Why I Will Never - NEVER - Be A Republican

It's finally been reported.

This week has seen the McCain campaign, particularly Governor Sarah Palin, incite crowds to shout things such as "terrorist!", "treason!", "kill him!" and now most recently, "off with his head!"

Palin's reckless rhetoric has been called "racially tinged" by the Associated Press, a sentiment echoed by African-American members of Congress. "He's not one of us," she sneers to a 98% white audience.

Well, now - to practically no one's surprise except for the those "we-can't-help-it-if..." Republicans who are in denial about, well, everything - a wack-job Republican McCain supporter got all unhinged, grabbed him his gun, made some threats, and of course, and predictably.... dropped the N-bomb in reference to Obama.

As in, "if you don't get me my voter registration card, I'm gonna shoot you. I need to vote to...," and this forthcoming part is a direct quote, "keep the n*gger out of office."

Classy. Or should I say it with a stutter: "K-K-K-Klassy."

It's bad enough that we know these assholes exist. What is really worse is when a two-bit hack politician like Sarah Palin revs said assholes up for political theater. It is fucking dangerous. Joe Biden is right. Forty-five years ago, we had a president assassinated. Let's just be honest for a moment: the thought of the first black president is not going to sit well in some "fringe" circles in America.

And what Palin is doing that is so disgusting, so vile, and so perverse, is basically mainstreaming that radical ideology. Think about it - sure, a Republican crowd is going to boo the opponent for his votes, his record, and even who he is.

But "kill him?" "Off with his head?" A "terrorist?"

And no rebuke by Palin or McCain?

No establishing any boundaries on crowd behavior?

Instead, they whip supporters into an irrational frenzy, and then wash their hands of the whole situation. Whatever happens, happens. "Hey, we can't control it!"

Except you kinda can. You can keep the racially-loaded remarks to yourself. You can denounce those who are getting - clearly - out of control. You can control your own rhetoric on the campaign trail.

But, the silver lining is that it is exposing the Republican party for the radical hatemongers that they really are. I wish I could remember who said it, but whomever it was, described the modern Republican Party as nothing more than a collection of hate-objects - i.e., hate everyone who isn't just like you - gays, immigrants, blacks, foreigners, intellectuals (especially intellectuals), and so on.

There's been a lot of open hand-wringing about the future of the Republican Party, and about how it has to reconstitute itself. Mostly, this is in reference to the current ideological bankruptcy of the party. But here's what I'd suggest: dump the elements that take pride in how dumb, hateful, and thuggish they are. Your ideas may actually see the light of day.

As for me, I think this shit is nuts. It's bat-shit crazy. No amount of tax cuts will ever convince me to associate myself with such people.(*)

(*) Note, I mean politically as a member of the same party. I know a lot of Republicans who are good people, some who are even great people (much better human beings than me in some instances) and I am proud to call them friends. However, I cannot EVER condone or be a party-by-association to the kind of behavior shown by Republican McCain supporters in recent days. Simply put, cheering for the death of a political opponent is absolutely unacceptable. It is a line in the fucking sand. You don't cross it. This is America, not some God-forsaken third-world territory masquerading as a nation that is governed by whatever warlord happens to survive the week's slaughter. Grow the fuck up! And Governor Palin, shut the fuck up!