I did that this morning in a comment, when I said that the US is still too racist and too sexist for either Obama or Clinton to win the general election. Some person, (he or she doesn't deserve to be named), who doesn't know me or who my friends are, or even if I'm white, called me a racist, and decided that he or she knew who I've hired or rented houses to. S/he also in his/her infinite wisdom, since s/he's never seen a comment or post of mine declaring who I support for the nomination, decided that I support John Edwards, and accused Edwards of being supported by racists.
I'm sorry, but I'm pissed.
Let me share a letter to the editor of the Commercial Appeal (Memphis) that appeared on Thursday the 29th:
What's it like living in Memphis? All you have to do is view the two movies filmed in the area -- "Hustle & Flow" and "Black Snake Moan." A perfect example. The racial mix here is majority black. Memphis has one of the nation's highest crime rates and many of the public officials are either in jail or awaiting their trial. Your March 26 article on cops who are on the take, making tons of money for just protecting the drug dealers, would indicate that Memphis is a hub for illegal drug distribution. Elderly people are getting mugged everywhere -- recently, in a medical clinic parking lot.
Now, Robert L. Johnson of Black Entertainment Television may move his movie production company here because, he says, Memphis has been the most impressive (March 23 article, "Memphis gets two thumbs up / Movie team scouts for a place to do business"). Sure it has, and it's a perfect fit.
This is the mentality that's still alive in the South, and with all due respect, in too many parts of the rest of the country. If you don't believe that ask any African-American.
Someone else in a comment to the same diary mentioned the recent poll that showed Hillary losing to both Guiliani and McCain.
I want to be clear - it's long past time that we elected someone who's not a white male Christian to the presidency. I'll be thrilled if Obama wins the nomination, and almost as thrilled if Hillary wins. But I just don't think the country as a whole is ready to follow us. Reality sucks.
P.S. The part of the Nameless Slanderer's assault on the messenger that pissed me off the most was s/he calling me a racist; the part that was most unfair was the mindless attempt to somehow attach my opinion to Edwards' campaign. Karl Rove would be proud of that tactic.