|
If you didn't see the clip last night, watch it. Twice. President Carter spoke eloquently. There is no doubt that he is correct. I'm hoping that President Carter's comments lead to a legitimate discussion and condemnation of not just racism, but the misogyny, homophobia, Anti-Semitism and other bigotries that afflict so many Americans Republicans. I listened last night to some of the right wingnut talking heads explaining how it wasn't really racism, it was a true objection to "their country" being sold out from under them. Funny, all of the wingnuts seem to be white folks. Mostly men. One of them said Carter's comments were surprising, since none of this came up during the campaign. Idiot. I remember being called names because I was doing voter registration for the Obama campaign. Generally two words, the first starting with an "N" and the second being "lover". I heard candidate Obama referred to as "boy". I heard the term "the coloreds". Appalling. It was no better in terms of what was said about Hillary Clinton: as if it is the "duty" of women to be subservient to their husbands, only allowed to stay home and raise kids. As if women should not be allowed to have thoughts of their own, much less elective office. Now, this is America, and we have the first amendment, and people therefore have the freedom of speech. And I believe that's a good thing, right up until it crosses the line into incitement to riot, physical threats, and treason. There is nothing to be done about people who are small minded bigots, except to call them what they are. It goes back to the discussion of what it really means to be a Democrat, and to believe in the Party Platform. If you're a long time reader, you know that I'm a proud, liberal Democrat. NOT because someone told me to, but because after a lot of thought and reason, I know that this is the tent in which I belong. The big tent, the one that fights for what is truly morally correct, for the betterment of all. Regardless of colour, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or country of origin. You know what's coming: What do our opponents mean when they apply to us the label "Liberal?" If by "Liberal" they mean, as they want people to believe, someone who is soft in his policies abroad, who is against local government, and who is unconcerned with the taxpayer's dollar, then the record of this party and its members demonstrate that we are not that kind of "Liberal." But if by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal."
It's time to stand up again - be PROUD to be a liberal. To say to the wingnuts: NO, not this time. We know you for what you are, with your unnatural attraction for a world that thankfully died many years ago de jure, and now must die for ever de facto. Our President, the leader of our party, the leader of the free world, in his speech to Congress last week said that we will call you out when you lie. I stand proudly with my president. I stand proudly with my retired President Carter. I am Spartacus.
|
.jpg)