Never in my life (and I'm a white woman)

[tavernier]

did I ever expect to see the blatant disrespect of our president, no matter the color or party, that I have have seen in these past few years.

I'm almost seventy years old and I've lived through some amazing and horrible times; a president and leaders murdered, hopes and dreams dashed, struggles to make us better people and a stronger nation, despite our differences.

But I did not know that somewhere in this underbelly of our struggle there was a current of hatred that was boiling over to destroy our hopes of equality for all.

I'm both encouraged by our progress,and yet saddened by the ugliness that has followed.

I truly thought that we were way beyond that. I t truly thought that our constitution defined us as being created equal. I never realized that only some of us believed it.

[msanthrope]

1. I see it on this board...barely cloaked. nt

[sheshe2]

3. "barely" is the crucial word here.

barely.........barely. barely.

[msanthrope]

44. Just last night.....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026258878

Finally....the OP had the sense to delete.

[sheshe2]

124. Woah!

How did I miss that one!

Thanks for the link. msanthrope.

[msanthrope]

127. Read downthread....she....just read downthread. nt

[Ilsa]

2. They don't even try to hide it any more.

They flaunt their hatred, bigotry, etc as if they should be proud of it. Disgusting.

[chillfactor]

4. same here...

I am a 73-year-old white woman and I have seen so much hate in the last 10 years it has blown my mind....I have never seen so much hate and horrible insults thrown at a president in my lifetime...it makes me sick inside.....yet to President Obama's credit he remains upbeat and positive.....I wish I had the courage he has........

[BrotherIvan]

5. +1

They're losing and they will lose. That's the only hope that I have.

[pnwmom]

6. I agree. And it was Obama's election that exposed what had always been there. n/t

[mountain grammy]

7. The vile rhetoric has always been with us..

I remember hearing it about the Kennedy's. They were especially hated. The difference is, it was on the fringe, marginalized, relegated to little John Birch Society meetings, or followers of Joe McCarthy, etc. Even though McCarthy made it to the mainstream and had a following, he was publicly called out for his crazy crap.

I believe Fox news changed everything. Right wing radio was there, but far away and not yet respectable. There was fox, with all the pretty ladies pretending to be real news. We report you decide, what could possibly be wrong with that?
First Ronald Reagan, then a few years later, Fox News, and suddenly stupid is accepted and respected in America.

[CanonRay]

52. I totally agree with your point about Fox News

the entire landscape has changed so that the crazy is no longer marginalized, it is worshipped.

[guillaumeb]

105. glad you mentioned the John Birch Society

One of the founders of the John Birch Society was Fred Koch, the father of David and Charles Koch. Seems like those two bigoted apples did not fall far from the tree.

But as you say, that was the fringe back in the 1960's and now it is mainstream.

You also said: "First Ronald Reagan, then a few years later, Fox News, and suddenly stupid is accepted and respected in America."

Amen to that. People like Reagan, George Bush, Sarah Palin, Joni Ernst, Mike Huckabee, Todd Akin and countless others make stupid seem to be a good thing. Perhaps the idea is to appeal to the average, uninformed, poor, white, GOP voter by running these stupid candidates so these voters will identify with them.

[freshwest]

8. True, tavernier. It's shredded those dreams, but yet the man still believes in it. Because...

He's seen the WORST of humanity and this country. And he's seen the BEST, too. And he brings out the BEST. He remains unsullied by the filth and refuses to give in.

[sheshe2]

12. +1

[LuckyLib]

69. Schaeffer's take is right on target. Echoed last week by my 91 year old mother:

"I won't live to see it, but Obama will be seen in future as a very good President. He will get the credit he deserves."

[passiveporcupine]

112. can't rec this post or I would

[juajen]

117. Oh, WOW, I love this!

[redruddyred]

125. yes

not 100% with obama on all issues but think we are very lucky to have him.
sick and tired of the hate and lack of support even from w/i his own party.

[DeSwiss]

9. ''I truly thought that we were way beyond that.''

- Many do. It's what they sell everyone for control. People have been buying it for a while now......

K&R

[heaven05]

33. yep, that is an important component

along with general AGITATED and embedded cultural hate for 'others'.

[Aerows]

10. I'm white, I'm female, I'm a Democrat

and I'm gay.

I voted for President Obama twice.

That said, if I disagree with his policy or his decisions, it's because I disagree with his policies and decisions.

I have no idea where this post came from, but I'm never going to be beyond disagreeing with the policies of a politician, black, white, gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc.

I'll never be shamed into agreeing with a politician that I think is doing the wrong thing based upon the above, either, just because some calls me a bigot.

[MannyGoldstein]

14. +1

Well, my demographics are a little different, but same sentiments.

[Enthusiast]

21. I'm with you, Aerows.

[woo me with science]

25. +1000000 Scathing criticism, mocking of political figures, political cartoons...

These are all part of American politics and represent the difference between a thriving democracy in which the people hire representatives and a monarchy or dictatorship in which the people are subject to "leaders."

Politicians work for us. When they fall down on the job, they need to hear it.

There's a chill, authoritarian wind blowing in this country. That's when it's doubly important to hold our representatives accountable with protest, sharp commentary, political cartoons .... all the tools we have to remind them, and us, who works for whom.

[heaven05]

39. right

[woo me with science]

40. Really? You roll your eyes at which part of that, exactly?

[heaven05]

41. "1-million scathing criticisms,

mocking of political figure, political cartoons"......all true of every political figure of note and not so note worthy. Yet you left out the current "elephant in the room". On purpose or just trying to dress up and put lipstick on good old american racial hate, no matter if the object of that hate is the POTUS? That's all.

[woo me with science]

42. That was incoherent. And I think you just accused me of racism?

Please explain what you meant by the comment about racism, because I don't take ugly accusations like that lightly.

[heaven05]

43. It's your opinion on

incoherent, means 0, and no, I DID NOT accuse you of anything. Good try though. You feel I did, it's on you.

[woo me with science]

45. Why are you behaving this way? Please explain your comment about racism.

You responded to a post of mine that had nothing to do with race, with an angry comment about racism. I want to know why you did that. Otherwise, it looks like you are just trying to put a baseless smear here.

[heaven05]

46. right

my response to your post? Self explanatory. I'm not acting any way, angry or otherwise. You're just looking to create "much ado about nothing". You take it as something to be offended by? Like I said, it's on you. I just asked a question about an element of current american behavior toward this unique POTUS concerning a troubling exposure of american culture that has been going on for the last almost seven years. Your comments are valid in your original response. I asked a question, that is all. You can't answer it with taking umbrage? IT'S ON YOU!!!!!! I'm finished with this.

[woo me with science]

47. No. You tried to smear me with racism in response to a post that had nothing to do with racism.

I commented generally on the importance of citizen protest, critical political commentary, and political cartoons in a democracy.

You responded with an ugly personal comment accusing me of trying to "dress up and put lipstick on ...racial hatred."

Why did you do that? How dare you accuse me of trying to defend racial hatred based on the words in that post?

[heaven05]

74. I accused you of nothing

I framed a question not an accusation. Okay. Direct question. Is the hate directed toward THIS POTUS, in general, just your answer of "1-million scathing criticisms ect or has race played a huge role in the unprecedented opposition this POTUS has faced from the RW(always fully expected) and the alleged progressives, liberals and RW bluedog Democrats(not really expected)?

[msanthrope]

49. If you feel uncomfortable after reading what heaven05 wrote to you,

perhaps it is because your conscience is prickling you.

You know....I note a phenomenon with my fellow white people...particularly with my fellow white progressives. When the conversation turns to racism, I find that some white people automatically begin to list their bona fides on race, like a nervous tic. They often claim membership in another oppressed class, claim fellowship with certain media symbols, or otherwise attempt to demonstrate that no, no....they are not racist. The conversation then becomes not about race, but about the white person.

Which leaves everyone else wondering why the conversation must now shift to the psychological needs of the anxious white person. Because no one accused the white person of anything. But now...time must be taken to assuage the white person's feelings.

And if the white person is not reassured, immediately? Well....then the white person is subject to an evil that is apparently greater than racism itself.....the mere suggestion that one do a personal, and quiet self-inventory motivated by one's own conscience.

If what heaven05 wrote unsettled you...then perhaps you could ask yourself why it did. Not by challenging the poster..but by challenging yourself.

[woo me with science]

51. Actually, I think the corporate messaging crew is deploying a smear mission.

It's done here quite often, in fact. One ugly accusation out of the blue, completely baseless and unrelated to the post that was made.

And then the despicable tag-teaming follow-up. 'You wouldn't be upset if there weren't some truth to it.'

All based on nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

It is a tactic of smear. And this is not the first time we have seen it here. Reliably aimed at the community's vocal critics of corporate policy and corporate politicians.

[msanthrope]

73. And so now, we are talking about how *you* feel, as opposed to racism, the point of the OP.

Woo--why do you think *anybody* is taking the time to 'smear' you? And who is part of the "corporate messaging crew?"

What exactly do you think you are posting that draws such attention?

[Aerows]

70. This is some

grade A bullshit right here. Did you see the post Woo responded to? I did, because I was the one that posted it.

THIS SHIT RIGHT HERE and the shit heaven is peddling is the very reason I made that post.

Call me a bigot. I dare you. And when you do, see if a give a damn when I'm critical of policy decisions - because I guarantee that I'm going to speak up when I disagree with something.

[msanthrope]

76. Why would I call you a bigot? And I don't think heaven05 is 'peddling' anything. nt

[Aerows]

78. LOL

I disagree with just about everything that comes out of Allen West's mouth.

And I feel "guilty" secretly because of deep-seated racism. LMAO. My "conscience is prickling me".

You've got to be kidding me. Do you think Woo and I failed Implication 101? I'm many things, msanthrope, but stupid isn't one of them - don't even TRY to insult my intelligence that way.

[heaven05]

80. nope, just asking,

not peddling or trying to to intimidate certain others......

[Aerows]

83. JAQing off, right

"Just asking questions!"

Yeah, I missed that day of school, too.

[Puglover]

85. The poster is pulling the same crap in another thread.

The schtick is stale and tired.

Rather then look at ass hats like Rubio, Paul, Cruz and Ghouliani it didn't take two minutes after the OP was posted to apply it to other DU members.

[heaven05]

101. with an answer

such as that, it was more than one day missed.

[msanthrope]

103. You certainly touched a few nerves, heaven---my, my. nt

[heaven05]

106. I guess

oh and yeah, so did you.....

[msanthrope]

121. I accept your hat tip with great thanks! nt

[Aerows]

116. Well, yeah

When you make slanderous accusations, it does tend to touch a nerve.

That's not exactly a very difficult concept to grasp.

[msanthrope]

120. No one accused you of a thing. nt

[woo me with science]

81. Amen. Well said.

Yes, it's Grade A Bullshit. And, yes, it's part of a pattern.

[romanic]

90. I hate to jump in...

But this:

"You know....I note a phenomenon with my fellow white people...particularly with my fellow white progressives. When the conversation turns to racism, I find that some white people automatically begin to list their bona fides on race, like a nervous tic. They often claim membership in another oppressed class, claim fellowship with certain media symbols, or otherwise attempt to demonstrate that no, no....they are not racist. The conversation then becomes not about race, but about the white person. "

Was not needed. This is a discussion forum, not a psychiatric evaluation. You may feel guilt as a white person, that doesn't mean others have to feel the same way.

[msanthrope]

104. No--I don't think you "hate" to jump in. And I feel no guilt. Why would I? nt

[heaven05]

107. huh?????

geez..

[Bobbie Jo]

108. And the glaring question....

Why post the standard unrelated tripe in a thread about racism....at all??


Have to admit I didn't read his post, but I assume it's the just a different version of the same thing.

[Aerows]

71. This is the very reason

I made the post I did. I don't think either of them read the post, just jumped into "You disagree with policy X because you are a racist!" which is as ridiculous as calling you a racist because you disagree with something Allen West (or hell, everything) says.

[woo me with science]

84. It was clear what you meant. I agreed strongly.

Actually, I think it was clear to anyone who actually read it.

[NaturalHigh]

30. Exactly.

[Doctor_J]

36. the op was intended to be an attack on ghouliani and Fox imo, but of course the BOG

showed up to attack other duers. DU has become pretty useless compared to the early days.

[heaven05]

38. well, that is the way I feel sometimes

Last edited Sun Feb 22, 2015, 03:03 PM - Edit history (1)

about any politician. Compromise is paramount in politics and my POTUS has done that. I did not agree sometimes. Sometimes I am disappointed in the compromises made in the name of political expediency. That being said, I have seen a level of racist hate directed toward this POTUS and by extension POC just because of his/their skin color, also toward different religions and culture(s) by the ignorant and bigoted that is unprecedented in our short 'democracy and had been only exhibited in the underbelly ignorant people of america, never this openly and vicious except when the genocide of the native-American nations was transpiring and cotton was king. The racist, bigots and just plain ignorant are legion today. Nov 4, 2014 proved that to me.

For someone to call you a bigot JUST because you disagree with my POTUS is stupid unless you are disagreeing because you are a bigot. I have seen too many hateful and viciously racist people come out of the woodwork like roaches scurrying for a meal of filth to be distracted by a comment that is to defend one because of policy and not race. Like I said, tis normal and even honorable and expected for anyone to disagree with any POTUS no matter the party affiliation, politically and on policy.

You are in the honorable minority when it comes to people taking issue with my POTUS. A huge amount of racial hate is the engine that has been driving the opposition to my POTUS for the last SEVEN years. Racial hate, NO other reason in both republican/fascist circles and in alleged 'progressive' circles these last almost SEVEN years.

No one should EVER fault you with animus or enmity at your presumed race because you disagree with our POTUS. If otherwise, then.......

[treestar]

55. "disagreeing because of being a bigot"

that makes a good point. It also comes up with the birther and Muslim nonsense. Nobody ever demanded to see the birth certificate of any other candidate, not even those running at the time. The "secret Muslim" inanity would never be thrown at a white POTUS.

[L0oniX]

63. K & R +1

[hifiguy]

111. Well said, and I agree completely. nt

[bigwillq]

113. Great post.

[BlueMTexpat]

119. I don't believe that the OP means

that calling out any politician (or anyone else, for that matter) when one disagrees with policies is wrong. I certainly do not agree with all of Prez O's policies and I concur with you that I will not hesitate to criticize those with which I disagree.

But it is the manner of the disagreement that is the point of the OP, IMO.

I believe that she is referring to the level of hateful vitriol that is continuously spewed at President Obama, often with no relationship whatsoever to his policies or agreement/disagreement with them, but gratuitous personal slander such as when a horrible person like Giuliani states that Prez O does not love America because he and his upbringing are "different" - i.e., that he is somehow "other."

I've been around for 70+ years and concur with the OP. I also concur with the poster who noted that hateful rhetoric like this has certainly occurred previously. I especially remember the vitriol directed at JFK ("different" because he was the first Catholic President), but concur that came primarily from the fringe rather than the mainstream.

Now the fringe has become mainstream and the norm. If Hillary runs and is elected in 2016, I fully expect that the fringe will continue expanding. But then the underlying reasons will be misogynistic.

[Cha]

128. Of course the OP doesn't mean that.. it's about the disrespect and hate from idiots like

RudyG.

[BlueMTexpat]

129. IMO, we both "get" that.

As do the majority who have responded.

But some here seem not to. For whatever reason.

[Cha]

130. They need to take it personally for whatever reason.. lol

[betsuni]

11. I blame the rise of talk radio that replaced music with

addicting anger and hate, the commercialization of fundamentalist Christianity, and then of course Fox News.

[Enthusiast]

22. First they got rid of the Fairness Doctrine.

Since then things have been....................................unfair.

[Doctor_J]

37. precisely

[Vietnameravet]

57. Very true

With the rise of FM Am radio was looking for a format that did not depend of high quality sound reproduction because FM did that much better...they tried AM stereo but that was not successful so they tried talk and quickly discovered that hate sells..

[hibbing]

13. it's disgusting

I am very saddened by it all. Let us not forget the vile McCain campaign and the question of "Who is Barack Obama", and the constant none too subtle comments that have followed since then. I hope eventually that the vast majority of the population will get beyond it, it being race.

Peace

[calimary]

15. I'm a 61 year old white woman and you took the words right outta my mouth.

I think it is just the BIGGEST DAMN DISGRACE EVER!!! EVER!!!!! I cannot believe the disrespect that has been heaped upon this President. I'm just incredulous. Stupified! Shit - if we did that to one of theirs, they'd be dragging us out of our homes and throwing us in prison! How dare they?

It's just a damn shame. All it comes down to (and I find it embarrassing even to think this - but I DO) is that there's a black guy in the Oval Office and he isn't the janitor. And they can't frickin' stand it.

We've seen a lot of the same things, tavernier. And you put it so succinctly -

"I'm both encouraged by our progress,and yet saddened by the ugliness that has followed.

I truly thought that we were way beyond that. I t truly thought that our constitution defined us as being created equal. I never realized that only some of us believed it."

I'll bet you felt so good on Election Night 2008 - for the same reason I did. I thought the election of Barack Obama to the Presidency signified the turning of a BIG page - that we were finally over it. That we'd finally gotten past the racism that has just crippled this country - a huge scar across our history. I thought it meant that wound had finally healed over. But no. It was actually an open, oozing mess. I'm ashamed of so many of my fellow Americans. I can't believe what they're doing and saying! I'm appalled. I want to go up to each and every one of them and say "SHAME ON YOU." And hint around how they could be flirting with treason charges - for attempting this kind of thing against the Commander-in-Chief - during wartime. Which this IS. The US still has active battle engagements going on, still has hot zones. We still have plenty of active-duty fellow citizens out there in harm's way as of this writing. And even if it doesn't technically fit the definition of treason - I'd STILL throw it at 'em. Because THIS is what's Un-American. How the CONS and other GOP extremist vermin are behaving toward our President.

Whether those assholes like it or not, he's THEIR President, too. That calls for a show of respect.

[AverageJoe90]

16. Blows my mind, too.

The far-right has indeed become truly unhinged, and frankly, it's almost a literal bloody miracle that we haven't had another Oklahoma City incident happen just yet.

[Cha]

17. Mahalo for writing this, tavernier.. it's not good to get use to this

shite coming from the likes of the terrible classlessness of rudy guiliani to john Boehner to Netanyahu.. ad nauseum.

[young_at_heart]

18. I'm a 75-year old white woman and I'm sick!!!

The disgust I feel at the Republicans' disrespect of our president is at the boiling point!

[Hekate]

19. KnR for the OP and all of you who have responded so far. I never believed...

...in the fairy tale that the U.S. is now "postracial," but I did not believe the FOX-led blowback would be so filthy ugly, either. That it would even infiltrate here, and so soon after his election in 2008, has been stunning.

Yet we did elect Obama. Twice. Yes we did. That's real change in itself.

[jimlup]

20. Thank goodness there are

those of us who see it!

[KentuckyWoman]

23. I still refer to the last one as whistle ass.

I lost a little bit of respect for the office itself because such a cull was able to get anywhere near the top.

Tremendous respect for Obama the man...even in disagreement. He earned it long before I voted for him

[Rose Siding]

114. Sorta different in that the last one was appointed by the Felonious Five

rather than elected. That tarnished his regime. I didn't respect him but was somehow able to keep that apart from his office.

[Vattel]

24. I don't see too much of a change. Clinton was even accused of murder by guests on major news shows.

Bush was given no respect by the left, and Obama gets no respect from the right. That comes with the territory, and Obama handles it gracefully. I do believe that Obama gets extra hatred directed his way due to racism. Sadly, racism is still alive and well in America. But I also believe that the tendency by some on this board to claim that much of the criticism of Obama from the left is racially-motivated is not based on any real evidence that this is the case.

[woo me with science]

27. I'm much more concerned about the government's lack of respect for the people.

When we are subject to mass, unconstitutional surveillance, when protests are violently suppressed, when journalism and whistleblowing are criminalized, when policy does not even remotely resemble the people's will....

Our politicians are supposed to work for us, not the other way around. That's the difference between representative democracy and authoritarianism.

Your OP is hopelessly vague and gives the unfortunate impression that you would have sympathy for creepy, undemocratic authoritarians who disapprove of deserved scathing criticism, protest, and mocking political cartoons aimed at American politicians. I certainly hope that's not the message you intended to send.

[tavernier]

35. It must have been vague if that's what you got out of it,

or perhaps that's is what you wanted to read into it.

I have no quarrel with criticism of our government's policies or procedures. I'm
quite delighted when true and responsible journalists, as well as humorists, target in on those who seek to usurp our rights and freedoms.

My anger and fear is what I see happening in the name of patriotism. Our media is now controlled by corporations run by megalomaniacs who have no interest in what is best for our country. Yet they wrap their greed in our flag and sell it as patriotism.

There will always be those who consider their personal worth above others, whether based on their family background or the color of their skin or the weight of their wallet. But when the leaders of a nation bend to these people above others, that nation is in trouble.

I don't think we disagree. We are just looking at the horse from different angles.

[Not Sure]

58. I like your OP

But I love this response. I'm right there with you.

[mwrguy]

28. That smirking chimp of a predecessor never took abuse like that

[gwheezie]

29. Sad but not surprised

In 08 I figured the next president was either going to be black or female since the GOP was going to lose. So I expected the ugly undercurrent was going to rise to the surface.
I like obama. I just think no matter what his short comings the alternative was mccain or mitt. We'd be far deeper into war. It's bad enough as it is. Obama is doing a better job than expected considering all he got done and the obstruction he was up against and some from his own party.

[NaturalHigh]

31. As I've said before, I like President Obama.

I think he's a nice guy who has done some good things. That said, I think he cares a lot more about campaign donors and Wall Street than he cares about average Americans, even those who voted for him and worked for his election.

He's a good person, but he's still a politician.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

32. Giuliani is playing with kid gloves. Plenty of people right here on DU are posting and re-posting an

article that outright says Obama is committing treason.

[hedgehog]

34. I think it's been said about every Democratic President since Roosevelt,

it's just that now it has a racial focus and is said in the MSM where everyone can hear it.

[riqster]

48. Sometimes I wonder if we will ever stop fighting the Civil War.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiram_Rhodes_Revels

[malthaussen]

50. Certainly Mr Obama receives more abuse than usual due to his race...

... but I think we should take care not to be distracted by this from seeing the general rise in incivility in the country as a whole. Gross misogyny is alive and well and appears to be on the rise, and other forms of hatred are given vile voice freely and abundantly, while those who would conduct themselves politely go unheard. The media organs in this country appear to enjoy and encourage extremism, and the nastier the better. How much of this is symptomatic of genuine baseline change, and how much the illusion of a 24-hour "news" cycle that craves novelty and sensationalism, I leave to others to determine. All I know is that the US seems to have become a far unkinder place in the past 40-odd years.

-- Mal

[LongTomH]

87. +1000 The rightwing has weaponized hatred and ignorance over the last few decades.

Trace it back to Ronald Reagan and/or Fox New; it's the political right, funded by big money.

[AZ Progressive]

88. +1 Good points

[heaven05]

89. yep, makes good sense also

this culture has fallen into a much meaner, vicious singularity and it seems there is no extricating ourselves from it.

[spanone]

53. racism is deeply ingrained and exploited by the gop

[mfcorey1]

54. You nailed it and I totally agree!!!

[Vietnameravet]

56. 70 Year old White Man here

And I agree..I have never seen anything like it! I wonder where it will end..
This is why my knee jerk reaction is to defend Obama no matter what..I will not give these hatemongers even the slightest opening..

And think about the ways in which these crazies have attacked the democratic system with gerrymandering and voter suppression and attempts to game the electoral college...

We need to take the offense and do more than just talk among ourselves..we must wake up the vast majority of Americans who sat out the last election and let them know that the entire nation is under attack from within by a vindictive hateful minority that will ruin if they cannot rule...and sadly they are close to ruling..

[beemer27]

59. I feel the same way.

I am a white male who is only a little younger than you, and I too was surprised by the overt racism shown to this president. We all know that there is racism in this country, but in our lifetime we have seen great strides made in understanding and accepting each other. Some people will never change, but most of those that I know have. Or I thought that they had. I am retired military, and we had no choice, we got along with others, or we got out. It was that simple. After the election of Obama, I was very surprised by the reactions of other retired and former military. We had all taken an oath to preserve and protect the Constitution, and that includes the Commander in Chief. Yet, I have heard very disrespectful and disparaging comments from people who should know better. This is not just partisanship, it often borders on racism. To be honest with you, Obama is not my favorite president, and probably will not even make the top five of favorites after he is out, but he was elected, he was the better choice of candidates, and he IS the Commander in Chief. He deserves all the respect that the President of the United States is due. Some people do show this respect, if they agree with him or not, yet others will never accept him, nor treat him with the respect that he deserves.
I thought that we had progressed more than this. It is clear to me that not everyone has got the message yet.
Thank you for the thoughtful post. It will cause many people to do some soul searching. It will also go completely over the heads of others, but that is the way it works. You might have got through to a few.

[VA_Jill]

60. I am glad

that my father is not alive to see it. He always believed, and brought me up to believe, that the office of the presidency is worthy of respect, no matter what you think of the person who occupies it. (And he had plenty to say privately about a couple of them, especially GWB). He would be absolutely appalled at the disrespect shown to President Obama. I certainly am. FWIW, I am also a 70 year old white woman.

[cwydro]

61. Well said.

I've heard a lot of the ugliness too.

[artemis starwolf]

62. I'm a dog groomer

I had a client, an elderly lady who, like me, hated George Bush, and we used to laugh about it. Then came McCain and Palin and I couldn't wait to her scathing comments on Sarah Palin. Surprise! She said, " I like her! She can wear all the lipstick she wants!" When I expressed my surprise, she said, " I'd rather have those two than one of 'them' in the White House!" Them. We all knew what she meant. This was the first, but hardly the last, racial comment i heard made about Obama. A few years later, I was getting my car fixed, because a bolt had sheared off my alternator mount. My husband had put in a temporary bolt to hold it until we got it to the garage. The mechanic said, " oh, I see you ' presidentially rigged' it! " I never went back there again.

[chervilant]

64. 59 YO "white" woman here.

I've been a member of DU for quite a while now. I remember the disgust I felt at the number of vile, sexist anti-Hillary posts that preceded the selection of Barack Obama as our democratic candidate. I left DU for a while because of that misogynistic derision of one of our own, but I was firmly committed to voting for Obama when he became our candidate.

I feel a similar disgust about the relentless racism, derision and condescension thrown at our president AND his amazing partner AND their lovely children. The racists are loud and proud. The hatred is visceral and ugly.

In fact, I was wrongfully terminated the Tuesday before Thanksgiving because I had the temerity to address the pernicious racism against President Obama spewed by my boss. I couldn't go over his head because the owner of the company is just a racist. They both hate President Obama, and did not hesitate to deride him in the workplace, often within earshot of me, and more so after I asked my boss to respect my right not to hear this racism in the workplace.

I think racism, hatred, derision, sarcasm and verbal bullying (bullying of ALL sorts) are increasing measurably (ref: Calhoun's work on overpopulation). I'm appalled, but not surprised.

[AtomicKitten]

92. I wonder how you feel about the race-baiting the

Clintons and surrogates engaged in during the 2008 Democratic primary. I recall Limbaugh quoted as saying the Repulicans would never get away with the racist attacks the Clinton campaign was engaging in.

ClintonWorld to this day remains in denial but it is well documented. I feel the same outage the OP eloquently expressed and will never forgive the Clintons for it. The race-baiting attacks they perpetrated against the first black presidential candidate were soul-crushingly disgraceful.

I am compelled to speak the truth about this and do not accept trying to smooth it over with denial and sweeping it under the carpet to make some feel more comfortable. It happened and will not be forgiven or forgotten by me any time soon.

[chervilant]

93. Race-baiting?

That would fall under the rubric of the myriad isms I decry, and I certainly don't support it. That being said, if Hillary is the democratic candidate, she will get my vote. I won't forget or deny the race-baiting, just as I haven't forgotten or denied the things Mr. Obama has done/failed to do about which I take exception.

[AtomicKitten]

94. Good to know.

Thanks for your response.

[rury]

99. Right on, AtomicKitten

I have not forgotten the Clinton race-baiting either and NEVER will.
Bill saying " a few years ago (Obama) would have been getting us coffee" and "Jesse Jackson won the South Carolina primary and Obama did too" (meaning the two black candidates won that state because of high black turnout). And Hillary talking about being able to "win the vote of hard-working white Americans."
I can no longer stand either one of their smug entitled asses. They can go away and take their friends the Bushes with them.
I will probably hold my nose and vote for Hillary in the general election if she unfortunately becomes the Democratic nominee.
But I will not vote for her in the 2016 primary. If she has no opponent I will write somebody in. And I will not knock on doors, make phone calls or donate one red cent to her campaign.

[AtomicKitten]

100. cheers

[Dont call me Shirley]

65. The racists are out and loud, since President Obama started campaigning for the office.

[jtuck004]

66. I remember when they blew one's head off. That was pretty disrespectful.

Maybe just most people are forget what went on in the past, or would like to pretend they were more in tune to what was going on then than they really were.

Ironic. People, mostly white folk, think things are so much worse - but it has been this way for over 200 years for most black folk. Heck,as a country we are having new fights over simply giving gay folks the same rights as anyone else, another thing that hasn't been in most people's faces for a long, long time.

Nothing has changed, just become more visible. Those prisons didn't fill up with black children and adults just since the election. It's just that since the election more mainly white folk are getting to see and hear what they used to be able to ignore. It's more likely that people are two-faced, pretending things were better when it was just better for them, not for people of color and others who don't fit the Aryan model of an American.

In other words, maybe just one vestige of racism among the majority population to pretend it is worse now, when it has been this bad for many years. Now we finally elect a Pres who appears black, and people who have been willfully ignoring what has been in other's lives for many years are pretending it hasn't always been this way.

[heaven05]

79. makes good sense,

Last edited Sun Feb 22, 2015, 02:58 PM - Edit history (1)

yep, very good sense

[YoungDemCA]

96. Good post

Thoughtful, and puts things in historical perspective.

Thanks.

[In_The_Wind]

67. ...

Just for the record: I am a 66 year old white woman.

[classof56]

82. I'm a 77-year-old white woman and I approve this post.

We are indeed fortunate that Barack Obama is our President. Having survived the Reagan and Bush 1 and 2 administrations, I daily give thanks for President Obama. He's the main reason I hold out any hope for my children and grandchildren's future. I shudder to think what will transpire when he leaves office. Wish I could follow him to Canada, should he decide to accept the letter-writer's invitation, but I'm sure they wouldn't let this ol' lady relocate there. Too bad--I especially love British Columbia!

Meanwhile, I'll give all the energy I have to supporting the 2016 Democratic nominee, whoever it is.

Cheers.

[jwirr]

68. I was very surprised when my mother asked me why we called President Clinton Bill. She said that

he was not just any citizen. He was the President of the USA and deserved to be addressed as such. She would be very upset about what we are doing today. The haters are not just trying to destroying the President but the Office of the Presidency.

[HockeyMom]

72. In addition to the race issue,

there is also the religion issue. They try to paint him as a Muslim which after 9/11 caused a lot of hatred towards all people of that faith. It is a double whammy for the haters.

We are all individuals, not clones of one another, no matter what our race or religion is. It is very, very dangerous to paint too broad a brush for anything.

[Progressive dog]

75. Never in my life either

and I am a white man.
Thank you for posting this.

[heaven05]

77. Great OP

I'm 67 and my feelings mirror yours in many respects.

[SunSeeker]

86. K & R

[Spitfire of ATJ]

91. Some people really believe they are in a battle to save the White Race from extinction.

[heaven05]

110. true

really a sad state of affairs, america, 2015.........real sad. The hate, willful stupidity and ignorance. Misogyny, racism, homophobia, RW gun/wingnuts trying to create a RW theocratic paradise for the.........well only a few will be accepted in THAT club, also. It will be very exclusive, something like only white male landowners can vote type of club that was in vogue for so many years in our enlightened country of democratic equality.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

115. What gets me is how many people still believe the Right after they lied us into a war....

Mainly because they feel the Right is going to make sure they never work a job where their boss is black.

[YoungDemCA]

95. "He's not MY President!", "He is a Kenyan-born Muslim!", "Where are his college transcripts?"

"Where's the birth certificate?", "He's a RADICAL MARXIST!", "He is the most RACIST President in history!", "I can't stand to LOOK at him!", "I'm not sure he loves America!", "He's the FOOD STAMP PRESIDENT!"

And on and on, they spew, with disgust, contempt, anger, and bitter hostility.

They don't think he's LEGITIMATE. They don't think he's worthy of being President. They literally can't stand him. Gee, I wonder why.

[tavernier]

97. He doesn't love America!

Not like you and I!

Obama has often stated his heartfelt feelings, the love of his country. But of course we can't believe him because... He's not like you and I!

Dear Rudy: There is no you and I. Don't EVER compare me to you and your vermin friends again.

[awoke_in_2003]

98. I still remember when that idiot

yelled "you lie" during Obama's first SOTU address. It was shocking to me. I couldn't stand Bush, but had that happened to him I would have also been shocked. These fools have no respect whatsoever, and it is 100% race driven.

[lame54]

102. It wasn't during my life...

But Kennedy had it worse

[OldRedneck]

109. James Carville nailed it

Back when the GOP was pushing toward impeaching President Clinton, James Carville issued this description of the President's attackers.

"The President's attackers are a motley band, consisting primarily of perjuring partisan politicians, strumpets, hags, bitter old segregationists, hired guns for cigarette companies, felons, judges who trade favors for jobs, bitter, defeated, pathetic former political rivals, Hillary-hating mysogynists, wacko billionaires, gay-bashers, hate radio hucksters, mother-subpoenaing prosecutors, and mother-suing nutcases, all feeding an endless line of lies and half-truths to jealous journalists, envious editorialists, curmudgeonly columnists, and cranky commentators more concerned with their own self-importance and trashing the good name of a great President than the truth."

Carville's description applies equally to President Obama's attackers.

[BlueMTexpat]

118. I'm 70+ and

thoroughly concur.

I blame a lot of it on media that not only aids and abets such disrespect, but treats those who practice it as "reasonable" people and allows them fora to spew their venom.

It's not even a question of free speech. Yes, citizens are - and should be - able to speak their minds. But when what they say is outrageously, deliberately, and continuously wrong - as so much drivel about President Obama and his family has been, they forfeit any credibility whatsoever.

[SmittynMo]

122. Saddened by the ugliness that has followed

Let's face it folks. As with myself, I would imagine that you never thought in your lifetime you would witness a black president in this country. Didn't matter much to me since he had the credentials. Hey, we democrats didn't care at all. We voted him in twice. To date, I am quite pleased with our president.

And the republicants? Think they'd ever see it? Not so much. And they tried with everything they had twice. Once wasn't so bad, but the second term was a killer to them. They are now out of control. This is where the ugliness starts. Wait a week or two. They'll hit him below the waste again. A majority of them are in the older age group(including our congressman), where racism has probably been in their life quite a few times. They support it, and lie about it, and then continuously tell us they are not racists. EVERYONE KNOWS THE TRUTH!!!

Racism it alive and well in this country. Until this older generation of idiots in Washington, etc, move on, racism will never die.

All the hatred people(mostly Congress) have for Obama is largely due to racism. Most of this comes from the far right. As pointed out, its quite disappointing to see this level of ignorance, and disrespect.

I just don't seeing it getting any better until the above occurs.

[Bobbie Jo]

123. Recommended.

Sadly...

[Jamaal510]

126. I saw it coming on election night '08, and

I knew that this country electing a president with an ounce of melanin would make the racists sick. The only thing in question for me was how exactly the vitriol would be carried out. I didn't expect the GOP to be so firm when it came to blocking his agenda and to be so sneaky about their tactics to defeat him, and as far as the left goes, I didn't expect much of our side to be so wishy-washy when it comes to voting and paying attention. Regularly, I see people (even in my community) who blame him for things that are out of his control, whether it's a lack of decent-paying jobs or the ongoing social inequalities. Some of his loudest critics don't show up for midterms, and as far as the ones who do show up, they mostly vote for more people who want to block him.

[rury]

131. K&R Jamaal510

You speak the truth!