The « AARP » has its own « Typepad » blog out; it’s dedicated to fighting the « disgusting and reprehensible Fascist campaign to discredit AARP and elderly supporters of Social Security ». What a sad statement about American today that it’s even necessary.

Why is the blog necessary? Consider:

’… with GOP support and the plan’s arithmetic looking equally shaky, Bush’s allies aren’t taking chances. A well-funded conservative group called USA Next posted a Web page with two pictures: a camouflage-clad American GI with an X painted on him; two men in tuxedos kissing, with a checkmark on them. The caption: “The REAL AARP Agenda.” The ad was justified, the group argued, because the Ohio branch of AARP had opposed an anti-gay-marriage referendum in the state. (The national body has taken no position on that or other cultural issues.) But the real reason, said USA Next’s CEO, was pure political provocation. The ad was a “test,” Charlie Jarvis said, to see whether “left-wing bloggers” would “focus entirely on one image and explode about it. My guess was right.”

— Newsweek

The real reason rears its ugly head. Like gays, seniors are perfectly acceptable cannon fodder in the Great American Culture War, according to the Fascist stormtroopers.

Doesn’t matter that the Brown Shirts are lying. These amoral people will do anything to score points.

The AARP’s position is clear. As the blog itself notes:

‘Marie Smith, AARP President, in a February 25 speech to the City Club of Cleveland said: “AARP’s opposition to private accounts funded by Social Security is not a liberal position, or a conservative position, or a Republican position, or a Democrat position — it’s a common-sense position that can and should be supported by people of all political persuasions and ideologies who care about the future retirement security of our children and grandchildren.”’

Amen, Marie. Don’t let the Fascist Party smear campaign get you down. Fight the pigs!