Are you ready to totally flip out? I was watching Meet the Press yesterday morning, and this is what I heard from Reuel Marc Gerecht (emphasis mine):

I mean, one hopes that the Iraqis protect women’s social rights as much as possible. It certainly seems clear that in protecting the political rights, there’s no discussion of women not having the right to vote. I think it’s important to remember that in the year 1900, for example, in the United States, it was a democracy then. In 1900, women did not have the right to vote. If Iraqis could develop a democracy that resembled America in the 1900s, I think we’d all be thrilled. I mean, women’s social rights are not critical to the evolution of democracy.

This guy was introduced on NBC as a former CIA guy, but they didn’t mention he’s also part of the überscary Project for the New American Century.

The context of the quote seems innocent enough — moving from a dictatorship to a democracy is generally a good thing. But then the context is followed by a patently hateful message.

The rights of women and minorities in a modern democracy — that the majority may not infringe on inalienable rights of the minority — are inseparable to our concept of democracy. The Republican party’s powerful and extreme right wing have done more than merely attack feminism. They have clearly gained enough power to try to make it seem okay to impose their concept of democracy on middle east nations.

Their concept of democracy is not the same as my own. Their concept of democracy does not encompass inalienable rights. Their concept of democracy does not acknowledge the importance of transparency, accountability, education, and the free flow of information to a well-functioning democracy — not to mention, a prosperous economy.