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In reply to the discussion: If it's not racism, then what is it? [View all]Drunken Irishman
(34,857 posts)That's a shame.
I don't know if I was clear or if some of you didn't read what I wrote (of course, it was rather long, so, I guess I can understand not wanting to - but if you didn't read, why reply?). But if you had read, or if I had been clearer, you would've realized the point I was trying to make that criticism alone is not the problem. It's irrational criticism that I've seen thrown around DU since Obama took office.
It is absolutely true he has been called a homophobe, which is ironic coming from a bunch of people who get upset over potentially being labeled racist. He has been called a fascist. He has been called a warmonger. He has been called a killer. He has been called no different than George W. Bush. He's been called worse than Nixon. You're even starting to see people suggest he had Michael Hastings killed. Those are absolutely irrational attacks that I would fully expect from people like Glenn Beck and not expect from so-called liberals.
How can anyone look at those types of attacks as anything but irrational? And what drives that irrationality? If it's not racism ... is it absolute paranoia? We say racism drives the loons on the right and yet many of you parrot the same attacks they've been using since day one on Obama. Hell, I remember during the primary some members, members who still post today, questioning Obama's place of birth and his sexuality - even going as far as to push stories about him and some coke fiend having sexual relations in the back of a limo.
That is shit. It's total and utter shit. It's shit when the right says it and it's shit when the left says it. Just because you feel you're justified to criticize Obama does not mean all criticism is justified and there has been a group of posters on DU that, from the start, have posted nothing but hit piece after hit piece on the President. It's not about showing concern over the NSA scandal or the AP scandal. It's not about hitting his Syrian policy. It's deeper than that - it's about accusing him of things that are patently false. It's about character defamation that I would expect from the CHUDS at Free Republic, but not those here. The stuff I often see posted on DU goes beyond just criticizing and being disappointed - it goes to the heart of hatred. There are a select few members, albeit not a majority, who loath President Obama just as much as they loathed George Bush. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they loathed Obama more than Bush. They have attacked from the start and not once offered a word of encouragement when he does something worthy of being applauded.
You see it even in this thread. A poster already said Obama deserves zero credit for Don't Ask Don't Tell and then turned around and called him a homophobe. How is that rational? How can anyone who is rational look at those lines of attacks and think there isn't some more sinister intent behind it? Is it racism? I don't know. I don't know that person ... but it's something. There are many on the left who look at Obama as someone almost as bad as Hitler. Just DU search "fascism" and "obama" and look at how many DUers hint, or outright suggest, Obama is a fascist.
I don't think anyone on DU knows what it's like living under a fascist dictator but it ain't like the U.S. currently.
It's that type of hyperbole that drives many Obama supporters to question the merits behind these attacks. It's not that someone is upset over the spying program. It's that some will then turn around and suggest Obama is just like Bush across the board and then push conspiracy theories that he'll kill Snowden and that he potentially had Hastings killed.
Those attacks are something I'd expect to read on Alex Jones' website. Not DU. But why should I expect any differently? Some of you have built Obama into this monster who'll kill and corrupt his way to the top. And if you call those attacks irrational, and want to know what exactly is behind those attacks, you're dismissed as an apologist. Funny, huh?
The Obama many on DU have created in their head is the worst, most corrupt and evil president on the planet and it's interesting when you consider he also happens to be the first black president. Maybe it's not linked, but again, there has to be some reasoning behind these outlandish and ridiculous claims. But don't dare question these people or you're playing the race card! heh, where have I heard that one before? Oh right ... every racist Republican who doesn't want to answer for their racist bullshit.