Racism is unacceptable.
But ageism, apparently, is.
At present the top story at Daily Kos has the following title, "McClatchy Debunks Latest Conservative, Racist Pack of Lies":
This is just one more cynical attempt ... to keep fear and hatred against minorities whipped up
http://www.dailykos.com/...
From the frontest of the front pagers:
"Ageism" (0+ / 0-)
as you define it, is always fine.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
So how do I define it?
One definition:
Ageism is one of the most pervasive prejudices across human society. Although ageism is less acknowledged than racism or sexism, it is a harmful prejudice that results in widespread mistreatment, ranging from stereotypic and degrading media images to physical and financial abuse, unequal treatment in the workforce, and denial of appropriate medical care and services.
http://www.ilcusa.org/...
Here are the two comments to which I was responding:
Smells more like denture cream and death. (4+ / 0-)
Not a pretty smell...
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Poligrip and Ben Gay? (4+ / 0-)
Yeah, that smells a little like despair.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
The former comment suggests that McCain should just get off the stage and die. Not exactly an appropriate comment from a website that has recently been horrified by the implied death threats towards Sen. Obama. The latter is simply bigoted. Whether a person uses Poligrip and Ben Gay has nothing to do with whether he or she is capable to lead. The only purpose is to use someone’s physical attributes to bring ridicule upon that person.
And those comments pale before such lovely ones as:
Vote McCain: Depends
. . .
McCain: Older than Spam, and Just as Good for You!
http://www.dailykos.com/...
mccain depends on depends... (2+ / 0-)
corny I know. But it works on a variety of levels.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Just do a search to find how often Depends jokes are made.
The hypocrisy is starting to get thick. On the one hand there is outrage when a person yells "Kill him!" Yet somehow it is O.K. to suggest that McCain should just crawl off and die.
So my question remains unanswered. Why is it that, given the mountain of policy and procedural failures that McCain and the Republicans offer us, why is it that we have to resort to bigotry and ageism to advance our candidate?
UPDATE - Please understand that this diary says nothing about McCain's age and whether or not his age and health are legitimate campaign issues. This diary is about the use of bigoted and offensive language about age.
CC -
AARP
Grey Panthers
The Elder Justice Coalition
Obama for America