The medieval act of beheading two American journalists by the Islamic militant group ISIS is not something you would expect in the 21st century. Beheading is so repulsive and anachronistic that it makes you wonder how such evil could happen in this day and age. There is no doubt that groups like ISIS represent a kind of hatred that has no place in humanity. Their hatred is an abomination to moral, religious and spiritual principles.
While we condemn ISIS for their abominable acts and demand that justice be done, we should be mindful that hatred result in nothing but evil. We should also be mindful that in America there is plenty of hatred that is being manifested today. Racial hatred is still a problem in America and that hatred is evidenced in the manner that President Barack Obama is treated.
The hatred directed at President Obama is responsible for the lack of support or corporation with anything he does, the propaganda used to demonize him, the disrespect shown to him and the many conspiracy theories aimed at delegitimize in him. These negative things although they have failed to politically damage the president have made him look weak to the world. It is not surprising then that groups like ISIS and the Russian President Vladimir Putin will commit acts knowing that President Obama does not have the support of the GOP.
It is disturbing that President Obama is unable to perform his duties without being and unjustifiably criticized and condemned for everything he does - even trivial things like wearing a tan suit or playing golf. It used to be that when there was a foreign crisis abroad Democrats and Republicans would close ranks and support the president. This was done when President Bush declared war on Iraq. After it became known that the Iraq war was started under false pretense and the war eventually turned out to be a failure, no one criticized or condemned President Bush. That war resulted in the death of over 4000 US soldiers and many Iraqi civilians.
The hatred and disrespectful behavior towards President Obama is not a figment of the imagination, it is real. It is mind-boggling that this hatred of the president is spearheaded by political leaders who are supposed to be judicious since they run the affairs of the country. These political leaders have initiated a lawsuit to sue the president and they have threatened to impeach him for performing his duties. This lawsuit and the talk of impeaching the president are not just unprecedented they are also indicative of the strong hatred they have for him.
Just imagine that if President Obama did what President Bush did to start the Iraq war and then failed in this war effort, the GOP without any hesitation would have impeached him. This is the kind of double standard and hypocrisy that we are seeing when it comes to their dealing with President Obama.
There is only one conclusion that can be drawn as to why President Obama is treated with so much unprecedented disrespect and hatred. The only difference between President Obama and his predecessors is his race. This is what the hatred is about. If America does not find a way to overcome their hatred then they will only make it easier for other countries to continue to commit their acts of hatred against Americans.
It is time for Americans to evaluate their position with respect to hatred of others in America. It is not helpful to practice hatred at home and then condemn hatred that is practiced abroad. To be clear the hatred that caused 9/11, the Timothy McVeigh bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma and the beheading of the two American journalists are barbaric and repulsive acts. Yes we can say that the hatred shown to President Obama is not the same as the hatred that led to these barbaric acts. Hatred is hatred though and regardless of how small it is it has the potential to escalate to some atrocity like the beheadings.
Mel Shim is the author of Whom God Has Blessed, Let No Man Curse (Infinity Press, 2013) and A New Perspective on Race-related Problems in Corporate American Companies (Outlook Press, 2013). http://www.jermelshim.com