This is not a meme. This is a call to sanity.

[lagilman]

Plaster this across the blogosphere, damn it. Because this isn't about Republican versus Democrat. This is hate-mongers versus sanity, and we will be judged by history on how we respond.


from The Baltimore Sun

McCain's attacks fuel dangerous hatred
Frank Schaeffer

John McCain: If your campaign does not stop equating Sen. Barack Obama with terrorism, questioning his patriotism and portraying Mr. Obama as "not one of us," I accuse you of deliberately feeding the most unhinged elements of our society the red meat of hate, and therefore of potentially instigating violence.

At a Sarah Palin rally, someone called out, "Kill him!" At one of your rallies, someone called out, "Terrorist!" Neither was answered or denounced by you or your running mate, as the crowd laughed and cheered. At your campaign event Wednesday in Bethlehem, Pa., the crowd was seething with hatred for the Democratic nominee - an attitude encouraged in speeches there by you, your running mate, your wife and the local Republican chairman.

Shame!

John McCain: In 2000, as a lifelong Republican, I worked to get you elected instead of George W. Bush. In return, you wrote an endorsement of one of my books about military service. You seemed to be a man who put principle ahead of mere political gain.

You have changed. You have a choice: Go down in history as a decent senator and an honorable military man with many successes, or go down in history as the latest abettor of right-wing extremist hate.

read the rest here


Frank Schaeffer is the author of Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back.

Comments

[bigferret.livejournal.com]

Reading through the comments on this article made me want to cry.

I saw a video yesterday from the crowd at a McCain rally and the racial comments where just terrible. What made it worse was that this was in Ohio and not the Deep South where I would expect such prejudice. Why anyone would want to promote that fear is horrifying.

[lagilman]

They want to because it gives them a feeling of power, of being Justified. The only way to stand against it is to stand against it.

One day they came and took the Communists, and I said nothing, because I was not a Communist. Then one day they burned the Catholic Churches, and I said nothing, because I was born a Protestant. Then they came and took the Unionists, and I said nothing, because I was not a Unionist. One day they came and took the people of the Jewish Faith, and I said nothing, because I had no faith left. Then one day they came and took me, and I could say nothing, because I was as guilty as they were for not speaking out and saying that we all have a right to freedom...
-- Mingus Big Band, "Don't Let it Happen Here"

[neadods.livejournal.com]

He's promoting it because he thinks it will get him what he wants - nevermind what it does to his reputation, ability to work with other people, and very soul.

[rovanda.livejournal.com]

I've reposted wholesale, with credit to you and links intact. Hopefully this will spread, because this really is a major issue no matter what your political views are.

Thank you

[rwglaub.livejournal.com]

I think it finally hit him today, when a little old lady came up to him and told him how frightened she was of Obama because he was a Muslim, and then when a father asked him if he should be afraid for his baby if Obama was elected. He said that Obama was a Christian and an honorable man who he just happened to disagree with.

And he got booed at his own rally.

That's when I think he realized just what he has helped unleash.

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

I've been waiting for the assassination attempts to start ever since Obama won the nomination, frankly. I just hope that if he wins (please, gods), he can stay alive for as long as he stays in office.

[badgermirlacca.livejournal.com]

What rwqlaub said. See http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081011/ap_on_el_pr/mccain_angry_crowds.

We have unleashed our own hell on ourselves.

[sfmarty.livejournal.com]

McCain's face when he realized what was being said to him by the redneck was wonderful, then he grabbed the mic and praised Obama. He looked stunned when the crowd bood HIM. Sorry, but he has done this to himself and the country. Hope he never sleeps well again.