Resentment Conservatism

There has not been a whole lot of mainstream corporate media coverage of the increasingly lynch-mob-like behavior of the folks attending the McCain/Palin rallies. At a time of economic crisis and massive job losses it becomes much easier for "leaders" (or wannabe leaders) to stoke the fires of racism, fear, and violence. McCain and Palin know exactly what they are doing--and they are willing to tear at the heart of our nation's fabric to achieve their goal.

It built up over the course of the week, as supporters at the rallies of John McCain and Sarah Palin started randomly screaming "terrorist!" and "off with his head!" and "treason!" and even "kill him!" at the mention of Barack Obama's name.
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But he's [McCain] a desperate man, watching his decades-long dream slip away, no doubt infuriated that this neophyte who hasn't suffered as he has is running circles around him. That's a shame for him, but McCain's mental state is not the thing to be worried about here. The thing to be worried about is the impact that his campaign - "a national disgrace," wrote Joe Klein of Time magazine - is having on the nation.

He and Palin - "his Sancho Panza", as George Will mockingly wrote in the Washington Post - are deliberately stoking rage that is based on lies that they know to be lies (well, that at least McCain knows to be lies). The normally reserved commentator David Gergen said: "There is this free floating sort of whipping around anger that could really lead to some violence. I think we're not far from that."

We are seeing the dark, Gothic heart of resentment conservatism. It's going to be a disgusting three weeks.

In a state like North Carolina, with large rural and urban African-American populations and a growing Hispanic population, no one needs this sort of purposeful polarization. At what point will McCain/Palin be guilty of yelling "FIRE!" in a crowded movie theater?

Full article here.