It is time you publicly denounced the anger and racism that’s being intentionally stoked in hopes of defeating health care reform and building GOP turnout for the 2010 elections. I know from speaking privately with GOP consultants, lobbyists and politicians that many are alarmed and even ashamed about Joe Wilson, about the death threats, about the incendiary, racist tone of the teabaggers, about hate-radio. Do something about it.
Mike Baselice, you are a good man. I know your polling numbers show that the extreme Right can help your client Rick Perry get past a challenge from Kay Bailey Hutchison. I know that for decades that moderate Republicans have felt no qualms about an alliance with extremists. I guess you and others assumed that there was no real risk, the numbers of nuts were really small, they would never come near any real power. Please, for the sake of the future of Texas and the nation, toss them overboard. Now.
Mark McKinnon, you are speaking out, and for that, I thank you. But it’s time to do more. Distinguished Republican officeholders from the past and present need to stand up and denounce the ugly, anti-American rhetoric.
Former Gov. Bill Clements, you were an outspoken old cuss, so, get outspoken again. I know you must be pained by these developments. Gov. Rick Perry speaks of secession. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee talks of an African-American’s “bright red lips.” Joe Wilson feels the natural superiority of whites permits the shouting down of an African-American president before a national audience.
Mike, Mark, Bill – I have used your names because I believe you are good people, not because I want to embarrass you or implicate you in a regressive and racist movement. That is not you, and I know it. But, as the song I posted earlier on this site says, “Evil flourishes when good men do nothing.” I could include many more of my Republican friends in this letter. You know who you are.
Stand up. Get your officeholder friends to speak out.
Former President Jimmy Carter has spoken out. I know, he’s a Democrat. But he is respected around the world for his moral strength and Christian principles. Yesterday, he told MSNBC yesterday:
Racism … still exists and I think it has bubbled up to the surface because of a belief among many white people, not just in the south but around the country, that African-Americans are not qualified to lead this great country. It’s an abominable circumstance and grieves me and concerns me very deeply.
The violent few are a threat to the peace of our communities. There is a great silent majority, as Richard Nixon said, that demands security and peace at home. Today, mainstream Republicans are making a public alliance with their own Weather Underground. It must stop.
The words of hate are not harmless. You cannot rest easily upon the fact that they are not your words. Hate-radio talk show hosts, a key part of your communications infrastructure, must be told to pull down the hate. Now.
If you do nothing, if you shrug and say it’s not your problem, you risk the soul of your party. You risk civil unrest. You risk the rending of the social fabric.
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About Glenn W. Smith
Glenn W. Smith has spent the past 30 years in journalism and politics, where he’s made a name for himself as a writer, campaign manager, activist, think tank analyst and, as Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas says, a “legendary political consultant and all-around good guy.” “There’s no one like him,” says author George Lakoff. CNN commentator Paul Begala says, “He has unmatched experience, a graceful pen (or pixel nowadays) and deep insight into the best and worst of us.” Novelist Sarah Bird speaks of his “lucid and lyrical” prose. And, she says, he’s fun. Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington says Glenn writes with “grace and abundant humor” and “uses his colorful experiences in Texas to enlighten us all.”
Smith led Ann Richards’ successful 1990 campaign for Governor of Texas. He worked for former Texas Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby and U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen. Earlier, Smith was a political reporter for the Houston Chronicle and the Houston Post. He’s coordinated national campaigns for groups such as MoveOn.org. In 2004, he authored the highly acclaimed book, The Politics of Deceit: Saving Freedom and Democracy from Extinction. He also wrote Unfit Commander, a book that detailed George W. Bush’s mysterious disappearance from military service.
In 2004, Smith was featured in the film, Bush’s Brain, a documentary about Karl Rove. Smith provided commentary on Rove’s role as then-President Bush’s senior advisor. He has made numerous media appearances with Chris Mathews on Hardball, Joe Scarborough, Brit Hume, and many others. He writes a regularly for top national web sites, including FireDogLake and Huffington Post.
As a senior fellow at George Lakoff’s prestigious Rockridge Institute in Berkeley he studied, wrote and taught on the power of metaphor and narrative in political communications. He also lectured on religion and politics at the Starr King School for Ministry in Berkeley. As a sponsor and organizer, he has pulled together numerous national events with progressive religious leaders. He also organized a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King at Riverside Church in New York City as well as “Freedom and Faith” bus tours, which was a nationwide campaign for social justice and progressive values.
Smith’s play, Double Play, which explored American Western myths and legends, was held over to sold-out audiences. He’s even written and performed songs in the Americana tradition, such as his best-known song, “Helping Marty Robbins,” a tribute to his hometown, Houston.
Most recently, Smith is the creator of DogCanyon, a political and cultural web site covering state, national and global issues from a Texas perspective. DogCanyon is an exhilarating and unique site that gets the connections between politics and culture and explores both the personal side of politics and the ups, down, craziness and beauty of “life its ownself,” as humorist Dan Jenkins would say. DogCanyon offers heartfelt personal essays, hard-hitting political analysis, and, most importantly, laughs.
As Paul Begala said, Smith writes in “the finest, firmest, fearless tradition of Texas essayists like Molly Ivins.”
Great column today, Glenn. Your site is getting a fine start!
Thanks, Dan. In so many ways, what I might know about politics I learned from you. Say hey to the folks there for me!
Great piece Mr. Smith, I am likewise offended by some of the rhetoric of corporate sponsored protestors in D.C., almost as much as I am offended by the lack of political action in the Congress to provide the American people with affordable and accessible healthcare, regulation of Wall Street, and an end to the Occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq. I see one problem though: The right sees their protesting, even when it violates Congressional decorum, as their natural inalienable right, granted by the constitution, to advocate for freedom and personal property, which they feel are threatened by actual policies of the current administration. The right will always use charges of racially motivated speech as an attempt to pigeon hole them by liberal bureaucrats who want to control them completely. I happen to be even further left than DOGCANYON, and do not deride the Weather Underground, rather Obama’s connection to Bill Ayers, however minimal, actually convinced me to vote for him, rather than to question my support. But Let’s be honest; both parties’ elected members of congress have been “risking the soul” of their party and their nation for a long time. It’s time for citizens of both parties to demand action in the Congress! The coo coos in the streets can be dealt with, just as the Weather Underground were, with an overwhelming force of what Nixon called a “Law and Order Society.” I have no doubt that the F.B.I. can handle them. Let’s admit, as Rachel Maddow recently pointed out, L.B.J. got health care reform, not through great speeches but through political ball busting. We need a new Sam Rayburn, not a few denunciations by Republican blow hards of their most devout constituents.
Glenn,
Great piece – will send it along. Sorry I missed you Friday. Love to Margie…
M
How did we miss one another? And, thanks, Mark, for all you do.
Certainly there are racists in this country and certainly some of that underlies the criticism the administration is receiving. But it would be folly to dismiss any criticism of the President, his administration, or his political agenda as “racially fueled.”
http://www.reason.com/news/show/136119.html
Yes, that would be folly. But it’s hard to overlook talk of big red lips, it’s hard not to notice that many GOP officeholders and leaders seem quite happy to have the racists stirring up hatred, fear, and threatening violence. That is what must be opposed. Legitimate debate and criticism, of course, should be aired, discussed, and considered respectfully by everyone.
Thank you, Mr. Smith, for saying publicly what’s on a lot of our minds. Though I am an Independent, I tend more toward the Democratic side — that can be a hazard today with the kind of folks you mention in the article. I know that there are people of good will on both sides of the aisle who want nothing more than “security and peace at home”, the opportunity to be able to discuss and express our inevitable differences on vital issues in a civil and respectful way, and who would like the extremists at BOTH ends of the political spectrum to turn down the volume.
Harry, thanks for writing. Very well said.
Calling the President a “liar” is nothing new. There are multiple times when Dems would get on the floor and openly call George W. a liar. They would be reminded that this is against the rules, then move on. I am not a senator, I am a minority, and I will say it. THE PRESIDENT IS LYING!!!! Get over the fact that this country is divided by political parties and that anyone who disagrees with the President is not rascist. Dems, wake up! America wants you out!
You cannot hide the racism behind a blanket assertion that all criticism of Obama is considered racist. That’s dishonest. I’ve criticized Obama, and will continue to, for reasons having to do with policy and strategy. I expect others to, I welcome it. I believe our nation depends upon such open discussion and criticism.
It is a typical right wing trick to step over the line and then try to deflect criticism by saying the criticism is, somehow, the problem. No, the problem is bigotry. The problem is the GOP’s new version of the old Southern Strategy. That the rich and powerful sit safely in their towers — paid for with money out of the poor folk they manipulate — is nauseating and unforgivable.
Thanks, Glenn.
I think it’s to your credit, and possibly to my discredit, that you are still able to sort wheat from chaff in the GOP. Having said that, I know there is plenty of chaff in the Democratic Party, you often can hear collective moans at party gatherings when they surface.
However, I think your response to attempted deflection says as much, if not more, about the state of things today. While many of the GOP elders will not use or openly facilitate extremist actions, they are quick to defend them as “not as bad as . . . ”
It’s this juvenile sounding, but totally calculated, “you didn’t punish sister for that” tone which tries to draw attention and guilt away from the culpable.
Lee, that’s exactly right. And they should be challenged on it.
Glenn, while I absolutely think Rep. Wilson stepped over the line during President Obama’s speech, I’m puzzled why it’s being branded as ‘racist’. Can’t it just be wildly inappropriate and beneath the dignity of his office and the setting? I am a socially-liberal, fiscally-conservative, libertarian-leaning moderate who has worked for, and supported both Democrats and Republicans. And, without a hint of racism or disrespect, I can declare that: “I am VERY concerned about many of the policies supported by President Obama and most Democrats in Congress, including (but not limited to) health care reform, cap-and-trade, financial bailouts, government take-overs of industries, and the soaring national debt.” And guess what? I had the same objections to bad policies when Republicans were in charge. For me, this is a disagreement in policy… nothing more, nothing less.
While I disagree with your concerns, they are reasoned, well articulated, and deserve respect and discussion. If the health care debate had proceeded along such lines it would be a different circumstance. I still don’t believe Republicans will compromise because 1) they believe it’s in the party’s political interests to hang a loss on Obama; 2) They are closely linked to the insurance industry, which is the very source of the problem.
With regard to Joe Wilson, his pastmakes him suspicious. He has become a hero among bigots who are carrying around racist signs and saying hateful things. I truly believe there are people, people like Wilson, who think a black person is not deserving of respect. Another tip-off came when Rick Perry and others began to use racist code like “secession” and “states rights” — with their clear connection to resistance to civil rights — in voicing opposition to health care reform. Finally, the subject that Wilson chose — immigration — is suspicious. Despite the fact that the president and the Congressional leadership of both parties agree that people in this country illegally will not get insurance under any bill, the right wing talk show nuts and others are going on an on about illegal immigration. Their hope: scare people so badly about foreign hordes that they’ll forget their own children are dying for lack of insurance.
I disagree with Obama about many things. For instance, the buy-back of gas-guzzlers was a ridiculous subsidy for people too irresponsible to have done the right thing in the first place. I can only wish everyone was as level-headed as you. It would be a much different debate. I am curious about all this sudden concern for the debt, which was tripled by Bush without a whisper of concern from Republicans.
And could you cut down the homophobia 800+ notches? Just a little, you know?
Thanks Glenn. This is critically important. First, we and our Republican friends all know that this appeal is not an assertion that all criticism of the President is driven by racism. Racism is, however, an important source of anger for some unknowable but meaningful segment of the electorate. Second, to be effective, Republicans must speak out against the tone, tenor, and tactics of the virulent right.
Rough an tumble political debate is a time honored American tradition but the current rhetoric to delegitimize the President and label him a fascist, Nazi etc is wrong and a necessary pre-condition for violent acts by the unhinged among us. When elected officials abandon all sense of decorum and respect for the office and wink and nod when violence is inferred, we as a society are playing with fire.
Whatever political advantage can be gained by inviting the fringe to center stage and to the floor of Congress is surely out weighed by the risk to the President and the Nation. Moderate conservatives would do well to begin to take the edge off the radical fringe in the ranks.
Very well said, Peter.
I used to be a Republican years ago, in the early ’80s. Even worked for a GOP senator in Washington. But I have to say that it was the overt racism I saw “behind the scenes” that never was called out; never questioned, that soon gave me no choice but to search elsewhere for the answers to the problems this country faced then and now. Any group that is SO fundamentally unsound has got to have misguided motives and questionable goals.
I’m a proud Democrat now, but I’m not afraid to criticize fellow Democrats when I disagree on policy matters, etc. And that’s one of the big differences between the two parties. I still have friends and family who consistently vote Republican; and for whatever reason, they just can’t bring themselves to call out one of their own when conversation turns to politics. It’s very sad, and very telling.
Thanks for this.
I am a liberal. Im way over there with Kucinich. Now that’s liberal. I try to have a civil conversation with far right conservatives I met at town hall meetings and at rallys and eventually I discover that we aren’t using the same vocabulary and it seems we can look at the same thing and see it totally differently. I read and study all the time trying to understand what is happening in my country and community. When I have tried to discuss with them, I finally give up, thinking there is no way to get there from here. I begin to ask myself, “What makes me see things the way I do and why do they see things the way they do?” It appears to me that we just come to the table with a totally different mindset. Why are we so different…so polarized?
This post, alone, makes this a site worth bookmarking. We so often use euphemism to soften the impact of revealing the facts. Thanks for avoiding the temptation to do that.
You nailed it. Somebody in that party needs to call their members to this responsibility….reminds me of the McCarthy days.