just sayin'...

And quite similar to a point Bob Somerby has been making on his Daily Howler website. I had not actually noticed how common that (the denigration of the other side) was on the liberal side until he pointed it out. We on the liberal side should demand better from our pundits, media personalities and spokespeople, and it'd sure be great if the conservatives would do the same.

--Ron

Matt,

In all likelihood, some of them may be racists, but probably the majority are not. And that majority will not be reached by labeling them racist as a group, and progress will not be made. Better to point out that they're being misled by their own talk radio broadcasters, so that they learn to be a little more skeptical and less easily manipulated by criminals. We'd all be better of that way.

--Ron

America, the world's best health care with the world's worst access.

Dude, these are NOT flash mobs. Flash mobs were a whimsical, fun phenomenon not tied to any ideological or political issue, of which the whole point was their pointlessness. Kinda like zen performance art.

These things are just plain MOBS. Ignorant people with ugly fears whipped up by right-wing zealots. Almost exactly the OPPOSITE of flash mobs.

Better to point out that they're being misled by their own talk radio broadcasters,

Haven't you heard? Pointing out ANYTHING to these people is completely futile. They aren't interested in listening; they want to yell at somebody until they get the upper hand.

What you're seeing when they're called racists and stupid is sheer, utter frustration. People just throwing their hands into the air and giving up on ever talking any sense into thick heads that don't want to hear. It's all very well and good to say we should be nice, but we're really freaking TIRED OF BEING NICE. It just doesn't cut it with these people.

And since nobody in the government is apparently interested in doing the slightest thing about them, well...we get pissed. We're normal folks, not saints, for gods' sakes.

I watched the video of Barney Frank in effect telling a constituent what you've advised not saying. For some reason, I'm siding with his approach, since the individual involved was beyond reaching regardless of the response.

Please note that I did not say you had to be nice to them. But, maybe try saying "don't you get tired of being taken for a fool by the people on the radio?" Because, that's what's happening. Sometimes, you may need to point it out forcefully, because people are usually thick-headed no matter what their viewpoint. And besides, some people are just paid hacks to stir up trouble. Our trouble is figuring out whether they're for real or astroturf. Nothing says you have to be especially polite with them, particularly if they're initiating screamfests and the like. But, I think we should be scrupulously accurate in calling them down for it, and not loading up on emotional verbiage that gets neither side anywhere. I think what Barney Frank did was pretty good, because most people seeing what he said would at least pause to rethink their views if they're not allowed to be so over-the-top and irrational. I think they know somewhere in the back of their minds they're not being rational, but they don't know how to get to that point consciously.

--Ron

"Haven't you heard? Pointing out ANYTHING to these people is completely futile. They aren't interested in listening; they want to yell at somebody until they get the upper hand.

What you're seeing when they're called racists and stupid is sheer, utter frustration. People just throwing their hands into the air and giving up on ever talking any sense into thick heads that don't want to hear. It's all very well and good to say we should be nice, but we're really freaking TIRED OF BEING NICE. It just doesn't cut it with these people.

And since nobody in the government is apparently interested in doing the slightest thing about them, well...we get pissed. We're normal folks, not saints, for gods' sakes."

It is rediculous to dismiss the racism out of hand. The right-wing has always employed racism going back to the southern strategy, leads logically to the vilification of the 'welfare state' up to and including the voracious insistence that Obama is not legitimate. They wouldn't employ racism as a scare tactic if it wasn't resonant with the masses they are manipulating.

The point that the Obama administration should have anticpated the rancor before I guess is fair to a degree. Certainly they should have anticipated angry pushback and mobilzation of the fearful mobs of the elites you refer to. I don't think anyone could have exactly anticipated the peculiar - and yes most definitly racist- flavor of the protests with the Obama as Hitler motif. What sane mind could anticipate that?

What is really scary about all this is the fact that the 5% of highest income grabbers have enlisted the lowest 25% of intelligence and knowledge to do their dirty work. But it is ever thus. What is sad is that the White House hacks should have seen this shit storm coming. The senate dems need to be told "THIS IS WHAT WE WANT. WE WILL NOT SETTLE FOR LESS. GET ON BOARD OR BE DAMNED." And I mean Period!

should be called what they are. Period.

While all of these people aren't racists, they aren't thinking critically either. These folk have been listening to the hate from the right whose corporate agenda is the bottom line! Their fear while understandable, is accentuated by the fact that they don't even try to seek out real information, compounding this is a compliant corporate owned & consolidated media that tacitly refuses to print information, just spin, lies, and "free market" policies that have not been working, are not working, and will not work for the masses!

The dumbing down of Americans has been in high form, and with all of the calamities, missteps, avarice, greed, and loss of wages, personal security and government corruption by the sell-outs in Congress - we need to be past scared - we need to be damned angry and demanding our government back! Yet, once again, these lazy brained idiots refuse to think and once again fall for the ponzi scheme!