"I haven't seen this much anger in a long, long time," said Billy Roper, a 36-year-old who runs a group called White Revolution in Russellville, Ark. "Nothing has awakened normally complacent white Americans more than the prospect of America having an overtly nonwhite president."I'd like to pause here, if I may, and marvel at the idea that someone can be "overtly non-white." Should he be more covert about his racial background? Would it be okay if Barack Obama tried to "pass" for white? I shake my head in disgust, but I have to admit I'm fascinated by the lengths folks will go to, and the pretzilization of the language that they will employ, to try to make a hateful point without seeming hateful.
The story notes the many hate-filled smears that have been floated on-line about Sen. Obama. There's no need to catalog them here, though I should note that they do turn up in the Delaware blogosphere from time to time.
On a positive note (though the term feels wrong in this context), the Post story does point out that the hate groups are also angry with John McCain "for his moderate views on immigration and his willingness to stick with the Iraq war."
And, the Post reports, they have a slight hope for a President Obama because, they feel, that could galvanize the hate groups into action and help them elect a president of their own (like David Duke, who ran for president in 1988 and got less than 1% of the vote). Or, they say, an Obama victory could be the final blow.
"Maybe people see him in office, and it's like: 'That's it. It's just too late. Look at what's happened now. We've endured all these defeats, and we've still got a multicultural society.' And then there's just no future for our viewpoint."I think the white-supremacist movement is behind the times by a generation or two, frankly. The United States is already, and has long been, a multicultural society. It is what makes us strong. A President Obama would not be the end of "white-power," it would be the period at the end of the sentence that summarizes the historical footnote that was the white-power movement.
7 comments:
The term "overtly nonwhite president" made me think wonder if they think past Presidents were covertly nonwhite.
But of more interest was the idea that America is strong because she is a multicultural place. I would disagree; I think our founding in the beauty of the Constitution and having a government who is capable and loyal enough to live up to it is what makes us a great country. I submit to you that if America, instead of being 300 million people from different racial backgrounds, was made up of, say, 300 million Hungarians it would still be just as great a place. Save maybe for the dining prospects.
I hope you are right. White supremacy has caused us a lot of pain.
I disagree with city's comment. The great thing about America is that its system allowed us to gain wisdom and strength from around the world. It allowed us to borrow then develop innovations that would have never come about from one perspective including the very system city hails.
Mike, I'm probably opening up a can of worms here, but help me understand. You wrote: The story notes the many hate-filled smears that have been floated on-line about Sen. Obama. There's no need to catalog them here, though I should note that they do turn up in the Delaware blogosphere from time to time.
In the blog post you referenced, what was "hate-filled smear"? I'm not trying to start some fight, just to find some clarity. Thanks.
Oh, to comment on our strengths, I would say our strength is in our Constitution and the form of government it dictates. It is reflected in the millions and millions of all races and religions that live in the freedom it prescribes.
Forgot to add that I agree with David, racism has caused us a lot of pain. Hopefully the minds and hearts of the American people will continue to change regarding these things.
I'm having second thoughts about the first comment I submitted. What I am probably getting at is this: is it hate to critique or criticize?
Elbert, in that section I am drawing a parallel of sorts between hate-groups and passive-aggressive attacks such as that posted on Delaware Politics by Mr. Hudson. His post is disguised as a question about honesty and openness but is not far removed from "when did you stop beating your wife?" And it includes an implied anti-Islam sentiment hat I think plays quite clearly to the hate-filled.
Got it. Thanks.
There is a nutter in NJ who posted the infamous photo of Obama in native African garb with the following text:
“Is this the type of guy you want running America? I don’t. In fact, I starting to come to the realization that it may be up to a sole person, acting alone, to make certain this guy is never allowed to hold the most powerful office in the world. Sorry it may have to be that way, but it may.”
Racism is alive and well, though no one wants to admit it. There were 61 comments before he took the post down. I got a screen grab just before he did.
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