As I’d blogged before about a month ago, the GOP strategy this campaign will be one of the ugliest on record. They have discovered that racism can be their friend when it comes to scaring off white voters. And if that’s what it takes to have their nominee in the White House to choose the next Supreme Court Justices and to rid themselves of liberal influence in legislation and law, and throw it into neo-conservative sway for the indefinite future, then stirring up race wars are AOK with them.
Well make no bones about it, they are beginning the process now.
As such, I’m coming out and calling them on the carpet: Republicans are xenophobic racists and will rip this country apart simply for a cheap (cheat) victory.
Last night’s speech by Gov. Sarah Palin was veiled, but it was coding nevertheless. Note her sneering, jeering ridicule of “community organizers” in referencing Sen. Barack Obama. It was an open-faced slap at all who serve the disadvantaged in this country. In case it needs explaining, the disadvantaged in America are disproportionately (though not exclusively) people of color! They are all economically disparate with oftentimes little to none of the opportunities shown to such “put upon” types like John McCain or Sarah Palin or virtually all of the GOP rank and file!
As if this isn’t blatant enough to get a rise out of Black America, then as chef Emeril would say, “let’s kick it up a notch!”
This afternoon, The Hill (the publication whose readership is all Congress Critters and interested parties on Capitol Hill) published a quote from Georgia GOPer, Rep. Lynn Westmoreland. When asked for his opinion on Sarah Palin’s speech compared to Michelle and Barack Obama, he said the following:
“Just from what little I’ve seen of her and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama, they're a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they're uppity.” When asked to confirm he’d used the word, Westmoreland replied, “Uppity, yeah.”
Uppity? Yeah?
Perhaps someone up north or in Alaska or the northwest may be unfamiliar with the charged terminology. But Westmoreland is from Georgia, born and raised there while Jim Crow was still in effect. How is it he expects us to believe him if he attempts to say he’s unaware of the racially negative connotations with that term? He’s not only aware, he’s blatantly flaunting it – daring a confrontation! Either that, or this waste of human skin is a brain dead moron undeserving of being in any office of any responsibility!
Even Gov. Palin’s speech, after referencing her “servant’s heart” (biblical coding), then belittles the efforts those such as the Obamas for doing community organizing for those most in need.
Would that the Obamas were more patriotic and instead served the common good by creating and leading a law firm that helps assist corporations in need of finding ways to lessen or avoid their tax burdens, or to help (once they’ve offshored their jobs) to maneuver foreign laws in Asian, African, European or South American countries in order to protect their intellectual property and maximize their profit. Only those who help American companies remain ever-competitive and victorious can be truly heroic citizens and leaders to admire.
Meanwhile, Republicans seek to dismantle government programs and turn responsibility to helping the disadvantaged over to private citizens – private citizens like community and faith-based organizations. Private citizens who aren’t true leaders, and live despicable lives per Gov. Palin in their service for the common good on behalf of those without opportunity. Private citizens who strangely eschew corporate mega-profit and true leadership for a life serving the poor, mostly dark-skinned people who even the government doesn’t want to serve.
Why would someone not want to devote their life to serving the corporations, and overtly climbing the ladder to corporate leadership?
Maybe it’s the “servant’s heart”? I’m reminded of someone else who had a “servant’s heart”, who lived the most humble of lives, and had the most far-reaching influence of anyone in the Christian world in the last two thousand plus years. There was nothing in it from a leadership standpoint, no real profit motivation, no new business empire built and led. Why else would somebody involve themselves in community organizing in what was a impoverished area in South Chicago?
To Gov. Palin, what do you consider a “servant’s heart”? Belittling those who help others bereft of the American Dream you take for granted, most of whom are dark-skinned and don’t look like you? Those community organizers in New Orleans, should we also snidely dismiss them as well? I could draw a correlation between this low view of community organizers and why New Orleans was allowed to flounder, but I won’t.
However I will say your veiled dismissal of those who work for poor, swarthy people, and the more blunt offensiveness spat out by your Republican colleague, Rep. Westmoreland are unmistakably distinct attempts at race baiting. It’s wrong, you both should apologize, and it must be stopped.
This divisive hatefulness needs to be shone in the harshest, hottest light possible. Sadly the mainstream media will do everything they can to avert their eyes. It’s up to the second-tier and blogosphere to act as that unofficial “fourth branch” of government: the checks-and-balances that a free and open media used to provide.
I’m officially standing in opposition to these racists now!
“In my opinion, it will not cease until a crises shall have been reached and passed. "A house divided against itself cannot stand." I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved -- I do not expect the house to fall -- but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or all the other.” — Pres. Abraham Lincoln
“But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” — Jesus Christ, Matthew 23:11-12
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
This is an important and well-written article. This upcoming election is one of the most important ones in our nation's history. This is not an election to watch from the sidelines, but rather we must all work for the election of Senator Obama. There's just way too much at stake.
Post a Comment