"Effigies of Barack Obama were hung on the University of Kentucky campus and outside a home in Indiana after authorities said an effigy of Sarah Palin in California was offensive, but not a hate crime."
--FoxNews.com
I do not believe that the best way for political leaders to deal with unacceptable hate speech is to call for it to be legally defined as such or demand that it be prosecuted. By the time the legal issues in this contentious area are decided in any particular case the moment for political leadership is past.
I do believe that that those who claim to be political leaders,especially in times of turmoil, must prove their mettle. The rash of so-called Halloween displays depicting lynchings of Barack Obama and Sarah Palin is symptomatic of one part of the turmoil our country is currently undergoing. It is no less grave than the economic turmoil, nor any of the other ills we will expect a new administration and Congress to to take on (the spread of terrorism and overall rise in political violence abroad, the underprotection of civil liberties in the U.S., global warming, universal health care, to name just a few.)
The social ill that these effigies represent is bigotry. As the Presidential campaign comes down to the wire, both candidates are busy attacking and questioning one another as much as, if not more than, specifically detailing what they plan to do about anything if and when inaugurated. And thus, both candidates are not only failing to address the social ill of bigotry, they are contributing to an atmosphere in which public displays of bigotry are acceptable.
If John McCain and Barack Obama each cared about the country as much as each man claims to, they would announce a joint press conference, surround themselves and issue a joint statement objecting to racism and misogyny, both in general and as these forms of bigotry have manifested themselves this election cycle. For the issue of bigotry in political discourse transcends policy differences. In a country riven by racism and misogyny, too many politicians play to those factors rather than pay attention to the policy matters. By doing so they contribute to a sick political environment, one that cannot foster good programs related to economic welfare, world peace, civil liberties, or environmental preservation.
John McCain and Barack Obama have a once in a lifetime opportunity. Two presidential candidates fighting one another hard to lead this country on the basis of different policies could join together to address an issue that transcends and in some ways is more fundamental than policy differences or even the policy matters at stake. In a genuine democracy in a diverse society, the mission of true political leaders (not all of whom are elected politicians) must be to create a political and civil environment in which participants of every color and each gender feel free to participate. Nothing would go so far as to demonstrate both Senator McCain's and Senator Obama's commitment to such an environment than for them to join together and speak as one on this topic.
Many people will read this piece and think to themselves, "She's dreaming. Politicians in the final days of a presidential election are not going to do this sort of thing." To which, I say: yes, I am dreaming - but also demanding - that both Senator Obama and Senator McCain prove themselves to be something more than mere politicians, that they take this opportunity to prove that they are genuine political leaders. As for whether my dream is unrealistic, that depends on the actual character of the two men fighting to become our nation's next president. Other presidents and other Americans have proven their ability to rise to an occasion, to transcend normal politics, and show real leadership. Let us see whether the current aspirants to the presidency have the same ability.
UPDATE: Look, ordinary citizens can show the Senators the way.
I do not believe that the best way for political leaders to deal with unacceptable hate speech is to call for it to be legally defined as such or demand that it be prosecuted. By the time the legal issues in this contentious area are decided in any particular case the moment for political leadership is past.
I do believe that that those who claim to be political leaders,especially in times of turmoil, must prove their mettle. The rash of so-called Halloween displays depicting lynchings of Barack Obama and Sarah Palin is symptomatic of one part of the turmoil our country is currently undergoing. It is no less grave than the economic turmoil, nor any of the other ills we will expect a new administration and Congress to to take on (the spread of terrorism and overall rise in political violence abroad, the underprotection of civil liberties in the U.S., global warming, universal health care, to name just a few.)
The social ill that these effigies represent is bigotry. As the Presidential campaign comes down to the wire, both candidates are busy attacking and questioning one another as much as, if not more than, specifically detailing what they plan to do about anything if and when inaugurated. And thus, both candidates are not only failing to address the social ill of bigotry, they are contributing to an atmosphere in which public displays of bigotry are acceptable.
If John McCain and Barack Obama each cared about the country as much as each man claims to, they would announce a joint press conference, surround themselves and issue a joint statement objecting to racism and misogyny, both in general and as these forms of bigotry have manifested themselves this election cycle. For the issue of bigotry in political discourse transcends policy differences. In a country riven by racism and misogyny, too many politicians play to those factors rather than pay attention to the policy matters. By doing so they contribute to a sick political environment, one that cannot foster good programs related to economic welfare, world peace, civil liberties, or environmental preservation.
John McCain and Barack Obama have a once in a lifetime opportunity. Two presidential candidates fighting one another hard to lead this country on the basis of different policies could join together to address an issue that transcends and in some ways is more fundamental than policy differences or even the policy matters at stake. In a genuine democracy in a diverse society, the mission of true political leaders (not all of whom are elected politicians) must be to create a political and civil environment in which participants of every color and each gender feel free to participate. Nothing would go so far as to demonstrate both Senator McCain's and Senator Obama's commitment to such an environment than for them to join together and speak as one on this topic.
Many people will read this piece and think to themselves, "She's dreaming. Politicians in the final days of a presidential election are not going to do this sort of thing." To which, I say: yes, I am dreaming - but also demanding - that both Senator Obama and Senator McCain prove themselves to be something more than mere politicians, that they take this opportunity to prove that they are genuine political leaders. As for whether my dream is unrealistic, that depends on the actual character of the two men fighting to become our nation's next president. Other presidents and other Americans have proven their ability to rise to an occasion, to transcend normal politics, and show real leadership. Let us see whether the current aspirants to the presidency have the same ability.
UPDATE: Look, ordinary citizens can show the Senators the way.
Hate breeds hate, evidenced by the effigy of obama put up immediately after authorities said the one of palin wasn't a crime. Perhaps if a leading democrat with integrity (are there any left I wonder?) had STOOD UP when this first got wide air time, the numbskulls who put up the palin effigy would realize what it stands for and what it does to women and teens and little girls, MY little girls, too see a woman hung by a noose and to hear a couple of IDIOTS say it's not so bad to depict a lynching of a white woman, it's' just halloween fun.
Nope, not a peep. Not an apology, nada. Those men and women holding that sheet have integrity, we don't need to know who they are voting for or what their stance is on various issues, we just need to know that they saw a wrong, a HORRIBLE, violent wrong, and STOOD UP!
Posted by: ainnj | October 30, 2008 at 11:36 AM