I realize the incendiary nature of this post but frankly, the candidacy of Barak Obama puts us in unchartered waters with regards to several issues. And one of those issues has to be the realization that black leaders in America have been targets of assassins in the past.
Medgar Evers and Martin Luther King are only the most prominent names on a long list of shameful murders – usually at the hands of extremist whites – that have stained this country’s honor and darkened the pages of our history. From those who sought to teach the recently freed slaves how to read who were hunted down and killed like animals, to martyred pioneers in the struggle for voting rights in the south at the turn of the century, to the devastating murders of civil rights workers in the 1950’s and 60’s, blacks who have stepped forward and offered to serve the cause of freedom in America have been at risk of being slain. And while few deny the steady and resolute progress toward achieving the goal of a truly color blind society, the fact is that there are dozens of groups like the Klan, Skinheads, Nazis, and Aryan Nation whose hate could erupt in a spasm of violence that would have tragic consequences.
Even though there have been serious African American candidates for President before, neither Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton appealed to many Americans outside of the far left of the Democratic party and black Americans in general. In effect, both men were what used to be called “Favorite Son” candidates with limited appeal beyond their relatively small constituencies.
By any measure, Senator Obama’s candidacy is different. He is attracting big time money and picking up big time endorsements while a growing, enthusiastic grass roots movement is propelling him forward. His appeal spans race, region, and party. He has as good a shot of winning the Presidency as any of the front runners in either party.
Does it matter that his race makes him more of a target for assassination? I believe it does indeed but perhaps not in any way that would cost him votes. I think what the increased likelihood of danger for Obama does is change the external dynamic of the campaign for both the Senator’s Democratic challengers and, if it comes to it, the man he will face in the general election.
Not that the extremists need an excuse to murder anybody. But experts who study political assassinations have noted that most of these murders take place in an enabling atmosphere where the assassin actually believes he will be considered a hero for carrying out his deed. The Warren Commission, driven by politics to go easy on Dallas, nevertheless made it clear that the atmosphere of hate in the city found a receptive vessel in Oswald.
Oswald’s Marxism was a mile wide and an inch deep. It is doubtful he understood anything about Communism except that it set him apart from the crowd and gave his attention starved ego a boost. Oswald’s pretense of murdering Kennedy for the world communist revolution masked his real reason. As William Manchester so brutally pointed out in his masterful Death of a President, Oswald “shot the President of the United States in the back to get attention.”
Indeed, the FBI’s profiles of assassins include this singular fact; the assassin seeks a public venue for his murder to validate his need for recognition. It is not hard to imagine the kind of hate directed toward Kennedy in the south as a result of his civil rights proposals. One need only look at the hate directed toward President Bush to get an inkling of the kind of unbalanced, inarticulate rage that was felt toward Kennedy. And driving that rage in Dallas was the publisher of the Dallas Morning News, Ted Dealy.
Dealy printed a poster of Kennedy on the day before the assassination, with the caption “Wanted for Treason.” His vitriolic editorials practically invited someone to take a shot at the President. And for some reason, Dallas seemed to be the capitol city of the unhinged in America at that time. Birchers, Kluxers, radical anti-communists, race baiters, all made Dallas a place that worried many of Kennedy’s close supporters, many of whom strongly urged him not to make the trip at all.
How much of that atmosphere rubbed off on Oswald? According to Ruth Paine, who put up Oswald’s wife Marina following several brutal beatings by her husband, Lee read the News everyday. And Oswald could hardly have been unaware of the Birchers since he took at shot at General Edwin Walker, a notorious extremist just months prior to his killing the President.
But it wasn’t just the Kennedy assassination where we see this hatred explode into violence. Many have pointed to the atmosphere of hate in Memphis when Martin Luther King came to support the garbage workers in their strike for a decent wage and better working conditions. And in 1968, the recent Arab-Israeli conflict and the outrage in the Palestinian community that was felt as a consequence of American support for Israel apparently contributed to the rage of Sirhan Sirhan and his desire to strike back at America by killing Robert Kennedy.
Even John Hinckley, Ronald Reagan’s would be assassin, may have been affected by the unhinged nature of much of the criticism being directed against the President for his budget and tax proposals and most especially for his stated desire to confront the Soviet Union. I distinctly remember commenting to friends at the time that at this rate, Reagan wouldn’t survive; that some nut with a gun would get the idea they were doing the world a favor and kill the President.
And the hate and spite directed at President Clinton resulted in two serious assassination attempts. Francisco Duran fired nearly 30 rounds through the White House gate in 1994. And while he tried to mount an insanity defense, he also claimed that he was inspired by conservative radio talk show hosts who had talked about “cleansing” the government and “armed revolution.” Even if Duran is lying about what actually motivated him, no serious observer could fail to note that for much of Clinton’s presidency, there was an undercurrent of hysteria that animated his extremist critics.
So how does this affect the Presidential campaign? First and foremost, it places a responsibility on candidates, their staffs, and their supporters to be circumspect in their criticisms of Obama. You can lay into a candidate without inviting the public to hate them. One can even personalize their criticism without it degenerating into the kind of mindless hate that is so often directed at Bush. And this challenge will be monitored by a more sensitive press who will probably come down harder and quicker on transgressors.
It also behooves those of us who write for political blogs to be cognizant of the danger. Obama is one of the most liberal candidates ever to seek the Presidency. I doubt whether many conservatives agree with much of anything he espouses. But will it really kill us if we keep our criticisms focused on the issues of the campaign – including personal issues like his lack of experience and an emerging portrait of a mushy headed idealist? I think not.
I’m not telling anyone what to write or to limit themselves in any way except to understand the historic nature of Obama’s candidacy and the very real danger that the same kind of treatment the right gave Clinton could prove tragic. As I said, it isn’t just the odd, angst ridden social deviant armed with an automatic weapon that would feel enabled by such an atmosphere. There are very serious men fully capable of making serious plans who might not need an enabling atmosphere to kill but who might actually be encouraged by it.
In his book In God’s Country: The Patriot Movement and the Pacific Northwest, writer-blogger Dave Neiwert paints a startling and disturbing portrait of some of these extremists. Anyone who believes that these people are just a bunch of red necks hiding in the woods needs to be disabused of that notion entirely. And the Southern Poverty Law Center Intelligence Project has detailed files on dozens of hate groups, some of them heavily armed and made up of former members of the United States military.
They have the means and the motive (by their lights) to bring unspeakable tragedy once again to this country. It will be up to the dedicated and motivated professionals at the Secret Service to deny them the opportunity.
And it will be up to us to deny them any semblance of an idea that their violent action would be greeted by anything except outraged contempt.
3:07 pm
Wow. This essay exposes the Deranged Bush Hatred Syndrome for the rightist claptrap that it really is. Thoroughly disliking a President’s poor decision making abilities, disdain for the legal and political process that is America, and stubborn refusal to deal with reality is not hatred, just a sad conclusion the majority of Americans have made.
5:35 pm
A sobering, thoughtful post. I hear you. And thanks for the reminder about Neiwert’s book which I have been meaning to purchase. Almost a year ago now I began a rather painful journey sparked by the tremendous hate, bigotry, and deception being perpetrated by the Right re: immigration. Which eventually led me to Neiwart’s website and the SPLC. These two sources can not be ignored, and neither can your warning re: Obama. I would add, however, the stars of America’s current “freak show” (as a new book aptly describes the political sribes & screamers of the new media) spew gallons of hatred and toxic accusations on candidates of all colors, tho I agree a black candidate is in greater physical danger. Witness the whispering campaign about Rudy G and “those homos” from the Log Cabin Republicans. It’s gotten real ugly out there in the right wing nuthouse…
8:11 pm
Rick,
Did you really write this? This liberal black guy comes along and someone on the right will want to kill him? Most assassins are basically nuts, yet you darkly suggest that this time it might done by competent and rational (ex-military)people? I wouldn’t hang my hat on what the SLPC or this Niewert fellow say. They seem to have their own agenda.
8:54 pm
Just a quick google search 5 minutes ago:
“Bush hatred”—173,000 hits
“Obama hatred”—6 hits
Hatred is not localized to one party or ideology. God bless Obama, and God bless his opposition. Now let’s talk about the issues.
10:50 pm
” I would add, however, the stars of America’s current “freak show†(as a new book aptly describes the political sribes & screamers of the new media) spew gallons of hatred and toxic accusations on candidates of all colors, tho I agree a black candidate is in greater physical danger”
Why is that Rick can decry the bigotry from members of the Right, but people on the Left pretend their side is innocent of hatred – when most of the awful, angry, offensive posts come from the left-side of the blogosphere?
11:00 pm
I love the blog that you have. I was wondering if you would link my blog to yours and in return I would do the same for your blog. If you want to, my site name is American Legends and the URL is:
http://www.americanlegends.blogspot.com
If you want to do this just go to my blog and in one of the comments just write your blog name and the URL and I will add it to my site.
Thanks,
Mark
12:52 am
Yes indeed… the Deranged Bush Haters Syndrome…a symptom of those with two or more digit IQs. This horrible disease that now possesses literally two thirds of this country that do not approve of Bush’s handling of his job.
The Deranged Bush Haters Syndrome, a disease that affects those who refuse to close their eyes to the madness and hypocrisy of wingnuts everywhere. The Deranged Bush Haters Syndrome that often affects Americans who actually have read the Constitution and refuse to enjoy seeing more poor people, more hatred and more war.
You bet.
8:21 am
I think the two previous commenters are good working examples of what you mean.
9:40 am
The politics of assassination
Rick Moran, who never lets political correctness of any sort interfere with his thinking, raises the very touchy question of assassination and Barack Obama’s candidacy.
10:19 am
“Why is that Rick can decry the bigotry from members of the Right, but people on the Left pretend their side is innocent of hatred – when most of the awful, angry, offensive posts come from the left-side of the blogosphere?”
My answer to this comment is, you’re evading the point. Personally, my expectations for the Left are zero, and sinking. I am not interested in matching the Left’s standard of ignorance and hatred, or holding up the Right to that specious comparison. I don’t have a perfect solution, but I do know we somehow have to climb out of the political sewer. Because at some point, Left meets Right and everything in the pipe turns to sludge. The fact that Rick Moran is even raising the issue, rather gently, is admirable. Don’t dismiss it because “they” are worse than “us.”
11:09 am
Web Reconnaissance for 02/13/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.
2:10 pm
For the record, the Southern Poverty Law Center is an extremist hate group in its own right—another one of those liberal organization’s whose euphemistic names suggest benevolence while their practices further their goals of advancing racism, socialism, and ultimately the destruction of America (ACLU, anyone?)
6:21 pm
Give me a break.
This isn’t the 1960’s. Can you name any prominent black politician, say, within the last 25 years that has been the target of a significant assassination attempt by a racist?
A few articles everyone should read about the Southern Poverty Law Center and that racist-hysteria huckster Morris Dees:
http://www.chroniclesmagazine.org/Chronicles/July2004/0704Grace.html
http://www.vdare.com/king/050331_poverty.htm
http://www.vdare.com/bevens/041123_jackson.htm
6:42 pm
The Continued Slander of ‘the Democrat Party’
Democratic presidential candidate Barrack Hussein Obama apologized yesterday for describing the lives of 3,000 U.S. troops killed in Iraq as “wasted.” He called the remark “a slip of the tongue…”
7:36 pm
“The fact that Rick Moran is even raising the issue, rather gently, is admirable. Don’t dismiss it because “they†are worse than “us.—
Oh there are plenty of things I read on right-wing blogs and just hang my head in shame (heck, almost as often as when I read left-wing ones). I misread your comment and thought you meant that bigotry and hatred were a Right-only phenomenon and I apologize for that.
7:55 pm
Yeah, that familiar warning about the SPLC kept me miles away from anything it published for a long time. But one name in particular had me stumped and very, very curious, and I kept running into a reference to the same exposé by the SPLC. One day I read it, then read a number of other articles. I have found the info from SPLC fair, well documented and unassailable. I’ve been on their immigration e-newsletter list for months. I’d never expect to agree with 100% of the views expressed, just as I certainly don’t agree with all the self labeled “conservatives” claiming to speak for me.
11:53 pm
Submitted for Your Approval
First off… any spambots reading this should immediately go here, here, here, and here. Die spambots, die! And now… here are all the links submitted by members of the Watcher’s Council for this week’s vote. Council li…
11:25 am
[...] Right Wing Nut House, “Obama and the Assassination Factor†[...]
5:20 am
It ain’t the 1960’s and the right wing white supremacists also oppose the Iraq war, so they probably wouldn’t kill the guy who’s gonna get us out by March 2008.
You also missed another possible motivation for an Obama killer: Muslim extremist angerered by his apostasy.
12:59 pm
Web Reconnaissance for 02/15/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.
9:44 am
obama will be the begining of the end for white americans and the country itself #1 He will feel obligated or pressured to help his fellow negros out even if he tries to be racially equal. #2 If he does become president the assasination factor rises 99% and if he does get assasinated their are going to be riots by dumb black people.#3 Raceism is still alive and well here in WV and it is growing .#4 If obama caters to black people Whites will get a little pissed and eventually will fight back Remember The Old South
The South Will Rise Again
9:03 pm
[...] Tags: campaign, Culture, discrimination, election ‘08, life, obama, prayer, president, thoughts trackback This unthinkable scenario is starting to gain steam on the internet. Monica Guzman writes atSeattlepi.com that “assassinate Obama” is becoming one of Google’s most searched phrases. The Right Wing Nut House posted about the possibility a year ago. Many have been thinking it, just no one has been saying it, until now. [...]
10:51 pm
A liberal democrat win in 2008 might be what is needed to reconsider the viability of secession from the US government.
Essentially, what with liberal infestation of academia and the mainstream media, and the current choice of three liberals (Clinton, Obama and McCain) vying for president, the US as our Founding Fathers visualized it is headed for oblivion. The only possible chance for survival of true patriotic beliefs and constitutional law may very well be secession.
The South may well indeed rise again.
If so, let there be no surrender.
6:10 am
[...] OBAMA AND THE ASSASSINATION FACTOR [...]
7:49 am
“Deranged Bush Haters Syndrome”—-what did they call it when the entire industry of Right Wing Hate Radio was founded solely on the 24/7/365 assault on Bill Clinton? The DBHS label is such a transparent attempt to categorize and dismiss any criticism of the administration that it remains, where it belongs, on the lowest strata of political discourse, where dwell only the Limbaughs, O’Reillys and Hannitys and their audience of feeble-minded parrots.
10:45 pm
It’s B A R A C K
CK CK CK
2:38 pm
New count on Google:
Obama Hatred: over 3,000,000
Assassinate Obama: nearly 2,500,000!
Bush hatred: only 390,000 (and some about foliage and pubic hair)!
Do the math and wake up people!
2:40 pm
[...] the Rightwing Nuthouse (2.12.2007): I realize the incendiary nature of this post but frankly, the candidacy of Barak Obama [...]
9:20 am
how come when a president is elected,no matter who it is,the losers cannot get over it and will hate the winner as long as his term in office exist?I do hope that who ever gets in does 1/10 of all the lies he promised us.that would at least be something.Every new guy that runs for president that comes out of an unknown wall like a cockroach and has never done any thing befor,always starts his campain with(IF YOU WANT CHANGE,VOTE FOR ME)?What a crock of horse sh—.Of course every one that has had a bad previous 4 years will fall for that one.A politition is an attorney,and every one knows an attorney cannot tell the truth and is a great twister of words. But isn`t it fun to argue with a computer and have something to do to pass the time away.No one wins anything in this election,so lets all have fun and may the best man win.