The Back and Forth has been going on for quite some time now. We yell at each other, call each other names, question each other's intelligence and sanity... On the surface this looks like fervent supporters of opposing candidates sniping at each other. Which it is. I think, however, that the rabbit hole goes a touch deeper than just that. I'm not providing a laundry list of offensive comments, but I do want to explore what these two sides appear to represent, based on the arguments I've seen.
Feminism v/s Civil Rights
Working Class v/s Middle Class
Democratic Candidate v/s Democratic Candidate
and most Obviously...
Pot v/s Kettle
Looking at the 'groups' such as they are on either side of the v/s gives me pause. It strikes me as very odd that people with a common cause would so viciously attack one another, and seriously, what's one side guilty of that the other isn't? We already know the obvious reason why. The not so obvious reason is the tried and true principle of "divide and conquer." If you have more than one enemy, you turn them against one another for easier pickin's when you finally enter the fray.
Allowing the following:
Some Clintonistas are racists.
Some Obamabots are sexist.
Campaigns on both sides to vote for McCain in November.
It's easy to see who benefits.
It's easier to see how our friends the 'publicans can benefit further by magnifying what I believe are tiny pockets of both racism and sexism and shoving that conflict into the mainstream. Now we're pissed at all those racists who don't like our candidate, or all those sexists who don't like ours. It's not long before we conflate them with fervent supporters who are nothing of the sort. Then we get even MORE mad. "He called me a racist!" "She called me a sexist!" The conflagration continues. "*All* Clintonistas must be at least sort of racist!" "*All* Obamabots must be at least sort of sexist" Which culminates in a chorus of "Well fuck all y'all! I'm Voting for McCain!"
And what's the only thing McCain needs to get the White House?
Votes. And a pissed of democrat's vote does the same thing a neocon's does. Let's bear that in mind as we argue the virtues of our respective 'chosen ones.' Most importantly, don't be so sure that everyone flaming clinton is an obama supporter, or vice/versa.
From Wikipedia
Traditionally, an agent provocateur (plural: agents provocateurs, French for "inciting agent") is a person employed by the police or other law enforcement body to act undercover and entice or provoke another person to commit an illegal act. More generally, the term may refer to a person or group who provokes another to perform a wrong or rash action, the deliberate purpose being to incite wider conflict or harm.
Agents provocateurs are also used against political opponents. Here, it has been documented that provocateurs deliberately carry out or seek to incite counter-productive or ineffective acts, in order to foster public disdain for the group and provide a pretext for aggression against the group; and to worsen the punishments its members are liable for (see Red-baiting)
Understand, fellow clintobamanistabots?
The Agents of hate on either side of this are for the most part on neither side. They are republicans, neocons, people who genuinely want 4 more years of bush. They are the ones who started this whole mess, attacking both campaigns and immediately floating the narrative that they are attacking each other.
We also have actual clinton/obama partisans partaking in the rhetoric, having been suckered by aforementioned provocateurs into believing the other side was responsible. This, of course, solidifies our cases against one another.
So Let's all take a step back and a deep breath. Let's ask ourselves if any progressive, liberal, or democrat would really like to see McCain elected this year. The answer I came to is an emphatic NO
Let's take a look at ourselves for a change. Let's be introspective in examining whether the arguments we apply to each other also apply to ourselves. Let's make peace with one another, not for the sake of victory, but for the sake of brother/sisterhood. Let's Give each other the benefit of the doubt and promise ourselves we won't let the fascists dictate the terms of our debate.
Finally, let the terms "Clintonista" and "Obamabot" apply ONLY to supporters of one who refuse to vote for a democrat in november. Watch out for the fakes.
Disclosure: I'm an obama supporter who has said some nasty things about hillary, as recently as this morning. I'm really sorry about that. This is My Moment of Clarity.