Is anyone really suprised or shocked? It's been coming since the campaign. "He's a muslim, his pastor is a racist, he's not an American citizen, etc". It's been building up to this for some time and the usual players are leading it: FOX, Beck, Rush, Hannity, Dobbs and the far right websites. It's all been coming for sometime. As an AA, I have long feared this was inevitable. I asked the white posters on the board if we could talk in my first diary which made the rec list during the campaign. http://www.dailykos.com/... It was about some of the comcerns over the racism that people were encountering while campaigning for President Obama. Now I need you to talk to me because I'm getting scared. I'm having a hard time taking my own advice.
My parents keep telling me this is nothing compared to what they have experienced and that I've been sheltered. This may be true, but this feels different then the birther nonsense or the muslim crap. I'm used to the veiled racist stuff, but this isn't veiled anymore. I'm only thirty but I fully expect to have high blood pressure soon. I've talked this over with family and friends. None of us who are black are surprised, but we don't know what the outcome will be. My concern is not just the hatred being spewed, but that it will work. President Obama only got about 45% of the white vote. Now I know this isn't unusual for a Democrat. No Democrat has gotten the majority of the white vote for President since former President Carter. President Obama has always had to walk a fine line on race and he has done so pretty well, even to the frusration of some in the African American community. However the Right is determined to push him over it. I'm afraid it's not just desperation, they think it will work and it may. Why else would they be so bold? Why do they fell so comfortable with laying it out there so boldly. How much of the white vote could Obama possibly spare? How much could the GOP get back? Especially for the 2010 midterms.
Are the far Right nuts just talking to their base filled with racial resentment or do they sense a wider audience? I don't know. I realized I'm not in a position to. Most of the white people I know support President Obama. This stuff would never work on them, but of course they aren't the target audience. Somebody talk me down or at least help me get back to taking my own advice because my lack of surprise has not translated into lack of alarm.