberal of today that works feverishly to build the Gattaca of tomorrow. Ed Morrissey of Hot Air reported on July 6, 2010 of New York Governor David Paterson’s attempt to tax the fat out of people, with a high-profile levy on sugary drinks. The ultra-liberal, get-your-Gattaca-here Mayor Gavin Newsom achieved level one of calorie control in his sphere of influence by declaring Coke, Pepsi, and Fanta Orange as in-valid and thus rejecting them from city vending machines and exchanging them for soy and rice milk.

  If you think that you can avoid having to choke down Newsom’s rice milk by simply avoiding San Francisco, you are not seeing the bigger picture. Liberals wish to control every aspect of human life. This is a desire based not simply on their warped belief that they know better than average citizens how average citizens should live, but also on the less altruistic reality that liberals like to wield power through government control. Of these liberal builders of a bigger, better and much bolder government of tomorrow are the Obamas. As president, Barack Obama has expanded government control into the private industries, the banks, health care and soon the energy by which all of these entities operate. Michelle Obama, well she wants to build a better tomorrow by way of your children.

 As reported in Politico, with Michele Obama’s outlet on LetsMove.gov, the first lady tries aggressively to move beyond simple nutrition education and into the world of liberal mandates when it comes to school food. Michele Obama was quoted by Politico as saying, “Kids are malleable, and they’re also open to learn. We’re the ones that stand in the way.” She further states, “We’re going to have to step it up and make some changes on our own to get our kids where we want them to be.” Within this same vein she spoke about her future plans to eliminate school desserts and push her agenda to the public forefront, at the level of attention given to the AIDS epidemic. In other words, move over Newsom, with you rice-milk-filled city vending machines, it’s the Obamas who wish to draw up the master blueprints to a healthier world through government control. The effects in the schools are moving quickly. Alison Bologna of Fox News Boston reports that children are now being sent home with “fat reports.” The school is reported to be required to calculate the body mass index (BMI) of children to decide what portions they are allowed to eat. The “valids” and “in-valids” at school will now be determined by the governmental BMI.

 Is this assessment nothing more than fear mongering, an attempt to falsely portray a soon-coming world of “Obamaca” where only science fiction really exists? Some will say so even as Barack Obama expands the government into every part of the economy and Michele Obama trots school desserts into the parking lot to be shot. I say that any time government mandates supersede education and free choice, we move further away from what America stands for, and what had made this blessed nation great. Freedom—it’s as American as apple pie with all the glorious calories. 

Paul A. Ibbetson is a former Chief of Police of Cherryvale, Kansas, and member of the Montgomery County Drug Task Force. Paul received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Criminal Justice at Wichita State University, and is currently completing his Ph.D. in Sociology at Kansas State University. Paul is the author of the books “Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating A Society” and “Feeding Lions: Sharing The Conservative Philosophy In A Politically Hostile World.” Paul is also the radio host of the Kansas Broadcasting Association’s 2008, 2009 and 2010 Entertainment Program of the Year, Conscience of Kansas airing on KSDB Manhattan 91.9 FM, www.ibbetsonusa.com. For interviews or questions, please contact him at? ibbetson91.9@gmail.com