Some White People Have Simply Lost Their Minds

There is no other way to say this but to put it all on the table. Some white people have simply lost their minds because they are besides themselves trying to figure out how in the world they slipped up and let an African-American man in the White House, as President of these not so United States.

While thankfully there are a few whites who have been willing to speak up about what is really bubbling up, or more like, spewing forth lately, people like former President Jimmy Carter, Tim Wise and some other bloggers here on The Huffington Post, most people simply have tiptoed around the huge white elephant in the room. The outrageous incidents, which seem to be increasing in frequency -- Glenn Beck's obvious racial appeals by saying Obama hates white people, Sen. Joe Wilson's unprecedented outburst before the world yelling at the President, the birther's refusal to accept the truth, the almost mob like town hall meetings where some people openly carried signs that were perfect for a Klan rally, Rep. Lynn Jenkins' "White Hope" remark, 'tea party" leader Mark Williams referring to President Obama as "an Indonesian Muslim turned welfare thug and a racist in chief," the uproar over the President of The United States daring to give an inspirational speech to America's school kids -- I could go on but you get the point -- these are nothing more than the ugliest of racism that has simply boiled over the sides of our famed and mythical melting pot.

Right-wing whites have simply reached the point where they cannot take it any more. And the message seems to be that they will say and do whatever it takes to de-legitimize this President. And they seem to be certainly saying "never again." The saddest part about all of this is that it was just a few moths ago that many of us in the multi-ethnic coalition that banded together to usher in the Obama era were celebrating what looked like the start of a new seemingly post racial America. But just nine months later, I have to say I don't think I have seen a time when the bitterness and seeming us against them mentality was more evident. And by "us against them," I mean whites against the flood of people of color that are seeming to challenge the idea of what it means to be America and American. All you had to do was look at the faces of some of the Congressman in the crowd at President Obama's speech to see the venom that was only thinly veiled. It almost matched what we saw and heard from some of the people in the crowds at the recent town hall meetings.

The irony in all this is the challenge the Rep. Wilson's, Glen Beck's, Sean Hannity's and Rush Limbaugh's throw down by trying to intimidate the rest of us by daring us to call out this racism and to call them what they are -- silly men, and some women, who have seen the future and realize that the future is one where white men are not the only ones with a seat at the table anymore. And this scares the hell out of them. So they spew this crap and dare us to stand up to it and speak the truth. But we have to let them know that we will not back down, that we will not go away, that we will indeed call them out, no matter how many times they target a Van Jones, or whoever is next since they can't get to Obama. This country is changing, for the better, whether they like it or not, so they might as well accept it and find something else to do. The Republican Party can only make a fool of itself for so long before it completely implodes. And no attempt to put a Black mouthpiece like Michael Steele in front can disguise the fact that the Party is losing control of itself and some of these formerly disguised racists that pretend they are not anti-Black. No just anti anything from an African-American who dares actually have the gumption to call himself President and dare to do what he promised he would do when the country duly and fairly elected him.

I know President Obama is in a tough place and he can't really call these people out. He has to be "Presidential." But we can speak up. The issue is not health care reform or President Obama being too far left, because we have had people on the left run this country before. And we have had battles over health care, social security and other issues before. What we have never witnessed, at least when it came to the respect afforded our country's leader, whether it was former Presidents George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton, is this level of disrespect and overt vitriol directed at a President. All Presidents have had their opponents. But when you think through what has been directed at Obama, and his family for that matter with some of the truly low things that have 'slipped out" of people's mouths, like the South Carolina Republican activist, Rusty DePass, who said an escaped gorilla was probably Michelle Obama's ancestor, there is no denying this is beyond civil disagreement.

But I for one am not going to be intimidated into silence and I will call these racists what they are. I can accept and respect differing viewpoints, but what President Obama, and the rest of us, don't have to accept is racism disguised as patriotism. Let's call it what it is, racism born out of a fear that those darker skinned people have taken over. This is just not the America they expected, at least not so soon.

Follow Earnest Harris on Twitter: www.twitter.com/earnestharris

Comments

[BarakCarpathia]

Frank Marshall Davis was a great poet writer and father to ALL of his kids, even the illegitimate ones

[blaqntelligence]

Preach it, Mr. Harris!
(And please excuse my crudity for the following comment)

As for the rwoodsathomes:

"Is there any opposition opinions that criticize the President, his health care plan or his climate change legislation that you find non-racist"

each time I have the misfortune of hearing/re­ading/seei­ng the two versions of that contention, the image of an impotent man comes to mind.
No amount of pushing will change the fact you are STILL impotent.
Get help.

[rwoodsathome]

Is there any opposition opinions that criticize the President, his health care plan or his climate change legislation that you find non-racist

[Earnest Harris - Huffpost Blogger]

Let me see if I can say this any more simply than I already have since either you are choosing to ignore what I said or are being so defensive that you are pretending not to hear/read it.

Opposition to President Obama is not a problem. Simple opposition is expected and I suspect any person from a more conservative viewpoint will simply disagree with a liberal position no matter whether it is coming from an African-American President or any other. So not all opposition is racist. But the point is that there is an undeniable element of racism in the actions, statements, jokes, images, and general vitriol that is bubbling over from some of those who are opposing the President. To deny that is to not deal in honesty. The point is to oppose without being racist and those that do honestly oppose Obama on ideological grounds should take a stand against those who are dirtying the true opposition by making this personal instead of purely a difference of opinion. By refusing to acknowledge the racists amongst the opposition and pretend we are making this up, is not helping the opposition.

[rwoodsathome]

Are there any non-Democratic party opinions criticizing the President, Obamacare, TARP or climate legislation that you find non-racist?

[Earnest Harris - Huffpost Blogger]

I just find it so funny that those on the right who are doing this are trying to tone us down by acting like we're making this stuff up while they continue to be so blatant about it. They really are daring us to challenge what we see and when we do, they scream and holler that we are throwing the race card. Glad to see most people, including, most whites, are speaking out about what is so obvious.

[MexiChica]

Well, I for one, Earnest, am ready to make good on that dare. Keep telling it like it REALLY is Earnest. Trust me, we Latinos are very well aware of what is really happening here. 'Some' whites on the far right, not 'all' whites, just can't stand that the nation is changing. And those that oppose this change, are going to be in even greater shock. Because this is only the beginning. Watcha! Mira! Latinos are lining up, cheering, and applauding. People, as whole, are starting to finally clue into the truth. And you are 100% right! 'Some' whites on the far right are now running so scared and shaking their heads, wondering, "How in the hell do we stop this?" Let me also set the record straight Earnest, my hat is off to the 'many ' whites who are informed and see racism where it really is and are not afraid to call those out who are racists. God Bless them! Thank God for the Tim Wises of the world. And thank you former President, Jimmy Carter. My hope is that President Obama uses this moment, this opportunity, at this crucial time, to finally, once and for all, deal with this issue of race, openly and honestly. The time is now. Wouldn't you agree Earnest?

[Duppy]

What is sad about Steel and other black Repugs: how truly sad that blacks in this country fought their whole lives to be viewed as equal and free. Finally the first black POTUS, obviously a big win for black america but what do we see....peo­ple like Steel and the other black Repugs working against Obama. Being part of a party saying such vile things about the first black POTUS. Where is their pride to celebrate such an historic event. They do not see that they are being used by the Repug establishment. Why work against the hard fought freedom. Thank God as a black female, I am not from this country.

[joecoffie]

On Point. Co-Signed. I saw an old white lady intentionally TRY to run down a black kid on a bicycle yesterday in Va. The kid smartly avoided her trap. She obviously was filled with hate to have tried that prank. These border line racists seem to be losing their minds with all the good stuff going on. They are surprised Obama did not turn the White House into a freak club. They are surprised he is actually governing the World unlike one GW Bush.

This is not time to back down.

[lmt27]

Well, they better hold on while they can. I live in a small town in the state of Virginia and literally ever other child in the school is bi-racial-­-black/whi­te or white/hispanic. Also, there has been a large influx of illegal aliens in my area over the past 5 + yrs who are having babies and those babies are automatic american citizens who have every right as an american citizen and that means voting and running for a public office. Those right wingers better get to pro creating like rabbits or hope the south rises again--lol.

[TryToBeFlexible]

These people, mostly, cannot change. Their hate eats them alive. They are now incapable of being just plain happy.
These are the same exact people who are always whipped into a frenzy about gays getting an equal chance in life, pretty much.
They are heavily religious, they believe their god is a vengeful and sadistic despot. They were mostly beaten when they were children. By and large they have a lower IQ.

[averygard]

So true...The thing I worry about, though, is that one of these nutjobs might succeed in some kind of political violence, thinking they're doing it for the good of America. I am soooo afraid this is going to be like the 60s and we'll see some really bad stuff happen.

[Garioch]

Not being a party politics person this was one of the few things that got me reasonably excited about the last election, I knew this would shake them out of the woodwork and drive them crazy. I totally agree with you that they're starting to see the end of their cozy wee club and it's driving them to expose their true colours.
Anyone calling them out is going to be accused of 'playing the race card' which as with being called an anti Semite when any criticism is leveled at Israeli state policy is now so standard it's almost involuntary for them and can safely be ignored.
The one thing I've been slightly surprised at it that they haven't made more effort to get various minorities attacking each other but then most of their foremost speakers now seem to be as dumb as a box of hair so they probably haven't figured that out as the only logical way for them to go now.