The Fight For Obama Requires Fewer Euphemisms and More Truth
Now we come to it: the real fight for Obama in the harsh light of day. What Obama is up against is essentially the jeering section of the national lunatic asylum. What America is up against is the very real possibility that this jeering section will out shout the rest of us. Beware lest we let them sneer us into oblivion.
The battle lines of the contest for the Democratic Party nomination and the White House are clear. Strip away the euphemisms and we see that the choice before us is not a choice between various candidates and various positions but a choice of historic magnitude about the character of America.
Before saying more let me say that I am an optimist. I believe that Obama will be our next president because his support comes from a widely diverse group of people, from some like me -- a white middle class 55-year-old lifelong Republican, now reregistered as an independent -- to traditional Democrats, blacks, young people, women and men of all races and beliefs. We are united in our hope for a better future. I believe that our disparate group of individuals outnumber those firmly stuck in the past. We will win if we hang tough together and tell the truth.
At the core of the Obama candidacy is the belief that freethinking openhearted people in America outnumber cretins, racists, the willfully ignorant, the gleefully hate-filled, the small minded, the backward looking, jingoistic morons, the frightened, the addicts of brain-wrecking soundbites, and above all those stuck in a pattern of thinking that leads inevitably to shrunken horizons.
What are the spoken "arguments" against Obama? He doesn't wear a flag pin... His minister said harsh things... The blue collar vote don't all like him... In the words of the inimitable George Stephanopoulos; Obama can't say for sure if his minister is as patriotic as he is...
Since these banalities can't possibly explain why there is even a discussion about the choice between Obama and the Clinton hack machine what's really going on?
Here are the real reasons that the Democratic Party has not yet embraced Obama overwhelmingly:
1) This country has a racist streak running through it that is well entrenched in both parties.
2) We include amongst us an undereducated geographically ignorant nation-within-a-nation who are afraid of the world outside of our borders, terrified by the eternal "other," that perpetual "threat" that takes new forms but never changes -- from the late Saddam Hussein to the last Mexican to crawl over the border.
Clinton and McCain cater to those with a bad case of paranoia. Obama does not.
Combine the latent racism that the Clintons so handily embrace when they euphemistically describe the "blue collar" vote as unwinnable for Obama, with the willful ignorance of too many Americans about the world, and the idea of voting for a well-educated, worldly wise, kind, openhearted, unafraid, urbane, hard-to-ruffle, charismatic black man is a scary proposition. He just isn't scared enough! He just isn't keeping his place! He is just too decent! He's just to sane to be "one of us!"
In Obama we have a choice that will set the stage for the foreseeable American future. On the one hand Obama faces McCain; the aging war making enthusiast, the next "prophet" of American exceptionalism, a true believer in military sacrifice as the highest value, even sacrifice for "victory" in unwinnable wars. On the other hand Obama is trying to overcome the perpetually ambitious Clinton machine, fastened to his ankle like a rabid dog, unable to bring him down but very able to distract and draw blood.
Here are the actual choices:
Obama or war without end.
Obama or ambition without moral boundaries without end.
The Clinton/McCain partisans will never say it but they are counting on the worst in the American character in order to "win." Without the support of the racists, the stupid, the undereducated and the perpetually paranoid neither McCain nor Clinton stands a chance. They count on the worst in our national character in the same way that oncologists count on new cases of cancer -- pay lip service is to the cure, but thank God for the sickness! (And by the way the Clinton canard that the blue collar vote is un-winnable for Obama is an insult to most working people.)
This election is a moral test of our national character. If we fail this test, if we allow the mainstream media to derail the process with their insanely tawdry, lowest common denominator soundbites, if we allow the Clintons thinly veiled "I'm more electable" (e.g., more white!) racism to triumph, or worse yet, if we vote for the perpetuation of four (and perhaps eight) more years of the Bush regime reincarnated as McCain, we will have not only turned the clock back but slammed the door on the best chance our country has been given in generations.
It is no accident that the rest of the world is so incredibly interested in this year's American election. Obama is liked (actually loved) all over the world. What an incredible opportunity for us to elect someone who brings such a favorable worldwide standing with him to day one of his presidency. How do we really make America safer? For a start, put a president in charge who is liked and respected and who changes the way others see us for the better.
It is up to those of us who support Obama to fight like hell and make sure that we do not become infected by the insidious despair inherent in the arguments made by the Clintons about who is "electable," or by the Republicans, whose bellicose rhetoric presupposes that America will be hated forever.
Which line would you rather be standing in; a line leading to a future where America is liked and respected again, where our president represents the best about us, or the line back to a world where we are disrespected hated and, moreover, hate ourselves?
Let's state our case openly. Let's trust most of our fellow Americans to rise to the occasion. The choice is clear. The time for euphemisms is past. Let's confront our worst national faults head on. This year's contest for the presidency is between all that is worst about America and all that is greatest.
I believe in America. I believe in Obama. If we hang in there we will win.
Frank Schaeffer is a writer and 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"
Follow Frank Schaeffer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/frank_schaeffer
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I wish that we could clone you, Mr. Schaeffer: As usual, another INCREDIBLY HONEST article !!!
Such Soul - and so very rare! I believe that America would have the Lord's blessings in ways that we could just not even begin to imagine - way, way more - esp. spiritually - if only we had more Frank Schaeffers ................
"Here are the real reasons that the Democratic Party has not yet embraced Obama overwhelmingly:"
1) This country has a racist streak running through it that is well entrenched in both parties.
..........................................................................................................................
Combine the latent racism that the Clintons so handily embrace ...............................................
Without the support of the racists, the stupid, the undereducated, the perpetually paranoid,
neither McCain nor Clinton stands a chance. ................................................................................ "
I could just go on and on .......................
"Obama is liked (loved) the world over." ...............................................................................................
Thank you so very much, Mr. Schaeffer.
A suggestion: Every time that you write another sterling article (which is ALWAYS), would you PLEASE
SEND A COPY TO THE DNC/HOWARD DEAN. (I know, I know - But, we could always live in hope !!!
Yes Yes someone please forward this article to DNC and Chairman Dean!
What a crock!
Great post; your courage to call a spade a spade and tell the unvarnished truth about American subconscious racism and ignorance of the world beyond our borders is laudable.
An example in point: the characterization by the MSM and just about every white American of OBAMA as black instead of as biracial; the white part of him is completely ignored; they ALL say he is the first serious BLACK presidential candidate.
As for those PA blue collar workers, it will be a rude awakening for them, if they live that long, to learn that soon, China will become the greatest industrial nation on earth; and they voted to precipitate this day. They did not even know that Bill signed off on NAFTA and MFN for China which shipped their jobs overseas.
what kind of courage does it take to pander to the mob and its mantra of condescension and derision towards anyone who dares to challenge the party line?
Excellent article!
Agree with above - great article. Hope is alive and well.
great take. one hundred percent right.
We absolutely have a choice in this election. Fear or Hope... I'll choose the latter. Look what the former gotten us these last 8 years.
"This election is a moral test of our national character": precisely. Mr. Schaeffer articulates the touchstone not just for Obama supporters but for the entire contest in this post. Whatever else swirls around us, this will not change. I will stand on this ground and fight it to the very end, and recognize the test results for what they are, one way or another. Dig in, hunker down, get calling and canvassing, and "always remember no matter what obstacles . . . "
Thanks Frank for being so astute at understanding the bottom line. I am right there with you. I did not help create and erect the right-wing, but I am an AFrican-American woman who registered as a republican almost eight years ago. I have found my way back!
I agree with you, Mr. Schaeffer. However, I fear that you may be overconfident. I spoke to a highly intelligent member of my family today, who supports Hillary. I asked why, and he said "because she's tough." I asked what he thought of her tawdry campaign. He said that was why he liked her - she'll be tough enough to beat the Republicans - and if the "phone" rings, she'll act; she won't "have a discussion". This depressed me, because this man is mature, well educated, and liberal. I hope you are right - and I'll do all I can - but my fingers and toes will be crossed. I'm not sure America is smart enough to take advantage of a candidate like Obama.
Obama has already changed the country. When was the last time we had a dialogue about race that inspired so many people? When did the collective white consciousness--I am white--last really give much thought to race? When was the populace ever this engaged in a primary? When was the last time the people actually thought they could make a difference?
We have someone who has come along and made us think. This has to be a great thing no matter how it turns out. I am an Obama supporter and I respect the rights of those that are not, so long as they are polite. Discourse and opposing viewpoints make for a healthy atmosphere so long as people can agree to disagree.
Thank you for pointing this out...Obama HAS already changed many things...all in a positive way. And as Schaeffer says, we must all fight for him as president, and not be distracted by the Clinton new metrics and the hopelessness of McCain.
You are thoughtful. It is a vision most American should see and embrace. Well done
This is a wonderful and well written piece. The phrase "Blue colour voters" I have always believed is used by the Clitons as a racial undertone and I wonder why the media never see it that way. The fight for Obama to be president is a fight every American should be involved. This is a fight for the present and the future. A fight that will lift America out of the ditch onto the right path. It is a very difficult fight becasue the lobbyst and the special interest (which include most of the media and their analyst) will fight to keep the status quo. They are scared ordinary Americans will be mastes of their own destiny in Obama presdency so they wll do anything to stop it.
MMMMMM I wonder how many people will see it this way.
Some excellent thoughts.
However, I'd like to point out that 2004 was about our national character as well.
"cretins, racists, the willfully ignorant, the gleefully hate-filled, the small minded, the backward looking, jingoistic morons, the frightened, the addicts of brain-wrecking soundbites, and above all those stuck in a pattern of thinking that leads inevitably to shrunken horizons"
I'm one of these if I don't support Barack Obama? Gosh, Frank Schaeffer, how freethinking and openhearted of you to speak of me that way.
I was never afraid of Saddam Hussein. That honor is reserved for Republicans, apparently.
If you were as enlightened as you claim to be, you wouldn't need to resort to name-calling and slandering against those who disagree with you.
I think what he was trying to say was that "cretins, racists, willfully ignorant," etc.--for convenience's sake, let's call them Homelanders--are susceptible to sound bites and manufactured controversies (flag pins, guilt by association) and the politics of fear. I haven't met anyone so far who believes the Arabs want to take over the world or who loses sleep over whether Obama wears a flag in his lapel. I think what he's saying is that there are probably more of us who are concerned about the real problems facing this country (including the direction it's taken in recent years) than there are of the Homelanders. (I guess you could call us "Americans.") I don't know why mredder4 wants to identify himself as a Homelander. Maybe he's willfully ignorant.
You can always feel free to assume that you can guess why people who aren't you make the decisions that they do, but that never means that you're right.
Barack Obama is a less-than-one-term Senator who's pre-occupation with campaigning has caused him to neglect the committee that he has been made the chairman of in the Senate, the committee directly responsible for overseeing the debaucle going on in Afghanistan right now. He's a droning, boring, condescending public speaker who's own words show that he has no respect for America, that America is one big shitpot that it's apparently his job to sweep in and fix on angelic wings and heavenly prayers. His associations, which no matter what you say do matter, leave a lot of questions about the man and his ethics, or possible lack there-of.
Feel free to vote with your heart or your ideals. I'll be using my head and a solid foundation in reality. Hope doesn't feed people, or shelter them, or anything else. It's just hope.
You are exactly who Frank Schaeffer is talking about:
Saddam Hussein did not have any WMD and had nothing to do with 9/11.
I certainly agree with you! What an encouraging article.
Thank you Mr. Schaeffer!
Bravo!! Well written article!
I think you hit the nail on the head. I wouldn't say that everyone who is not for Obama fits into yoru categorization but a majority of them do. Unfortunately We have primaries in Ky and WVa coming up and we all know what way they will vote.
Well, I'm doing my best to close (or at least minimize) the gap here. I've been canvassing three weekends in a row now in western KY. Interestingly, I find that the lower-income, less-educated white Democratic voters are more likely to be for Obama than the middle and upper-middle class white voters. This is based on an admittedly small sample in one town, but I have to say I have been surprised by the diversity of support for Obama so far.
And I will say that people hate Bush and the war in Iraq pretty uniformly.
And I have found it pretty easy to convince some voters to switch from Clinton to Obama among the less-educated as opposed to the more educated.
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