The new racism embodied in total contempt for Obama

[struggle4progress]

BY WENDELL BERRY
September 13, 2015

... I grant the polite assumption that not one of the elected officers of the states or the nation is a racist. But politicians do not need to be racist themselves in order to covet, to solicit, or to be influenced by the racist vote. This is shown by the pronounced difference between two by-now established ways of opposing the president.

There is the opposition that is truly political and varyingly respectable. This opposition is identifiable by its incompleteness, which is to say by its focus upon particular issues about which a particular case or argument can be made. Such opposition is credible as such because it implicitly concedes the president's humanity: Like the rest of us, he is a partial and fallible mortal who, if he is partly wrong, may also be partly right.

The other way of opposition is total. The president must be opposed, not on this or that issue, but upon all issues.

This opposition is often expressed in tones of contempt, not only of the president himself, but of the office he holds so long as it is held by him ...

http://www.kentucky.com/2015/09/13/4033962_wendell-berry-the-new-racism-embodied.html?rh=1

[gwheezie]

1. Thanks for this post

I've heard this hatred of Obama from the right and from members of his own party and people on democratic forums. The reasoned assessment of his policies and performance in office is welcome for discussion that moves the country forward. The personal attacks on Obama the man moves the country backwards to unbridled racism. I voted for him twice and wish I could vote for him again. No one running now could have done the job he did. He was not my primary vote in 08 but I think the right person is president. I didn't drink the koolaid and I had a pretty good idea of who I was voting for. He's done a better job than I thought he would.
It sickens me that he's put up with the silent racism from his own party. If you want to know why PoC have reluctance to support the dem party hopefuls, look at what Obama has dealt with from members of his own party. He's been a good president. I don't know yet if he's great but he took us through a terrible financial crisis, expanded the rights of citizens and resisted the urge to send combat troops all over the world. Not too shabby.

[jaysunb]

2. Berry, speaks the obvious...

the shame is on the MSM media that totally ignores and gives comfort to this behavior.

[steve2470]

3. This guy gets it

Between the racists, Republicans and politically clueless leftists, President Obama gets no breaks. I see the leftist part right here on DU.

Right here on DU: Sociopath ? Check. Nazi ? Check. Corporatrist ? Check.

[dzhuboi]

4. I grant NO polite assumptions!

Two-thirds of the Republicans in Congress are racist as fuck!

[dakdirty]

5. Great article

The awful part is reading all the offended comments afterward. Pathetic.