For some reason I have continued to comment on the ABC.com websites for the past year, even though it is mostly a space used for spin, talking points, and other rants. The racism is usually covert, with most people finding other reasons to bash Obama (even if fabricated). In truth it is hard to tell which ones are anti-black rather than anti-liberal (often both).
But what I have been seeing today is different, and somewhat frightening. It seems to have been triggered by the Powell endorsement, but may also be just the desperation of people frustrated that no "legitimate" arguments are working. But people are starting to sound not only openly racist, but unstable and potentially dangerous.
I have never been one to be very worried about the race issue. While I am sure there are racists, I generally am never exposed to them (Montana, you know), and have chosen to ignore what I do not understand. So maybe I am just naive, but what particularly disturbed me was the change in individuals who have been commenting there for awhile. These were alwyas the most rabid Obama-haters, but they were almost never overtly racist. Today they have done away with pretense. If this is happening in other forums as well, and I guess that to be likely, I am finally getting out of the commenting business (it was probably always a waste of time anyway). Enough.
This is what I wrote to ABC:
I have been commenting on the ABC blogs off and on for several months, and while there has always been a large amount of hatred and insults, as I'm sure you know, what I am seeing today is somewhat different and way more disturbing.
I was in the "Political Radar" blog about the Powell endorsement, and new and old commenters there are not only starting to show more open racism, but are talking about race wars and the like. It doesn't help that others are taunting them, and I regret if I had any involvement with that. I am leaving permanently so I am sure not to say the wrong thing around people who seem unstable and potentially violent.
I have always been one for freedom of speech and letting people be people, but if this forum starts to contribute to real tensions in America, I would almost suggest shutting the whole thing down.
Good night and good luck.
I don't know of any solution other than disengagement. I am sure arguing with them would be useless, and insults or taunts even worse. I want to risk no part in any escalation, and I wouldn't know how to de-escalate the situtation, other that removing myself from it. Besides, I have been looking for an excuse to stop wasting time in there anyway.
Just curious what others are seeing. Hopefully I am over-reacting.
UPDATE: I had meant to add a link, but I guess I figured people were seeing it everwhere. But I note that ABC still has it listed as their "top headline:"
I would rather not wade through too many examples, but here is a taste:
do you think colin powell would come out in support of hillary clinton under any circumstances . NO. so the overiding reason for the endorsement of a do nothing senator and his divide iraq into three parts runnig mate is WHAT . If a four star general cannot get over his prejudices then why should anyone else . TELL YOUR FRIENDS to vote AGAINST Obama for the same prejudices as POWELL if, they have them,and TELL THEM to do so UNREMORSEFULLY AND BRAZENLY like Colin powell did [dio | Oct 19, 2008 3:16:23 PM]
Note: I was tying to look for more comments by this guy (dio), but unfortunately his name is a letter sequence wihin "idiot," which is NOT a good search term in a blog!