I always sit with my first cup of coffee in the morning and read the best news network on the net here at Daily Kos. I just read a diary here that was disturbing but not surprising to me. As Barack Obama has stated many times, there will be those, as throughout history, that will fight change and a new way of thinking, fighting and kicking all the way. This has been true throughout history.
Have you ever in your own lives met people who you sensed had things in common with you and you engage them in a conversation and find that things they say are so similar to your own way of thinking?
This I believe is at work in regards to those who attend the McCain/Palin rallies. These people who speak with such hatred and falsehoods feel they have in their sights someone who would re-inforce their beliefs and so feel free to verbally express this hate publicly. For they now have a new champion of their cause, Palin, and they sense in her a kindred spirt.
Throughout history this has been so. You can go as far back as the Civil War and before. Every time this country faced a struggle for change, there have been those who enforce worked together to resist that change. But as Barack Obama has stated, by keeping their eye on the goal, those who wanted to change the course of this country prevailed.
This is so during this election. Citizens who refuse to accept that it is time for major changes, look for a kindred spirit to lead them and shout their anger. It doesn't matter what they say, it has become as nasty as when the KKK killed both white activist and African Americans because they (the KKK)refused to accept the change that was needed to bring this country together. To them, accepting the fact that our black brothers and sisters are as equal to them and have the same rights is to them the worst thing that could happen in their lives.
Palin, by feeding this element of the electorate with racially tinged accusations of Sen. Obama being associated with terroists and stating he does not look at America as "they" do, indicates to this element that they have a champion in their hatred. This element of society doesn't care what the truth is as they are more than willing to believe anything that will stoke their hatred. They don't want to be educated on the facts. They are happy to accept anything Palin states is fact, when it is obviously being used to stoke the flames of those who would never accept Barack Obama. To them his name sounds funny and that alone qualifies him as "not one of them" and therefore should be rejected.
the McCain/Palin campaign senses this from Palin's very first rally and has built on that and stoked it, in hopes of starting of movement of hate.
Palin is more dangerous that McCain. The danger with McCain is obvious, but it is the insidious darkness of Sarah Palin that feeds this hatred.
Does Sarah Palin care that the connection with Ayers is minimal at best? No. The McCain camp latched onto Ayers record of 40 years ago and that was enough to label Obama as "associating with terrorists". Do they bother with the fact Barack was 8 years old at them time? No. Notice the plural she always uses. It plants a psychological link in the minds of the haters with present day terrorists. Linking Ayers to present day real terrorists, those who attacked this country, plants in the minds of those that shout their hatred that Barack Obama hangs out with all terrorsts. I know this sounds rediculous, but these people are eager to believe it and McCain/Palin know it.
Barack Obama has said, there will be those that will resist him and will fight change every step of the way. He warned us and I am certain he expected this.
I read yesterday in my own paper, which is located in a very Democratic part of New York a letter to the editor by a self-described Republican who actually repeated the rediculous lies spouted by McCain/Palin regarding Ayers. There are those in the Republican Party who are happy to repeat this nonsence in the hope of swaying voters against Obama.
However, I am encouraged because many independents, AND Republicans are disgusted by this tactic and have come out and stated publicly they are ashamed of this type of "gutter" campaigning by McCain/Palin.
There will always be the fringe element who will come out of the woodwork to expouse their hate of all things different them they are, and without knowing the truth (and they don't want to know the truth) will eagerly give voice to their prejudices, and hatreds.
McCain/Palin are coming dangerously close to "inciting to riot" or "inciting to kill" that could land them in hot water. Let them hang themselves. Desperation breeds this type of behaviour and it is the only thing they have left as a tactic.
I as a citizen am encouraged and proud that the majority of Americans are smarter than this. They recognize racism and hatred when they see it, and they are seeing it in Palin, and by encouragement, McCain. McCain is a coward in that he sends his "pitbull" out to spout the words he wants to hear and he cares not if they are true or not, he is desperate and will use anything and anyone to further his ambition.
They are in fact acting as terrorists. Putting fear in the minds of a certain segment of our society and stoking it. Using them as a tool to further their aims and could care less about them as individuals. This is terrorism of a worse kind. You can hear the words, but it is not the same as planting a bomb unless you want to say they are planting a bomb in the minds of American citizens and hoping it will go off.
This I believe will utterly destroy their credibility in the minds and hearts of millions of citizens who in these difficult times do not want to see more hate, but want to look forward to fixing our country which is in deep economic trouble and in restoring our country's reputation in the world. This country has been through too much since it's birth as a nation, and most citizens realize we can't go back to those times or we will destroy ourselves as a nation. There will always be a fringe element filled with hate, and it is up to us not to let them win.
What I intend to do in fighting this hatred is to put as much support behind Barack Obama as I can, and like all of you are doing. For by supporting him as our candidate we are also supporting our county and fellow citizens who are yearing for a better tommorrow for our country. Most citizens are focused on electing someone whose ideas and dignity will restore much of what we have lost under Bush, and with dignity will restore our country's reputation. He has a hard road ahead undoing damage done in the past and it all won't be fixed overnight. But, Barack Obama is the right man for the job. We fight this type of hatred by focusing on the goal, as Barack Obama is doing. His example is a reminder to all of us that we can prevail.