Racism, Hatred in Georgia and South Carolina - no surprise

This past weekend I traveled to Atlanta for the Writing and Wellness Conference. On the drive both ways I was treated to that radio 'dead space' that occurs just South of Charlotte and continues until you begin to approach Atlanta.

The only available radio stations featured preachers, Mexican music, and extreme right wing talk shows. Now, I do try to keep up with what Limbaugh and his ilk say, but I was still shocked at what I heard coming form the mouths of conservative female hosts. The attacks on Obama almost - almost - made Palin sound reasonable. Ayers, Wright, Farrakhan, Sharpton were trotted out consistently. Audio clips were played not just out of context, but deliberately misinterpreted. Obama's middle name was repeatedly used in a derogatory fashion, as was the word Communist. No evidence was ever offered, of course, for the claim he was a Communist or Islamic terrorist. Which, of course, he isn't. Michelle Obama was accused of secretly being a co-conspirator with Bernadine Dorhn. What evidence was provided? Three years before Michelle was hired by a Chicago law firm, Bernadine was hired by that firm.

That was it. All the evidence. This was before Michelle and Barack were even married.

The manner of expression was so vitriolic I expected to see spit flying out of the radio speakers.

McCain is at the top of the ticket, and he certainly deserves a share of the blame for this. His name is on the ads after all; his approval. But much of the blame for the incendiary, racist agitation being shown by followers of the Republican ticket has to be placed on Palin. She was the one who began the name-caling, pointedly began to stir up crowds to frothing anger by her smears that Obama was a terrorist, and 'not one of us'. She is the one who is deliberately catering to the basest attitudes of the base. She is the one who, even today, told McCain he needed to be even more aggressive in his attacks on Obama.

Palin has created a brush fire of hatred that is threatening to get out of control - as witnessed by the way McCain was booed when he tried to quiet some of his most ignorant supporters. By the way he is publicly challenged to be more negative by hotheads at his rallies, by offensive and exclusionary 'prayers' offered at his rallies by preachers who are totally out of touch with any God who is compassionate and all-loving.