Isn't this the worst period of off-the-wall wackjobbery you can recall?

[Atticus]

I'm 60. My dad was a Democratic precinct committeeman and I can actually(just barely)remember that we wanted Adlai to defeat Ike. I earned some of my first dollar bills tacking up campaign pole signs in our wrong-side-of-the-tracks neighborhood. I have been keenly aware of and involved in state and national political campaigns throughout my entire lifetime. And, I do not recall a period when so many patently false and highly offensive accusations were hurled at a US president.

It is some measure of how bad it has gotten that the ridiculous accusation that Barack Obama is an "illegitimate" pretender who is not a US citizen is now one of the more benign slanders that are the subject of daily "reporting" by the MSM. "Not only" hiss Those Who Truly See, "is President Obama a Marxist hell-bent on destroying our nation and all we hold dear, his health care plan is a thinly-veiled plan to murder citizens over 70! It's true! I heard it on Rush!"

I am white. I knew that there would be a backlash of some magnitude to the election of the first black man to the Oval Office, but I thought it would take the form of increased Klan membership, more skinheads at the mall and the greatly increased threat of an outright attempt at assassination by some of the most extreme haters. What I did not anticipate was the totally transparent racism by neighbors, friends and family members that pretends its all about citizenship or socialism or Marxism or conspiracy to euthanize us graybeards.

I find this "I know you know what I really mean, but let's pretend otherwise" form of racism much more offensive than the overt ranters and name-callers of the Klan or the Aryan Nation. At least the Klansmen only cloak themselves in silly-looking sheets; not the righteous indignation of offended patriots just trying to defend the Constitution.

I believe that silence in the face of this kind of destructive and un-American slander equals tacit acceptance of it. If we are not stepping on it each time it rears its ugly head, we are encouraging it. Better to have a standard response that we absolutely will say out loud each time we hear this tripe. Mine is: "That is ignorant racist nonsense and I want no part of it".

What's yours?

[rurallib]

1. I wonder if this is like pre civil war goofiness.

[hvn_nbr_2]

14. Can you be more specific?

I only know what I remember from history classes years ago, but I don't recall knowing of flat-out lunacy before the Civil War. There were very strong feelings, some of which we now consider, well, evil. But I don't recall lunacy. Stuff going on now is like a quarter of the population is constantly on hallucinogens.

[niceypoo]

24. Perhaps the birthers will try to start a new civil war

And have 'birther riots'

Obama would do best to not justify it with any more whitehouse responses. If the question is asked, politely say, 'We wont justify that with a response'. No amount of proof will satisfy them so why bother, say I.

[mzteris]

36. i think they'd LOVE

a "new civil war".

[mkultra]

45. yeah, they have pined for a civil war mulligan for years

[nradisic]

2. GOP has gone batshit crazy...

They are losing it...and language that bigoted and racist is starting to pour out. I can see Glenn Beck being forcefully removed off the FOX set by Secret Service at some point. It is getting to that...Insane man, insane....the right wingers and their 20% are going nuts. It really needs to be addresses head on.

[niceypoo]

23. Actually this is normal for them..

Just the latest incarnation of their madness.

[leveymg]

27. We had 8 years of batshit crazy in power. It was truly scary. This is batshit crazy out of power.

It's just pathetic.

[Odin2005]

49. This is Bat-Shit Crazy in it's violent death throws.

They know it was us younger folks that put Obama into office and that we are the least racist, most tolerant generation in American History, and that is driving them insane.

"There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations much is given. Of other generations much is expected. This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny."

--FDR

[Supersedeas]

44. and a large segment of American 'journalism' is riding the same wagon

[ProSense]

3. Republicans:

The Party for People Who Are Simply Bats--- Insane

That slogan is a keeper.

[Cali_Democrat]

4. Fear Of A Black President: Conservative Media Drumming Up Racial Fear

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x344309

[rwheeler31]

5. The McCarthy thing was bad too many lives ruined.

Republicans need an enemy's list.

[QC]

6. I dunno...I remember Jerry Falwell selling "The Clinton Chronicles" on TV.

That was mighty damn weird.

[leftynyc]

35. My recollection as well

I remember the Clinton Chronicles, he's a serial killer, he's a drug runner, he's a rapist. Hillary was simultaneously a lesbian who also killed Vince Foster to cover up their affair. I've seen much craziness from the pukes - this is merely the latest.

[Ikonoklast]

47. You just reminded me that that bastard Falwell was dead.

Thanks. It made my day.

[Raschel]

7. They're experts at it. Fabricating, twisting, fearmongering, pretending it's about anything but

racism.

Old days: "they're going to rape our women, they're animals, they have a tail, they smell funny...blah blah...."

Current: "he's a marxist, the antichrist, wants to destroy the country, he's not a real American, not a citizen...blah....blah

[4lbs]

8. When people are faced with an uncertain future, they scare easily, at every whisper.

Anything that sounds remotely plausible is suddenly true to them.

[lyonn]

9. What is frightening is that so many believe these stories

None of the ones spreading the fear back up a thing they say. I knew I was surrounded here in Okla. by repubs but I had no idea they would buy this lunacy so easily. You hear all angles of how this new govt. of ours is going to take over and turn us into, well, I'm really not sure. We will all be ruined in the end according to their "thinking".

[wroberts189]

10. Not sure ..the 8 years of the bush admin. were quite painful. nt

[Atticus]

12. I would agree that the Bush years were "quite painful".

And I would further agree that a lot of "highly offensive" things were said about Chimpy. (I said a lot of them)

But, were many of them "patently false"?

[wroberts189]

25. The "birthers" are making a mockery of themselves...

Palin is the laughing stock of late night comedy.

DeMint (R) ..just said he would rather break Obama then support health care for all of us.

Everytime they open their mouths they stick their own shoe in it just like Bill Kristol just did on the Daily show.

It always backfires on them in the end .. I see them as imploding under the weight of their fake ideologies.

You are quite correct on false accusations ..just look at what they did to Clinton.

After Clinton I thought I saw a new precedent ..any president will now get the same treatment.

Then came bush and rove... and the media adoration ..proving me wrong.

Now we are back to the Clinton standard again... if pubs ever take control of the senate or house I fear a repeat of Ken Star Obama-gates.

[lyonn]

13. Ahh, but the repubs believed every lie they were told then too

It appears the repubs are trying desperately to hold on to the few god fearing who believe that Obama is pure evil. What amazes me is that 70+% believe that the public option will allow we the people to have health care in the future. Yet our representatives in Washington, just enough of them to screw things up, are afraid to do the right thing. What if it fails, they will lose their jobs, what cowards. They opt for a do nothing vote, safer that way.

[Canuckistanian]

11. I'd have to agree

It's not just the FACT that a Democratic president is being being criticized, but the NATURE of those attacks today.

I can't remember when the ABSOLUTE extremists took over the national debate since HUAC and Joe McCarthy.
And even then, it at least had an overt air of respectability.

What this is, is an "unleashing" of the WORST, most openly FAR OUT rhetoric ever aimed at a Dem president, aided by a complicit media.

And the worst part is, it's actually gaining some traction and creating DOUBT, which is the main goal here.

[Cronus Protagonist]

15. Well, Bush was an illegitimate chimperor

Did anyone expect the RW nutjobs to say anything less about Obama?

[Atticus]

16. Are you saying that what is being said about Obama is comparable to what was said about

the Lil' Buckaroo from Crawford?

[Cronus Protagonist]

18. Bush is a terrorist

http://bushspeaks.com/home.asp?did=40

[Jane Austin]

17. Ytes.

There was a time when if someone made a racist comment or a crazy-ass allegation like Dems were trying to kill all the old people, they would have been smacked down immediately by every person in the country who even hoped to be thought responsible.

Now they let that crap float around in the atmosphere.

[niceypoo]

19. grrrrrr.....@ dupe

[niceypoo]

20. No, that happened during the Clinton years

He was accused of everything from mass murder to being a serial rapist, among other things. This is just the continuing debacle. Give it a few years though, this is just the warm up.

:rofl:

[Politics_Guy25]

21. It is

It is really outrageous. Very disheartening. Fortunately, the opinion polls are still quite high.

[niceypoo]

22. Wait two or three years...

...you ain't seen nuttin' yet!

[FatDave]

26. Yup, it was crazy under Clinton too.

But I think it's a little bit crazier now. And I think we all know why.

[HopeOverFear]

32. ...

But I think it's a little bit crazier now. And I think we all know why.

Yep.

[lunatica]

28. I keep in mind that Obama was actually ELECTED by Americans of every race

And that the bigots are the minority. Loud, crass, ignorant and proud of it, mediocre intelligence, followers of whoever can push their fear buttons, illogical and irrational, vociferously unashamed of their lack of reasoning powers and mostly just full of hate and confused, they are still the minority.

My response is similar to yours.

[Martin Eden]

29. How can an otherwise intelligent person believe such nonsense?

... that would be my response in a personal conversation.

Accusing someone of being a racist will only ratchet up the animosity, whereas referring to them as intelligent while challenging a specific belief at least has the possibility of leading to a discussion influenced by facts and logic.

[Atticus]

40. I think your response is great---if there's any possibility of actual discussion.

My experience is that most of these folks want to simply quote Rush or Glen Beck and, for that type, my "blunt" approach works for me. It registers my disgust and let's them know I think their "concerns" are grounded in pigmentation, not concern for our Constitution.

[Martin Eden]

42. ***IF*** is a mighty big word

IF you have enough information and good judgement to determine whether a civil discussion is a possibility, you might be able to make the other person reconsider the basis of their opinion. IF you know for certain either way, you have keener judgement than I.

Yes, it is rare. Most people -- especially when on their biased high horse -- are in attack mode and incapable of reflective thought. This unfortunately is an all too common aspect of human nature because all of us can let anger and passion rule our attitude, and it can be ugly.

I'm certainly capable of it. I must make a conscious effort not to return that kind of ugly confrontational rhetoric with more of the same. Why do I bother trying when confonted with a Limbaugh dittohead type? Because there is nothing to be gained by reacting to anger and bitterness with more of the same. I may strike out 9 times out of 10 with a civil response and a little consideration for the fact that the other person is a human being with his or her own problems, but if I can reach someone -- even a little bit -- 10% of the time, I feel my persistence has been worth it.

Sometimes I find myself asking "what would Jesus do" even though I'm an agnostic O8)

[Atticus]

43. Thanks for your well-considered response.

You've given me food for thought. I think maybe you are a better person than I am.

[Puzzler]

30. Many of the RW will never accept any Democratic president, never.

Look what they did to Clinton, the wingnuts seriously said he murdered Vince Foster (amongst other things). Trust me, if you could wave a magic wand, erase the past, and place ANY democrat in the presidency... the wingnuts would still come up with similar bullshit.

The basic subtext here, according to many of the RW is that NO democrat ever has the right to be president.

[Captain Hilts]

31. Bill and Hillary as drug-running murderers was pretty good too. nt

[Hamlette]

34. What was said about and done to the Clintons was worse.

Don't ever forget, especially when you see all these stories about republican lawmakers having affairs, they impeached Clinton for having sex in the oval office.

I remember those times. I thought the country had gone stark raving mad.

I also remember, after it ran its course, Clinton had a higher approval rating (he never dropped much below 50 and hovered at 60 most of his term, reaching 70 after impeachment) because people thought he was being treated unfairly.

As sick as what Glenn Beck said makes me, it was not like Clinton. Many people in this country thought Clinton had murdered Foster and dozens of other people. MURDERED them.

[TrogL]

33. The run-up to the Kennedy Presidency was pretty out-there

except it was anti-Catholic instead of racist.

[AspenRose]

37. It's like "The Hunting of the President" revisited

(Wonder if Joe Conason will write another book....)

http://www.thehuntingofthepresident.com/

[chomper]

38. Here is another example of another member of the republican party base

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/07/29/national/a111857D71.DTL&tsp=1

[Karenina]

39. It's more INSANE than I've seen in my 6 decades..

:shrug::freak::crazy:

[AngryAmish]

41. Remember when they kept insisting that Paul McCartney was dead?

That was crazy.

[damonm]

46. No. As Harry Truman once said:

"The only thing new under the Sun is the History you don't know."

[Odin2005]

48. I'm 23. I've never seen so much racist insanity ever.

I thought this kind of BS was ancient history and that we had overcome this crap. I thought wrong.