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

[bpai]

McCain and Palin are whipping up a level of intensifying fear and hatred of Obama as the clock ticks down and they grow more desperate. Coupled with the escalating fear many are feeling with the financial meltdown, it wouldn't surprise me at all if this led to violence.


I watched the TV clips yesterday of McCain speaking at a rally while a supporter yelled that Obama was a terrorist, and a Palin rally somebody was shouting "Kill him!" Neither speaker stopped to repudiate those comments or discourage them. It's not in their interest to do so.


Put a gun in the hand of a right-wing nut who just lost his home and let him hear McCain/Palin strongly imply that Obama is a Manchurian candidate who hates the US. Mix well and you can be sure McCain and Palin will act surprised and shocked if something awful happens.

[akindependent]

WHERE IS THE REST OF THE PRESS AND THE PUNDITS? This is dead wrong and dangerous and everyone needs to stand up and say we will not allow this to happen to our country.

[JenIA]

I have saved several Schaeffer pieces and sent them to friends and family. If you haven't seen these before, they are worth your time.

Thanks, Frank Schaeffer!

Why This Former Right Winger Likes Obama
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/why-this-former-right-win_b_84709.html

Obama's Minister Committed "Treason" But When My Father Said the Same Thing He Was a Republican Hero
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/obamas-minister-committe_b_91774.html

After The Debate: The Case For Obama (the Marine Corps) and a Culture of Brotherhood
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/after-the-debate-the-case_b_97336.html

[paulita]

Update.

I think something needs to be done about this as it´s getting out of hand!

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

Hundreds of absentee ballots sent to voters in New York State's Rensselaer County, near Albany, were printed with Barack Obama's last name spelled as "Osama," the Albany Times Union reports.

[whit4brains]

They claim it was a "typo"...r­ight cause the S and B are right next to each other on the keyboards. Please. Who ever is responsible for that should lose their job.

[DeeW]

Finally, some common sense. Thank you. I do hope McCain is listening and will behave in a way befitting a presidential candidate.

[norednecks]

Thank you. Finally, a Republican with a brain & a sense of honor. It's like a breath of fresh air to hear honesty from a GOP member.

[dmmSF]

Yes!
This is what we've been waiting for. This mob incitement has been brewing since Sunday and is scary. John Kerry, David Gergen, McCain's former top strategist John Weaver, Former Republican Governor of Michigan William Milliken and others have stepped up and told the truth.
Next up: How about the Republicans that served on the same board as Obama and Ayers? Aren't they a little insulted that McCain and Palin are questioning their patriotism?

[chucklasker]

Great post, Frank.

Do the Republicans not realize what would happen if Obama was assassinated, or even attempted to be assassinated? First, their fight against gun control would be lost. It would be the end of the Second Amendment, no matter how much they protest. Second, there would be violence that would make the Pakistani peoples' reaction to Benazir Bhutto's assassination look like a day in the park. Third, Michelle Obama would step in and win handily, with a mandate like no other President has ever had. It would simply be the end of the Republican Party. Not for decades, but permanently.

[DevRock]

BRAVO!!!!!!

[Kirk59]

Though I doubt McCain/Palin will heed your advice, thank you anyway for saying what needs to be said.
The other day James Carville said that if Obama loses, even though he goes in to Nov 4 with a 5-6 point lead, because of voter supression or some other dirty trick, there will be trouble. He implied possible violent civil disorder.
I think the point needs to be added, that if any violence is visited on Sen. Obama, or his family, the civil unrest in the US will be widespread, and not just from African Americans. There are millions of whites, like myself, who will also be compelled to act out our frustrations. I am no kid either. They took RFK from us when I was 9, and MLK the same year. If it happens again, we can not sit by idly, watch funerals, and buy into some phony "healing" process.

[missjabez]

Could that be why there are extra troops? I don't know how to say this, but didn't Bush authorize troops to maintain order in case there is a civil disturbance?

[YWCYWC]

Thank you Mr. Schaeffer.

"Bad things happen when good people stay silent " (quoted from the link below)
Thank you for speaking for those of us who are increasingly anxious with the tenor of the McCain's campaign. I am hoping other community leaders and politicians echo your voice.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/an-open-letter-to-john-mc_b_133489.html

[enoughspin]

Well said Frank Schaeffer!

In addition, I would write the same letter addressed to the NRCC and the Fox gang (O'Reilly, Hannity, et ala) condemning their roll in spreading selective propaganda against Obama both on the Fox channel and on the Internet. The result is a rabid hatred of Democrats and Liberals who, in the minds of those on the extreme Right, have been the cause of everything that is going wrong.

While a fair-minded person knows this is not the case, there is no talking to someone who has had their emotions ratcheted up to such a high level.

In my view, the McCain campaign, NRCC, and Fox are equally to blame. For shame!

[AnthonyVolpe]

Hold McCain responsible?

We couldn't hold Bush responsible.

I sure hope things change around here.

[Arishia]

Thank you Frank. I am really worried. How can this be allowed in our country? To incite crowds to assassinate a Presidential candidate. McCain and Palin are pathetic and dangerous.

[AliMac02]

BULL'S EYE. Thank you for this crystal-clear prose.

Everyone reading this: PLEASE do more than just read comments on HuffPo! Volunteer for an Obama campaign or MoveOn phonebank party. Canvass in a battleground state. Email everyone you know. And vote, of course.

Now is the time.