Some of the supporters of McCain and Palin have lost their minds.
Remember, BHO is the first African American candidate to run for POTUS. For some in the lunatic fringe of this country, that is enough to warrant his head. And, what I've heard from Palin rallies recently has been unsettling. Dana Milbank of the Washington Post highlights some of the more egregious incidents here. The New York Times put an editorial out about this issue today. And jackandjillpolitics.com has a post here.
I am sick and tired of listening to the McCain/Palin camp construct a terrorist/unpatriotic/not really American straw man of BHO. I am tired of people making a point of saying BHO's full name, so as to drive home the "Muslim" connection. I have suspended my fears long enough to believe that BHO could run for, and hopefully become, POTUS without someone trying to kill him. Yet, I am growing more uncomfortable with the manner of the McCain/Palin campaign.
I would never support BHO or Biden whipping their supporters up into such a frenzy that someone would yell out "terrorist," "kill him" or "treason." Yet, that is exactly what is coming from the other side. McCain and Palin both have been silent. Where is the honor? How does that put country first?
Quel domage.
UPDATE: We are now hearing that the McCain camp "doesn't condone" the commentary coming from its supporters. And my name is Boo Boo the Fool.
7 comments:
It's appalling, isn't it?
And as you say: nothing from them to indicate that allowing people at your rallies to call for the assassination of a candidate is unacceptable - undemocratic.
I think you were a little naive to think that BHO could run and avoid the threat of violence. All candidates face it, and in our polarized time he would have to confront violence even if he were not a black man. But add his race to the mix and it just gets uglier.
So I expected that he and his beautiful family would need extra protection, but I never expected to hear such language *out loud* at mainstream political rallies. And I never thought any party would permit that without rebuttal. It's stunning.
Remember, I said that I suspended my fears long enough. I am more than aware of the dangers inherent in running for POTUS, particularly for Obama. But I think that a huge proportion of the black community did exactly what I did, took a leap of faith that he will make it through to Election Day (each time I talk with my grandmother, she says that she is worried about him; each time we talk). As always, Fiona, thanks for the post :-)
I have been unsettled all evening by news of the sort of ugliness McCain and particularly Palin are whipping up s part of their last gasp desperate attempt to win at all costs.
They are appealing to the very lunatic fringe of the right (calling all Timothy McVeighs), and offering a tepid written-rebuke of those spewing some truly dangerous things is laughable.
The effects of the reckless, and objectively evil tact team McCain are will reverberte as long as BHO draws breath as President.
McCain and his acolytes are creating a dangerous GOP electorate version Mujahideen drawn from the McVeigh über zealous subset of their base. Their hope, like Reagan's in Afghanistan, is that they will do their job and then just go away. This ignores the nature of the beast they are creating.
Problem is, that once united behind the religious belief that Obama MUST be stopped, they have adopted a set of hateful and core beliefs that are unlikely to yield to reason.
They will continue to feed on each other's hatred, and fervently foster the idea that stopping BHO is solemn and sacred duty of all "true patriots."
McCain loses (and he will) these people will go on and I fear morph into something truly dangerous. The economy WILL continue to go south under Obama for some time, and their blame and hatred of him will only escalate(Mujahideen to Al Qaeda).
Their numbers are, and will be small, but courage (cawardice) of their convictions runs a serious risk of creating the next "lone gunman".
I am genuinely concerned. There is no reasoning with those people. Once they believe they have a mission from God to save mom and apple pie, they won't stop.
For the first time in a long, long time, I am actually afraid.
The gulf between both sides has been growing -- and both tend to dismiss the other -- Democrats dismiss the other side as uninformed and slightly stupid (like the drunk uncle that crashes family reunions), but Republicans have stooped to a new low -- suggesting that the other side is somehow inhuman and in need of a good thrashin' -- Mississippi Burnin' style.
That neither McCain nor Palin spoke against that kind of vitriol speaks volumes, but should we really have been surprised, given McCain's laughter at the "How are we gonna beat the bitch?" remark?
I still think BHO will win and win big.
But given our economic collapse -- and the fact that BHO will get at least some heat when it doesn't get better in the first months of his administration makes me a little apprehensive.
I am still relatively optimistic -- but think BHO should increase Secret Service protection and maybe postpone those visits to Redneckville for a while.
Barack is half-"black", half-White. Why does the media overlook this fact and continue to refer to him as "black"?
Can you imagine a "full black" running for president? None can make a successful MAYOR let alone PRESIDENT!
To Anonymous: Obama refers to himself as a black man, so the media is respecting his decision. And if you are so concerned about black mayors, then you might want to check the black governors.
Ahh Free, I am related to a whole nest of Republicans, and they hate Obama with a passion. They just come within a hair's width of saying they don't want him in office because he is black. You should hear the junk I hear every day. You'll be proud to know this was the year I registered to vote, and vote I will. The last election was such a disgraceful farce, I intend to do my part so it will not happen again.
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