Racism is Not Good

Political campaigns are and have always been littered with dishonesty. Some statements are exaggerations, while others are outright lies. There is a broad line between these kinds of statements and those which provoke hatred. The latter is dangerous and has no place in politics.

I thought Senator McCain was above injecting racism into the election, but the rhetoric of his campaign over the past few days has proven me wrong. I am in disbelief. McCain is not racist. I don't think Governor Palin is either. But their campaign has no problem with catering to people's racism.

Usually, politicians will play to national security fears, with race only playing a part in southern elections. The Willie Horton ad in 1988 is the only time I can think of it being a prominent issue in a national campaign. And although incendiary, the attack didn't teeter on personal danger for Michael Dukakis. The same goes for the 2006 ad attacking Harold Ford, a black candidate for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee. There were vague racist remarks against him, the most brutal being an ad that played into a southern fear that black men will take their white women. While racist and full of resentment, it was not something that would incite hatred.

The past few days of McCain-Palin attacks are nothing short of an attempt to incite hatred. Their campaign must realize that there are racist people who have been waiting for a national mouthpiece for their cause. The McCain-Palin campaign is becoming that mouthpiece. I don't think they realize how serious this is. There are thousands of people who will want to assassinate any non-white president. Playing to that hate would only embolden them to act on their ignorance. I'm genuinely afraid for Obama now.

A few months ago, David Duke, the former KKK leader, said that he would like to see Obama elected, because it would "set off the race war." There are people who are serious about this. And the McCain-Palin campaign is giving them words to rally around, whether it is intentional or not.

Over the past two days, audience members at McCain-Palin rallies have shouted, loudly, "Terrorist," "Traitor," and "Kill him." And McCain's and Palin's response? Nothing. Anyone with any trace of self-respect would repudiate such comments. But McCain grimaced and, said nothing. He clearly doesn't approve, but to be silent is to condone. Palin, on the other hand, kept her fake, beauty-pageant smile. I'm surprised she didn't wink. Their inaction is dangerous. In all fairness, it is unclear whether the shout of "Kill him" was in reference to Obama or Ayers. And while no one is responsible for the opinions of others, politicians who are in the race for leader of the free world have a responsibility to step up and counter ignorance with enlightenment. That is a basic human virtue.

Another instance, which their spokesperson actually condemned, was a Sheriff referring to Obama at a Palin rally as "Barack HUSSEIN Obama," and getting massive cheers in return. The Sherriff refuses to apologize, because that is in fact Barack Obama's middle name. But the obvious reason that it was invoked is Islam-ophobia. There is a reason people don't say, "John SIDNEY McCain." People aren't afraid of Australia.

Although Palin's spokesperson condemned the use of Hussein, she has said worse and she has never rescinded her statements. She continues to campaign on the notion that Obama "is not one of us." She claims that she is not trying to stoke racist fears, but "Not one of us" is a phrase and mentality that has been used by racists since the onset of racism and phrases. It implies that blacks and whites are different. This is a Plessy vs Ferguson era phrase (Plessy vs Ferguson was a Supreme Court case whose decision I disagree with). It was the phrase of segregation. How can she say it doesn't contain racial undertones?

The phrase that has been getting all of the media attention has been Palin's claim that Obama is known to "Pal around with terrorists who targeted our country." (Before getting into the racial fear, let's acknowledge that she said, "Pal around..." She's running for VP and she said, "Pal around.") She's referring to Obama serving on a non-profit board with Bill Ayers, a man who founded an anti-Vietnam war group about 40 years ago. Ayers did and said some very awful things. There's no excuse for his words or actions. However, these things happened decades ago and have absolutely nothing to do with Obama. The issue was investigated during the primaries and dismissed.

Bringing up Ayers at this point is a move of desperation. The aspect that makes it more despicable is the fact that Palin doesn't mention Ayers by name in the attack. She only says that Obama pals around with “terrorists who targeted our country." Notice, not terrorist, but terrorists. It is a thinly veiled attempt to associate Barack HUSSEIN Obama with 9-11 and Al Qaeda. And to plant the seed that just maybe Obama is a terrorist, and just maybe he approves of their actions and beliefs.

I never thought that any politician could stoop this low. It has been left to the candidate who winks during a debate to do so. Her candidacy is a farce. We've known that from the beginning. Injecting racism only makes it more apparent. Their campaign's claim that these comments aren't racial makes one wonder if they are even more ignorant than Palin herself has appeared in interviews.

It is now up to John McCain to speak out against all of this talk, and acknowledge Obama as an esteemed U.S. Senator who is as patriotic as any American, and whose skin color and name are irrelevant to his ideas and character. For some reason, I doubt this will happen.

In response to a couple congressmen calling out their campaign on these statements, a McCain spokesperson replied,“It is disappointing that Barack Obama and his supporters continue to play the race card from the bottom of the deck..." Unbelievable.