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The Excrescence Of Right-Wing GOP Hate

01aaakhan02.jpgThe racist and xenophobic bile that has flowed from the right-wing Republican base and spokesmouths like Rush Limbaugh has been unprecedented in this campaign season, and it was easy to predict that the moment Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama that he was no longer a war hero and brilliant diplomat but just another uppity Negro.

If the hate-mongering of these people was not so destructive, the knots into which they tie themselves would be amusing.

They slavishly support an immoral war fostered by Bush and Cheney (and yes, Powell, as well) and for no reason more than their view that it is a well-justified payback against godless Muslims. An American jihad, if you will.

But what happens when one of those godless Muslim turns out to be an American who made the ultimate sacrifice?

Powell got it just right in his Obama endorsement speech when he declared:

“Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer is no. That’s not America. Is there something wrong with a seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing he or she could be president? Yet I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion that he is a Muslim and might have an association with terrorists. This is not the way we should be doing it in America.”

Would a Limbaugh or an Ann Coulter lay flowers at the grave of Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan? Of course they wouldn’t. Because for them, unbridled hate even trumps their supposed love of country.

  • Great post Shaun. The Republican party has been all about hate since Lee Attwater.
  • DLS
    Projection alert! Careful, Shaun. May you approach normality (and decency) in fifteen days.
  • I'm astonished that you have the nerve to post a self-refuting hate piece of this tenor on a site called "The Moderate Voice." Not only is it the case that the vitriol of the Left has exceeded that of the Right by about 2 orders of magnitude consistently for the last 30 years, it is the case that this very article is a stunning example of that vitriol.

    There's nothing moderate about this piece that I can see.

    Just for the record, the answer to the question "Would a Limbaugh or an Ann Coulter lay flowers at the grave of Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan?" is "Yes, in a heartbeat." You have no reason to infer otherwise. And the claim that the only basis for supporting the war in the Middle East is some sort of payback against godless Muslims is so easily, provably wrong that I can't imagine what possesses a nominally intelligent person to make such a statement.

    You shame yourself.
  • moominpapa
    I think our motto should be, post-9-11, 'raghead talks tough, raghead faces consequences.' - Ann Coulter

    She's a racist. Let's be very, very clear. She is not rational when it comes to Muslims. It is completely reasonable to infer from the above quote if from nothing else that she would not be willing to lay flowers upon the grave of a Muslim. Nor would her expression of sympathy be welcome. Such an expression, from such an obviously poisonous mind, would be a self-delusional sham at best.

    It is not immoderate to see racism and speak its name. It is not immoderate to see the xenophobic comments of a small but significant part of the Republican party and call them out.

    To be a moderate is to see the middle way between the extremes of left-wing and right-wing extremists. Nowhere, in that middle way, can there be any room for jingoistic, xenophobic, or racist ideals. They are the exact opposite of what being a moderate is. And I will be extreme in my intolerance of those who believe that an American of any religion (or none at all) should not be president.
  • AustinRoth
    How many Right-wing Broadway plays have there been about killing Obama?

    As always,
    your personal troll
  • skippy
    just for the record, the answer to the question "would a limbaugh or an ann coulter lay flowers at the grave of kareem rashad sultan khan?" is "yes, in a heartbeat." you have no reason to infer otherwise.

    ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

    what moominpapa said.

    how many right-wing broadway plays have there been about killing obama?

    if you count "off with his head" as off-broadway performance art, i'd say at least one.

    and, try as i might, i can't think of any broadway play about killing mcmuffin.
  • AustinRoth
    Skippy -

    On the heels of last year's "documentary" by Gabriel Range concocting an assassination of President Bush in "Death of A President," Bill Hutchinson of the New York Daily News reported a new play in the Big Apple that also treads along the Bush-assassination theme. The playwright's thinly disguised Bush-resembling fictional President gets "whacked like Julius Caesar by a confidant."

    The April 11 Daily News reported: "A famed city theater group is inviting controversy by staging a play in which a character thinly veiled as President Bush gets assassinated. 'President and Man' begins a five-day run at The Duke on 42nd St. tonight as one of eight one-act plays staged by the Naked Angels Theater Company, whose members include Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick. Conservatives are already panning it as another sick liberal jab at the President."

    Also, today the McCain/Palin bus was shot at and had a window taken out in New Mexico, and the hate speech spewed by the Left towards Palin is equally bad.

    We should no be excusing ANY of these types of activities, but to characterize the Right as 'hate-filled' and the Left as 'even-handed' is a complete load of crap.
  • kritt11
    AR- Lame comparison

    These playwrights are not accepted political figures within the Democratic party. Coulter and Limbaugh are pundits who appear on the public airwaves- and who are accepted authority figures within the GOP. Both have huge followings in the party . Limbaugh, in particular ,as had
    had key administration figures like Dick Cheney, Karl Rove and Don Rumsfeld on his show for extensive interviews.

    It would be like Chris Matthews or Keith Olbermann suggesting that we invade all muslim countries and force them to convert to Christianity (which Coulter actually DID after 9/11).
  • countrydawn
    The hatred coming from the right disgusts me. This country is in bad shape, and what are they talking about?? How they can destroy a man's character. I never ever thought John McCain would be part of this crap. I campaigned for him in 2000. Shame on him. There is life after the election and selling ones soul to win has its repercussions. Will the americans finally disregard this neg campaigning or will they fall for it once again, and give up their economy, health care, and future????? I am very sad....
  • Patrick_Henry
    What truly concerns me is the 'required' religious litmus test to run for anything in this country. Why should Obama or McCain or Romney or anyone else have to explain what religion they are, whether they hold with a religion or if they even believe in a god? Why is it an obvious requirement that a person be 'Christian' to run for any office in the United States?

    It would seem to me the Right has had a direct hand in this - along with smearing anyone who doesn't hold with their 'values'.

    I WANT MY FREEDOMS BACK!
  • FPoole
    I am so sorry to have to disagree with you. I am the mother of three, middle income, and have ahusband that travels quite a bit overseas. My husband was in the air when 9/11 occured but was one of the lucky one's. Am i a racist NO, am I afraid of my self or my husband walking onto an airplane and sitting next to a young man wearing a turbin, your damn right I am, and deep down you all are too, you just don't want to admit it. I'm not a hateful person and I am not proud that I would be afraid to take that seat next to that person but let's be real here. Are all muslims terrorist, absolutely not, but 90% of terrorist are muslim! I have felt safe for the past few years while my husband takes that flight overseas every quarter, will I feel safe after November probably not. I'm sure his travel will increase after November also as his "big Business Companie" will not be receiving any tax breaks so they will be forced to find cheaper ways to build product, ie building in other countries and taking jobs away from americans. It is what it is, but someone needs to rifle through the so called crap because i do want both candidates characters revealed as character is what makes a person, and how can you vote for a candidate on either side with out knowing the man himself. If you ask me too much has been swept under the rug, its not just about the economy, health care and the future it's about how the man will handle the economy, health care and the future, both men and who will be the better person to lead this country!
  • kats
    I wonder if McCain and the others feel the only way they can force 4 more years of PAIN down our throats is to feed on every bias and or fear out there. How disgusting is that?!!!! What a tragic statement that makes about the Republican party!
  • kats
    It is indeed a sad statement that we can't get past someone else's religion and simply see one of heavenly Father's truly unique human beings, because that's what we all are!
  • realmoderate
    One of the biggest problems with politics today is that any legitimate criticism of ones political view is regarded as being supportive of the opposite side rather than really listening to the message. Let me speak like a moderate, Shaun is right. Right wing extremists like Limbaugh and Coulter have been clear as day about their racist, bigoted and xenophobic views as representatives of the Republican party. Is Shaun saying all Republicans or right-wingers are like this? No, but he has a valid point, just like anyone leaning to the right has good reason to be critical of William Ayers or Jane Fonda and their left-wing extremist views.

    Being a moderate, I find it mind-boggling that Powell would be condemned by the likes of these extremist, saying that he's only endorsing Obama because he's black. That's absurd. Colin Powell has been a staunch Republican, very consistantly. Joe Leiberman has been left leaning for his career and it really wasn't till recently he's crossed over to Republican. I also find it more absurb because nothing is said about other high-profile Republicans like fmr Tres. Sec. Paul O'Neill and fmr Sen. Lincoln Chafee who are also Obama supporters. Let's also not forget about Chuck Hagel. While he has not endorsed anyone, he was very close to being a VP pick for Obama and has been a supporter and advisor to Obama. I suppose these guys are just supporting him because he's black.

    Bottom line is this, bigotry, xenophobia and racism is wrong, regardless of who says it. Unfortunately, the right gets a bad rap in this because they are ones that are more outspoken about it. It's a fact.

    The Left has its evils, no question about it, but the right claims racists.
    The left has its vitrol, not exceeding the right by any means and vise versa, PHILWYNK, but the last eight years has been DOMINATED by Karl Rove, George Bush and the extreme rights vitrol at an unprecedented level (Swift-boat veterans for truth, et al). Yes, the left has the flag burners who to me are unpatriotic, as well as those who call members of the military like me a baby-killer, which is inexcusable. But the racists and xenophobes are dominated by the right.

    Although I support Obama, I always respected McCain as a true moderate. I would have probably voted for McCain if he had not partaken in the Bush propaganda methods (mind you, I am not excusing Obama's negative campaining, but McCain has since changed his image to that of the extreme right and that to me is more dangerous than Obama who was always to the left) and tried to appease those same radical right wingers like Coulter and Limbaugh who threatened to boycott him. I think it was McCain's mistake in this election and he would be blowing Obama away if he maintained his moderate image and not turned radical right. The radical right is a problem and their Powell's endorsement of Obama is a reminder of this. That is what I get from Shaun and as a moderate, I agree with everything he said.
  • aramis7350
    FPoole makes a lot of sense to me. I get the same visceral feeling whenever I see young white men driving around in trucks. The first thing that comes to mind is a young black guy being dragged to his death behind a pickup truck driven by a white guy or a huge building being blown up by a truck driving white guy.
    And people reprimand me for being irrational! Go figure!
  • belli486
    We could go on and on ad nauseum with examples from both the left and the right. I think what most Americans should be thinking about is how all these examples of crossing the line are bringing nutjobs out of the woodwork who would be willing to assasinate a president. This language that either candidate is "dangerous" or "terrorist" or "extreme" should not be used because it ramps up the ire of the real extremists out there who would seek to do harm to a sitting president. I wish all the well-meaning Republicans and Democrats would cool it on the negative campaigning. The issues should be what matters in any political contest, not constantly trying to one-up each other on the negative ads.
  • ewillinfinity
    As a future former registered republican, let me say that I have never been so embarassed to be associated with any organization as I now am with my own party. They have taken low to a new level, and theor lies are no longer clever or veiled, but patently absurd. John McCain, whom I voted for in the primary, totally trivialized his campaign with his choice of running mate. I used to listen to Limbaugh in my less evolved years, and he epitomizes republican arrogance and disdain for any who dare to disagree with that narrow-minded ideology. Change is finally coming.
  • DeeDumDeeDee
    Dear FPoole: Actually, I am not at all afraid to step on an airplane and have done so often both here and in Europe and in the Middle East since 9/11. I am sad when you say you are afraid to sit next to someone wearing a "turbin" (sic). Fear is a major problem and one that you had best deal with so it doesn't poison your mind any more than it apparently has. Does your fear of sitting next to someone wearing a "turbin" mean you are hateful? Perhaps not--but it does show your extreme level of ignorance. The men from Saudi Arabia who flew the planes were not wearing "turbans" nor any other head dressing. Few of them do when they come to the "west". If they were, it would have been a scarf called a gutrah. Your ignorance is the same ignorance that led Americans following 9/11 to attack Americans who follow the Sikh tradition, thinking they somehow had something to do with the 9/11 attacks. Yes, your ignorance is a problem. And our ignorance of the impact of American policies in foreign countries is also a major contributing factor to why many people in the world look sadly at us and others have come to hate us. It would behoove you to educate yourself so that you do NOT contribute to the hate that is below the thin surface always waiting to raise its ugly head. I have lived and worked in the Middle East and I do not go around fearing the people of that region, just as I do not go around fearing the people in the US. Time to grow up and own responsibility for your mind and your heart and do the work you need to do to move past your fear and ignorance. You and I are going to die sooner or later, hopefully later. But if you face your fear now, you have a chance to live a more loving, full, and compassionate life now. Good luck.
  • fireandrain
    Shaun, you sound like the "pot calling the kettle black". Barrack Hussin Obama is a racist - 20 years under Dr. Wright? You either support his views or you leave like Ophra did.

    Associating with terrorist - I know about he eight year old thing. But there is a lot more to it.

    Let's start with Mr. Obama and former Weather Underground leader, William Ayers funneling money to Professor Rashid Khalidi, a know terrorist sympathizer. Khalidi serves on the faculty of Columbia University in New York. He also invited Iranian President Ahmedinejad to visit Columbia University. Khalidi is reported to have direct ties to the Palestineian Liberation Organization (PLO), a group on the U.S. State Department's list of know terrorist groups.

    Mr. Ayers is also a major fundraiser for Obama. Mr. Ayers sat on the board of Woods Fund with Obama and is a professor at the University of Chicago. As a member of the Weather Underground, this left-winged radical group advocated violence against the United States. Ayers was involved in an accidental bomb detonation that killed three of it's group memebers in the 1970's. This bomb was intended for military personnel in New Jersey. The Weather Underground participated in bombings at the U.S. Capital, the Pentagon, adn a State Department Building. In a 2001 memoir, Ayers wrote, "I don't regret setting the bombs. I feel we didn't do enough." This same man held a fundrasier for Obama in his own home.

    Charges were dropped against Ayers due to govenment misconduct - Not because he was innocent. He was also suspected in the deaths of two New York State Troopers, but was never prosecuted.

    Obama's relationships with Bill Ayers and Rashid Khalidi reveals a lack of seriousness about the issues of terrorism and dangerously immature judgment.
    Why hasn't Amercia been made aware of this information. We can thank the left wing Marxist news reporters for nott hiding it.

    How can an American citizen vote for a person who swears by the Koran and not the Holy Bible, and by someone who does not even salute the Amercian flag????
    Wake up Shaun!
  • 777southern666
    those who would concede freedom for security -- deserve neither-------who said this?
    as for what has happenned in the last ten years --god help us. we seem incapable of helping ourselves--so much selfishness!
    i fear america is lost. four years of my life i gave for her. 4 friends i grew up with gave all. we all enlisted the same day. only i remain. while you bicker and hate one another-- their souls cry.
    my grandfather was a career politician. he once said that politics is a toilet--flush frequently---or it will stink!!!!!!!!!!!
    stop the hate---you elected these people and now you say as if you are not guilty?
    we all are guilty. now is a time for doing what is right and if it means a lot of pain--so be it. honestly, as a babyboomer i am most ashamed of the most selfish generation that came from the greatest generation. always they take from the future to feed their insatiable greed--i. e. government deficits.
    where oh where has my america gone?
    i would insult you all but, to insult you--both left and right --would be to legitimize your right to be called american patriots. your enemys are laughing--and yes, reloading. god, please help america
    i once was a racists, then i realized in battle that they shot at us all and color did not matter
    i once thought that americans are the greatest people on earth
    then i went overseas and realized it is ideals and principles of government that make the man--not where he lives, via the lousy governments i observed.
    i once thought i was special just by being american alone---then i met my wife-a foreign national--very pro american. she is more american than i shall ever be! it is her ideals that she embodies that make her so. say something bad of this land and she will cut your throat!!!!!!! all this hate--it makes her sick. if only they knew what i know, she mumbles, over and over. as i told her once, hon, they don't understand what they have, as most of them have never lived as you have.
    if paying your taxes will put you broke, then you are already broke. i want the draft back! service should be from all and not just the young of the poor. (mostly poor)
    i would know--i was one. don't get righeous either--i just sent one off to war--for you!
    my firstborn. it is a time of sacrifice. to pay more and get less for the greater good.
    boy----bet that goes over like a bag of rocks!!!!!!!!!!!

    as a true southerner only this i have to say of obama---------with all the heartfelt love i can muster------run nigga run!!!!!!!!!!!!

    777southern666
  • Courier
    aramis7350 - I feel you, brother. Ever since Columbine and other various school shootings around the country, I've had this irrational fear of the average-looking white kid and trench coats. I'm telling you, I'd rather be stuck in an elevator with a couple of gangster-looking minority kids than the average-looking white kid.

    -------------------------

    Look, the fact of the matter is thatthere is a small minority of people who make their culture or race look bad. Not all Muslims are terrorists, not all Hispanic people are illegal immigrants, not all black people are uneducated drug dealers, not all Asian kids are good at Math, and I'm sure not all white people are members of the KKK.

    And like Colin Powell and other people have said, since when does Religion matter in America? I thought we had a separation of Church and State, yet in every speech that W has ever made, he always says, "God Bless America." Even our currency can't separate the Church from the State. Every single coin and bill issued by the U.S. Mint reads "In God We Trust". Would there be public outroar should our President say, "Allah bless America" or "Buddha bless America"? I'm sure there would be, but there shouldn't be. I'm a Christian myself, yet I consider myself non-practicing because I'm tired of them force-feeding Christianty down my throat. I'm a Christian and I find it offensive forcing people to listen to and sing "God Bless America" at baseball games. Does that mean that non-Christians aren't welcome to baseball games?

    I don't think there's an easy way to "fix" what's going on in our country today except by educating people. The problem with our society today is that most people aren't educated enough to make their own decisions, that's why they have to follow political parties like sheep. People need to look at the issues rather than letting their political affiliations rule how they vote. I'm independent simply for that reason, I look at both candidates and what they stand for before deciding who I will vote for.
  • laloooji
    You just made a fool of yourself lady!! Everyone with a turban (not turbin) is not a terrorist - in fact everyone with a turban is not even a muslim!! Was it you who said Obama was an Arab in one of those McCain's meetings??

    And just an FYI, when the big business tax breaks are withdrawn, there will be more jobs in US, not less...
  • Courier
    Wow, are you misinformed. That photo you are referring to is a photoshopped image, just like the one of Gov. Palin wearing a stars & stripes bikini while carrying an assault rifle. About religion, who cares? Is there something in the Constitution of the United States that reads that we must be Christians in order to run for office in this country? As far as Bill Ayers is concerned, he has apologized profusely for what he did in the past and has gone so far as to write personal etters to those hurt by his actions and those people have forgiven him. He did write those words in his memoir, but not in two sentences one after the other like you write. He went on further to elaborate that "We didn't do enough" meant that we as a society didn't do enough in that time to stop what was going on in Vietnam before 100,000+ people died. Like I said, we need to be edumacated before we open our mouths.
  • realmoderate
    I would also like to make a challenge to Coulter, Limbaugh and others on the radical right. As a soldier who has seen action in Iraq and served on the front lines with many brave Christians, Muslims, and others who risked their lives for this country, put a flower on the headstones of our Muslim soldiers who died for this country and proudly served the country they loved so much to DIE for it. Send a word of comfort to the family of SGT Ahmed Altaie, an Iraqi American soldier who is missing in action right now. Prove all those wrong who say you wouldn't do it, and show us all that you truly appreciate ALL those who died for this country. I don't think that is too much to ask, what do you think PHILWYNK, FPoole, fireandrain, 777southern666?
  • 777southern666
    did anyone even notice that i insulted no one? if you are insulted then you need to be! guilt is what it is--feel it and you deserve it. who dun this and who dun that!
    like a bunch of little children------------jesus ! just shut up and vote already.
    criticise the ideals--not the man! truth-depends on who you are. unless you are god
    yaw take care now-----heeer?
    martin luther - it took a while, but now i hear you clearly
    777southern666
  • aramis7350
    Courier, It is next to impossible to talk sense into either of the 2 extremes. We can only try to understand why they think like they do.
    The best explanation was in a recent publication which dealt with the DNA/Cultural component of the outlook of so many individuals. The consensus was that one branch tended to fear and/or resist change. They tended to be reactionary and conservative and in our society tended to be Republican. The other branch tended to favor and/or embrace change. They tended to be liberal and in our society tended to be Democrat. In between those 2 extremes, lies the third branch who neither favor or disapprove of change and could be considered Independent.
    So when we see someone who is rabidly Republican or Democrat, we have to acknowledge that to a very large extent, they can't help how they think.

    They can, however, be held to account for what they preach! And that includes preaching hatred and division.
  • Starling
    Hi Fpoole. I live and work in New York City and was here standing on the roof of my workplace within sightline of the World Trade Centers the day they were demolished. But with my hand over my heart, I can swear to you that I am not afraid to sit next to a young man with a turban, anywhere. Sound crazy? I have sat next to such young on the subway literally hundreds of times (maybe thousands.) It is not even remotely unusual to hear Arabic, Hebrew, Spanish and English spoken in the same subway car without so much as a sideways glance from anyone. When it even registers, it actually makes me feel really proud and lucky to live in America. I have ridden in taxis driven by men in turbans with no fear at all. While riding in NY taxis can be terrifying, this has nothing to do with ethnic or religious stereotypes (all NYers drive like lunatics.)

    New Yorkers are exposed on a day-to-day basis to every race and every religion imaginable. Yes, these people are different from me, but culturally only - they are not dangerous or scary as a whole.

    I’m not perfect, I’ll occasionally whine about “the Indian guy” who doesn’t signal when he drives, or “the black chick” talking loudly on her cell phone. But in the end, it’s all just a lazy (and wrong) way to identify people who annoy me, but that I don’t hate or fear.

    So Fpoole, if a New Yorker who actually saw those buildings go down with her own eyes isn’t afraid to ride on a subway with a man who wears a turban, I hope it makes you feel a little bit less afraid.

    Sincerely,
    Starling
    (For the record, caucasian, female and Catholic.)
  • abubakrs
    aramis - love it!

    FPoole - of course i would sit next to the turbaned man on the plane; you're talking about my husband. actually since 9-11 i'm not sure even a stewardess has seen many turbaned men on planes. muslims have to be very conscious of how they dress when they travel because we get enough scrutiny from security as it is.

    wearing a suit instead of shalwar khameez, just a kufi with no turban, not wearing niqab. please imagine being us for a moment.

    you've figured out that 90% of terrorists are muslim (which i would dispute and depends completely on who you choose to classify as terrorist) so with 1 billion muslims in the world what percent of muslims are terrorists?

    my point is that we are being held responsible for their actions. i can't believe an email about obama being a muslim has been circulating all this time and only now, just days before the election is the first time i have heard someone who is known say "so what if he is, what's wrong with being muslim?" (thank you powell!) and every day decisions that we make are affected by how its going to look to americans (real americans, not muslim americans) to security, are they going to be uncomfortable with this.

    we don't look at our outfits and ask ourselves 'does this go together' or 'does this make me look fat' we ask will this get me pulled over, stopped, searched, scorned, rejected, discriminated, laughed at, shouted at?

    how d'ya like freedom FPoole?
    in the land of the free! (which certainly is home to some very brave individuals)

    imagine being the mother whose boy runs off in the airport and she has to drop everything and run after him because she can't call to him 'Osama come back"

    what we wear, what we read, what we say that can be overheard, where we go, who we go with, there is a constant tape running through our heads censoring all of these actions perceiving them from your point of view so that you will be not be afraid, will be comfortable. that is us always feeling like you.

    so please, and it wouldn't hurt you, try just once feeling like us.
  • ki4aii
    Coulter, Limbaugh and a few others are nothing less than Christian Fascists. They believe in first amendment freedom of speech for those who agree with them. Colin Powell got it right in his comments. He is also right that Sarah Palin is not qualified to be vice president. She is as dumb as a box of rocks. She makes Dan Quayle look like a Rhodes Scholar. If McCain-Palin win this election, I plan to find a job in Canada and move out of this wonderful country. I want to live in a place where people from all faiths are tolerated (not just Christians).
  • moena
    there's a lot of people blaming Bush for a lot of things...if you knew anything about how our government works, you would know that the president can't do a whole lot without the senate and congress. the congress, btw, being the dems who let our economy go to crap in a matter of two years. If any of you blamers would pick up a record of voting of any kind on our politicians, you might get educated. as far as reps being racist in this electionn, the Obama campaign is the only side yelling that out and it started from the beginning with Obama saying, 'oh, and he's black". all the obots are to far liberal to be moderate. and if you all think our country is so bad, go somewhere else and help them degenerate their country. religion? this country was founded on God. If you don't like God, go to Russia. African-American? I'm sick of hearing the term. most blacks in this country now couldn't find a bit of africa in their heritage. I am of irish and american indian descent. i don't call myself irish-indian-american! I am just an American. They want to be Afican so bad, move to Africa! the iraq war? most people don't realize that iraq is a strategic area for us to be allies with to protect our freedom..IRAN hates us and Israel!!! people wake up!!! We are in a fight for our freedom as we know it....if you don't want a President that will stand up to terrorist instead of sitting down and chatting with them like don't want to kill all of us...then go liver there...but send us a pic every now and then so we can laugh at you like hell....
  • countrydawn
    WRONG, dems in the congress did not do all this in two years, what are you smoking LOL Good lord Everything they tried to do Bush vetoed it, he couldn't find his pen for 6 years. Republicans passed all kinds of pork, made the biggest govt, and spent our grandkids future. Then Bush found his pen wow, he did know how to sign his name when they were trying to pass health care for kids, and real issues for the middle class. So please, get real. I do not think all is his fault though, he was just over his head and incompetent, as Sarah Palin is. I must say most of these blogs are not hateful, impressive. It is nice to have conversation in the middle. The way to the right republicans are getting smaller in numbers because of their hate, and they way they divide this country.
  • robbie317
    We should teach kids in kindergarten to hate muslims and if you kill them tou will go to heaven. Oh wait a second thats crazy, but aren't there muslim schools that teach their kids its okay to kill the infidels(christians and jews)?
  • jay7931
    Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin would absolutely put flowers on his grave. There not5 the ones who are trying to cut off funding for troops in harms way. Your the ones that hate. If you could get beyond your hatred of bush for five minutes you would see it. Its the dems that have written countless books and papers on how to kill the president. THATS NOT HATE. Lets see. It was the republicans issued the emancipation proclimation, the dems wanted to end the war regardless of the outcome. It was the republicans who instituted civil rights legislation the dems fought that. I won't vote for Obama but I don't hate him. You hate Bush, look in the mirror.
  • jay7931
    It was the dems in congress that forced lenders to give at least ten % of their loans to low income families. The loans defaulted the lenders failed then the banks failed this problem goes right to barney franks front door.
  • FPoole
    You do not have a clue.  Facts are in a global economy you can't keep jobs within the country and survive.  This is the 21st century, not the dark ages.  We live in the US, not Russia, China or other Socialist countries that promote you can be lazy and have the same as the guy living next door who busts his hump daily to make better for his family.
     
    As far as terrorists, Turban, Turbin, a typo, the fact is moron that terrorists exist within the WEAK like yourself who do not have a clue on life.  If you have kids and want a brighter future for them, you will want a safe world that does not tolerate such fanatics and ideals.
     
    If you were a TRUE AMERICAN, who wanted the american dream you would step up like the few people, < 20 % who believe this country is worth something and that through hard work can be the strongest, best country in the world.  You liberal morons are destroying the gifts of the US for our generation and the generations to come.  Tolerance is a great thing but it has to be earned through hard work and good ideals not empty, lazy, uneducated thoughts.
  • FPoole
    Thank You,
     
    Your comments do make me feel a little better, and again I hate that I feel this way. Hopefully the world will prove me wrong in the next few years:)
  • roro80
    Wow, FPoole, you went from a very honest expression of concern and fear that people were able to relate to, even if they disagreed with you, to wack-o crazy-ville hate-filled fear-monger in only 3 hours! Congratulations!
  • samintheburgh
    So, when Barack says "Jesus. my savior". he's lying??? He was baptized into the Christian faith in his twenties and there is no record of him attending worship services at mosques at all. Get your facts straight.!!! Dr. Wright is more of a Christian than you'll ever be, you Satan worshipper. The evil one is dominating right wing politics these days. especially all the people at the McCain and Palin rallies who want to kill Barack Obama. These are the same type of people who started the Nazi party in Germany in the late 1920's !!!
  • countrydawn
    ewin, many are following your lead for the same reasons, I used to vote republican also. There are many good things in the republican platform, but its overshadowed by their narrowness, their hatred, and their holier then now attitude. The Old republican party was different. I do want to say the way to the left nuts are just as bad. And Jay oops you didn't see the new breaking news. 20 republican senators were involved in payoffs to negate a bill for more reform. But that is ok, both sides have a hand in it. History says the economy runs the best with a dem president and a republican congress, thats the stats. Checks and balances. without checks and balances you see more corruption, as we did when republs had it all. I hope the dems don't do the same if they get all.
  • aj1978
    I emphatize with the fear that you and your family must have felt on 9/11. We all were afraid on that day and many days afterwards. However, we must be careful about carelessly slingling about so called statistics. Where exactly did you get your statistics that "90% of terrorist are muslim"? Have we forgotten Timothy McVeigh, David Koresh, etc. Why have white men not been racially profiled in this country as terrorists?
  • countrydawn
    Colin Powell had a 75 percent favorable rating, everyone on both sides thought high of him. He has been friends with McCain for over 25 years. He could have said nothing and drifted off into retirement with his awesome rating, and most americans thinking of him positive. If it was because of t he color of his skin he could have said it earlier, and campaigned for him. But he hadn't decided. He put country FIRST, not himself. Where was McCaIN IN 2004? When everyone knew by then Bush stunk, he was campaigning for him......that was NOT putting country first. ok I said enough see you all later, just had to talk about Powell.
  • kritt11
    Jay-

    and Bush ran in 2004 bragging about a growing economy that was based on home ownership- so spare us, pls!What effort did he make to reign in risky loans? He kept telling us to go shopping- that there was no recession--remember??

    Independent economists are blaming multiple sources for the crash-- not what Rep Frank has done in the last 2 years.
  • kritt11
    countrydawn-

    I share your admiration of Powell. He reminds me of President Eisenhower. He's the old breed of Republican -- when they used to stand for nonintervention in foreign wars, common sense and balanced budgets. Powell actually has a conscience and most of his integrity left. I watched him on MTP and wanted to give him a big hug for speaking up and doing what he thought was the right thing-even though he had nothing to gain from it.
  • 0ptimisticlyHopeful1
    You are partially right... America was founded on religion. But that is just part of it. The other part is the FREEDOM to practice WHATEVER religion we want. Not just be Christian. The founding fathers didn't make that a condition. They just said you are free to worship YOUR God the way You want to, we are not going to cram anything down your throat. UNLIKE the rightwing conservitive "Christians" that want to IMPOSE their beliefs on everyone else.

    Another thing is MOST people are proud of their heritage. That's why immigrants from other countries want to be called "___ American". Overtime, after hearing it for generations, people still call themselves, African-American or Irish-American, Mexican-American. What? You want to take that away from people also. It is people like you, that have run this country into the ground. The hate that you put in your comment is the hate that needs to end. Maybe it is YOU that needs to Go live SOMEWHERE ELSE, because THAT hate, is not what America is about.

    Also, the only thing that was STRATEGIC about Iraq, was it's OIL, and DUBYA wanted it.
  • FPoole
    Appreciate the feedback but let us not be blind and ignorant to the facts:
     
    Tim
  • gadfly
    Powell is right that invoking the specter of "Muslim" is a despicable way to oppose Obama. It is equally despicable to slam all conservatives as "racists", "neocons", "warmongers", etc.

    Unfortunately, Shuan Mullen repeatedly demands courtesies for his side that he refuses to extend to others. To call Mullen's descriptions of conservatives "unfair" is far too mild. Mullen just throws around whatever the most inflammatory and abusive words he can think of at the moment and then in the same breath complains about how mean and awful those Republicans are. There is a fair description of that: hypocrisy.

    If Mullen really wanted to start making for a more civil political debate in this country, maybe he should start with himself.
  • tyronew4
    FPoole you sound so ill informed. First of all have you ever been to china russia or any of those other countries? Dont make judgements on what you hear(gossip). Secondly, We as Americans need not worry about keeping up with the Joness, (China, Russia, etc), and pray for GOD'S guidance and protection, mercy and grace. Thats the only way we will prevail. Do your research of history and this is revealed from past great empires. The most intelligent and powerful can be defeated. We are so selfishly caught up in what we can do and we can't do nothing without GOD!!!!!! Who gives us the talent and power to do anything?
  • FPoole
    Appreciate the feedback but let us not be blind and ignorant to the facts:
     
    Tim McVeigh was a non-discriminant nut case, racist and poor excuse for a human being.  I would classify him as a serial killer, will concede his acts were terrorists but not driven by Muslin ideals.  He is unique, isolationist with no cause.  I would agree that such social deviants be herded up.
     
    David Koresh was a perverted individual using religion to justify sexual desires, no phisical harm was ever intended to persons outside their compound that was used as a safe haven to prey on weak in recruiting to satisfy perverted ideals.
     
    Muslims  - 1. all terrorists on 9/11 were muslims targeting innocent persons of Christian, Democratic and free beliefs.
    2.  In France, social unrest resides in Muslim areas, with car burnings, high crime rates and LAZY social deviants that want the government to subsidize their way of life.
    3.  In Iraq, Israel, Iran, and all regions of the Middle East, Muslims are killing innocent Muslims, Christians, Jewish persons, Buddists hiding behind the mask of religion - Muslim
    4.  In South Africa, Somalia, etc. piracy, crime, human rights violations occur daily under the protection and guise of Muslim ideals.
    5.  In south West Thailand near the Malaysian border again, social unrest resides in Muslim areas. Violence on the innocent where teachers, children are killed without reason.  Thailand with Buddist Ideals is one of the most peaceful in the world subject to this terrorism in Muslim regions.
    6.  Indonesia, highest Muslim per capita in the world.  Crime, terrorist acts, etc. occur daily in the guise of religion.  Jakarta, ring a bell?  Look up facts on the acts of crime that occur there.
     
    I
  • tyronew4
    I just made a comment. what happen to it?
  • FPoole
    Appreciate the feedback but let us not be blind and ignorant to the facts:
     
    Tim McVeigh was a non-discriminant nut case, racist and poor excuse for a human being.  I would classify him as a serial killer, will concede his acts were terrorists but not driven by Muslin ideals.  He is unique, isolationist with no cause.  I would agree that such social deviants be herded up.
     
    David Koresh was a perverted individual using religion to justify sexual desires, no phisical harm was ever intended to persons outside their compound that was used as a safe haven to prey on weak in recruiting to satisfy perverted ideals.
     
    Muslims  - 1. all terrorists on 9/11 were muslims targeting innocent persons of Christian, Democratic and free beliefs.
    2.  In France, social unrest resides in Muslim areas, with car burnings, high crime rates and LAZY social deviants that want the government to subsidize their way of life.
    3.  In Iraq, Israel, Iran, and all regions of the Middle East, Muslims are killing innocent Muslims, Christians, Jewish persons, Buddists hiding behind the mask of religion - Muslim
    4.  In South Africa, Somalia, etc. piracy, crime, human rights violations occur daily under the protection and guise of Muslim ideals.
    5.  In south West Thailand near the Malaysian border again, social unrest resides in Muslim areas. Violence on the innocent where teachers, children are killed without reason.  Thailand with Buddist Ideals is one of the most peaceful in the world subject to this terrorism in Muslim regions.
    6.  Indonesia, highest Muslim per capita in the world.  Crime, terrorist acts, etc. occur daily in the guise of religion.  Jakarta, ring a bell?  Look up facts on the acts of crime that occur there.
    7.  Spain Subways, London Bombings, the list goes on and on.
     
    I could go on for hours on FACTS about what this world has come to and willing to call a spade a spade but let us be real.  Only a true racist will use the White Card as you have done versus accepting the facts about what society has done. 
     
    Those that were in the air on 9-11, had loved ones in the air on 9/11 wondering if they were on one of the planes, would they be alive, come back.  Days of returing home because our FREE country had its rights taken away for protection can speak of what it is really like.  If you lost a loved one you would know and understand but to place judgement on those accepting the facts that terrorists are mostly Muslims is hypocritical.  To ask the question you ask below is sad.  Again I will concede, it may not be 90 % but it is surely a high percentage that suggests due diligence when addressing profiling.
  • tyronew4
    Again, FPoole, do you have a religion or believe in anything? Where is the faith in what you believe in and how it is superior to whatever highpower someone else may have? Do you believe that love is more powerful than hate? We Americans talk the talk of Christianity but do some of us really have the faith?
  • FPoole
    So you are aware, I have been overseas to all the countries (I) you list below for almost 15 years and several others you could not imagine.  So the misinformed one is you.  Of the great empires you research in history, you should have learned that the one that is backed by our constitution is unlike any ever seen before and IN GOD WE TRUST. 
     
    There is difference between Gossip and Facts.  When you can say you have traveled and first hand seen the differences in cities in the US and abroad then consider yourself educated.  You otherwise have no facts to any position you think you have.
  • FPoole
    hey tyronew4:
     
    Do you have a religion or believe in anything?  What a statement.  Go Back to School and get educated.  Watch the news locally and internationally.  I do not see much love prevailing.  What prevails is the taking a position against the "evildoers" (I love that word) to protect those of us that live in the real world and see the threats.
  • moena
    Your key phrase "immigrants from other countries want to be called". The majority is not immigrants. They are born and raised in America. Most immigrants WANT to be called "just" American. Our founding fathers never dreamed that the people in our country would be fighting to abolish God from our lives. You can call it right wing all you want to, it doesn't change how Americat was founded and was meant to stand for. You can call it hate if you want to, but, if you look around and listen, people are giving their lives just to get into this country because of what it stands for, not for what the extreme liberals are trying to make it. They don't come here to be divided into sects. They come here to be united, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all....not select groups as some want to be recognized. Unfortunately, you must not have had the opportunity to have access to anything other than the mainstream media for information about Iraq. I concede that oil did play a factor. But, a more important factor was to have a major presence in the middle east to protect us from leaders in countries like Iran, Syria, etc. We can get all the oil we can use from Saudi...

    country dawn...Bush tried 17 times in one year to get congress to do something about fannie and freddie...they blocked it seventeen times....do your research
  • mz3wms
    .....benjamin franklin said it.....

    although i wasn't quite sure how to interpret your last paragraph, i did find your blog touching, thought provoking and insightful....nice.....
  • tyronew4
    NO NEED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL.  THAT BECAUSE I  AREADY HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE AND MORE.  HOWEVER, DO YOU KNOW WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT EVIL.  WE CANT CONQUER THAT MY FRIEND.  WE ARE NOT POWERFUL ENOUGH. OBVIOUSLY YOU DONT KNOW THE BIBLE..
  • tyronew4
    Obviously, you traveled there with a  bias mind and a preconceived mind that you are a superior and you are the chosen one.  I think not. Just because you have been there and have come to the conclusion that they hate us,  does that mean we hate them back?  Two wrongs don't make a right.
  • deanrl
    The problem with these types of posts is that they're always selective in their reporting, based on whatever the bias is of the poster.

    What is termed as "right wing hate" has been so broadly defined as to encompass anything even moderately critical of the left. It is true there are some nimrods who are hateful, but they are the exceptions, not the rule.

    My biggest gripe is that "left wing hate" is underreported. The level of bile and vitriol with which some members of the Democratic party speak about Republicans is shameful. They attack people, and not policies.

    I know it's naive to suggest, but this isn't the time for personal insults in either direction. Now is the time for constructive discourse and honest differences of opinion, in the hopes of finding the best way forward. Unfortunately, such things are too boring to get much attention in the media, hence the situation we have now.
  • mz3wms
    There are two visions of America. One precedes our founding fathers and finds its roots in the harshness of our puritan past. It is very suspicious of freedom, uncomfortable with diversity, hostile to science, unfriendly to reason, contemptuous of personal autonomy. It sees America as a religious nation. It views patriotism as allegiance to God. It secretly adores coercion and conformity. Despite our constitution, despite the legacy of the Enlightenment, it appeals to millions of Americans and threatens our freedom.

    The other vision finds its roots in the spirit of our founding revolution and in the leaders of this nation who embraced the age of reason. It loves freedom, encourages diversity, embraces science and affirms the dignity and rights of every individual. It sees America as a moral nation, neither completely religious nor completely secular. It defines patriotism as love of country and of the people who make it strong. It defends all citizens against unjust coercion and irrational conformity.

    This second vision is our vision. It is the vision of a free society. We must be bold enough to proclaim it and strong enough to defend it against all its enemies.

    -sherwin wine
  • fireandrain
    OK people, let's get one thing right here. There are professing Christains and there are practicing Christains. There are professing Islamics and there are practicing Islamics. NOW, the thing you need to understand is this: A true practicing Islamic believes in Jihad (Holy War). Their goal is to exterminate the earth of Christains and Jews.

    Just to show you how twisted these people who claim to be practicing Islam are, understand this: They followed Mohammad, who, by the way is dead. He first started making a living by robbing Jewish caravans on a route traveling to and f rom Damascus. His "terrorist" would kill the husbands, take the wives and children as slaves, and pilage their goods, mainly silver and gold. He was a murderer!

    He did not write the Koran, but seventy percent of the Koran is made up of Bible verses that Mohammad twisted to suit him. The Koran says it's ok to lie if it makes things better for you. Mohammad was a liar!

    The Koran has no story line, tells no prophecy, and is misquoted. It says that Martha was Jesus's mother. Fact is we know that Mary was Jesus' mother. Martha and Mary lived 130 years apart.

    The highest power Mohammad communed with was an angel, Gabriel. He supposedly went to a cave and heard from Gabriel there. He claimed to have gotten his instruction from Gabriel, even though he twisted the information. He told his men Gabriel said they could have two wives, however he was an exception. He was allowed to have 13 wives. His last wife was eight years old when he married her. He consumated the marriage when she was nine. That's right, Mohammad was a pedophile!

    Mohammad was a double-minded man in all his ways. His genalogy goes back to moonworshipers. Meaning - his cult of people worshiped the moon gods. I think there were 61 moon gods he worshiped.

    His last wife said Mohammad love to eat, loved money, and loved women. Now, I ask you people - is that a canal man, or what?

    The only thing Mohammad had was timing. He came a long in the dark ages when the people were hungry and would listen to anybody.

    This is the religion that Barrack Hussin Obama was exposed to as a child. It is also the religion that Barrack Hussin Obama said he would support if the election did not go well.

    No, all people in turbans are not practicing Islams. But you never know who they are. And......... speaking of knowing who they are. The U.S. today knows more about Sarah Palin then they do Barrack Hussin Obama.

    One thing is for sure, one day... we do not know when, but one day,, every knee shall bow and every person will confess Jesus Chrst as Lord. And it's not negotiable!
  • 0ptimisticlyHopeful1
    Moena, You must not know many second and third generation immigrants. Because they do to be called "____-American". Knowone is trying to abolish YOUR God from YOUR life. In the same breath I'm saying, let me worship MY God the way that I want to and QUIT trying to RAM YOUR God down MY throat. Thats why the first settlers came to America was to have religous FREEDOM and not be told HOW or WHO to worship. AND I don't listen to BUSH'S mainstream media, because it is just that, BUSH'!! It only tells the public what Bush wants us to think. We do not need a presence in the middle east. What threat to the US are Iran and Syria, other than a terrorist threat, which they wouldn't have if we weren't in the middle east in the FIRST PLACE. The ONLY reasons we are there is OIL and Israel. DO NOT TAKE THAT THE WRONG WAY. I am NOT anti-Israel. But, needs to learn how to play well with it's neighbors and take care of it's self. OIL: BUSH want CONTROL over the oil and money. NOT BUY IT?
  • opptech
    Bush was blocked how many times? Let me see Republicans have controlled congress for 12 of the last almost 14 years, Bush has been president for almost 8. I don't think the dems can be held responsible for this fiasco. As for the Iraq war I saw the answer in a little snippet on the back page of my newspaper the other day. It said the Iraqi goverment was taking bids on new contracts from big oil on there billions of barrels of oil reserves. Thats what the war was about.
  • countrydawn
    moena, do you think there are extreme republicans to or just dems? One thing on the war, we took out Irans arch enemy, and the regime that hated bin laden. Now in a football game that would be like clearing the way wouldn't it? Afghanistan is undertrooped, but change is on the way on that no matter who gets in. OH another question Moena do you think Bush was a good president??
  • skippy
    now that you remind me, i do remember hearing about that play, tho i didn't
    know it was on broadway. i concede your point about the play.

    i've also heard the story about mccain's bus, but i have yet to find a link
    to a news source other than a blog. a google news search doesn't result in
    any confirmation.

    i still wouldn't equate a written, rehearsed piece of drama w/spontaneous
    cries for violence from a crowd at a rally, unless you want to bring the various
    radio personalities' calling for violence also into the argument, which, i
    think, would be expanding the argument so big as to render it useless.

    in other words, as disgusting and as transparent as the 5 night-run broadway
    play might be (and i'm not defending the show at all), a fictional piece
    about a fictional character (even one based on a real president) getting
    assassinated is not equivalent, in my view, to a real person calling for the death
    of a real person at a political rally.

    s.
    _skippy the bush kangaroo_ (http://www.xnerg.blogspot.com/)




    In a message dated 10/20/2008 10:47:37 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
    writes:
  • AustinRoth
    First, wow, did this thread ever jump the tracks!

    Second, "a real person calling for the death of a real person at a political rally" would indeed be worse. However, that never happened, and was debunked (by the Secret Service) within hours of the initial reports.
  • Patrick_Henry
    They (threads) always do - jump their tracks. It's called discussion.

    "It is indeed a sad statement that we can't get past someone else's religion and simply see one of heavenly Father's truly unique human beings, because that's what we all are! " -- Katz

    Katz, this is long in response as I've been away from my computer for a while. But your statement speaks volumes. Yes, it's a sad day when we can't get past someone else's religion and simply see one of god's/goddesses' truly unique human beings - because we are all different and in that difference, religious or otherwise, lies our very strength as a nation. If we will but embrace those differences.

    The fallacy of your statement, in it's wonderful generosity, is to lump all 'truly unique human beings' as fitting into one singular view of faith - Christianity. That's what a large number in our country keep doing, and doing, and doing - to the demise of religious liberty and the marginalizing of all other religious or spiritual views.

    Can anyone see a Pagan as president? Or even someone who refuses to submit to the 'Christian' litmus test as proof that they are worthy of running this great country? We are rapidly sliding into the abyss of religious intolerance that our forebearers fought so diligently to remove from the fabric of our government.

    Now how many have immediately assumed I'm Pagan?

    I WANT MY FREEDOMS BACK!
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