So, why am I scared of Sarah Palin?
Maybe it's her rampant anti-intellectualism (this charge has been leveled at her by no less a conservative and recent Palin-turner as David Brooks). Maybe I don't want an alcoholic-driving-her-kids-to-afterschool-programs's finger on the button. Maybe it's the stupid, stupid, stupid mob mentality of her followers:
As I mentioned in yesterday's post on chicagodads, I'm not in the least bit concerned that this hateful (and considerably racist) rhetoric will win the hearts, minds o"r votes of undecided moderates. But I am fully concerned about how low our level of discourse has sunk; about how many in our nation feel that intelligence and knowledge is something to be mocked; about rampant xenophobia unchecked by our leaders. For Pete's sake, Obama's been vetted by noone less capable than Hillary Clinton. If people want to remain stupid, fine. Just don't go outdoors. Or run for vice president.
You're not suggesting that Obama's campaign and supporters have been free of racism or of mob mentality, etc., are you? Obama has spent much of his campaign trying to rise above his followers. Sinking to a low level, alas, has been a bi-partisan effort.
ReplyDeleteoh, yeah, they're definitely both sinking low. i think obama's been trying to stay out of the race game because it's so tricky (esp. for him). but the new ads attacking mccain's age (and also a comment obama made about mccain 'gambling') i think are despicable and unnecessarily personal. i understand why cindy mccain is feeling personally attacked. i just want this stupid war to end now.
ReplyDeletehowever, i think the mccain campaign and now even mccain himself have stooped to really scary and dangerous lows. the anti-intellectualism (seriously, palin? she can't even answer simple questions and then blames the interviewers); the dumb rhetoric and horrible logic thrown about by their campaign and by technical imbeciles like hannity and hasselback; the insults and constant questioning of obama's "true nature"; the casting of him as an "other".
i don't think that it's intentional racism, or that, for most people, that it's something that they're aware of. but for many black americans (many minorities, but especially for african-americans), racism is something that they perceive ALL THE TIME.
so, all that to say, i haven't seen mob mentality at obama's campaigns. i really don't know obama, at least, to falsely charge of racism (not saying they're not there. it's kind of like the offended know when they're being offended upon; it's sometimes harder for the offenders to know in this scenario). but the sinking to abysmal levels, the loss of discourse in our politics that i thought we were all gonna have this time around - that's just frustrating and sad. and scary.
"did I mention hes black" is that Obamas attempt to stay away from race....surrogates in the house claiming racism...Dem strategists claiming race riots will occur if Obama loses...cmon, lets at least be honest.
ReplyDeleteWhy not a posting about Obama supporters wearing "Palin is a C%nt" tshirts?
Where is the alarm over liberals chanting death to bush, or carrying placards with guns to his head, or burning him in effigy?
How about the GOP HQ that was spray painted with "Republican=slavery".
How about a posting on Obamas campaigning for Oginga just last year, who was responsible for burning 800 churches and killing hundreds of Christians in Kenya?
Bret