Is this what it has come to? Post racial America? Today, it would seem that good old fashioned American ignorance has once again smashed the ridiculous notion of this country actually moving forward on the matter of race. It has gone far beyond the rhetoric of morons and people are speaking things into being that would be catastrophic not only to America, but to the international community at large.
The Huffington Post via the Associated Press reported yesterday that a poll questioning whether “President Obama Should Be Killed” was removed from popular social networking site Facebook. That the poll was created is, in itself disgusting, but having over 730 people actually participate in it is even more absurd.
We celebrate America the beautiful, where the brave lift their bootstraps and hoist their destinies over their shoulders and we honor those who win as part of the mythical meritocracy. America, where caste is supposedly transient and social standing is fluid enough to allow movement by something other than blood and bullets. But we are a nation of cowards. A nation either unable or unwilling to confront the one thing that is stifling our progress more than anything: Race.
Michelle Obama was vilified and castigated for her seeming lack of patriotism during her husband’s campaign run for saying that it was the first time should could be proud of this country. That her husband was able to win would on face value prove that perhaps we had matured as a nation; maybe her words were for a different time and a different America. But Barack’s election and subsequent service has shown something far more alarming: that America was moved more by fear than any drive to change.
I suppose people felt that their situation couldn’t get any dire. That “change” had to be better than losing your house. It had to be better than the streets. But the 8 year patience afforded to President Bush, whom I do believe did what he thought was best, has become an 8 month scale for the leader of the free world. With no magic bullet in sight, and progress sure but slow, Barack is no longer change that people believe in, but characterized with thinly veiled euphemisms that speak to another kind of thought. Socialist? Is that really what they mean? Is it partisan word play, or is it the funneling of fear, connecting that Black face with the red terror?
The irresponsible casting of our President with the supposed antithesis of the American way of life has united kindred spirits on levels that they may not even be aware. Obama cast as Hitler? As Stalin? As Mao? Why leave out the boogeyman? Why leave out everything that haunts the dreams of American consciousness? The tea baggers seem to forget that the first bullet caught over that tea was by a Black man.
Barack Obama, against convention, has gone out of his way to pacify these elements, brushing ignorance and disrespect from his shoulders with the steely grace of Jackie Robinson. He wasn’t born here…he’s a liar…he can’t talk to our children because (even with a pre-released speech wholly devoid of such rhetoric) he’s going to push his political agenda on our children. These things are the height of disrespect and would not be levied against any previous President. Reporters feel that they can leak anything he says with impunity. Acorn, who actually reported voting irregularities as they were legally obligated to do, is cast as a royal court of cheaters with Obama (who has never been employed by Acorn) falsely cast as their king, while Diebold continues to make the voting machines complicit in stolen elections. But I digress.
The bottom line is that eight years of wanton negligence cannot be undone in eight months. Perhaps Obama can stop glad-handing and ram through the change he wants. He has the numbers but would prefer bi-partisan cooperation, vain hope that it is, to be present. Perhaps the debate with health care has raged on too long. Maybe the fiscal crisis was deeper than anyone suspected. But I don’t recall many opinion polls outright calling for Roosevelt’s death through a four-term depression. I don’t recall anyone calling for President Nixons’ death in light of pending impeachment.
Technology has closed the gap of American superiority. It has also given a voice to the anonymous. It has given courage to cowards. Who needs sheets when you have a screen? Who needs an accountable journalist when you have a blog? And who needs to care about decency and common sense when you are faceless and nameless? Someone who would have the gall (and stupidity because they will be put in jail) to make a poll calling for the death of a man whose performance and success will determine our opportunity in this century is who.
Have these people stopped to think of the calamity that would happen worldwide and stateside if something like that happened? You think Madoff and Lehman crashed the market? Try the last chance for American diplomacy getting assassinated. You have not seen pain until you see what would happen on that level.
Our schools are populated by uninspired children who are at risk of death when they succeed and whose chances of being successfully taught are suppressed by the weight of population in their classes. Our problems exist across locale, beyond social standing, and certainly across race. Don’t hide behind the flag. Look at it. Its unity of purpose. Its symbolism. Realize that just as red white and blue are necessary for a proper flag, all people are necessary for a proper America. Calling for the President’s death for lack of more flowery language is flat out dumb. Voting in that poll and giving it legitimacy is even dumber.
Public schools are “socialist.” When other people’s taxes pay for your children to go to school even when their children are in private school that’s “socialist.” Police and firemen that you don’t pay personally are paid out of the greater pool. As far as these people understand it that’s socialist. We won’t mention welfare and SOCIAL security as I’m sure that’s self evident. Whatever is socialist or isn’t, that man is our leader for the next four years. You don’t have to agree with him. You don’t have to like him. But you should respect him. Because if he fails, America fails. We all fail. I’d like to see the poll numbers on how many people want that.
*photo originally appears on http://nocaptionneeded.com
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i remember when the right was similarly dissatisfied with Bill Clinton being in power. their idea to get rid of him was to find some reason, ANY reason to impeach him. they started with white water, and ended successfully with head jobber.
but they never spoke of KILLING him.
this is the reason why we know it’s racially motivated.
the left wing can stand a republican in office, but the right is so effing crazy they HAVE to get their rocks off to the idea of murdering a lawfully elected official in order for then to “feel safe”.
and we sane people have to share this planet with these lunatics.