In an interview with CBS, President Obama commented on Glenn Bek, Rush Limbaugh, and the right wing discourse:
"Well, I think that when you listen to Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck, it's pretty apparent, and it's troublesome," the President responded. "But keep in mind that there have been periods in American history where this kind of vitriol comes out. It happens often when you've got an economy that is making people more anxious, and people are feeling like there is a lot of change that needs to take place. But that's not the vast majority of Americans. I think the vast majority of Americans know that we're trying hard, that I want what's best for the country."
Video, after the fold
Watch CBS News Videos Online
The vitriol we see has historic analogies. Father Coughlin and Gerald K. Smith, for example.
After the election in 1936, Father Coughlin became a sympathetic supporter of the fascist policies of Hitler and Mussolini. His CBS radio broadcasts were blatantly aimed at the Jewish community, citing that "international conspiracy of Jewish bankers" caused the Great Depression, and that Jewish bankers were behind the Russian Revolution.
Coughlin then published a newspaper, Social Justice, in which the anti-Semitic views became even more poignant and forthright. After Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor and the ensuing declaration of war in December of 1941, Coughlin and other isolationists were views as sympathetic to the enemy.
In 1942, the Catholic community had enough of Father Coughlin’s outspoken views, and the new bishop of Detroit ordered Coughlin to cease and desist with any and all political activities and return to the duties of a parish priest. Coughlin immediately complied and remained the pastor of the Shrine of the Little Flower until 1966, when he retired.
Father Coughlin (1891 - 1979)
Smith became a friend of Huey Long in 1932, and they launched the Share Our Wealth society soon afterwards. This movement proposed minimum and maximum limits on household wealth and income. Smith resigned his ministry and worked recruiting members to the society.
snip
Unlike Long, who was generally favorable to racial tolerance, Smith soon took the Share Our Wealth movement in the direction of white supremacy. He tried to form an alliance with non-interventionist America First Committee but was spurned by the leaders of the organization because of his anti-semitism and racism. Much to the dismay of officials of the original, but defunct, America First Commmittee, such as John T. Flynn, Smith formed the America First Party. He was also a member of William Dudley Pelley's pro-Nazi Silver Shirts organization patterned, after Hitler's brown shirts
Gerald L. K. Smith
To change the subject, another thing I found interesting in the interview is that the President does not buy the hype about himself:
"I didn't buy all the hype, right after inauguration, where everybody was only saying nice things about me," he said. "And I don't get too worried when things aren't going as well because I know that over time these things turn."
HuffPo
I disagree with this President on some issues, such as drilling and his prediliction for strawmen arguments where he makes false equivalencies between Democrats and right wingers, but I do think the actual Barack Obama has an awareness of his own limitations, which is a good thing.
As we head into the Easter Weekend, at least for Christians, perhaps we all should meditate on our own limitations. Each of us is fallible, and our flame wars achieve very little here. I could be wrong, just as you could be wrong. In fact, history likely will show that all of us are wrong on some things and right on others, or wrong even on an aspect of an issue and right on another aspect.
Namaste.