There have been a rash of stories that many of us have surely found deeply disturbing.
Fayetteville Observer: Tires Slashed on 30 Obama Supporters Cars at Rally
Obama supporters receive death threats over yard signs
Report from Palin Rally (I know this one had a diary on the Rec List but can't find it at the moment.)
This is a disturbing trend to be sure. But there is hope, follow me below the fold for an explanation.
Slashed tires, death threats, assault, this is the face of anger, hate, and terrorism in America. Most of us would think it a bit rash to call these acts terrorism, and I myself thought carefully before doing so. After looking up a functional definition of terrorism, "...[T]he systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion." I decided it was apt.
What should come to no surprise to any of us is that Barack Obama, and more accurately his message of hope and his example as a steadfast and principled person, has proven itself to be the best cure to such terrorism. This is something that Bush and McSame may never grasp, it doesn't take a war to defeat terrorism, in fact a war can never defeat terrorism. What it takes and what Obama/Biden have shown us is the resolve to not allow terror to drive us. When terror no longer has the ability to coerce, its edge is blunted, its viability as a tool is diminished, and its prevalence will decline.
From the same stories listed above we can see this taking hold, the death threats read:
Get the Obama signs off your property—now, Failure to obey this order will result in the immediate death of all family members.
The response to this act of childish hate is the exact remedy to terrorism:
Both residents said they will not remove their signs
This is a simplified real world example, but it is symptomatic of the philosophy behind Obama's historic campaign. In the face of terror and crisis, the only course of action that can remedy the situation is steadfast determination and the hope, the true belief, that the American people can overcome any obstacle when we are united, and most importantly, led to do so.
Obama is the leader we need right now, his philosophy of hope is in and of itself a reason to be hopeful. Since 9/11 we have stumbled, angrily against those that hurt us. We were told to shop, surrender our rights, and start a pointless war. We were divided by those in power shortly after we felt a unity stronger than any in our nation's history. There were speeches given, plans drawn up, troops sent to fight and die, but there was never leadership.
Obama and Biden have the piece that has been missing, the ability to lead the nation, the entire nation, to resolve the increasingly daunting challenges we face.
Yes. We. Can.