Campaign Trail Antipathy Really Getting Scary Now

Good God. Really? According to the AP, officials in Cullowhee, North Carolina are having to investigate who placed a dead bear cub on the campus of Western Carolina University, and bedecked it with Obama campaign signs. That's right. Someone shot a bear cub in the head and stapled Obama signs to it. Seriously. What is wrong with people?

Tom Johnson, chief of the university police, serves as this event's official Cosmonaut Of The Totally Obvious: "This is certainly unacceptable...Someone was wanting to draw attention to the election." Somewhere, in tribute to his fallen comrade, a bear defecated in the woods.

Leila Tvedt, the associate vice chancellor of the university, said, "We cannot speculate on the motives of the people involved, nor who those people might be." And truly, who can blame her for not wanting to ponder the motives that drove someone to...yes--SHOOT A BABY BEAR IN THE HEAD, DRAG THE CORPSE TO A SCHOOL AND PLACE ELECTION SIGNS ON IT.

Oh, and elsewhere, there's this:

Chesterfield County police are investigating the theft of a resident's campaign sign supporting Barack Obama's historic bid for the presidency.

The 4-by-8-foot sign in the yard of a black resident was replaced by a Confederate flag.

The Obama sign was posted by 78-year-old Leroy C. McLaughlin, a Baptist minister. He reported it missing on Friday.

Chances are, though, this stuff is all a part of what it means to Sarah Palin to be a patriot.

And now, my soul needs to go and throw up a little.

Comments

[NYCSocialWork]

I apologize for THIS stereotype, but I hope you all follow:

The same A-holes that do this kind of disgusting racist crap are more than likely the same ones cheering as a black athlete scores for their favorite team...get it?

It doesn't matter who wins the game, skin color isn't as important as the color of our jerseys- we're all on the same team and wear RED, WHITE and BLUE!

[Diogenis]

Color does not matter in a fox hole. And God is one in it.

[jdmba]

When things get bad, I just think back to SNCC, MLK JR., Malcolm X, the Kennedy's and all those unnamed people who were k*lled, l*nched, threatened and r*ped just to integrate my schools and drink from the same water fountain. People died so I could go vote and watch Barack Obama become president.

I won't let these weak racists take that away from me. I urge you to do the same.

[northernperspective]

The Republicans look a little psychotic right now. Like their heads are all going to explode. And, clearly, their followers believe they're being given secret signals - or tacit permission - to act like a**holes.

Go vote and avenge that little bear cub. Do it for that minister and everyone you know who wants - and deserves - a reason to hope.

I don't know where America's been for the last 8 years, but it's time to come home. Your neighbours have missed you.

[Hopeington]

I believe in we the people and the UNITED Satates of America.
People want the assurance that policies, no matter what they are, will be executed with integrity and regard for the nation as a whole. We need to know if, when in doubt, our new president will fall back on the tactic of leading us with misinformation to generate hatred and fear? Or will he, with honest forethought, inspire confidence and generate hope and positive leadership for our nation?
Lets proudly!!!!VOTE!!!! Obama/Biden 2008 Just do it !!!

[Hopeington]

ooops..typ­o error... I know you all knew I meant the UNITED States of America, I guess my hands were trembling with rage that John and Sarah felt so little of us, they felt it necessary to unleash the slumbering beast of hatred and fear, that they have no control over, and use it to try a secure the highest position in our nation. Take control...­.VOTE

[Jules1]

They are crawling out from under their rocks You can shame them all you want, it will do no good, something is just wrong in their heads, it's called stupidity!!

[denisefox]

ENOUGH!

[aubrey8]

The south needs to grow up. There's a bunch of sick boys down there.

[LettuceB1]

It's not just the south. I live in MN, home of "MN nice" and I have O' bama stickers on my mini-van. I got a death threat left on the windshield of my car. I was parked in an open parking lot of a shopping center and they must not have cared if someone saw them do it. It was sad because I obviously have kids (hence, the mini-van) and this person didn't care that my children might see this note.

I went home and added another O' bama sticker to my car!

[norwaylass]

In Santa Fe NM Obama signs are being stolen/removed from lawns and yards and someone wrote a letter to the editor of the paper saying a McCain sign was removed and attacking Obama and his supporters.

[BMS]

I am so sorry that happened to you; I would be unnerved if that happened to me. Good for you for not being intimidated by the jerk who left the note! You are teaching your children to stand up for what's right and not to give in to cowardly bullies. Keep the faith. There are more of us than of them (the haters).

p.s. Thanks for recognizing it's not just the south.

BMS in North Carolina

[Diogenis]

I'm in PA, and a neighbor sent the police to my house, simply because I asked her what the.."Anot­her Democrat for McCain" sign meant.

[ROBOT8]

THET'S THE ACT OF A REAL AMERICAN!!!!!!!

[tangie]

Obama said it was going to get bad; he knew what he was talking about. The racists are coming out like cockroaches, trying to infest civilized society.

Not this time. Not this country. No McCain, no way.

Enough is enough.

Obama/Biden 08.

[nobozos]

~
Here here!
~

[setandtrue]

Every body pray as often and as long as you can. Every morning, everynight. f***ing pray.
God Bless us and help us.

[Hopeington]

And.... VOTE. Check with your neighbors, do they need help getting to the polls? Are they aware their's early voting? Check with you local Democratic Headquarters and see what you can do to help people be aware of obstacles they make face at their polling place...an­d I like praying too!
But let's do it with our eyes open.

[lovable]

the media should get all bad incidents on obama side and mccain side and compare them and present it to the 2 candidates and the vp candidates. when u get these people on now they always say the other side does it to or it happends on the other side. well lets do some investigating and find out whoo is worse???????????

[Mainer36]

Im sorry that the North fought a war to keep the union together. Confederate flags, good-ol-boy networks, and sister f****ing contests

[Phylmom]

Except western North Carolina was largely pro-union. No confederate flags. This kind of hatred is rampant across the country. Last time I looked, Ohio wasn't in the south.

[triplbee]

Mainer,

We're trying to win the South. We don't need people bashing this section of the country because we have some attention seeking dumb F*&^% down here. We need to appeal to those folks here who are reasonable. But when people in the rest of the country portray us as rednecks, inbreds and hicks, it does not make us want to join your cause.

[DavidNOE]

Agreed. I don't live in the South now, but I was born and raised there. Lots of good people, but racism is still a problem, if not nearly what got my father fired from his pulpit in Jackson, MS in 1963 for thinking a Christian church shouldn't discriminate by race on who could worship there.

[Nikola Tesla]

Don't forget the possum pie eating contests and the meth cooking competitions!

[BMS]

(takes deep breath)

When I read about the bear cub today, I cried for the bear; I'm ashamed that happened in my state.

Having said that, your comment isn't helpful. Thousands of us in NC are working hard canvassing and phonebanking for Obama, and driving seniors to the polls, and doing everything we can to turn NC blue.

Think before you speak; rather than labeling an entire region of the country as ignorant. My father lived in Maine for 25 years; I lived there for two years. Your screen name indicates you're from Maine. Having lived in Maine, I know there are hateful racists in Maine, just as there are in California, Ohio, and many other states. The point is WE far, far outnumber THEM. We need to keep our eyes on the prize, and work like Obama is 20 points behind. That's what we are doing in NC. What are you doing to elect Obama - or do you spend all your time making ignorant, divisive comments on a blog?

We'll be out in NC every day until November 4th, knocking on doors, never sure what kind of reception we'll get. We do it because it must be done. We won't be scared out of doing it; we won't be intimidated by ignorant people anywhere. We'll do it because America deserves and needs President Obama.

I suggest you find a productive use of your time, instead of slandering every citizen of NC based on the despicable actions of a

[Oregon Ivy]

Thank you for your service and for working so hard for a United States of America. I phone banked for Obama today for hours in swing states. Only got cussed out once or twice, too. Both times by c r a nky old men who h at ed both candidates equally. LOL!

[drdubski]

i understand your point, but after all the news about NC and now this, the first thing i said was, 'thank god I didn't get that job in NC, our kids are not growing up there!' even psuedo educated people who i know from wilmington still drop the N word at the drop of a hat. IT's 2008 people!!!

[sarimn00]

Whomever decided to do this is a disgusting human being. That said, I am not surprised. There are a lot of people out there that just can't get over Obama's color. I'm glad people are standing up against this kind of hatred and going to the polls anyway.

[RossForChange]

Truly disgusting.

[sandbird]

Here in Hernando County, FL, there has been a rash of Obama yard sign-stealing. One supporter wrote a letter to the editor thanking the Repubs for stealing his signs, because that meant he just went out and bought more signs, thus contributing more to the Obama campaign. This is a great tactic, putting a positive spin on the conflict and making those rabid right-wingers look like the fools they are.