I've been helping to co-organize some groups going up to canvass for Obama in Racine, WI. I got to go yesterday, and it was wonderful, for many reasons, but then, this happened.
The woman was from our group. Her husband called me as the police were there holding the suspect. The man was not arrested. She went back to Chicago.
I think something is happening that is more than just campaigning for one side or the other. There are people stirring up hate, fear, and violence in serious ways now. I don't know what to do about it, but I am very, very troubled.
At the same time as this troubling turn in current affairs, and the sinking of the economy, I've been watching all German movies at home because of the German class I'm taking. I'm learning a lot. The current thing I'm Netflixing is the bizillion-part German miniseries "Heimat," which chronicles a German family from the first world war to the present. I'm on episode 3. The thing is, all of the circumstances under which Hitler rose to power in that country are present here - the fear, unemployment, latent (or now outright) racism and zenophobia, rampant misguided nationalism, and an economy that is in terrible shape.
Plus, there are videos like these all over YouTube, showing that the hate is becoming violent and real:
this is super frightening, from Ohio:
I want to move to Europe, now. I have been joking about it for a couple of years but I don't want to live with these people as my neighbors. And healthcare: Hello? Have you seen Sicko? Or the PBS specials? We are a sad joke of a developed country.
2 comments:
I know. I think it's so strange that conservatives don't get it. They say liberals are mean to Sarah Palin, but no one has ever burned her in effigy. Mostly we just repeat back the stupid things she says.
Emotions are too high, even on both sides. There was a place in the south with big protests and boycotts for a business that put up a political sign. I won't mention which side, as I don't think that matters at the heart of it.
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