The politics of mud

When I read an article about how Barack Obama had a huge turnout to hear him speak last week-end at Portland, Oregon's Waterfront Park. I thought how neat. Not a huge surprise as that is a downtown park that draws many people on any nice week-end for any cause or fun event. I have been there many times, and there is no better time than a sunny day. The park was created along the Willamette River for people to use and use it they do. Still it was neat to see Oregonians excited for this candidate, who I also support.

Then I did something I don't do often. I read the comment section for the article. My pleasure in the political process was quickly dampened as I could not believe what I was reading. One after another of the commenters not only could not spell but were filled with hate fueled by fear that a black man might become our next president.

I kept reading thinking there can't be this many hate-mongers, but there were. They were some of the ugliest comments I have read and made me think that Washington Post site should discontinue comments as these nuts were apparently feeding on each other.

It's not necessary to repeat the kinds of garbage those bigots spewed out, but you can imagine. Their rants were fueled by reading deceitful, email forwards and listening to extreme right wing talk shows spout things the hosts may not believe themselves but know their uninformed listeners will. Check this out: What your uncle is reading.

It isn't all the fault of right wing radio or those false emails. Most people believe what they want. Still, with emails as they are, a lot of people pass things on without fact checking. It's time, if caring people haven't done it before, to think and check before forwarding.

The hate-filled talk I read last night scared me. That kind of venom often incites violence and whether it was aimed at George Bush, Bill Clinton or now Barack Obama, it's unhealthy and should be spoken out against wherever and whenever someone hears it-- including your uncle.

It's not wrong to disagree with Obama, to not support Hillary, or to feel McCain won't be good as president. What is wrong is to turn those feelings into the politics of destruction, filled with violent threats. Not many of those writers (if you can loosely call their lack of spelling or literary ability writing) would actually do something violent; but they could be inspiring it in the unstable who might.

Ignorance breeds ignorance, and it won't get better unless Americans turn away from those tactics. It has worked in the past to get voters riled up or to form mobs that descend into lynch parties. It has to stop working or nothing will change for the better.

By the way, many of those commenters hated Oregon too. They were as full of ignorance and lies about who the people in this state are as they were about who Obama is. They apparently think we are wild, out of control, pot smoking, long-haired, Communist-loving, freedom- hating (told you they don't make sense) Oregonians. Frankly, I have always liked coming from a state regarded as independent minded and unconventional but obviously that isn't popular in some circles...

The flowers are columbines (with a rosemary plant in this last photo). It's the season for them in the garden and each year different colors are created, new places they are planted, none of it by my design. I just let happen what happens. Too bad life doesn't work that way.