Combating The Racist Uprising

[JapanJack]

Democrats face a tough election this November. Voters’ focus will undoubtedly be on jobs with other issues playing a lesser role. But their decisions on all of these will be influenced by the publics’ opinion of President Obama. Unfortunately, polls show that a majority of Americans are now dissatisfied with the President. Most of this is based on genuine disagreement with his policies. But not all; a good percentage of the negativity has been artificially generated by the Tea Party and Conservative media. Racism is behind much of this and it is time to get it on the table.

Tea Baggers have been attacking the President like packs of geriatric Hells Angels almost from the day he was sworn in. What they did triggered a virtual racist uprising that targets the man more than his policies. Gang members are white, middle to upper class and all of them are Conservatives.

It is disingenuous to say that race plays no part in this. Conservatives disagree, “This is what Liberals always do; use racism as an excuse for failed policies.” They should look at the evidence: an African American President is elected; an organization dedicated to his downfall is formed; millions of members are almost exclusively white; false rumors based on racial stereotyping are spread; millions more choose to accept the rumors as true; virtually all are white. “If it looks like a duck – well you get the idea.”

“Change we can believe in.” was not what people afraid of change wanted to hear. A reaction of this intensity is usually based on fear and hatred. Both come from racial stereotyping holding that blacks represent a threat to whites. Since they could not talk about their fear and hatred, they looked for something more subtle. Rumor mongering fit the bill.

The Tea Party and Conservative media have been dating from day one. Rumor mongering has been one of their favorite pastimes with Rush Limbaugh coming along as their creativity coach. A rumor that President Obama is a Moslem masquerading as a Christian who was born in Kenya and is living in the United States as an illegal alien is their best work so far with “death panels” a close second.

The rumors they spread act as proxies for their fear and distrust of black people. They can shout them out loud if they want to. And they do. Incredibly millions believe them, no questions asked. Things like where they came from, some evidence or why they were not discovered during the campaign; are just not important to them.

It would be easy to write them off; but this would be a mistake. This is because of the connection between how people view the President and how they view his policies. If the rumors play a part in the November election, it will be a small one. But even if they are not there in name they will be there in spirit. Some voters may say, “The President says health care reform is great; but can I really trust someone who has done all those awful things I hear about?”

Progressives have brought racism to the publics’ attention many times. But, even with all this, it has never become enough of a national issue to bring Conservatives to justice. Still, the issue is too important to stop trying. Progressive media should continue to broadcast the message to the public in a coordinated and sustained way; and, with enough intensity to get the job done.

By attacking the rumors as nothing more than proxies for racism and charging Tea Baggers with fomenting a racist uprising against the President, they will be the ones with a character issue. Some voters might see it this way: “I’m not a fan of how Obama has managed the economy, but I don’t want to vote for this candidate if he’s holding hands with racists.”

Many unethical people have done tremendous damage to a President who has more intelligence, competence and plain honesty than America has seen in a President for decades. The country voted this man into office to bring about change, a task he is faithfully carrying out, and should not have their decision vetoed by the bigotry of people who will always yearn for the past at the expense of the future.

Jack Blackshear

[AlinPA]

1. Well said, thank you. Welcome.

[AC_Mem]

2. Thank you - excellent post

You said exactly what I have been thinking. Let's pray that Americans wake up to these facts.

Annette

We voted - have you? PUT IT IN "D"!!

[billlll]

3. reduce Fears inside the mildly racist voters

1. Fear of job competition from blacks---

Jobs For All

2. Fear of blockbusting's drop in house values in his area---

Fed Government guarantee of ALL house values. This would solve MANY problems to put it mildly!

R Reich, 2 Nobel Prize winners advise on Jobs For All website---

www.njfac.org