What is the difference between "us" and "them"??

[Beam Me Up]

At the risk of getting torched beyond recognition, I have to ask a question.

Many people here at DU are understandably POed about the racism inherent in the "Obama food stamp" issue as discussed in this DU thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3547644

(source with picture): http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_webbuck1.e7982b.html

With that in mind, I just watched the political video "Oliver Stone's P. Trailer" here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x216659

Although the latter is not necessarily "racist" it certainly does draw out all the negative characterizations of Palin.

Of course I find political satire like the above humorous, if a bit over the top. I'm wondering if Republicans don't see the "food stamp" image the same way -- "funny" haha. They certainly could generate a quick video like the above "trailer" using their worst fears of an Obama presidency and we'd all find it out outrageous.

The reason I'm asking this question is what I heard Obama say, and I agree with him, is that it is necessary for this country to pull itself together to begin to face some very large issues confronting us. So far as I'm concerned these types of characterizations don't move us in this direction. Quite the contrary, they fan the flames of hatred and fear. So, what is the difference?

Putting on flack jacket and flame suit . . . :hide:

[TheWraith]

1. Palin is mocked because she deserves mockery for her cluelessness and vitriol.

The right mocks Obama because of his race.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Agreed - one is about her own characteristics

while the 'chicken and watermelon' can only be seen as a racist stereotype. The Republicans could have validly used arugula there, for instance, because that was something Obama brought up. But they chose to go with something racist, instead.

[OneGrassRoot]

16. Agreed. One is about an individual person, the other mocks an entire race. But...

I don't blame you for asking. I think it's wise to keep ourselves in check and evaluate why we do what we do and think what we think. THAT may be a significant difference right there.

It is very, very easy to get locked into a certain perception of the world and others, and become small-minded and blinded and lump large groups of people under a convenient umbrella.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[EOTE]

5. Epic fail.

Oh mods, please let this stain stay on board. I'm sooooo looking forward to his future posts.

[Cerridwen]

8. Pssst, edit your profile to add fishing as your hobby.

IBTP

[Beam Me Up]

10. I think the Bush administration has done that already. n/t

[Bunny]

12. Absolutely! See you at the meeting, comrade.

Come on now, sing along!!!

United forever in friendship and labour,
Our mighty republics will ever endure.
The Great Soviet Union will live through the ages.
The dream of a people their fortress secure.

Long live our Soviet motherland,
Built by the people's mighty hand.
Long live our people, united and free.
Strong in our friendship tried by fire.
Long may our crimson flag inspire,
Shining in glory for all men to see.


Through days dark and stormy where Great Lenin lead us
Our eyes saw the bright sun of freedom above
And Stalin our leader with faith in the people,
Inspired us to build up the land that we love.

Long live our Soviet motherland,
Built by the people's mighty hand.
Long live our people, united and free.


Strong in our friendship tried by fire.
Long may our crimson flag inspire,
Shining in glory for all men to see.


We fought for the future, destroyed the invaders,
And brought to our homeland the laurels of fame.
Our glory will live in the memory of nations
And all generations will honour her name.

Long live our Soviet motherland,
Built by the people's mighty hand.
Long live our people, united and free.
Strong in our friendship tried by fire.
Long may our crimson flag inspire,
Shining in glory for all men to see.

[Bluebear]

14. 'communist mentality' - are you still stuck in the 1950's, freeper?

[Ikonoklast]

17. Komrade!

Россия — священная наша держава,
Россия — любимая наша страна.
Могучая воля, великая слава —
Твоё достоянье на все времена!

Припев:
Славься, Отечество наше свободное,
Братских народов союз вековой,
Предками данная мудрость народная!
Славься, страна! Мы гордимся тобой!

От южных морей до полярного края
Раскинулись наши леса и поля.
Одна ты на свете! Одна ты такая —
Хранимая Богом родная земля!

Припев

Широкий простор для мечты и для жизни
Грядущие нам открывают года.
Нам силу даёт наша верность Отчизне.
Так было, так есть и так будет всегда!

Припев


The Commissar Of Stupidity is here to award you the Medal Of Achievement!

[JerseygirlCT]

19. More than clueless - like Bush, intentionally, proudly ignorant. nt

[damntexdem]

26. Do you mean Chairman Bush, the Bushevik who is nationalizing the banks?

The one who Hugo Chavez has satirically saluted as 'comrade.' LOL!

[JerseygirlCT]

27. Do you think Chavez looked into his eyes and saw his soul?

Oh, wait. He doesn't have one of those.

[EOTE]

3. If you don't understand the difference between that biting and funny satire.

And that incredibly offensive newsletter. I don't think any amount of explaining would make you get it.

[Beam Me Up]

15. I understand there are differences between them but that isn't quite my

point.

Let me say that I absolutely hate what the neocons have done to this country. For the record, I believe the * were involved in some way in 9/11 and are covering it up. That is how despicable I believe these people are. Palin scares the crap out of me. The thought of her being in the WH is simply not acceptable. And, yes, I find the satire funny -- just as I find SwampRat's cartoons which depict Bush, Cheney, etc as alien monsters both humorous and on the mark. (If they're not alien lizards they might as well be.)

What I'm trying to get at, though, is this country has been torn apart. We need to HEAL. I'm all for "free speech" but I'm also for "responsible speech" and so I'm just bringing a question into this forum to be considered. I am gay. I come from a born-again Christrian family. I've had to put up with a lot of abusive shit from them and the world around me. I say this just to get across how much I HATE their BS. But it seems to me somehow or other we all have to get beyond this. I don't know how but, to me, asking the question might be a first step.

edit spelling

[EOTE]

20. So it sounds to me that you know exactly what the difference between

us and them is. We're not going to begin to heal until these assholes are defeated. If we continue to beat a dead horse after that fact, I might have a bit more sympathy to the other side.

[Beam Me Up]

22. Lets hope we get there. "Sympathy" isn't something I'll ever have but

I can understand their fear. And I see how those fears get exaggerated and exacerbated and used for political ends. I have fears of my own. I'm afraid the rat bastards will still throw this election somehow or worse (I won't even say it, that's how afraid I am).

One of the reasons I respect Obama is he is speaking about being good Americans rather than good Democrats or Republicans. We need this. We need to dialogue and I prey to whatever he gets a chance to be the great president I believe he can be.

[fascisthunter]

6. ok

welcome to ignore

[Beam Me Up]

9. Well, if asking a question is all it takes, fine.

[Ezlivin]

7. "And the General sat and the lines on the map moved from side to side."

Us, and them
And after all we're only ordinary men.
Me, and you.
God only knows it's not what we would choose to do.
Forward he cried from the rear
And the front rank died.
And the general sat and the lines on the map
Moved from side to side.
Black and blue
And who knows which is which and who is who.
Up and down.
But in the end it's only round and round.
Haven't you heard it's a battle of words
The poster bearer cried.
Listen son, said the man with the gun
There's room for you inside.

"I mean, they're not gonna kill ya, so if you give 'em a quick short,
Sharp, shock, they won't do it again. dig it? I mean he get off
Lightly, 'cause I would've given him a thrashing - I only hit him once!
It was only a difference of opinion, but really...i mean good manners
Don't cost nothing do they, eh? "

Down and out
It can't be helped but there's a lot of it about.
With, without.
And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about?
Out of the way, it's a busy day
I've got things on my mind.
For the want of the price of tea and a slice
The old man died.

Pink Floyd - Us and Them

[Beam Me Up]

21. Nice. n/t

[Ezlivin]

23. Pink Floyd really had some timeless lyrics

N/T

[ColbertWatcher]

11. "Us" is everybody. "Them" is the few who see an "us" and a "them". n/t

[pitohui]

13. the difference between us and them is "us" wastes too much time trying to pander to them

get real, the country is never going to pull together if by pull together you mean that the racist religious ninnies are going to hop on the clue train

saying the country is going to pull together is just nice speech making, it is not meant to be literal

the reality is that you'll never have a country 100 percent free of racist dirtbags no matter how hard you try, you'll never have a country that pulls 100 percent together, hell, the american revolution itself was supported by a MINORITY

so please let us at least have our little moments of quiet laughter and humor, sometimes if you didn't laugh you'd cry

anyone who is pro-palin hates us, hates this country, hates freedom, and will never change, what/s the use of pandering to them, might as well hold them to the scorn and derisory laughter that they deserve

[Beam Me Up]

18. I agree they absolutely deserve it. No argument from me there.

As I said in a post above, I've personally ben on the receiving end of bigotry most of my life. I also agree there will always be racists and bigots and that we might as well laugh as cry. I do a lot more of the latter than the former, though.

[pitohui]

24. never let the fucktards see you cry, is my motto

doesn't mean i can always stick to it but a little bit of humor helps

[damntexdem]

25. We've had 8 years of divide-and-conquer from the WH on down.

We've been ridiculed, smeared, lied to, and seen our freedoms dwindle. We've seen elections stolen. We've seen our nation lose its international reputation, thousands of our military killed or maimed, hundreds of thousands of others killed in our name. We've also seen our wealth shifted from us toward the rich, and now seen our wealth go down the drain. We finally have a good shot at taking power through a possibly-theft-proof election. And we see the joke that the GOP campaign is -- one that nevertheless appears to be succeeding not in winning but in poisoning the landscape for those who will win.

So who has to make nice in order to pull the nation together? We do. To a certain extent, Obama is right that we need to overcome some of the division. But it's not easy, nor is it fair. And I argue that we don't want to get too close to our 'friends across the aisle' because they are likely to stab us in the back at their first chance.

So I will continue to ridicule Palin -- she deserves it. But, as I did with my own brother this week, I will try to avoid that, or any political discussion, with those who I know will take umbrage at my positions, and at the facts I could marshal to support my arguments.