Larry Lubell
UrbanNewsBlog
Just to make sure, I checked my calendar, and confirmed that yes we are indeed in the year 2008, not 1908.
I would love to tell myself that America has moved away from overt racism and the vial hate that flows from those that hold such views. That now questions of "Class" have replaced hard-core racism.
I have been following the story that a effigy of Barack Obama was found hanging from a tree on the campus of George Fox Christian university University in Oregon. Today the Christian university said it has punished four students who confessed to hanging a likeness of Obama from the tree.
This kind of incident could be written off as the outrageous acts of a hand full of extremists. That would be upsetting, but easy to discount as statistical anomalies; the more unnerving part is the response of many of the readers of the article who left comments demonstrating that after reading the piece, they came- away with the idea that the four students were somehow the victims. With a choice of words I can picture coming only from people wearing a "White Hoods"; one of the comments included:
Stevie D
Too bad they didn't get the real Obama and all his stupid liberal views. Take his racist wife too.
SurpriseOctober
How did they know it was an "Obama effigy"? Did it have a tape recorder attached that droned on and on and on about "Hope" and "Change"?
It is clear, that while much of "Main stream" America has moved away from this type of overt racism, there are still those that refuse to abandon their vial hate-filled views. Instead of an overly optimistic conclusion that we Americans have left this garbage in our past, I need to take some solace in the fact that at least the center has moved. With Obama, the likely next president of the United States; this story show simultaneously how far America has come; as well as how much further we still have to travel.
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2 comments:
Google hanging of Palin, When it is a crime against white people it is free speech, when vs an arab- american (Obama) it is a hate crime, PLEASE........
Dear Mr. Anonymous (7:38 AM),
If your asking that "Whites" can be the victim of "Hate crimes" the answer is absolutely!
This is not just a theoretical possibility, It is a real problem that occurs frequently. Do I believe that it's ok, or that minorities should get a "Pass" just because they are a member of a particular group? Again the answer is NO.
Remember an Effigy is a symbol. symbols have meaning. .
Someone could spay paint something on my garage door and I will consider it vandalism, Someone could spay paint that same thing on someone else's door garage door, and it could make them fear for their life.
History matters!
I have very little patience for :Hate speech" no matter where it comes from, while I personally do not believe Palin is ready to be president, I certainly wish her no ill will. Is OK for someone to hang an Effigy of Palin, the answer is No.
In my opinion "When it is a crime against white people" it's a crime.
Yes I am a big supporter of free speech, That is why I believe you have the right to make an untrue statement such as,"Obama is an Arab- American" PLEASE........
Obama's mom is "White" and from the Midwest. and she is the one that reared him. His Dad was African (Not from Arabia). Obama is Christian !
Larry Lubell
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