This is an incredibly thin intellectual stretch. If McCain and Palin are the heirs to George Wallace's legacy, then Barack Obama is carrying the mantle of the Weather Underground and the Black Panthers.

Unlike McCain and Palin, who are sowing the seeds of hatred and anger at their rallies (there is abundant evidence), Obama is not, in any way, fostering a discourse similar in tone or substance to that of the Black Panthers or Weather Underground.

What utter nonsense and a clear indication that McCain/Palin have been doing their job sowing the seeds of hatred and division.

What a specious, inflammatory, and completely insulting claim. Go ahead and elaborate if you really think this is true--we'll be waiting with bated breath.

archjr--that was an almost childish response. Sounds like it came right off of the playground.

Before taking offense, note the macro sociological trends that are being explained. The article simply identifies the fact that a post civil-rights, macho element exists in our country's national psych. Palin and McCain may be tapping into it intentionally or not. I would suggest not, as their campaign seems much too tactical to be able to target a message towards a socialogical identifiable group. Instead, I would exonerate them from malice, and assume that they are playing cause-and-effect like many politicians do. I tear down my opponent, he has fewer voters. I throw red meat, they salivate.

No more complicated than that.

A friend of mine sent me this speech excerpt. The speaker is identified at the end:

"Certainly I am a candidate for President of the United States.

If the left-wingers do not think I am serious--let them consider this.

I am going to take our fight to the people--the court of public opinion--where truth and common sense will eventually prevail.

At this time, I have definite, concrete plans to get presidential electors pledged to me on the ballots in the following states: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, New York, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, and of course Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.

Other states are under serious consideration.

A candidate for President must receive 270 electoral votes to win.

The states I am definitely going to enter represent 218 electoral votes.

Conservatives of this nation constitute the balance of power in presidential elections.

I am a conservative.

I intend to give the American people a clear choice. I welcome a fight between our philosophy and the liberal left-wing dogma which now threatens to engulf every man, woman, and child in the United States.

I am in this race because I believe the American people have been pushed around long enough and that they, like you and I, are fed up with the continuing trend toward a socialist state which now subjects the individual to the dictates of an all-powerful central government.

I am running for President because I was born free. I want to remain free. I want your children and mine and our prosperity to be unencumbered by the manipulations of a soulless state.

I intend to fight for a positive, affirmative program to restore constitutional government and to stop the senseless bloodletting now being performed on the body of liberty by those who lead us willingly and dangerously close to a totalitarian central government.

In our nation, man has always been sovereign and the state has been his servant. This philosophy has made the United States the greatest free nation in history.

This freedom was not a gift. It was won by work, by sweat, by tears, by war, by whatever it took to be--and to remain free.

Are we today less resolute, less determined and courageous than our fathers and our grandfathers?

Are we to abandon this priceless heritage that has carried us to our present position of achievement and leadership?

I say if we are to abandon our heritage, let it be done in the open and full knowledge of what we do.

We are not unmindful and careless of our future. We will not stand aside while our conscientious convictions tell us that a dictatorial Supreme Court has taken away our rights and our liberties.

We will not stand idly by while the Supreme Court continues to invade the prerogatives left rightfully to the states by the constitution.

We must not be misled by left-wing incompetent news media that day after day feed us a diet of fantasy telling us we are bigots, racists and hate-mongers to oppose the destruction of the constitution and our nation.

A left-wing monster has risen up in this nation. It has invaded the government. It has invaded the news media. It has invaded the leadership of many of our churches. It has invaded every phase and aspect of the life of freedom-loving people.

It consists of many and various and powerful interests, but it has combined into one massive drive and is held together by the cohesive power of the emotion, setting forth civil rights as supreme to all.

But, in reality, it is a drive to destroy the rights of private property, to destroy the freedom and liberty of you and me.

And, my friends, where there are no property rights, there are no human rights. Red China and Soviet Russia are prime examples.

Politically evil men have combined and arranged themselves against us. The good people of this nation must now associate themselves together, else we will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a struggle which threatens to engulf the entire nation.

We can win. We can control the election of the president in november.

Our object must be our country, our whole country and nothing but our country.

If we will stand together--the people of this state--the people of my state--the people throughout this great region--yes, throughout the United States--then we can be the balance of power. We can determine who will be the next president.

Georgia is a great state. Atlanta is a great city. I know you will demonstrate that greatness in november by joining Alabama and other states throughout the south in electing the next president of the United States.

We are not going to change anything by sitting on our hands hoping that things will change for the better. Those who cherish individual freedom have a job to do.

First, let us let it be known that we intend to take the offensive and carry our fight for freedom across this nation. We will wield the power that is ours--the power of the people.

Let it be known that we will no longer tolerate the boot of tyranny. We will no longer hide our heads in the sand. We will reschool our thoughts in the lessons our forefathers knew so well.

We must destroy the power to dictate, to forbit, to require, to demand, to distribute, to edict, and to judge what is best and enforce that will of judgment upon free citizens.

We must revitalize a government founded in this nation on faith in god.

I ask that you join with me and that together, we give an active and courageous leadership to the millions of people throughout this nation who look with hope and faith to our fight to preserve our constitutional system of government with its guarantees of liberty and justice for all within the framework of our priceless freedoms."


(This was all said by George Wallace in 1964, responding to the Civil Rights Bill <link>

Is it any wonder that those who are old enough to remember this time have likened the McCain-Palin campaign to the tactics of George Wallace?

At the very least McCain is responsible for not acting and for gladly reaping the rewards of lies and slander that are racist and dangerous to our society as a whole and specifically to the Muslims that live within it. And at the very worst McCain has had a hand in inciting the anger expressed by some of his supporters by playing to their fear of "the other".

McCain has failed to "repudiate" (as McCain asked Obama to do in the last debate re: John Lewis' remarks, and Obama did even though he had done so publicly before the debate) the outright lies that are being put forth by his supporters. McCain is now issuing robo-calls that accuse Obama of associating with terrorists. Palin, the other day, said that she "likes visitng the pro-American parts" of America.

Maybe it's a little bit George Wallace and a little bit Joe McCarthy, whatever it feels familiar in the worst way possible.

"Palin and McCain" is dyslectic intelligence. People who worship academia call this 'Freudian slip'. But it does have a better sound if you say it outloud.

Did you high lite the special comments? Or, did your friend?.

That man Lenin applied similar concepts with word changes-thought around material possession. The only differance with Lenin and the Wallace speech presentation is in Lenin's use of 130 gr. of lead to achieve thought conversion.

The founding of this nation is the basis of diverse thought. Not right and wrong, but free speech. Liberty is not a secular term. Liberal is free thought that is not beat down(halted) via coercion of any sort.

politicians are the real terrorists ... why do we listen to the absurdity? it should be presented as comedy on a stage, and nothing more... no one cares obviously, because nothing changes except for the game players in washington shooting their wads... it allows us a reprieve from ambivalence for awhile, and then we return to our trance.

archjr:

This is an incredibly thin intellectual stretch. If McCain and Palin are the heirs to George Wallace's legacy, then Barack Obama is carrying the mantle of the Weather Underground and the Black Panthers.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! well said!

LaurieAnnM:

archjr:

This is an incredibly thin intellectual stretch. If McCain and Palin are the heirs to George Wallace's legacy, then Barack Obama is carrying the mantle of the Weather Underground and the Black Panthers.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! well said!

That is a completely inaccurate association. Obama's campaign in no way resembles the tactics or motives employed by the WU or the Black Panthers. McCain and Palin are specifically addressing certain parts of the population and stirring the pot of resentment. They are employing divisive tactics: what exactly does "pro-America areas of the country mean"? Are people calling for McCain or Palin to be killed at Obama rallies? Are they calling McCain a terrorist because he associates with G. Gordon Liddy?

Get a grip.