An Open Letter to John McCain

Senator John McCain: If your campaign does not stop equating Sen. Barack Obama with terrorism, questioning his patriotism and portraying Mr. Obama as "not one of us," I accuse you of deliberately feeding the most unhinged elements of our society the red meat of hate, and therefore of potentially instigating violence.

At a Sarah Palin rally, someone called out, "Kill him!" At one of your rallies, someone called out, "Terrorist!" Neither was answered or denounced by you or your running mate, as the crowd laughed and cheered. At your campaign event Wednesday in Bethlehem, Pa., the crowd was seething with hatred for the Democratic nominee - an attitude encouraged in speeches there by you, your running mate, your wife and the local Republican chairman.

Shame!

John McCain: In 2000, as a lifelong Republican, I worked to get you elected instead of George W. Bush. In return, you wrote an endorsement of one of my books about military service. You seemed to be a man who put principle ahead of mere political gain.

You have changed. You have a choice: Go down in history as a decent senator and an honorable military man with many successes, or go down in history as the latest abettor of right-wing extremist hate.

John McCain, you are no fool, and you understand the depths of hatred that surround the issue of race in this country. You also know that, post-9/11, to call someone a friend of a terrorist is a very serious matter. You also know we are a bitterly divided country on many other issues. You know that, sadly, in America, violence is always just a moment away. You know that there are plenty of crazy people out there.

John McCain, you're walking a perilous line. If you do not stand up for all that is good in America and declare that Senator Obama is a patriot, fit for office, and denounce your hate-filled supporters when they scream out "Terrorist" or "Kill him," history will hold you responsible for all that follows.

John McCain and Sarah Palin, you are playing with fire, and you know it. You are unleashing the monster of American hatred and prejudice, to the peril of all of us. You are doing this in wartime. You are doing this as our economy collapses. You are doing this in a country with a history of assassinations.

Change the atmosphere of your campaign. Talk about the issues at hand. Make your case. But stop stirring up the lunatic fringe of haters, or risk suffering the judgment of history and the loathing of the American people - forever.

We will hold you responsible.

This post first ran in the Baltimore Sun as an op-ed on Oct 10, 2008. Frank Schaeffer is the author of Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back. Now in paperback

Follow Frank Schaeffer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/frank_schaeffer

Comments

[Jezreel]

Thank you Mr. Schaeffer.

I have never supported Senator John McCain's candidacies, not because I didn't think he was an honorable man, but because I simply didn't know much about him. When I read about what happened to him during the 2000 Presidential campaign, I felt sorry for him. When he won the Republican Primaries, I looked forward to the General campaign, because I expected it to be conducted honorably and in a dignified manner because John McCain, more than any other candidate, knows what its like to be the victim of an ugly and despicable smear campaign.

I never thought that I'd witness what so many other Americans are horrified by in Senator McCain's conduct of his campaign. This is simply appalling. It is frightening and it is alarming.

I hope that Sen. McCain will pay close attention to your appeal and to the appeal of the other Republican and Democratic leaders who are speaking out against him and abandoning his campaign.

Thanks again.

[thpreader]

Thank you for this and all of your posts! I have been asking bloggers to contact their news organizations to ask them to stop fueling this hate coming from the McCain campaign. It seems like each time they make an outrageous claim against Obama, the news channels play it over and over without taking the time to research the truth and present that as well. Unfortunately many people get all of their information from these news programs and as a result they believe these claims which makes the situation increasingly dangerous. Each of us has such a small voice but if we join together we can be heard.

[nycwerewolf]

Mr. Schaeffer,

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

You are a true American and a hero.

Obama VS. McCain: Who Should You Vote For?
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/matthewhencke/gG5tH5

If You Are Thinking About Voting For John McCain/Sarah Palin...
...First Ask Yourselves These Questions:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/matthewhencke/gGxVK9

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS

[wherriott2]

Thank you Sir. Unfortunately McSame's lust and thirst for power has rendered him a pawn and tool of the far right. If you look in his eyes you see a man that will do anything to become POTUS.

Despite our partisan differences let us those of us that truly love this country and want only the best for it continue to act with civility and decency.

[texrednface]

I am afraid both sides have become contaminated with hate. After African-American talk show host of a Wisconsin radio station begged McCain to "go after Obama's soft spot" at a rally yesterday; many so-called Obama supporters wrote some pretty vile things on his blog sight. The right-wingers revel in this sort of response. They egg it on and there are some in the Obama camp that take the bait. As Tony Bennett's character Hymie Kelly said in the movie, "The Oscar" You lie down with pigs you come up smelling like garbage."

What I have admired about Barack Obama is he has remained above the low rhetoric. We need to help fellow supporters remain calm and above the fray and call them out when the emulate "those People".

[miatamama]

Thank you, Mr. Schaeffer.

[IndependentMeans]

Ditto. You are a fine example of a patriot, as is your son.

[Valkyrie8]

Excellent. Thank you, Frank Schaeffer. You've said just what I wanted to say and hope others in the media, whichever way they lean, will be brave enough to say.

If the tables were turned, and Obama used tactics like this to drag down McCain's numbers, I'd repudiate Obama. This demogoguery isn't a Republican vs Democrat division. It's decency vs raging ambition.

[tsat]

All true. Regardless of the outcome of this election I will never again respect John McCain. His rabble-rousing in criminal.

[GroveGal35]

Finally! Thank you so much. I hope this post swirls across the media and reaches whoever in the heck has the power to pull the rug out from under the present McPallin rhetoric. I have never seen anything like this in my six decades and I've witnessed a lot. As if we didn't have enough scandal from CEO's, government out of control, Wall Street taking a beating, now we have a former "respected" politician inciting riots and labeling his opponent viciously. Oh, this is a sad thing to see. I agree with Mr. Schaffer--McPalin will be held responsible. McCain has a choice now--continue with respect and perhaps lose graciously or stay the course he's on and spend what years remain in isolation from all he once held dear.

Who is this man? I honestly don't know.

[FloridaShutterBug]

Thank you Mr. Schaeffer.

I never dreamed John McCain could be so sick with hatred. I really don't know Sarah Palin, but can't get past the feeling that she will do whatever it takes to get what she wants.

Blind ambition is a terrible thing; it dehumanizes, it destroys and it devastates everything in it's path. We only *thought* we saw it in Bush. Watching the demented duo this past week tells me we ain't seen nothin' yet. It does something to the little hairs on the back of the neck.

[missjabez]

Thank you, Mr. Schaeffer, for another brilliant column. What kind of people are McCain and Palin? They not only want to defeat him;they want him dead. They are sick, evil, people. Do they really think the American people would support them if Obama were assassinated, particularly if his assassin was some lunatic who had gotten the idea by attending one of McCain/Palin's rallies? I am very concerned for Obama's safety, and worried about the future of this country.

[TheTruthBeTold]

This is the type of Conservative that I have been anxious to see...As an Independent I always try to look at the candidate and not the party. I hate to say it but it certainly looks like Republicans are a bunch of raving racist lunatics, i.e. Limbaugh, Hannity, Fox News channel, and I am not going to forget that Sheriff that was introducing McCain and calling Barack Hussein Obama, and many of the other repubs that you see giving poltical feedback on tv. I ask...where are the other true Christians and Conservatives who I believe are good people that are better representations of the Republican party?

[mdj20000]

You said the word that everyone has been thinking but are afraid to say - assassination.

That was always a fear in everyone's mind but the McCain campaign are making it a scary and real possibility. If they don't stop this and stop defending the people that are doing this, something horrible is going to happen and I will blame JOHN SIDNEY MCCAIN for it.

And if something does happen to Barrack Obama, this country will be in chaos as the entire world looks on, and loses ALL of the little respect they still had for us.

Please God don't let that happen.

[buskyandme]

"I didn't decide to run for president to start a national crusade for the political reforms I believed in or to run a campaign as if it were some grand act of patriotism. In truth, I wanted to be president because it had become my ambition to be president. . . . In truth, I'd had the ambition for a long time."

John McCain

[tsat]

He said it all didn't he.

[KiwisCanFly]

Thank u Frank Schaeffer, for your effort in re-establishing a sense of consequence.

I hope Sen McCain and Gov Palin are listening, but I doubt it. They are fargone on the ruthless path of their self-ambition.

One would think in the current economic crisis, consequence for ones actions would be foremost in our conscientiousness.

[TimSledge]

Thank you, Frank for saying what needs to be said. I just watched Republican consultant Ed Rogers defending McCain and Palin's behavior on HardBall with Chris Matthews. I had to turn it off. I'm feel like I'm back in the days before the civil rights movement. A Southern sheriff stands before a McCain/Palin crowd and says that a black man "won't know what hit him" ?!! I feel so powerless. Can't someone stop this? If people don't like Obama, they should vote for McCain. They don't have to hate Obama. That's how it's supposed to work. More people, in the media, in Congress, people with a platform, need to speak like you have Frank!

[genie555]

I thought about this all day today. I thought that if there were only one person who a lot of people from different backgrounds held in high esteem that could come out and denounce this behavior publicly in a way that people would have to really stand up, take notice and listen it would be great. I came up with one such person. please don't anyone laugh at me or think I'm ridiculous...but I thought of Oprah Winfrey. Maybe she would just influence women (mostly), but she has proven to be a force of nature on her own and she supports Barack Obama. I know, I am a naive person, but really, no one else is taking a stand-which sickens me day in and day out.

We need someone