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

-or-

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

Comments

[Mav]

Let them secede. I am sick and tired of racism. It should have been done with a long time ago. Hate crime punishment should be more severe . Let them secede.

[lisakaz2]

I've not heard where but certain states could seem expendable. I hear ya there. This would be a much better country without the racists and ignoramouses. If only they could all be sent away, right?

[island-in-alabama]

Hate crime punishment should be more severe.

How do you propose to enforce it if states succeed?

Do you really think it is a good idea to allow states to succeed and then subject millions of people to racist subjugation?

Do you really think that the rest of America would no longer have to deal with racism if the South were separated from the rest of the country? In case you didn't notice, Palin spend a lot of time in Ohio, which is definitely north of the Mason-Dixon line.

How about we treat this as a national problem that is more serious in the South and rural parts of the country?

Thanks for coming together like Obama wants us to.

[Forester]

"In some parts of the South, there's even talk of secession.­"

PLEASE DO IT!

[rosiebond007]

Yes please , and take this GEM in the photo with you.

I think they must be unwilling to read the issues and under educated .
Isnt' that the major problem with the south ??

[montemalone]

They tried that once some years ago, it didn't work.
Some guy from up north stopped it.
He was a Republican, I believe.

[Forester]

True that, but that was not the same GOP. They were at the time progressive and generally anti-slave expansion (split and formed from the Whig party in response to the Kansas-Nebraska Act which the southern Dems supported). I am glad Obama has taken Lincoln as a roll model, and taken him back from the misuse of today's "party of Lincoln" GOP. We'll take a flag back while we are at it thank you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_Republican_Party

[independent32955]

one salient point about the "South"...­they are ALWAYS talking about secession ... electing Obama isnt some new kind of deal for them...it'­s just yet another excuse to act stupid.

[island-in-alabama]

"They" are not always talking about secession.

There are always idiots who will talk about secession. But not everyone in the South talks about it. I'd venture that most people in the South don't talk about. But there will always be an idiot, in any crowd, who says stupid things, either out of complete idiocy, or simply to get people worked up.

The South is a geographical region in The United States of America. In case you weren't aware, the population of the South includes all manner of ethnic and religious groups, as well as all political persuasions. There are millions of people in the South who supported, and voted for Obama, who are ecstatic about his election and are looking forward to his Presidency.

Should EVERYONE in the South suffer because "they" always talk about secession?

Thanks for standing besides the blue folks in the red states.

[Eli Davidson - Huffpost Blogger]

I am seeing a trend (HuffPo readers are sharing their stories) that racial and political division reaches across geographic and economic lines.

When did hate become a family value?
Have your relationships been damaged by politics?

Let me know!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eli-davidson/funky-to-fabulous-have-po_b_143322.html

[Boboday555]

When?
I think this trend began with Lee Atwater and the Willie Horton ad.
Atwater made cutting taxes and racism the backbones of Southern conservative politics and the GOP embraced it!
We saw it with that vile Plain/McCain ad where it accused President Elect Obama of teaching:"Sex Education" to Kindergartners.
We saw it with the childish repeating of President Elect Obama's middle name...kno­wing their hate filled childish supporters base their voting decisions on silly non-issues.
Can you imagine if Five Star General OMAR Bradley ran for President on the Democratic ticket today...th­e Lee Atwater's down South would dismiss his service simply because of his Arabic name.
"Who cares what he did for the United States, General Bradley has a funny first name!"
The GOP stopped running on the issues and began running on "Fear of the Black Man" thirty years ago and they never looked back!

[island-in-alabama]

I think the Republican problem is deeper than simply racism. They are xenophobes - equal opportunity haters.

Every Republican campaign I can remember has had the same basic structure:
1. The opponent is not like us.
2. The opponent is a
3. The opponent is therefore evil.
4. Vote Republican to save us from evil.

They play the racism card the hardest, because they get the most bang for their buck from it, but they are happy to micro segment and target us. Atwater gave them the racism strategy, and Rove has given them the micro segment strategy - which extends the bogeyman list so they can go after Gays, Jews, etc.

In the end, they try to divide and conquer by playing to insecurity. It's reprehensible.

This time around, they were stuck with their record, since they've pretty much run the show for the last eight years (longer in many ways). Given how much damage their mismanagement has done to our country, they weren't able to get to 50%+1 even with their xenophobia strategy. Also, I think that Americans are increasingly wise to the Republican strategy and rejecting it (at least, I sure hope so).

Unfortunately, the xenophobia was ramped up so high that now we've got bigoted morons coming out of the woodwork, and we need to stamp them down.

[Begbie]

Having lived in VA and NC, this stuff doesn't suprise me one bit. I'm looking foward to the new day where we can squash all these inbred jerks that embarrass our country. Round them up and exile their ignorant @rses to an Alaskan island where they can hate together in the cold.

[BluesDogLefty]

Backward and ignorant

[Bamboo]

Not only in the South. mainly black church in Springfield, Massachusetts was burned down early on the morning after Obama's election and locals suspect it was a racially motivated backlash. There are probably more such incidents than has been reported here.

[Nikola Tesla]

I hope we can have them fixed before they breed.

[Boboday555]

Dear Confederates,
You lost...Ame­rica won...GET OVER IT...and then GROW UP!

[JustADumbFireman]

YES!!!! Please let the South secede!!!

[island-in-alabama]

You're prepared to provide housing and work for all the people in the South who are NOT bigots?

Nice to see how committed you are to the idea of The United States of America.

I'm sure Lincoln would be proud of you.

The point of the column was that we are seeing bigots act out. We would be better served prosecuting those who break the law, and criticizing those whose behavior is unacceptable, rather than putting down an entire region of the country.

There are bigots in every part of our country. There are good tolerant people in every part of our country.

There are millions in the South who are not bigots, and who believe in our nation.

I would never have thought to propose that some other part of the country succeed.

You seem to have missed out on the unity aspects of Obama's message.

[nestor456]

The south wants to seceed? Can we get this in writing? Can we approve this as quickly as possible? Imagine a U.S. without the tax burden and non-productivity of the low-IQ states...

[island-in-alabama]

So being from the South makes someone low-IQ?

That's a really bigoted statement you make.

[Nikola Tesla]

Its YOUR people who are embarrassing your region.

YOU let them breed.

[Boboday555]

Please forgive us.
After all, we're just "Northern, Educated, Liberal, Hollywood Lovin', Elitist, Yankees!"

[GibsonSG]

Being from the South does not make someone have a lesser intelligence than Northerners. I just makes it more likely. Check out this link comparing 2 studies on states and the intelligence of their residents, http://www.top50states.com/average-iq-score.html

I've traveled the country enough to know there are inbred, mouth breathers everywhere, but they do seem to congregate more below the Mason-Dixon line.

[Crozier]

No and yes. Academic deficiencies are more pronounced in the South or Old Confederacy. In comparing all fifty states on educational standards, Southern states rank lowest. It could be the vestige of " separate but unequal " Dixie society where blacks were inferior.

There are absolutely lower levels of higher education in the South.

[nestor456]

I don't consider it bigoted, because I don't really consider them human. Them's lower life forms bein' bred down there...

[QueenOfViolets]

I wouldn't call them low-IQ. After all, the south produced Flannery O'Connor, William Faulkner, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter.

And as far as non-productivity goes, the server farm that hosts my website is located in the South because the real estate is cheaper there.

[Boboday555]

I agree let 'em secede!
Its about time they paid their own way for once.
They've been bilking Joe “Blue-State” for far too long!

Did you know 70% of all Federal Tax dollars get funneled into Sarah Palin's Red "Joe Six-Pack" states!
But, before you confederates secede AGAIN, let's figure out a way you shiftless layabouts can repay every cent you've bilked off the American Tax Payer over the years.
Who did you think paid for your roads and schools; You?
Trust us, when you lose California's and New York's monster economies you'll be begging for re-admittance into the Union faster 'n you can say "Treasonous South!"

[KoolBreez]

Nice picture of the ra_ci_st. Was his bid for the presidency compromised by the election of Obama?

[mitsu63]

"To a lot of people, the idea of secession doesn't seem so crazy anymore," says Tuggle. "People are talking about how left out they feel, ... and they feel that something strange and radical has taken over our country."

Funny, that's exactly how I've felt just about my entire adult life. Now for the first time I actually feel like maybe, just maybe, there's someone going into the white house who actually has a clue about my life and what's important to me - i.e. a president who might just actually represent me, as a US citizen.

Imagine that!

[NoMoFearNoMoHate]

and imagine that 66,882,239 other people feel the same way!

that's 53% of the voting public - the largest percentage of the electorate since George H. W. Bush (53.4%) and more votes than any President has ever received.

[AlexPB]

Simple explanatio­n...many of these hillbillies might see in Obama a black man who is doing better than they are and that scares them. Did anyone notice the empty look on their faces? That's because their heads are empty. Just a product of their enviroment. May God protect Obama, I for sure will be praying for him.

[Puddin]

...you and most of the people in the WORLD are praying for Obama and his family. Last week someone wrote a comment re a similar article, it read as follows:

"When God orders your steps nothing man can do will prevail against you. The Obamas will be fine. They are simply doing the will of God and fulfilling what he has called them to do. They are a praying family and we are a praying nation united under God...we trust".

This says it all for me...becau­se I know millions and millions and millions of God abiding people are praying for this beloved family. EVERYBODY KEEP THE FAITH.

[Veri]

NoobAlexPB, your comments only serve to reinforce the fear. Are you stereotyping these people? Yes, you are. So, I suggest more understanding and less crapola. Only when you address, properly, the fears of others, will you win their understanding. You fail.

[jobecky20]

I wonder if more secret service than ever before have been hired...I certainly hope so. It will be the hot new career!

[Big0725]

You do realize that a Secret Service agent isn't like a new hire at Wal-mart?

It requires a 4 year degree, an impeccable background (I've been told you don't get accepted if you've bounced a check) and a few years of training. And that's just to get in on the ground level.

[BlackWidowPilot]

*Precisely* why IMHO the Secret Service will have NO EXCUSE this time around if they lose another President on their watch, *especially* the current President-Elect Barrack Hussein Obama.

May those charged with his safety and that of his family be ever diligent in the execution of their sworn duties!

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[Veri]

Damnit, is this the beginning of "The Age of Obama"? Cult personality? F*ck that. I hold him in suspicion just as I hold all politicians in suspicion. Until they prove their worth. I have no King. Only loyalty to those who prove their worth. And Obama has not done so, yet.

So, Noobs, wait and see before putting faith and full credit to Obama. You are committing yourselves to early.