We're all racists now.

New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd wrote an absolutely brilliant piece the other day regarding South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson's outburst in which he unceremoniously blurted "You lie!" during the President's address to Congress last week.
Showing such malicious disrespect for our greatest President was certainly uncalled for. Protocol dictates that Congressional members treat with respect and dignity the office of the President, especially in the House chambers. High on the list of offenses is calling the President a liar. Certainly Pete Stark, Democrat Representative from California, is aware, as he addressed the House in 2007 when he chastised President Bush regarding the children's health care program SCHIP, "You gonna tell us lies like you're telling us today? ...But the President Bush’s statements about children’s health shouldn't be taken any more seriously than his lies about the war in Iraq."



Rep. Stark's accusations regarding the previous President, however, were undoubtedly accurate and highly appropriate, and well-justified, as were nearly all criticisms of the previous administration. After all, Bush's words were nothing but complete, almost unintelligible fabrications, unlike those of President Obama, who has obviously proven himself to be nothing if not completely honest and forthright. Honest Abe, make room on Mount Rushmore for Honest Obama.
Which brings us back to Rep. Wilson's uncouth transgression of last week. Ms. Dowd, with her usual brilliance and perception, notes the underlying tone of Wilson's attack. A black President, admonishing Republicans for their vicious obstruction, half-truths and misleading accusations, called out by a white Congressman... from the South, no less! She writes, "what I heard was an unspoken word in the air: You lie, boy!"
It's racism, plain and simple, evil and insidious.
She later makes it even clearer. "For two centuries, the South has feared a takeover by blacks or the feds. In Obama, they have both."
It is blatantly apparent now that Wilson had the stain of racism in his heart and on his mind when he objected so vocally to admittedly ambiguous claims. Ms. Dowd is sagacious enough to note the obvious. "Wilson clearly did not like being lectured and even rebuked by the brainy black president presiding over the majestic chamber."
Furthermore, when you factor this underlying racial distrust and even intolerance into the strife of the past several months, the fog lifts and the picture becomes even clearer. Finally the right-wing extremist hyped "Tea Parties," the angry voices at town hall meetings, and the million-plus nutjob protest in DC this past weekend start to make sense. As Ms. Dowd laments, "I’ve been loath to admit that the shrieking lunacy of the summer — the frantic efforts to paint our first black president as the Other, a foreigner, socialist, fascist, Marxist, racist, Commie, Nazi; a cad who would snuff old people; a snake who would indoctrinate kids — had much to do with race."
I'll admit, I could not see at first that Wilson's callous accusations were charged by racism and bigotry. I cannot look into the man's heart. But as Ms. Dowd astutely instructs, there is, obviously, no other explanation. Democrat Rep. Stark, as you recall, did not raise his voice in the aforementioned instance. The fact is no Democrat has ever shouted at a black President. Ms. Dowd hammers the final nail in Wilson's coffin, "But Wilson’s shocking disrespect for the office of the president — no Democrat ever shouted “liar” at W. when he was hawking a fake case for war in Iraq — convinced me: Some people just can’t believe a black man is president and will never accept it."
The unpleasant, if not hostile reaction from the obviously misinformed, prejudiced, intolerant racists to the election of this man, this brilliant, educated, eloquent black man, is evidence to Ms. Dowd's point. They are just not ready for this. Some will never be. Some, like Rep. Wilson, as well as the bigoted deep south, the close-minded inhabitants of the "heartland" of middle America, the hate-monger Tea Partiers, the conspiratorial right-wing extremists and, to be honest, the vast majority of the country resist a black man in the White House. Like it or not, the country as a larger whole must come to grips with the reality of this brilliant black man's rise. Ms. Dowd writes, "Now he’s at the center of a period of racial turbulence sparked by his ascension. Even if he and the coterie of white male advisers around him don’t choose to openly acknowledge it, this president is the ultimate civil rights figure — a black man whose legitimacy is constantly challenged by a loco fringe."
We, Ms. Dowd, the media, the enlightened leaders in Washington and New York, the inspired scholars in academia, are living in an enlightened, progressive age, in which many have yet to come to such an understanding about this President and his almost messianic ascendance. We who have chosen the side of history that punishes white men hollering and discredits old people protesting things that they don't know are good for them, have an historic, charismatic Black President in whom we have been inspired to place all of our trust, our faith, and, yes, Hope.
Maureen Dowd clearly understands these rifts are purely racist, purely prejudicial and, obviously, are not in the least related to President Obama's antagonistic words which have incensed his opposition which grows by the day, his perplexing actions which the majority of Americans fear are dangerous to their liberty, or his policies which most Americans realize are destructive to the very Republic for which they have given sacrifices of blood and treasure. No, Ms. Dowd scolds them. This is about nothing more than race.
By the way, Ms. Dowd, if, by some unlikely chance you can extricate yourself from your tired, intellectually desolate, vapid hack-liberal "racism" rebuke clichéry and happen to read this, the preceding remarks are something we, the undereducated, unintelligent unwashed masses of inbred populace who according to your omniscient wisdom can't abide a black man in the White House call "sarcasm." Look it up.