Obama Victory Triggers Racist Backlash: At Least 200 Incidents Reported

Atlanta - In rural Georgia, a group of high-schoolers gets a visit from the Secret Service after posting "inappropriate" comments about President-elect Barack Obama on the Web. In Raleigh, N.C., four college students admit to spraying race-tinged graffiti in a pedestrian tunnel after the election. On Nov. 6, a cross burns on the lawn of a biracial couple in Apolacon Township, Pa.

The election of America's first black president has triggered more than 200 hate-related incidents, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center -- a record in modern presidential elections. Moreover, the white nationalist movement, bemoaning an election that confirmed voters' comfort with a multiracial demography, expects Mr. Obama's election to be a potent recruiting tool -- one that watchdog groups warn could give new impetus to a mostly defanged fringe element.

Most election-related threats have so far been little more than juvenile pranks. But the political marginalization of certain Southern whites, economic distress in rural areas, and a White House occupant who symbolizes a multiethnic United States could combine to produce a backlash against what some have heralded as the dawn of a postracial America. In some parts of the South, there's even talk of secession.

Keep reading

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HuffPost's Greg Mitchell -- Racial Incidents and Threats Against Obama Soar: Here Is a Chronicle

Comments

[americansfordecency]

I think that there are racists everywhere and hopefully with each generation there will be fewer and fewer of them around to pollute our environment

[GaGal]

Only with education and open minds can we work to stomp out the bigotry.

[JohnnyDenver]

you nailed it. education is the key. the right's glorification of ignorance is mind boggling to me. having an ivy league educations is a mark against obama for those who do not support him. why?

what makes me desire a president who is smarter than me, and another person desire a (vice)president who is ignorant like them? i'll never understand­...

[LiberalIncarnate]

Secessionists should be allowed to leave and form their own nation if they chose. Then, we can blockcade their ports and pass on our national deb to them. Case closed.

[island-in-alabama]

Leave. Yes. Take part of the country with them? NO.

Posts like this are very disrespectful of the millions of Americans who live in the South who are NOT racists, and who should have the support of both the Federal government and their fellow Citizens across our entire country.

Or would it be okay if we gave them YOUR state and let it succeed?

[republifornian]

island I did not vote for obama, but he is going to be POTUS , I just wanted to say I find your posts to be more in line with mainstream america, or at the very least I hope that is mainstream, as has been my experience, and in my opinion as long as we can start a dialogue there is hope for our great nation, you have a friend and he is republican.

[GaGal]

You DO realize that our military fleets are primarily built in the South, right? Also, the ports in the South are where most of the imports to this country come into dock.

But, yeah, cut off your nose to spite your face. That's a great idea.

[MalloMel]

That can be changed.

[RedWhiteandBrooklyn]

Check this out:
http://www.fuckthesouth.com/

[MANK]

Wouldn't take long to changer that.

[MalloMel]

He deserves everything that is coming to him. I hope he enjoys his hate, as it's the only thing he has left. Ha-ha-ha.

[MalloMel]

So there is no misunderstanding, by "he" I meant Raymond Foster.

[LKV]

WHAT?????!!!!!

[Boboday555]

Texass' latst Patriotic tourism mott:
"Texass; Its Like A Whole Other Country!"

Yup...and that country is Saudi Arabia!

[MalloMel]

I have recently criss-crossed Texas, and I can say that it is one hell of an impoverished state. Outside of the big cities, there is not much there for anyone. No wonder they are so darned evil.
Really, if they can get up off of some of that evilness, perhaps they can do something for themselves.

No one talks about this, but in my experience (I'm driving all 50 states - have done 45 so far), The red states are the most impoverished. I don't know if they are impoverished because they are red, or if they are red because they are impoverished. Perhaps someone can help me out here.

[Boboday555]

A lot of Red-States allowed themselves to be "Left Behind!"
They refused to catch up to the rest of the nation and the world technology-wise, clinging instead to the 'old ways', and now they are so far behind they may never catch up!

I'm sorry but most of our high-tech jobs are being shifted overseas.
The few that remain are concentrated in high-tech states like New York, California, Washington and most of New England...­Blue regions all.

Garment work, a main stay of the South for decades, is now dominated by Asia.
And this movement to shift jobs overseas was championed by the GOP, the Red-State’s party!
To make matters worse, GOP spin doctors have pinned the Red-State's decline on some kind of Northern Liberal conspiracy instead of where it belongs...­on the "Good Old Boys" that Red-State voters continue to put in positions of power!
If they going to join the rest of the Planet in the 21st century, Red-States need to due some real soul searching!
For example, trying to force Creationism into public schools, when most Red-States schools already trail most other schools in math and Science, and when the rest of the modern industrialized world embraces Evolution, is doing a profound disservice to their kids and to the entire nation!

[yhgtup]

Add more incidents to that 200. I am an AA female who reported a racist, name-calling incident that occured at the end of my driveway by a young white couple. This same couple called me "N" words months earlier while I was placing my FIRST Obama yard sign. They say this B.S while in the car, then drive off. I told the police they better talk to them, because I was NOT going to be called names, while minding my own business, on my own property! I'm pretty sure it was them who stole two of my other yard signs. Funny, McCain signs never disappeared in my neighborhood. I kept my last sign in my yard past the election, then it got stolen. I finally went to Home Depot. It's all about the "principIe of the thing". I told the young man there what happened & that I wanted to make a huge sign for my yard. He said, "Don't worry, maam, I'm going to take care of you". (He was white). He made a big sign, only charged me $7.49, including paint! Friends, family, & a few (white) neighbors helped construct it. It said - YOU KEEP STEALING MY OBAMA SIGNS, BUT, HE'S STILL PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. I've heard racial remarks on two other occasions while wearing Obama pins. Friends have also. But, the young white man at Home Depot (I'm going to write a nice letter to his manager)& my kind white neighbors, leaves me hope.

[MalloMel]

Good for you, and good for that young man at Home Depot.

[zg1968]

Lock them all up and throw away the key. They contribute zero to our country anyway. I'm tired of people who are complete loser freaks who think they are better than our Harvard educated Lawyer President Elect just because they were born white and he was born black.

It's a new day. Keep it up racists and you will continue to fail to fully access the American dream.

[booboo111]

I'D BE IN FAVOR OF LETTING THE SOUTH SECEDE, EXCEPT FOR GA. VA. AND N.C., BUT THEN ALL THOSE DEATHS IN THE CIVIL WAR WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR NOTHING.IT­'S A NICE THOUGHT THO.

[Boboday555]

Everytime I see one of those filthy Confederate Flag decals on the rear window of a pickup I think that very thing;
"What were all those Civil War Deaths for?"

[republifornian]

that is exaclty what people have been saying about any person that is different from them, and that is why you are part of the problem and not the solution.

[LightningJoe]

Free advice to the Secret Service:

Ease up on the counterfeit money front just a bit if you need to. A few more bogus twenties in circulation is a small price to pay, to make DAMN sure we don't lose a statesman like Obama.

[spinns17]

the brothers will take good care of him in jail lol

[TheBrizz]

I'm glad that these people are so brazen, because it serves as a reminder to those who may have forgotten that racism is still alive and well in America.

[island-in-alabama]

They're brazen because the right-wing hate machine (Limbaugh, Fox) and the Republican election strategy purposefully played to their ignorance and fears. The Republican party, or at least parts of it, seem to be figuring out that they are destroying themselves by pandering to this. We can only hope that some of the hate machine tones it down, and the rest is dealt with by a reformed DOJ.

When the bigots come out in the open like this, they need to be identified, shamed, and where appropriate, prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

These events are a reminder of how awful bigotry is, and how important it is to defeat it.

You cannot wall off bigotry. You cannot accommodate it. You must confront it and defeat it.

[Thecuddlyleft]

the repubs will always be a refuge for the bigots. I swear that will never change or at least in my lifetime. they have to go somewhere, unless they start a party of their own and i doubt that will happen anytime soon. the repubs need their vote. It's all about the southern strategy and people are blind if they think that will change. sorry, but most repubs refuse to let any minorites have any real positions of power in the repub party due to upsetting the real base.

[GaGal]

"You cannot wall off bigotry. You cannot accommodate it. You must confront it and defeat it."

YES. It's too bad that some of the posters here do not see that their continued condemnation of a REGION does not help this situation. We have to lead by example and if you are fighting intolerance, then responding with intolerance will only get you more of the same.

Fighting fire with fire often just gives you a bigger fire.

[republifornian]

well it is palin to see bigotry goes both ways, calling all people from the south racists is about as bigoted as what is being said about BO, I find it quite amusing that so many so called free thinking liberals are just as backward thinking as theyre southern counterparts. do you know how fooolish you all sound, do you really think all people in northern states are color blind one way or another. this is why racism will never die people, as just as many people are prejudiced against any one with a southern drawl as anyone who supports BO. that is a fact as I travel for a living and have experienced this all to many times, I was born and raised in new york and then moved to texas when I was 16 and then to california when I 32, so when I moved down south I was a yankee, when I moved to california I was hillbilly, when I go back to new york I am a hippy, trust me when I say prejudice is alive and well in america and its not just southerners, maybe you folks should look in the mirror, as I see quite a bit bigotry in here.

[BlackWidowPilot]

I agree with you on the principle of xenophobia cutting across state lines, as surely as it does all others.

I do not agree however, that xenophobia will never die.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[republifornian]

Well sir i must say I hope I am incorrect, and I hope you are correct as in my humble opinion its not a white/black thing, you can find bigotry at all ends of the spectrum, be they religious, ethnic, gender, sexual oreintation and or as granular as hair color, heard any blonde jokes lately ?

[island-in-alabama]

It will never completely die, but we can do our utmost to ensure it does not control.

[Thecuddlyleft]

once again, you guys are not readin the post. No one said that the south should leave. There are racist that are saying that the south should suceed. If that's what they want to do many are saying they should leave. We are NOT saying that ALL southerns are racists or bigots. They are everywhere, What I am sayin is that the racist who dont want a black president should get together, form their own country and leave. What is so wrong with that? I don't want racist, intolerant people bringing down this nation. I'm sorry, talking to, education, and better jobs won't help all these people and how in the world can you change how people think and feel who have been that way all their lives and now spreading the cancer to their kids? Its NOT just the south or the north it's the bigots that we want to go. So if u want to defend or compromise with them then go right ahead, sorry I'm not that understanding.

[island-in-alabama]

I'm all for the bigots leaving. That would certainly make Alabama a better place.

What I'm NOT for is them taking this state out of the Union with them, as so many posters are happy to suggest.

How would folks in say Ohio feel about being told Ohio should succeed, given how many of their neighbors showed up at the Palin rallies? I'm guessing they'd prefer the bigots leave Ohio, rather than Ohio leave the USA.

Unfortunately, a lot of people in this thread have said the South should leave. Wrong answer. Individuals who don't like America are welcome to leave - there's nothing stopping them. Individuals who don't like America are not welcome to take states with them using the mechanism of Secession. We have a Constitution. We voted in National elections. Obama won. He will be President for all of America, even the bigots in the South; also the non-bigots in the South.

It's bad enough to have to live where there are more bigots per capita. Having other Americans suggest my state succeed, putting my family at more risk from bigotry, is hurtful and frankly, bigoted as well.

[payos]

exactly what I've been trying to explain in my posts, but I guess the regional sensitivities are raw at the moment, and it hurts. Someone upstream or downstrammade a good poitn that resonates with me: that all those lives lost in the Civil War would be wasted if we don't try to make it work as a ciuntry.

[GaGal]

"No one said that the south should leave."

Actually, there are posts here that say just that.

[payos]

I don't know, bigotry against bigots may prove to be a double negative, you know, how double negatives equal a positive?

[Boboday555]

So, you're ready to condemn ALL Northern Liberals because of the infinitesimal number of Northern Liberals who post here?

OkeeDokee!

[Patricia84]

Well said.

[brrichter]

yeah dude, just like I'm a cheesehead i guess, eh? sorry as your words ring hallow here. this piece wasn't about north vs. south. This piece is about how the crazies have been reinvigorated by a dark skinned president elect. using examples of bigotry in the form of "hippy", "hillbilly", and "yankee" is a freakin' joke man and you should be embarrased. How many hippies have crosses burned on their yards? How many yankees are dragged behind trucks? And where is the KKK like group to torment the hillbilly's? You are right, racism is everywhere. nobody here is going to deny that. but do you honestly believe that the KKK thrives in Wisconsin as much as it does in Alabama? You're trying to say that the KKK and the amount of haters is equal per quota from Minnesota and South Carolina? oh c'mon on now....

[Nikola Tesla]

America's Racist Belt:

http://buzzfeed.com/jonah/nyt-confirms-racist-belt-theory

[eva belle]

I suggest affirmative action for the bigoted folks....

[Veri]

Original Sin is not disobedience. Original Sin is the inability to overcome our basic instincts. Our instincts are to dominate, exploit, and kill those who are different from us. I could expand upon Original Sin, but most Rubes would be unable to understand. Fear is but one aspect of Original Sin. Your inability to to overcome your fears and display a higher understanding of what it is to be truly a human being in God's image is what dooms most to oblivion.

That is why you are doomed to fail.

[Mary1943]

Those of you on this forum who verbalize your bigotry against southerners are no better than those people who are racists and have verbalized their prejudice of Obama. The color of a person's skin nor the area of the country they come from has one thing to do with their character or intelligence. At my age I am just sick and tired of this kind of narrow-mindedness.
I just hope that all these great young people who volunteered their time and put so much energy into this election continue to move this country forward and out of the darkness of prejudices, bigotry and racism. It is destroying our country, religion and each other. If it doesn't stop we will be factionalized by cultural and religious differences just like Iraq.
Also, I have to believe that a lot of Republicans are infiltrating these liberal forums with their crap and they try to make us believe they are one of us.

[gisellestwocents]

I agree!! Obviously, most Huffpo readers are intelligent, open-minded people, racist, xenophobic, homophobic commenters are wasting their time here. Evidently, they think that we have weak minds ... they should look in the mirror, as distasteful as that might be.

[Thecuddlyleft]

Mary, I all for the repubs and the racist leaving this country if that is what they want to do. When libs said they would leave if bush was elected where they on their blogs trying to down play it? NO!

When liberals were called wine sipping elitist did the moderate conservative run to the defense? NO

When Northerns are called pushy, snobby, and a whole host of things i cant say, but did the southern repubs run to our defenses? Nope.

so now you have liberals getting all upset because some have pointed out the ugly demographic in the south. not all of us southerns are rednecks, but please i'm not gonna defend the ignorance. I have no love for racists and republicans and I am not ready in no way shape or form ready to make nice with these people. yeah we are one nation, but you have to weed out the fruit from the vines.

[Mav]

island-in alabama...

if you are against bigotry, do something about it in your state, or let them secede and you can move to the north.

the majority are bigots and they don't even know it. it is just the way they were raised. educate them, end biogtry, or let them secede.

[Macklyn]

Mav? How do you know we aren't doing something against bigotry in our state AND standing up against it here too? "if you are against bigotry, do something about it in your state, or let them secede and you can move to the north." Is that just "America, Love it or Leave it" rephrased? How about "America, make it better, don't just dis parts of it"??

[island-in-alabama]

Do you think I don't do anything about it in my state?

I have made the point, several times, throughout this thread, that the bad ideas need to be overcome by good ideas. Posts that say good riddance to the South are, frankly, not good ideas that will help America overcome racism.

I'll be happy to move. Will you buy my house? Got a job for me? Will you help all the minorities here move as well? Would you consider coming here to educate the bigots?

Just because a small number of racist morons, who are acting out, insinuate succession is no excuse to bait the entire South, which is what a number of posters in this thread are doing.

The secession of states from the Union is a very serious matter. I am amazed at how flip people are about it here.

[DixieChic]

Mav - unless you were raised in Alabama, or have spent SIGNIFICANT time here, then your opinion lacks foundation and, therefore, credibility. Having been born and raised here in the heart of dixie, I can safely maintain that we probably have no more or no less racists than other parts of the country. Certainly the "majority" are not bigots (unless, of course, you consider ALL republicans "bigots". )There is actually quite a bit of diversity here and very little klan activity. (Shout out to Morris Dees and The Southern Poverty Law Center! Congrats on your latest klan spanking.)

As for lecturing us - keep an eye on your own back yard.

[GaGal]

No, that's NOT how many of us were raised.

Remember when you are pointing a finger at someone else, there are 3 fingers pointing right back at yourself.

Yes, there is a problem with racism, but it is COUNTRY WIDE, not just in the South.