This is meant to follow up on the diary already posted concerning the hate speach that has been infused into the campaign and the dangerous areas we soon could be entering.
I have kept my eye on DKos throughout the day and was just overcome with sadness about the level of hate that has infused this "democracy". I headed out to lunch and my car had on the local News/Talk Station, which of course carries Rush Limbaugh at this hour. Already burdened by real fear and sadness, I heard this:
What do Osama Bin Laden and Barrack Obama have in common?
Rush tooted out the theme from Jeopady, and then announced: "They both have friends that bombed the Pentagon." And I, nearly hit the car that had stopped in front of me.
There must exist a level of hatred that I am not familiar with, and its strengthening stench has me very scared. There must exist a fear of losing power that overrides all sense of decency and civility. To openly compare the Democratic nominee for President, a man who has literally worked his way through school, jobs, state politics, and now national politics on the strength of his character, intellect, sensitivity and hope, to the man who seeks to destroy this country is beyond my ability to comprehend.
What is the response to visceral, instinctual, non-cognitive hatred and fear? Are we really two nations, one red, one blue, that cannot stand to live with each other? "Kill him" yelled a man at Sarah Palin's speach yesterday, we can't know for sure who he meant, but we can be sure his intentions were toward another american. Is this really where we go when Republicans face losing the Whitehouse?
This nation is losing more than its money and might, I fear that there is a coming war of culture and idealogy. My hope lies in Barack Obama, that somehow, the most polarizing politician can find some common ground, lest we go to war with ourselves, figuritively or factually once again. I have hope, but I am still sad.