Senator Barack Obama

The Great Fear of 2008

My daughter came home from school yesterday and reported that a classmate was wearing a 'Nobama' t-shirt. When she asked her classmate why she was wearing the t-shirt, the classmate said, "Because if Obama's elected he's going to burn all the white people like Hitler did."

True story.

Of course this isn't new, nor is it restricted to children. In 1860, Lincoln faced similar accusations from the Southern 'Fire-Eaters' who insisted that he was going encourage slaves to rise up and kill their white masters. 148 years ago, and Americans are still passing along this infection to their kids. Not surprising, but all the more reason why a President Obama will be a crucial step towards crushing this immoral American fear.

Adding... 2008's fire-eaters aren't restricted to ignorant parents who buy their kids 'Nobama' shirts. Don't forget that there's a notorious race-baiter on every cable news network (Buchanan, Castellanos, Rove). And on every national TV network, the Republicans broadcast an obvious racial stereotype -- one delivered by a former candidate, and another by their vice presidential nominee.