Can only see black and white

There's been a lot of hubbub made about Representative Joe Wilson's outburst the other day. The short version is, during a speech Obama was giving to the House about healthcare, the Republican representative from South Carolina shouted out "You lie!"

This has, of course, brought all kinds of reactions from all sides. The most moderate have been that it was simply disrespectful and uncalled for, and that it violated a rule about Congressional behavior meant to keep things civil.

Some (on the Right) excuse his behavior, saying he was just voicing what a lot of people were thinking, and wishing more people would speak out.

Some (on the Left) call his outburst completely disruptive, calling out the "sour faces" and "rolling eyes" of other Republicans in attendance for not agreeing 100% with the president (either forgetting, forgiving, or applauding the same lack of respect Congressional Dems gave our previous president, — a very famous eye-rolling from one Hillary Rodham Clinton "from" New York comes to mind).

But then there are those who have to add fuel to the fire. Apparently, they see a more sinister reason for Representative Wilson's outburst. It's not because he disagrees with the legislation, or that he is frustrated with the process. No, the only possible reason he would shout that to President Barack Hussein Obama is because of the color of the man's skin. Period.

I am completely baffled as to where the racism is in the words "You lie." Liberals are more than happy to add words to his outburst to make it racist. (Hey, that looks like fun; can I try? What Obama meant to say before he was interrupted was, "And you honkeys are going to pay for it and like it!" Wow, that was easy.)

Democratic Representative David Scott asks (according to The Washington Post), "Would he have done that if the president were white?" In my daily commute, I pass cars that still haven't removed their "BUSH LIES" bumper stickers. Are they racist? That same Washington Post article mentions concerns about the depictions of Obama as Hitler. Was it racist to see "BusHitler" in online forums for eight years?

I guess it wasn't altogether unexpected. I've seen warnings for a long time that any dissent against the president could be labeled as racism.

Seems to me, though, that the so-called "elephant in the room" isn't the unsaid racism that people are inserting into other people's speech and actions, but the fact that people actually disagree with what the president and his Democratic congress are trying to push through, and are frustrated and want to be heard.

But I suppose talking about that is much more difficult than just saying "racist" and dismissing dissent.

The winds of "Change" stink

Well, media's darling boy has been elected president.

It's being said that this was a historic day, as it was the day when America finally elected a black man as president, thus proving that the color of your skin doesn't matter. (Looks to me more like the day we elected the wrong man president, chosen by the media months in advance, thus proving the content of your platform doesn't matter if you have a buzzword, a logo, and a catchy motto; but let's MoveOn, shall we?)

I don't think prejudice is out of the picture at all. To satisfy my own morbid curiosity, I snuck a peek at a certain online community I know of that is extremely left-leaning in its membership, just to see how hard they were patting each other on the back (and mentally compare it to the prophecies of doom and gloom of four and eight years ago).

Among the comments of smug satisfaction, I noticed one referring to "the new monkey in the White House". This post was followed by calls for moderation and censoring for such a racist statement.

What's very interesting, however, is that our current president, George Bush, has often been compared to a monkey. How many pictures have we seen with Bush's face side-by-side with faces of monkeys showing strikingly similar expressions? I know I've seen a few, probably had the same set in my email box a dozen times in the past eight years. However, to extend this same metaphor to president-elect Obama ("the new monkey" definitely alludes to there being an "old monkey") is now taboo because of the color of the man's skin.

This point was brought up in the forum. The administrative conclusion was that the initial comment would be allowed a pass, but a repeat comment would be considered malicious and subject to disciplinary action.

I predict we'll see a lot more of this during the next four years. Criticisms and jokes that would've brought cheers and howls of laughter levied against the Bush or Clinton presidencies will, when made against the Obama Administration, bring howls of protest and accusations of racism. Dis the president now, and you're not just unpatriotic, but a racist.

If this is used to shut down right-wing media outlets (at worst, or "merely" as a way to institute the "Fairness Doctrine"), it wouldn't surprise me.

Biden's Bungles: A Blatant Bias

Wow. When the New York Post starts to report on media bias (and even Dan Rather is commenting about it), you know there are problems.

Would the Last Honest Reporter Please Turn On the Lights?

Hear, hear!