A local California GOP women’s organization’s sent out a newsletter claiming that if Obama is elected, his picture will appear on food staps rather than dollar bills like other presidents. The email included a picture of “Obama Bucks” — a $10 food stamp surrounded by pictures of food.
The president of the organization, Diane Fedele, didn’t understand the charges of racism: “I didn’t see it the way that it’s being taken. I never connected. It was just food to me.” One African-American member of the club said that upon seeing the newsletter, she “cried for 45 minutes.” “This is what keeps African-Americans from joining the Republican Party,” she said.
9 comments:
That is just plain WRONG! It is still hard for me to believe this still happens, but I know it does. I genuinely don't want to say this, but I fear for his safety if Mr. Obama is elected, which I feel is a given at this time. It makes me almost physically sick to think that this country is still so racially divided.
Don,
I think we've come a long way. But, there are still a few crazies out there. As for Mr. Obama's safety, I comfort myself with the thought that there are several Islamafacists working for Bin Ladin who would like nothing better than to take out President Bush and he has been kept safe. The good thing about most of these racist loonies is they are pretty stupid.
I don't fear so much for Obama's safety. I think he'll have a slightly larger threat than any other sitting president. I do try to see the positive in this and that is that we're bringing some of these emotions to the light. I forgot who it was that said sunlight is the best disinfectant.
Peace,
Brian
This is pathetic. Too bad that one or two nut-bags can ruin it for the whole bunch. Unfortunately it works both ways - 500 McCain lawn signs were defaced around where we live - I can't even describe what they did to them here - pretty disgusting. I wish the media would cover it. Some of us called one of the local Television stations in Minneapolis. They didn't find it news-worthy... hmmm...I wonder.
Yeah, Tony. I'm sure that lawn signs are defaced and stolen all the time during political campaigns and most of it is not racially motivated. But, this guy in Fairfield rises to a different level given the history in our country. I live smack dab in McCain/Palin country. My wife and I were just joking about taking a neighbor's McCain/Palin sign, laying it down and putting up an Obama sign. All in fun. My Obama sign is proudly standing in my front yard. If someone takes it, I'm not going to assume it's racism.
Some people want to protest what he's doing (which they have a right to do). Some want to take legal action, which I think is wrong. As vile as it is, he has the right to free speech. I just want to expose it- not suppress it.
It's gone from cynical to gut-turning gross.
"It was just food to me"
So why not choose sushi, a burger, and a piece of pizza? Maybe a Cobb salad and a hot dog?
Racism masked as stupidity. Great.
I agree Brian - I agree. Either way you dice it or slice it, it spells hatred.
"It was just food to me" - what a dummy!
"She cried for 45 minutes". That's a bit over the top.
Tony,
I don't know about the crying for 45 minutes being over the top. As a Black Republican, she's got to be feeling pretty stressed about now. As Colin Powell pointed out the Republican Party's message has gotten even more narrow of late. If I were a Black Republican, I'd be pretty stressed right now too. Or how about a Muslim Republican or a Republican who is pro-choice or a Republican who is in favor of gun control?
There are several conservatives who are upset at the message of the McCain campaign. If you were in one of the groups the Republican party seems to be either attacking or ignoring right now and you're a member of the party, you too might cry for 45 minutes when you got something this over the top.
I would have made sure that display didn't make it 24 hrs if it was next door to me.
What I would not have done is call the media to bring attention to it.
Now this ugly racist display is given a larger audience than it would have had if it was quietly and discretely eliminated.
If what he wanted was to inflict hurt on as many folk as he could, the media certainly aided him in that infliction.
Blessings
I received an email yesterday from someone who drove by and said the display was down. Actually though, Someday, I would not have removed it if I had been there and I think it needs a large audience. The only way we'll get past this stuff is to talk about it. I was encouraged to hear his neighbor condemn the display. That is the good in stories like this.
Racism is on the run. Let's get it out in the open and kill it the only way we can, with education. Racism is born of fear and ignorance.
Peace,
Brian
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