Racism Is Alive And Well In The GOP

Two things have become very obvious in this campaign season -- that the Republican Party has been taken over by the teabaggers, and that many (if not most) of those teabaggers are racists. The first is verified by the fact that moderates and moderate-conservatives are being driven from office (like Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana), and from the party in general. The second became obvious with a quick perusal of the signs at any teabagger rally (and those not openly carrying the racist signs did nothing to stop those that did).

Now those same teabagger Republican racists are getting even bolder. Note the two pictures above. The first is in Austin (Texas) and the second is in Virginia. They are obviously plays on the sad Clint Eastwood speech at the Republican Convention, where he pretended to be speaking to President Obama by addressing an empty chair he had brought onstage. Both are also obviously meant to signify the lynching of an Afro-American president.

We do live in a country where free speech is guaranteed by the Constitution, even offensive free speech -- and these examples of racist political speech are about as offensive as you can get. But decent people also have free speech, and they must speak loud and clear saying this kind of thing is unacceptable -- and way over the line for political speech. To remain silent in the face of this obvious racism, that harkens back to a shameful and murderous time in this country's history, is to approve of it.

When this country elected President Obama, many people thought it was a sign that we were finally moving toward a post-racial era in America. Sadly, that is not true. It has brought the racists back out from under their rocks, and made them think they could once again preach their hate in the open. And it seems that the Republican Party has accepted them with open arms.

Where are the decent Republicans -- the proud inheritors of the tradition of great men like Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Dwight Eisenhower? Do you really want your party to be the party of racism? It is time for you to speak out. In fact, it is time for all decent Americans to speak out. Racism is never OK!