This disturbing clip from a McCain/Palin rally — which really illustrates how incredibly dangerous negative campaigning is — is from Al Jazeera. How strange is it that viewers in Iran and Saudi Arabia and across the Arab world watch America on their televisions and see it as a backward nation full of religious extremists with racially isolationist views?
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30 Comments
That reminds me of the time I was told by a Gore Campaigner that I needed to vote for Gore to keep abortion legal so that “poor black women wouldn’t burden society with their babies”
There’s a lot of stupid people in this world. Here’s evidence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi3erdgVVTw
Sure — my interest here is that neither culture has an accurate idea of the other, and each is seeing the worst that the other has to offer, because the worst give the most titillating media clips.
That said, comparing the Penn&Teller clip is silly because it’s not asking them to sign a petition to ban water — it’s *tricking* them because people don’t understand what they’re signing. I think comparing blatant xenophobia and racism and hatred that’s been drummed up by an aggressive marketing campaign with people not understanding that “dihydrogen oxide” is water (after telling them how dangerous it is in a highly misleading way) is disingenuous. The latter is a funny prank, but the first is quite dangerous.
It’s especially dangerous when it’s a story we hear over and over, from rally after rally, and it gets more and more threatening every time. No one, least of all McCain, will be surprised if he finds himself with Obama’s blood on his hands.
The threat of “racist” minorities is also quite different from the threat of a racist majority, but that’s a different debate.
People have a tendency to form opinions based purely on stupid emotional responses. Can you be sure that aljezeera got a fair cross section of the people attending that rally? No I doubt it.
I think drawing the conclusion that these people were manipulated by politicians rather than thinking that the opinions expressed were already part of the mindset of those interviewed. I don’t think you can make somoeone xenophobic or racist if they are not already there. It’s an ignorance thing.
Racists are racists. White, black whatever. They all suck and they all are dangerous.
Just takes one.
McCain and the RNC had the choice of using and amplifying people’s ignorance in order to further his own goals, or of taking the high road. They have NOT been doing the latter… I’m sure you saw just today that they did a major nationwide robocall pushing the idea that Obama is allied with terrorists that bombed the Pentagon.
The idea that Obama is a Muslim, a terrorist, a black radical, etc., is prevalent is because the right wing machine has promoted those ideas.
Do I think that these people represent the average McCain voter? Of course not. But do I think McCain is doing everything he can to get them fired up about this so they’ll vote for him? Do I think he’s hoping that racism and fear will swing the election his way? You bet!
No one is suggesting racism is good, but I really do think it’s important to understand that a person of the dominant racial group in a culture who’s a racist because of ignorance, and a person of a minority group who’s become a “racist” as a response to the racism they’ve faced, are very different phenomena and have very different causes and play out in very different ways.
One is an offensive problem, the other is a defensive problem (even if ill-advised).
Not aware. Not cool!
I’ve become so sick of politics. It stems from my childhood.
The thing you should be disturbed with is the receptiveness of the listeners. The message bearer has a disturbing message, but the audience should walk out if they don’t like what they are hearing. You know you would. I know I would.
Well, you know, we live in a victim culture…
“It’s not my fault I signed a mortgage I couldn’t afford!”
“It’s not my fault I believe this angry propaganda!”
Some people are always looking for a scapegoat to pin their failures on. Dangerous.
not to change the subject, but how is the sterling doing?
Waiting for a new hydraulic pump to arrive… When that gets here, the top gets fitted.
I agree with both on this one. Racism is wrong no matter who does it. But one can understand where African-American racism comes from – the history. Why is it more important for McCain & Palin to speak out? Well, are we more scared of Obama being killed by a racist if he wins or McCain being killed by a racist if he wins?
God bless America
…somehow that can convey meaning and hope without implying the speaker is a fool…
but for AMERICA
we’d be a long ways down
a very different road
which as it was murdered
6 million jews
which by the by
murdering just one is still a quick path
to 40 virgins in paradise
for these sillies who would
do far worse to us than we have to them but that they could
das leben isst das leben
thank heavens americans aren’t as certain as whoever dreamt up
that cute turn of phrase
I would bet that more Americans today would support camps for Arabs/Muslims than Germans supported camps for Jews. I’d suggest that Germans of the time were far better informed academically and politically than the audience we see in this clip.
We certainly would have gone down a very different path — I think the difficult truth is that on many levels we’d be much farther ahead… Certainly when it comes to hard science, the Germans during that period were way ahead of the game (thus Project Paperclip after the war), and there was a good consciousness of environmentalism and other creeping demons that have arguable done far more damage to humanity than camps did.
To be real clear though, I’m not advocating for the camps or historical revisionism…
“I would bet that more Americans today would support camps for Arabs/Muslims than Germans supported camps for Jews.”
Shannon, thats a pretty fucked up thing to say. pretty ignorant too. im really shocked you made that statement.
while i agree with the next sentance, please dont go lumping most Americans in with them!
Pete, I agree its unpalatable, but when you look at things like civil rights issues and history, I think it’s supported by fact.
Not that they’re the same thing, but it’s not as if the average American is clamoring to shut down Gitmo or eliminate torture… I think that gives you a window into what people will go along with. I know you’re not the “average American” and that you can’t help put feel lumped in with the accusation when such statements are made, but of course I don’t think you feel that way.
Unfortunately, I agree with Shannon. The fact that my sister has to fight for her right to be married in California, a state many Americans consider very “left” in its population, is ridiculous. It’s so frustrating to me that McCain and Palin have such support from people who haven’t done any research on their policies is frightening. Palin asked a “what if” of the Wasilla librarian to take books off the shelves. Even a “what if” is inexcusable, since it opens the door to censorship. McCain doesn’t care that if Roe vs. Wade is overturned, women will get abortions anyway, from untrained people. They could get infections, or die, and he doesn’t care. Then there are the environmental issues. Palin’s husband works for BP, an oil company. We do not need them to have a greater hold in Washington than they already do. She also supports aerial hunting in Alaska, which is ridiculous. Alaska is not an agribusiness state. The wolves do not harm the state’s revenue, or population. There is no reason to be shooting them from helicopters.
But, I think I’m preaching to the choir here. Yes, America has ton of issues with our domestic, foreign, and environmental policies. We’re definitely not the greatest nation out there. Sadly, many Americans think so. I just hope they get their heads out of their asses soon.
One of the problems with where we are going here is that we are not counting noses – yes – there are issues regards the use of torture and so on – but lets count noses – there are 1000s who have been detained and abused in cuba and elsewhere – in part because some of the realities that can be practised elsewhere – it isn’t that easy to practice at that scale – in the millions as was the case in Germany.
If we are going to go into history – nothing new about evolution – there was/is a real difference between the treatment of the indians in america vs. canada as simple as in canada there was a fur trade and canada was filled up at the beginning with adventurers – the hudson bay country – etc. – who traded fur with the indians – yet still at the end of the day – the indians perished in their contact with us – they (the indians) having among other matters – having less resistance to our diseases than we to theirs
Maybe I am mistaken but I believe that it is not unlikely that America will elect Obama – and that today many americans would be honoured were COlIN POWELL to come to dinner.
I love the Canada of which I am a citizen but I do say
God Bless America
because were america had to save germany and in fact west europe from its willingness to hate jews that simply does not map to how america feels about muslims – america is going to right itself – stay tuned
MUNIN_and_HUGIN
the point is that a lot of young people believe and agree with you – the issue is – are the young in America going to do as everyone did a few days ago in Canada – the lowest voter turnout ever –
the old folks are going to vote and when they vote it will be for whatever money is there to give them their pensions their medical coverage etc at the expense of the young – that is what demos is –
if all of you get out and vote – your guy can put right stuff you know should be fixed – is in your interest to be fixed – if you don’t get out to say an 80% turnout total you’re going to be right – but the problem is as simple as that my generation – both in canada and in the usa has taken it all made it an entitlement
I mean when I was young it was different – I had a $3000 scholarship to go back to univ
today old people I know down here in Fl are going to get $59,000 in the best medical care in the world – in their case because they’re old and that is how medicare works down here
that the system is better down here is atested by the fact that most of our politicals
fly down to the mayo for their hips etc
America didn’t care for the Jews any more than the North cared for the slaves… It motivated only a very small percentage of the people involved, and was simply a great narrative after the fact. I think everyone agrees that the rest of Europe was quietly thanking the Germans — hatred of the Jews was far from a German problem (and dehumanization of blacks was far from a Southern problem).
Not a word I disagree with above shannon – but since you are talking and people are listening – get out the vote – the opportunity was there and missed in canada as the turn out did not happen – lowest ever – well the old people in the walkers are all going to vote and if the slacker aren’t careful an opportunity to change the direction is not going to happen -
I have no idea why it is not more apparent that all the money that is left over is going to go into old age entitlements unless every one under 35 gets out and votes
that is the occam’s razor of it
yes it is getting ugly and it’s easy to decide it is bigots but it is simplier – it is follow the money – as things stand in both canada and the usa – the entitlements to my age group are status quo – that is the issue
the folks in the walkers are not perforce or in numbers religious bigots – they are people that want to die in an ICU at a taxpayer cost of enough money to educate a doctor in the slacker generator.
generation
The rediculusness of these people shocks me, old white women are scared of him because hes black yet they completly ignore the fact that (if his mother haddent passed) would also be an old white women. Or they attack his christian paster, yet turn around and are convinced hes muslim.
Unfortunately, our vote only matters in the local and state elections. In the presidential election, even if there is a huge turnout, it only matters if you’re an electorate. Most people don’t realize that. The electorates decide the election, not the common voter, a sad fact. This is one thing that does need to change. It’s the reason why Bush got elected for a second term. Yeah, we Americans are pretty stupid sometimes, but we’re not *that* stupid. Having electoral votes subverts our entire system of “for the people by the people.”
https://www.thestar.com/election
IN GENERAL A VOTE IN A CITY COUNTS LESS THAN A VOTE IN THE COUNTRY
BUT WHAT ABOUT TWO SENATORS PER STATE
the ndp in the canadian election must have won 10x or more the acres with a sixth of votes
on the other hand the liberals with a minority got the best STARBUCKS locations in Vancouver, Toronto and Halifax.
wow, im ashamed to be from ohio right now lol.
disgusting.
Ohhhh nooo…
I’m so embarrassed right now to call myself a Christian.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t terrified about this election.
wow. my computer’s been on the fritz for a few days now – thank god for iPhones or I wouldn’t even be reading this. anyway, I have to say this:
being of Cherokee native American descent and living in the middle east and Europe as a child (military brat), I’ve seen, heard and been the target of a lot of racism by many different kinds of people. I’ve been called all sorts of things by Americans, blacks, Muslims, Europeans. and some of the things they’ve said have honestly been worse than the things they’ve done to me. the hardest truth is that whether we choose to believe it or not, as a whole, Americans are racist, money and power hungry and violent. granted, you take the average American stay at home mother of two and she’s all organic, peace, love, and happiness. but she’s not the type to vote. the majority of those voting are those who are outspoken and the most likely to be touting their hatred and beliefs to anyone who will listen. the sad part for me as an American is the fact that half those who are racist, are only choosing that behavior based on the fact that someone taught them to act that way. they’ve become a product of their environments. I thank the powers that be that my mother raised he with open minds and encouraged us to think for ourselves. I find it sad. my older half sister (who’s father is racist) is voting for McCain. and I get regular email forwards about everything from him being a Muslim extremist and terrorist to (pardon my French) him being referred to as a nigger. I frankly like obama’s policies better. I’m voting for him. but regardless, while Americans don’t want to hear it, you have some very valid points, Shannon. you probably do have a little clearer perspective/perception of things being in Canada than those who are here in the US. I just wish more Americans could come to the realization that this country was founded on freedom from so many things and calling yourself an American should be about upholding those beliefs. (the crazy part is that I could, at this point, complain that America was my people’s land before white settlers came. but I don’t believe I have that right. that happened to my great great great great great great great relatives, not me.)
I normally would have a lot more to say about these matters, but don’t have the time right now (gotta go to a halloween party ;)
For me, the sadest thing is people’s ignorance. While this kind of ignorance is worldwide, I think Americans are at the top of the list. I just can’t understand how so many people can believe every lie and misleading thing they’re told by their politicians. If you are a racist, fine at least Obama actually is black – but just voting for McCain, because Obama is suppousedly Muslim… wake up and check the facts, people!
Oh, and the other thing that should be (but might never be, because of the system that works against it) immediately changed is the voting system. If the USA is the land of the free and the equal, a democratic country, then all elections should be by voting where simply the majority wins.
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