McCain's Attacks Fuel Dangerous Hatred
By Frank Schaeffer -- author of "Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back."
October 10, 2008
John McCain: If your campaign does not stop equating Sen. Barack Obama with terrorism, questioning his patriotism and portraying Mr. Obama as "not one of us," I accuse you of deliberately feeding the most unhinged elements of our society the red meat of hate, and therefore of potentially instigating violence.
At a Sarah Palin rally, someone called out, "Kill him!" At one of your rallies, someone called out, "Terrorist!" Neither was answered or denounced by you or your running mate, as the crowd laughed and cheered. At your campaign event Wednesday in Bethlehem, Pa., the crowd was seething with hatred for the Democratic nominee - an attitude encouraged in speeches there by you, your running mate, your wife and the local Republican chairman.
Shame!
John McCain: In 2000, as a lifelong Republican, I worked to get you elected instead of George W. Bush. In return, you wrote an endorsement of one of my books about military service. You seemed to be a man who put principle ahead of mere political gain.
You have changed. You have a choice: Go down in history as a decent senator and an honorable military man with many successes, or go down in history as the latest abettor of right-wing extremist hate.
John McCain, you are no fool, and you understand the depths of hatred that surround the issue of race in this country. You also know that, post- 9/11, to call someone a friend of a terrorist is a very serious matter. You also know we are a bitterly divided country on many other issues. You know that, sadly, in America, violence is always just a moment away. You know that there are plenty of crazy people out there.
Stop! Think! Your rallies are beginning to look, sound, feel and smell like lynch mobs.
John McCain, you're walking a perilous line. If you do not stand up for all that is good in America and declare that Senator Obama is a patriot, fit for office, and denounce your hate-filled supporters when they scream out "Terrorist" or "Kill him," history will hold you responsible for all that follows.
John McCain and Sarah Palin, you are playing with fire, and you know it. You are unleashing the monster of American hatred and prejudice, to the peril of all of us. You are doing this in wartime. You are doing this as our economy collapses. You are doing this in a country with a history of assassinations.
Change the atmosphere of your campaign. Talk about the issues at hand. Make your case. But stop stirring up the lunatic fringe of haters, or risk suffering the judgment of history and the loathing of the American people - forever.
We will hold you responsible.
---
Frank Schaeffer is the author of "Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back."
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Comments: 25
He looks as though he's ready to explode in the photo!
How about some specifics folks? I mean it's pretty hard to defend McCain from unfounded accusations.
Hatred would be the messages of Reverend Wright.
Hatred is accusing Sarah Palin's husband of fathering Bristol's child.
Hatred is attacking a 16 year old pregnant girl.
Hatred is a man I heard about on the radio. He put up effigies of Obama and McCain. The effigy of Obama is running; the effigy of McCain is dressed like a Klansman, carries a bat and is chasing Obama. SICK.
Obama's tax plan would cause many wealthy people to leave America. We would lose not only their tax dollars but their companies, the wealth they create and the jobs they provide.
I have researched McCain's health care plan at length and it is a very poor plan, just like Ovbama's tax plan is a poor plan.
So either way, America is screwed.
If you cared more about the issues - the real issues, maybe we could have some real candidates and we could work out our problems.
No it implys that Obama was palling around with admitted terrorist William Ayres. If McCain was friends with an abortion clinic bomber we would never hear the end of it.
And Mary Ann, it is clear that you are parroting back what you are reading on the right-wing blogs, Fox News, and other neocon sites. Do some research for yourself and don't believe all that propaganda. The man who wrote this article used to be an ultra-conservative. Do the research. He has now seen the light.
I challenge you to review Factcheck.org folks! Go see what 75% of the rest of the country sees. (hint: Both sides...) And, yes, there are times I am uncomfortable reading about Biden or Obama's misquotes (read lies....if you will.) There are also times I am so infuriated with the hatred spewing that my spirit hurts.
Just go, and type in Terrorist or Acorn...and read on.
Then type in Keating 5, and read on.
then type in taxes, and read on.
Then type in Economy & Obama, and read on.
FACTS...UN partisan, non-biased facts.
Then, if you get giddy with the rich air of free thought...try truthout.org.
Or People for the American Way.
What an education. We'll all be waiting with arms wide open, to welcome you to the thinking, reading fold.
We really want you to be happy for the next 20 years. Join us.
In Truth...
Wilka
I guess that settles that!
Yes you do spencer,
If McCain or Palin did not call Obama a terrorist you have no argument. The fact that BO in his bad judgement decided it was O.K. to 'pall around" with an unrepentent terrorist like Ayers is a valid criticism, plain and simple.
Of course he doesn't, not now any way he is to smart for that But he did at one time.
I don't mean to change the subject, I am just questioning the concept of "righteous honesty" ... whatever that might be ...