Former NSA and CIA chief Michael Hayden made an utter fool of himself during Thanksgiving by writing a post on social media likening American Christians to Hamas terrorists. 

It was another example of the left using one of their favorite tactics: Dehumanizing people who disagree with their politics.

Hayden’s comment came in response to another post that juxtaposed two photos: One of an American woman holding an American flag, a Bible, and a handgun and another picture of a Palestinian terrorist named Reem Riyashi, who carried out a suicide bombing in 2004 on behalf of Hamas and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.

The original post asked about the difference between the two individuals portrayed in the photos. Hayden responded, saying they were “no different at all.”

No different at all. https://t.co/ukHfLSxK02

— Gen Michael Hayden (@GenMhayden) November 22, 2023

Hayden’s comments were met with fiery criticism coming from folks on the right, who clearly understand the difference between an American lady holding a flag and gun and an actual terrorist seeking to kill civilians.

This isn’t the first time Hayden has come under fire for making silly remarks against conservatives. In fact, he has spent much of post-government career beclowning himself by getting triggered by folks on the right.

In October, Hayden called for the death of Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) over his opposition to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s creation of an “abortion tourism benefit.” Responding to a post asked whether Tuberville should be removed from his committee, Hayden replied, “how about the human race?”

How about the human race? https://t.co/UCGCfF1lA3

— Gen Michael Hayden (@GenMhayden) October 10, 2023

Tuberville has placed a “hold” on all senior military promotions as long as the abortion program remains in effect.

Last year, Hayden agreed with Edward Luce, associate editor at the Financial Times, when he claimed the Republican Party was more “nihilistic” and “dangerous” than extremist violent terrorist organizations. “I agree. And I was the CIA Director,” Hayden wrote in a post responded to Luce.

As I wrote back then:

The bottom line is that the GOP is not an extremist group, nor do most of them hold extreme views. But Luce and Hayden still chose to engage in their clumsy attempt to demonize folks just for disagreeing with their politics.

Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? Hayden is using this rhetoric because he is precisely who he claims to hate. He seeks to dehumanize his political opponents because he does not consider them worth debating. Rather than engaging in discourse, he wants to affirm the idea that those on the right are less than human because that is what he wants his followers to believe.

This is more than just words. It is part of an effort to justify violence and other sorts of atrocities against those who oppose progressivism. It is the same type of rhetoric used by authoritarians to rile their base up and make them more amenable to using extreme means to punish those with dissenting beliefs. We shouldn’t dismiss this as mere words. If this behavior isn’t repudiated, these words could turn into actions.