Rhetoric Race and Religion
The worst part of the racist backlash to Obama’s presidency isn’t seen in comments such as these, made on Fox News’ web site recently. The breakdown of any race- or gender-driven barrier intensifies bigotry, so a certain amount of vestigial racism was to be expected with the election of an African-American to the highest office in the land. Far worse is how quickly the certain right-wing zealots, and their equally racist compatriots in the media, succeeded in mainstreaming Obama’s “otherness.”
By incessantly attacking his birthplace and religion, the right made it commonplace to cast doubt on Obama’s motives as those of an outsider who doesn’t have America’s best interest at heart. So quickly was this done that benign inspirational words from his victory speech — before he had even been sworn in — were used to brand Obama has anti-America. Suddenly, the duly elected president of the United States was nothing more than another angry black man with a chip on his shoulder. It didn’t have to be this way.
As recently as the 2008 campaign, when a right-wing radio host repeatedly used Obama’s middle name to disparage him, John McCain did the until-then-expected thing of any credible presidential candidate. He spoke up in defense of his opponent and said this:
Whatever suggestion was made that was in any way disparaging to the integrity, character [or] honesty of either Sen. Obama or Sen. Clinton was wrong, and I condemn it. I absolutely repudiate such comments, and again, I will take responsibility. It will never happen again.
But, once the lynching began, it was both unstoppable and effective. By the 2012 campaign, GOP candidates were openly embracing the “outsider” attacks, rather than condemning its racist roots.
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