One of the goals of the Civil Rights movement in the pre-internet era of the 1960s was to get the rest of America to see what blacks and whites in the South saw every day - the brutal face of racism.
But when the national news media first came to the South to do reports there was nothing to see. Black people would tell stories of oppression - but when the news crews went to the white officials they would say "What? Huh? What the heck are you talking about?" The stories were told, but there were no PICTURES of the hate to make the stories more vivid and real to an America that did not want to believe what they were told.
So, the movement leaders learned to hold protest events that would force the white power structure to react - and to do so on camera. When the rest of America saw the bulldogs and fire hoses they knew how much Civil Rights legislation was needed.
We need something like that today to demonstrate what is behind the Birther and anti-reform movement. More below the fold.
I have seen numerous posts on this site and elsewhere which include photos taken at town hall meetings and tea-bagger rallies. They show men and women - and sometimes children - carrying signs with vile slogans and racist images. But somehow none of this has penetrated into the national consciousness.
I'm afraid that until these images do become more common, impossible to ignore, then it will be all too easy for the moderates out there, especially the moderate Republicans, to shrug and say "oh, well, maybe there are a few crazies out there - but it's no big deal; I don't know what these left-wing bloggers are talking about." We need to show that these signs and these posters are at EVERY such rally. That racism IS the common denominator that brings these people out.
Some brave souls among us should go out and DOCUMENT these crowds. Move among them silently, surreptitiously filming and recording these events. Make sure we capture what their signs say - and what they are SAYING to one another in crowds gathered in public spaces. Then we need to post these on Youtube and other sites. Get the word out and make it IMPOSSIBLE for both the mainstream media and moderate Republicans to ignore the ugly truth of what is being said and done in their name.
I'm going to try to do it. I hope others do too.