The Southern Strategy worked well for the right wing for years. Used effectively to divide our society it's now been honed to rob votes from the Democratic presidential candidate in a more subtle fashion than before. Derived from the same class of society that formed the KKK, and used to the same political end, the question is whether or not the "new IMPROVED Southern Strategy" can work as effectively as the original.
Only time will tell how well it'll work. And whether or not they'll openly admit it, the same cadre's reverting to the same type of whisper campaign which they used against John McCain in 2000. After all, it works better at attracting one class of folks to support them far better than their policies. At the same time, it also suppresses the votes of another segment of our society.
Although the Republican party openly admitted to using racial tactics when they apologized for what they termed was their "Southern Strategy", the apology was little more than a political ploy. Who can forget when well-heeled oil execs supported then-Texas governor Bush, financing their massive push poll and leaflet-drop campaign?
By using a racially divisive strategy against one of their own, Republicans demonstrated that they'll undoubtedly do anything to beat Barack Obama.
Now before the Republican Kos faction all troll in here and whine in chorus that not all members of the G.O.P. are racists, read this: If you don't think that your party is above playing the race card during this election cycle, then you're only fooling yourself. And to the rest of the Kossacks: If you don't think that there are still some real racial problems still in America that we all need to deal with before the election, then you haven't been paying attention. Your inattention to this matter has the potential to be deadly.
Eight years ago? Is it just a coincidence that this was around the time when GeeDubya took control?
Reports are that one of Secret Service agent assigned to guard Senator Obama has been caught up in this as well. Although the agent's racism revealed itself back in 2005 he was still assigned a leadership position over Senator Barack Obama's security detail.
Are you beginning to wonder that no one has heard any reports about the Secret Service talking to "Reverend" Huckabee about his little NRA "joke"? I know a student who has been interviewed by them because of an anti-Iraq war posters in her dorm room who also "happened" to be black.
Denying the racist elements in our society works to their distinct advantage. We all know the media plays a part in it, but to what extent?
Wolf Blitzer's CNN report posted above came after eight long years of racial problems in the Secret Service.
The incident of Chicago city cops torturing scores of black youths Abu-Ghraib style still hasn't made national headlines. Chances are that you never heard a thing about it, unless you're a pastor at one of Chicago's largest inter-racial churches. Remember how pissed Reverend Jeremiah Wright seemed? Did you ever wonder how he could have gotten himself so cranked up?
Well check this out:
FACTS AT A GLANCE
Between the years of 1972 and 1991, approximately 135 African-American men and women were arrested and tortured at the hands of former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge and officers under his command at Area 2 police headquarters. Some of these victims were as young as thirteen years old. Various court cases have established that the methods of torture used in the interrogation of suspects included electric shock to the ears and genitalia, mock executions, suffocation, and burning. While Jon Burge was ultimately fired by the Chicago Police Department, not a single perpetrator of the tortures has ever been criminally prosecuted.
These incidents were not isolated and allegations of abuse by Burge continue to surface. In fact, the Area 2 cases are seen by many observers as part of a pattern and practice of racially-motivated police brutality in Chicago that has been revealed over the course of many years. source
Not a single cop was prosecuted because the statute of limitations were allowed to lapse by prosecutors before charges were brought.
Napoleon put it well when he said, "It’s not necessary to censor the news. It’s sufficient to delay it until it no longer matters".
Considering when, and where, this atrocity occurred may go far to explain how that whole atmosphere affects Michelle Obama's view of the United States when she stated that she's "proud for the first time".
In retrospect, I'm personally feeling less proud of America having found out about it. So this diary is my way of dealing with my own feelings about it.
Speaking of "feelings": Hey Mr. Republican Kos-watcher. Now that you know the truth, why don't you email your Tennessee Repub YouTube smear campaign and demand that they stop? That might be more constructive than trying to claim that it isn't racially divisive when your cohort's running down how they think it's shameful that Michelle Obama dared speak out in public.
Or you could just give it that little wink and nod you're so well rehearsed at and just move on. Don't even act like you don't remember all the times you turned your head over the years of little Bush foibles.
And don't put on that cute "I don't get it" act when you're accused of channeling your inner Strom Thurmond the same way you did after GeeDubya was caught on camera celebrating John McCain's birthday while all his FEMA victims were drowning.
Lest you're thinking of getting all uppity about that Strom Thurmond reference, I realize that it may have not been a Mike Huckabee-level NRA sponsored "joke" (wink wink nod nod). But because Barbara Bush Republicans still believe Katrina worked out "very well for them", the Uncle Strom reference may be meaningful from a little different angle than you're used to.
Speaking of which, historically the Klan wasn't just about white folks terrorizing blacks. Although that was certainly a key (and very sensational) element, behind the Klan were actually cotton gin owners who used their so-called religious-based social club to keep uppity carpetbaggers in their place. In much the same way, across Appalachia, coal mine owners pitted blacks against whites to control wages through racial divisiveness.
If you don't think that Republicans will play the race card every way they can, the phrase "High Tech Lynching" was used by Clarence Thomas to get him past a tough spot during the Anita Hill hearings. He played it brilliantly, aiming squarely at the media to use them as a fulcrum and thereby swayed a committee who knew he was wrong for the job. It was a despicable low blow and he knew it.
Portraying Rev. Wright as a terrifying "Kill Whitey" separatist on national media was only the first racial card that they'll be playing, so we'd all better be prepared to counter their dealing from the bottom of the deck.
Those cadre engaging the "New Improved" southern Strategy will play the reverse-racist card every chance they get. They'll throw their patented "overcompensated white guilt" card and tell you to "get over it" while insisting that aren't slaves in America any more. They'll tell you that blacks aren't being discriminated against, while knowing full well the statistics of inequality throughout our justice system.
Even though we may not be dealing with cotton gin owners and coal mine operators any longer, the wealthiest of the wealthy - the "insiders" - are doing everything they possibly can to return America back to the days of the robber-barons. It's not just about being black or white, it's about stealing from all of us.
So be aware, please, that the New IMPROVED Southern Strategy appears to have died down pretty much to only a whisper campaign being conducted in the right wing blogs and emails even as you read this. I have reason to strongly believe that Southern Strategy facilitators have even invaded Kossackland. Understanding not only what they're doing but what the military-industrialized media has kept from us can hopefully inoculate more of us so that America can go back to being about We, the People, instead of serving only the Greedy Offshore Profiteers who have hijacked our beautiful democracy.
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The latest whisper campaign is that Michelle Obama is an "elitist".
Well, I've got your "elitist" right here.
If your spouse is an heiress who thinks she can get by with refusing to make her tax returns public while you're running for the office of U.S. President, then it's safe to say that you're probably an elitist.
If you think that Cindy McCain's tax returns are a privacy right but tapping US citizen's phones without a warrant doesn't invade their right to privacy, then you're likely an elitist.
If you're receiving veteran's benefits for having served in the military but vote against others getting benefits, then it's probably a safe bet that you're an elitist.
If you're getting great government health care as a Senator but block underprivileged kids from getting it, then you may be an elitist.
If you own half a dozen or so houses and insist on blocking folks from mortgage relief while using tax dollars to bail out banks and mortgage companies who made questionable loans, then you just may qualify as an elitist.
If you and your wife are worth millions and intend to make permanent tax breaks which greatly benefit only the wealthiest, then some might regard you as the elitist candidate.
If your wife has a private jet for you to campaign in while your opponents don't, then most folks may consider you an elitist.
If you were celebrating your birthday with GeeDubya Bush while FEMA victims were drowning as hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, then you're probably an elitist.
If you were once tortured into admitting that you're a war criminal but now support the torture of others to score political points, then you may be an elitist. Unless your personal experience leads you to believe that torture always produces the truth. Then you probably are a war criminal.
Which is pretty "elite", as well, come to think of it!
photoplay by One Citizen - Charleston, WV
update
Well I went over to check out what all the Lolly Gaggin' Fubars were saying about the image. (as if I really give a rat's ass.)
Practically all were choking on it. Because they're the worst of the worst elitists over there - the type who pin a flag on their lapel while using every tax loophole and shelter they possibly can.
Exactly those I was targeting.
You see I made the image itself both disgusting and compelling to look at for a reason. The harder one studies an image, the more the message sinks in. And they're really looking at it closely on the rightwing blogs.
So hard that they've even figured out that I'm not using photoshop!
What really comes across after reading almost all of their comments is that they simply can't deal with the message that it conveys.
Since it's no longer here, I'll spell it out.
Branding Michelle Obama as an "uppity Liberal" is a ploy (part of the (new IMPROVED Southern Strategy)to burn the middle class much in the same way that cotton gin owners used the klan to keep the poor in their place throughout America at one time. The klansman wearing flag pin (on the left breast*) in that image has the bull whip and the one that actually has the GOP logo (on the right side)is actually a not-so-innocent bystander.
All are wearing hoods to mask who they are, with the exception of Michelle Obama. She appears not only very exposed, but very nervous as well. But not really panicked, just concerned.
And who wouldn't be, in her situation?
But just who does the figure trying to "brand" Michelle Obama represent? And WHY would they stand just outside the frame whle actively trying to harm her?
No one's figured that out yet.
But hey, for all the comments about how "disgusting" and despicable" the image is, the Lolly Gagging Fubars are the ones posting it on their website. LOL.
The GREAT news is that the times they are a-changin'.
Most folks aren't aware that Oregon had a huge klan contingent as late as 1922 But the turnout for Senator Obama just the other day was phenomenal.
So they can send that image to Fox a hundred times but I'm bettin' O'Reilly won't touch it.
Does FOX really want folks to remember when he visited Sylvia's restaurant in New York City?
"I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks, primarily black patronship." O'Reilly added: "There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, 'M-Fer, I want more iced tea.' "
Yeah, Bill, they were using silverware and everything!
*I'm still wondering why Hillary didn't ask O'Reilly about his Sylvia's diner comment when she had the chance. Hmmm...