Okay, Then, Outrage Instead of Diversion

My Bookie of Virtues diversion didn't last very long, so here's a diary on something truly outrageous.  This morning, I found in my driveway two pieces of paper rolled in a rubber band.  When I unrolled the pages, I first saw a picture of a charming little girl over the caption MISSING.  Quite a tug on my heartstrings--she looked slightly younger than my biggest girl.  

But here was her description (close paraphrase): Missing, young child with blonde, brunette, or red hair, blue, brown, or green eyes, innocent disposition.  She and millions like her will be missing in our future unless we come together now to combat the third-world assault on our racial heritage.  You can imagine the rest.

The second page featured a police photo of a black man and offered claims about how 9/10s of AIDS infections [sic] are spread by black men and gave the names of three who had spread AIDS to "dozens of white women."

This, on MLK Day.

Is this outrage an outlier?  Is there any temperamental linkage to the young Rethugs who crashed rallies in Iowa?  Make no mistake about it: 2004 is going to have some incredibly ugly moments.  We need to resolve now never to stop fighting, and we should be comforted by the fact that, while there are too many Americans who can be swayed by appeals to hate and division, there are many more who will be won by the opposite.  I know what our guys are selling and what Bush is selling.  As long as we stick together and fight, we will win.

•  Dammit!

  That was disgusting.  What slimepit spawned the ooze that would print something like that?

  Filth!

  by Sidhe on Mon Jan 19, 2004 at 04:15:26 PM PDT

  •  re:Yes

    My wife drove by the house of black friends in the neighborhood to grab the paper if they hadn't already seen it.  It couldn't be more offensive to them than it is to me, but its hate is at least not directed toward me.  And they happen to be naturalized citizens from Sierra Leone, so the xenophobic angle is directed at them, too.

    by deminva on Mon Jan 19, 2004 at 04:24:15 PM PDT