I swore several weeks ago - in relation to the healthcare debate - that American politics couldn't get any worse. How wrong I was! Yesterday, several thousand descended upon Washington DC to protest the Obama administration. Not anything specific, just the administration itself. It was billed by Fox News as "The 9/12 Project", a phantom invention of Glenn Beck's several years ago. Now, the idea of the 9/12 Project sounds noble at first: to recreate the unity and togetherness that all Americans felt with one another the day after 9/11/2001. These days, however, it has become a sick partisan spectacle for anyone who hates Barack HUSSEIN Obama and all that he stands for.
Yesterday, the fury of this lunatic fringe was on full display for the entire world to see. The signs present ranged from amusing ("Now Look! Nice people forced to protest! We came unarmed...this time!) to disgusting. Here's a list of a few of the captions on posters seen at the event:
"Nazi Pelosi: You keep your fascism, I'll keep my Freedom!"
"Impeach the Muslim Marxist"
"Oust the Marxist Usurper...His Czars and thugs! Honduras did it!"
"President Obama's Healthcare Czar"
"Parasite-in-Chief"
"Obama Lies...Grandma Dies"
"Remember 9/11...Impeach the Muslim Terrorist!"
"I've Changed" (Obama with Hitlerstache)
"Joe my Hero! Joe Wilson...Truth Czar"
"Bury Obamacare with Kennedy"
The last one is particularly sickening, because it seeks to turn the death of Ted Kennedy into a partisan attack. How would the Republicans have reacted if we had carried signs saying "Privatization of Soc-Sec dies with Reagan"? They would have lost their collective minds, and rightly so. To turn someone's death into an attack method is inherently wrong.
What is more disturbing, however, is that this hatred of Obama is something uniquely new. The right hated Bill Clinton. They did everything in their power - from sex scandals to land deals - to attempt to throw him out of office. But the vitriol and rhetoric never even came close to the levels now exhibited towards President Obama. No, what is behind this is something inherently deeper, and inherently worse. The call of "marxist" has been used many times, on every president from Theodore Roosevelt onward who wanted to institute healthcare for all citizens. What hasn't been used before are the accusations of being a Muslim. This is something that is inherently unique to President Obama.
The reason for it all is something far worse; something far more disturbing than anything else. It can be attributed to the disgusting caricatures of his opponent, the fact that everyone at the Tea-bagger rallies is uni-ethnic. It has something to do with his middle name, which has something to do with something else.
It is because he is black.
It is because there are some people in the United States who feel that black people don't deserve to drink from the same water fountain as them, much less be the president of their country. It is because half of the American deep south still thinks it's the year 1861, and that slavery should still be legal. A simple glance at the groups and organizations organizing these mob-rallies (Neo-confederate groups, secessionist groups, right-wing blowhards) confirms my suspicion. Those who protest president Obama are - by and large - nothing more than angry, delusional, racist white people.
Some will say "there you go Cam! Playing the race card that democrats love to play". Let me simply say this in response: I don't see any hispanics screaming for the death of the Muslim Marxist. I don't see any Arabs demanding the right to "hunt Obama" on private ranches. I don't see any African-Americans (with the exception of a few delusionals like Michael Steele) accusing him of socialism. I don't see any Asians calling for his birth certificate to be examined. It is all white people. All angry, angry, angry (and very racist) white people.
Have we fallen this far? Have we collapsed so much as a people that this sort of lunacy flies as legitimate? Have we all been so traumatized by the rantings of Bush, Reagan, Beck, and Gingrich that we actually believe this idiocy? Is this what we are?
These lunatics make me ashamed. Thank the Lord that I do not live in the same country or subscribe to the same political ideology as them. I am ashamed enough to have the same skin colour as them, to subscribe to a faith of the same name as theirs. A month ago, Beck said that Obama has "a deep seated hatred of white people". If he does, then so do I. If he does, then so do all who want these nutcases to fail. If Obama hates white people - having watched the last two months of protests - I can't say as I blame him.
"Vasa vana plurimum sonant" - The empty pots make the most noise.
Ebook , by Autumn Reed
6 years ago
2 comments:
Unfortunately, your analysis is probably correct.
All the concerns people had about Obama--and I'm talking about worries that he would be assassinated--were based on race and there's been no reason to change that perspective. He's not likely to finish his term in office, and that speaks volumes about how reactionary and neanderthal many Americans are in their attitudes.
Partisan politics and racial prejudices have been America's nemeses for generations and it looks like nothing has changed.
By the way, Cam, nice letter to the editor the other day.
Unfortunately, I'm leaning towards agreeing with you on the not-finishing his first term bit. It's the unfortunate fact that most of the southern states still thinks it's the year 1861.
Thanks for the letter complement; it's not the first time I've expressed that view, but that's definitely the most publicity it's gotten. I was a bit miffed that they claimed my figure of 567,000 Iraqi children dead was "alleged", but oh well. Online, the comments were mostly negative, so thanks for the positive response.
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