When will the people say ENOUGH?
Last night, Rachel Maddow and Keith Olberman both called attention to an alarming new trend in the McCain/Palin campaign. Supporters at two different rallies yesterday engaged in behavior bordering on violent towards Barack Obama and the press.
And McCain said nothing.
Palin said nothing.
Not during the rallies when their supporters behaved unacceptably, and to my knowledge not since.
By their silence, we must conclude that they approve of this dangerous surge of hatred among their supporters. Given their remarks about Barack Obama, I argue that they encourage it.
They must be held accountable.
The first example of violent hate speech was during McCain's New Mexico rally, when McCain asks,
"Who is the real Barack Obama?"
And someone in the crowd, loudly howls, "A TERRORIST!"
And McCain grimaces, but says nothing.
That same day at Palin's rally in Clearwater, Florida, Palin tells the crowd that Obama is "friends" with Ayers. In response, an audience member shouts,
"KILL HIM!"
(Catch Rachel's coverage of these two events here.)
Then this morning, in Olds88's top recommended diary, I read Dana Milbank's account of these two rallies, and learn of yet another highly disturbing moment in Clearwater. Apparently, after Palin complains about mainstream media:
Palin supporters turned on reporters in the press area, waving thunder sticks and shouting abuse. Others hurled obscenities at a camera crew. One Palin supporter shouted a racial epithet at an African American sound man for a network and told him, "Sit down, boy."
Know what's missing from these stories? Any acknowledgment on the part of McCain or Palin that this sort of violent behavior is unacceptable to them.
Am I surprised? Of course not. Am I appalled?
You fucking betcha.
Perhaps Rachel Maddow is smarter than I. No, I'm sure she is. But I have to disagree when she says,
"Now, nobody's suggesting that Senator McCain and Goverrnor Palin should be held responsible for audience outbursts like that, but those incidents seem to be a by-product of a new shift in McCain campaign strategy."
I have to respectfully disagree because I don't think violent threats, disrespect and violent behavior are any kind of "by-product" of hate producing speech, such as insinuating that by association Barack Obama is supporting terrorists. History tells us that hateful, fear inspiring speech predictably leads to violence, and anyone who thinks they're smart enough to be president, who then deigns to call a political opponent a "terrorist" even by association knows full well how their supporters are going to respond.
Violently.
I want to see all walks of media pounce on McCain/Palin for their silence in response to this unacceptably violent behavior and these threats. I want them to ask McCain and Palin if they condone the violent, hateful behavior of their supporters.
I want to hear McCain and Palin answer these specific questions:
Do you think that by saying that Senator Obama "pals around with terrorists" you are encouraging a violent reaction among your supporters? How do you expect people will respond to those kinds of accusations about Senator Obama?
Do you condone the violent shout outs of "kill him!" or calling Senator Obama a "terrorist" by your supporters during your rallies? If not, why haven't you sent that message to your supporters?
I don't care if "kill him" referred to Ayers or Obama. The fact that nobody is sure should be an eye opener enough for outrage at this kind of public display of violence and hatred.
Will somebody who is in a position to take this issue up directly with the McCain campaign, please, please elevate this issue to the prominent place in public attention it belongs?
It's actually rather easy to incite violence among people who are hurting and afraid, and so many Americans are. We are a country who can do better, but not when those who would call themselves president purposely inflame the fear and hatred that lead people to violence for short term political gain. That's not called leadership.
That's called the roots of fascism, my friends.