Regardess where you stand on who should be the next President of the US, or what you think of the New York Times (and Dad, I even watched Hannity’s America last night trying to understand the other side), I found this OpEd piece very upsetting. John posted a link to it originally. I haven’t been watching the news very much, so I had only heard a little bit about the blatant racist-speak taking place at McCain/Palin rallies. I’ve seen two clips - one of Palin smiling while the crowd chanted the usual “Obama is a terrorist” and the less usual but more frightening “Off with his head”. The second was of a McCain supporter holding a Curious George doll with an Obama hat on it. I’ve chosen not to link to the video because I don’t want to give it any more attention than it has already received.
Just to be clear, I’m not saying McCain is a racist. He is, however, allowing this stuff to happen at his rallies. And if I could dislike Palin any more than I already do, watching her freakshow grin while extremists scream for execution of her opponent put that last nail in for me.
Apparently I am naive and jaded. I assumed, wrongly, that although racism is rampant still, we as a country would put on our pretty clothes and pretend otherwise. To see large groups of people chanting and screaming because - and let’s really call it what it is - Obama is black - really disturbs me. It’s the first time in my life I’ve seen the mob mentality with racist overtones. In other words, if the group is big enough, it’s okay to let all our uglies hang out.
McCain and Palin aren’t responsible for people’s behavior at their rallies. What I do take issue with is their unwillingness to speak out against this behavior. If I was speaking in a public event and racial epithets were being thrown, you can bet your sweet ass I’d demand for it to stop or have the offending party removed. As the piece points out, silence in this instance is akin to a stamp of approval.
Amen. Times 10.
I’m in complete agreement with you. I think their silence makes them equally culpable as the people yelling out threats. While I can understand that the presidency is at stake for McCain, it makes me shake my head that he thinks he can win by stoking people’s fears and implicitly approving of racist behavior. It’s absolutely disgraceful.
Rock on sista! I guess we were on the same wave-link today. As Cathy asserted it’s ‘stoking people’s fears.’
Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.
Eleanor Roosevelt
What bothers me even more about it is if McCain DID speak up and ask that that behavior stop, those people would still vote for him. So speak up, damnit!
Sigh.
So I was listening to the Republican radio station the other day (Shush- sometimes they have funny people on there, and I laugh at the stupid people sometimes, too, plus NPR goes turns into Blues at 8 here.). They had this host who was talking about how much a supporter of McCain he was, until he chose Palin. He went on for like 10 minutes. He was totally talking crap about Hannity (I think) and said that the Democrat who was talking to him had it right and did a good job. So he gets a caller in to discuss whether or not McCain should keep talking about Obama and Ehrs (spelling) relationship. The first one says that hate tactics don’t work and he wished the candidates would talk about what they will do in office.
Then this other guy comes on and rips the host a new asshole saying that by disagreeing with McCain’s choice or VP he is supporting Obama and he should just get his head out of his ass and support McCain because that is what a good Republican would do.
It was fascinating, because these are Arizonans, the host has had McCain on the show many times, and used to be able to call him (he is too high and mighty now, you know.)
Not sure what my point was…duh.
SO, is it okay to hang out with terrorists?
Ummm, if they are REAL terrorists, no.
Regarding Concerned Citizen’s question on hanging with terrorists, I want to throw out this link to a Jerome Corsi article (rightwingers might recognize a kindred spirit in him since he co-authored the Swift Boat book attacking John Kerry):
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=57678
According to Corsi, McCain has enjoyed strong support from a lobbying group affliated with the Kosovo Liberation Army (which has ties to drug networks and al-Qaeda). And here’s a link with more Corsi articles bashing McCain’s connections:
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/jerome-corsi-mccain-basher
Gotta love the Republicans for Obama site. They read all this vitriolic nonsense so we don’t have to.
BTW, my initial point in commenting (before I got distracted by “Concerned Citizen”) was to link you to this photo of McCain at an ACORN event two years ago:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1008/Acorn_pushes_back_hugs_McCain.html?showall
...since I know you know people who criticize Obama’s ties to them.
The hypocrisy astounds me. I just had to bring this to the table as it is completely relevant - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-mackey/terrorists-secessionists_b_132010.html?page=5&show_comment_id=16476479#comment_16476479
I can’t wait for Nov 5 when they will go away. Go back to your beloved Alaska Governor and then maybe you can start back up with breaking off from the USA.
I’m with you 110%! McCain has the power to ask them stop, to sit by and do nothing is disgraceful.
As for “Concerned Citizen” if the terrorist b.s. is the only thing you pulled out of this post, then your opinion is moot. You obviously missed the point.