Wow.
The woman in red starting at 10 seconds.
(Oh, and I guess we should ask the question of why this woman got airtime. I mean, yes, she feels deeply, but there are people who feel deeply that the chupacabra is gonna get them or the alien autopsy tape is real, and CNN doesn't put them on the air although the level of fantasy is about the same.)
(Oh, and I guess we should ask the question of why this woman got airtime. I mean, yes, she feels deeply, but there are people who feel deeply that the chupacabra is gonna get them or the alien autopsy tape is real, and CNN doesn't put them on the air although the level of fantasy is about the same.)
posted by mikevotes at
4:16 PM
8 Comments:
I saw a comment on Huffpost from a woman who wrote that the thought of Obama speaking in the schools "sends chills" down her spine.
Can this be blamed on anything other than racism? I ask this seriously.
I'm a 42 year old, white, working-class female, super liberal, but not bleeding heart. Barack Obama was the first major party candidate I have ever voted for in my life (voted Libertarian since my early 20's). I feel that the cry of "racism" has been used too often during last few decades, and I was outraged by what happened to Don Imus.
But this - - this INSANE hatred of anything Obama says or does is like nothing we have ever seen before.
What else can it be but, at it's heart, white people worried that they no longer have the upper hand in this country? How many wailing white people have we seen on TV, all red in the face, shaking with fury, screaming "I want my country back!"?
Meanwhile, Obama is bending over backward, conceding this, conceding that, maintaining calm, polite composure, as this hysteria slowly chips away at his poll numbers.
And Glenn Beck, and Hannity, and Limbaugh, and Drudge, and all the other smirking GOP Ring-masters glorify in it, roll around naked in their piles of money, and continue exploiting and fueling the circus freak show.
I am now feeling the same dreadful old feelings of despair and worry that I felt during those long, dark days of the Bush administration. I thought those days were long gone. I thought the Right-wingers would grumble for a while, but then go back to their Bibles and their Blue Collar Comedy CD's, and start rebuilding their movement. Shows that I know nothing about the dark heart of America.
By
Mickey, at 11:40 PM
I'm not going all in the way you do. I don't think race is all of it, but I do think it's a significant part of it, maybe not so much on a conscious level, but on a symbolic level. Obama's skin color is a reminder of the change in our nation.
We're at another sign post for the "angry white male" (and the women who love them.) They're screaming bacause their very identity is at risk.
I think stuff like this round of outcry isn't so much about race, but about identity and "the other." They feel themselves losing and that tension is very easily turned against "the other" by unscrupulous media figures.
....
(PS. I try not to get too upset about Obama being "measured" or conceding because, in my opinion, that is a factor of his race. He wouldn't be where he is if he was openly aggressive.
I don't know if it's naturally endemic to the man or a learned behavior, but he wouldn't be the first black President if he was a fire breather. (Or didn't speak "eloquent" "white" English. (He's so "articulate.")
It's like how female politicians have to be so careful to dance along the "strong"/"bitch" line. There are still enough cultural biases that non white male candidates have extra hoops to jumpt through.
So, cut the man a little slack on that front. I know it's horrible, but it's true.)
By
mikevotes, at 7:02 AM
Just another example of irresponsible journalism... Everything is 50/50. Everything fear is legitimate; and the more emotional the better chance of covering it. A variation of "if it bleeds, it leads."
American media portrays conservative (even winger) fears and rants as "traditional Americana" and liberal progressive criticism as "left wing" or somehow slightly unAmerican.
Screw 'em.
By
-epm, at 9:16 AM
Right on.
Because this woman is white, appearing with her slightly over middle class family, she can't possibly be a nutjob.
By
mikevotes, at 9:19 AM
I appreciate your feedback. And your blog. To take a moment and give you a new reader's perspective: I've skimmed back a ways and your cool, matter-of-fact vibe is very refreshing.
And you're right, of course. Human beings (particularly willfully ignorant ones) find sudden change jarring.
I'm just discouraged; sick and tired of having to drag these adult toddlers into the future all the time. They kick and scream against all progress, but when they finally arrive at it, and see all that it has to offer, they are front and center to take advantage of everything that they fought so bitterly against: "Get your government hands off my Medicare!"
By
Mickey, at 1:24 PM
Importantly, you're not the only one discouraged. I'm sure you're running across various levels of discouragement to anger at alot of the left leaning blogs.
...but, that's kind of the point of their tactic. I've been mening to write a post about the tactic, but haven't quite found the right wording yet.
Something like.... the Republicans sour the tone but don't pay the price. A sense of anger and tension is taken out on the party and president in power, not on those who create the situation.
So, the Republican tactic is to scream, about what doesn't matter. It's more about creating a feeling of discord than any particular issue. They win if Americans hear screaming, no matter how irrational.
By
mikevotes, at 1:40 PM
Do post that idea - because it would be nice to have it articulated.
The shamelessness of the GOP leaders and mouthpieces is simply stunning.
On my good days, I think, Well, nuttiness is not sustainable, y'know?
Because the vast majority of Americans are intelligent, rational people of modest means who have eyes and ears and jobs that probably provide them with health insurance.
So they know that when some guy is on TV talking about how great American private health insurance is, their experience tells them that dealing with health insurers is a huge, confusing ordeal for everyone who isn't extremely wealthy.
And it cheers me up to think that most of us will be able to see through those kinds of lies.
Until I remember that this country elected George W. Bush a second time.
By
mickey, at 9:24 PM
But, see, nuttiness is sustainable.
It's not about the merits of the arguments. It's not about content. It's about creating a tone. And as long as they have people willing to go out and say those things, the strategy will continue.
By
mikevotes, at 10:09 PM
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