Today I came across a video of McCain/Palin supporters at a rally in Johnstown, PA.
I know that in the past few days there have been no shortage of examples if you want to see the worst aspects of American hate. We've seen the dead bear, the slashed tires, the broken windows and death threats.
But even more disturbing, to me at least, is the level of hate among even the average supporters.
Here is the video:
Most interesting here is probably the man about halfway through, who Kossacks will recognize as the "Obama monkey" man who brought a Curious George doll with an Obama sticker on it to a rally and, when he realized he was being filmed, foisted the toy off on a nearby child.
Here is not nearly so ashamed of his actions, referring to the doll as "Little Hussein" and referring to his fellow McCain supporters as "good Americans".
Other comments include the ever popular cries of "Communism!", "Go back to Kenya", "Obama bin Laden".
One of my "favorite" exchanges is when one man yells:
Born in Kenya, citizen of Indonasia (spelling it as he says it), kill some more babies you bastards!
and the woman nearby chimes in helpfully with
Yeah, you babykillers!
There's also one helpful man detailing Obama's future cabinet, and how it'll be comprised of people like "Al Sharpton, Reverend Wright..."
This is the scary stuff. The tire slashings and death threats are rightfully horrifying, but it's this level of ordinary hate that just terrifies me.
I've seen it in my friend's parents, who even now insist to her that Obama is a Muslim, not an American, and that she shouldn't vote for him. She, to her credit, isn't listening. It's present to some extent in acquaintances from high school, who insist that Obama is going to win because "the government is controlling the election", and that "it's about time another president was assassinated". (Notice that I called these people acquaintances, and not friends, which they had been). These are people with varying levels of political interest, who know only the hateful aspects of this election.
So if you are getting complacent...
If you're thinking this election is in the bag...
Look at these examples, realize the types of people and level of hate we're up against... and let's get out there to make sure that Obama doesn't just win...
He wins in a LANDSLIDE!
FIRED UP!