If Obama's presidency is shining a light on the dark corners and basements of lingering racism -

[NRaleighLiberal]

something that I've pondered since his election - this is likely one of those knife-edge moments. How ALL Democrats react to what we are seeing - from Obama on down, throughout our country - could be a turning point....either we will progress through it as a nation and come out better for it, or it will define stamp a permanent mediocrity (or worse) on our fate. I am sure that the world is watching. To me, everything we've seen - all of the tea bagger stunts, reactions to the Obama school presentation - are just issues and symptoms. Sure, there is corporate/big money control issues at stake, but I still firmly believe that the root cause is lingering racism. And to me, it is a tragedy. I do wonder if we can get through this in "one piece" (meaning one united country)...or will it end up in escalating violence. I would like to be hopeful, but I just don't know....

[gateley]

1. I'm hopeful as well -- hoping that he makes moves that the Right rails against

but lo and behold, they find out in a while he did the right thing! On the other hand, fear and hatred can fester and grow infinitely.

[babylonsister]

2. I sure would like to hear more Dems denouncing this racism going

on, and calling the liars out. Where are they?

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. Me too - but unfortunately, I suspect no party as a monopoly on racism.

[robo50]

4. I'm right here! And so are millions of other Dems.

We see it for what it is, blatant racism, based upon fear, ignorance, and misinformation.

We don't speak out too strongly, because one never wins an argument with a racist by simply calling out his/her racism, we must use logic and respect for the person, (not the ideas). It's not easy, but it beats bloodshed,and eventually MOST, (but not all) the rabid racists will be overwhelmed, politically, by more reasonable minds.

[babylonsister]

6. I'm talking about Dems the "media" will listen to. Hahaha! I know. nt

[tledford]

5. Hi, Raleigh; I, among others, am spreading that same message in Greensboro... eom

[LooseWilly]

7. Is racism the root?, or a tool?

You say "Sure, there is corporate/big money control issues at stake, but I still firmly believe that the root cause is lingering racism." I interpret the teabagger and townhall disruption shenanigans differently. What I see are the corporate/big money control issues... and in order to try to derail progress, one of the tools they employ is stoking the smoldering racism that remains in order to goad the canon fodder masses into wreaking havoc and anarchy.

If it were the racism that was at the root, I suspect there would be a lot more ni**** calling and so on... but instead I notice that the disruptors carry signs with talking points generated by FOX, Limbaugh, etc. which leads me to suspect that it is the corporate generated talking points that are stoking the racism. My suspicion is furthered by noticing that the nutbaggery related to health care reform seems to be more intense than the teabagger nuttiness... which seems strange if it was just a matter of racism, or the difference in rage over the stimulus vs. healthcare... but it does make a certain amount of sense if it is viewed as a result of sustained "stoking".

Just like fear of your taxes being spent on "them" is used to turn racism against tax increases, I think fear of your tax dollars to stimulate "them", or pay for health insurance for "them", is being stoked in order to manipulate racism to protect the corporate/big money control interests. If it was simply racism, wouldn't there have been more protests and nutbaggery over having a black woman as Secretary of State?