In 1988 Republican presidential candidate George H. W. Bush used the image of black convicted felon Willie Horton to arouse the basest racial feelings of the country. We may be seeing a similar attempt unfolding.
THE FOLLOWING PROVED A HOAX BY PITTSBURGH POLICE! 2:41 PM 24 Oct 2008
In crucial swing state Pennsylvania, a McCain campaign worker from Texas Ashley Todd reported that she was held up by a 200 pound 6’4″ black man at an ATM. When he saw the McCain sticker on her car, he allegedly knocked her down and carved a backwards B in her face.
She delayed reporting this to the police, and refused medical attention. The wound is very shallow and is a mirror image, as if self-inflicted. Police have given her a lie detector test but have not released results. Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Diane Richard said, “We’re looking at all angles.”
AP reports, “no police photo had been taken of the woman Wednesday, but by Thursday afternoon a purported picture of a woman with a “B” scratched into her cheek was circulating on the Internet.”
The NY Times, endorsing Obama today, wrote: “Senator John McCain of Arizona has retreated farther and farther to the fringe of American politics, running a campaign on partisan division, class warfare and even hints of racism.” There is no solid proof as yet that this is a political maneuver, however.
It has only been 80 years since black men were being lynched in the United States. Virulent racial hatreds can be easily stoked up. But the fires of hate will burn all that we love about this country.
Lord God, you endured campaigns of lies and hatred. You were dismissed by the powerful of your day because you came from the back country of Nazareth and there were rumors about your father. O Lord, neither John McCain nor Barack Obama is the messiah. I pray that the man of your choosing will be elected. (If you want my advice, I’ll be glad to give it. —Maybe not!) I pray, Lord, you who love all people equally, that you would lead us past the ugly scars and wounds of racism past and present. Hear the frank confession of white privilege that I have enjoyed. Help us treat all persons with equal love. And Lord, if this is a hoax, have mercy on those who stooped to this level. May it be exposed as such before the election. Lead us into the light. Amen
PROVED A HOAX BY PITTSBURGH POLICE! 2:41 PM 24 Oct 2008
Photo by Mary Fran
From the perspective of a Pittsburgh local, this looks like more race-baiting from the GOP:
Read About It.
Just about all of the things you mention happens to be astonishingly accurate and it makes me wonder the reason why I had not looked at this in this light before. This article really did turn the light on for me as far as this particular subject goes. However there is one particular position I am not too cozy with so while I try to reconcile that with the actual central idea of your position, allow me see exactly what the rest of your readers have to point out.Very well done.