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McCain calls on Obama to condemn Civil Rights leader John Lewis

11 October 2008 214 views 3 Comments

Once again it appears that the McCain/Palin camp want to have their cake and eat it too. After weeks of personal and divisive attacks, whipping people into a frenzy, one apology and then back to the attacks, the McCain camp is offended because Representative John Lewis called them out on their divisive campaign. In an article in Politico magazine Civil Rights leader John Lewis wrote the following:

“As one who was a victim of violence and hate during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, I am deeply disturbed by the negative tone of the McCain-Palin campaign. What I am seeing reminds me too much of another destructive period in American history. Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse.”

Lewis even invokes segregationist former Gov. George Wallace, saying Wallace “never threw a bomb. He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed on Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama.”

Lewis concludes: “As public figures with the power to influence and persuade, Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are playing with fire, and if they are not careful, that fire will consume us all. They are playing a very dangerous game that disregards the value of the political process and cheapens our entire democracy.”

By the way, McCain has such respect for Representative Lewis that he dedicated an entire chapter to his life in John McCain’s book. Representative Lewis’ strong comments were immediately criticized by the McCain campaign as they called on Senator Obama to condemn the remarks and chastize Rep Lewis. For what? Rep Lewis did not use slurs, profanity or negativity. he simply pointed out that the campaign being run could incite people to violence. Haven’t we heard people scream out “kill him”, “Terrorist” and more at McCain rallies. A young man was shot this week for wearing an Obama T-Shirt. Clearly McCain and Palin are not supportive of the violence but should we ignore the fact that their tactics may be encouraging it? At a rally this week (see video in earlier blog) the crowd was shocked and even offended that Senator McCain stopped them from calling Obama an “Arab” and saying that they are “Afraid of having him as President.”

Much like Wallace in the past, McCain and Palin will pull no triggers but they are contributing to the type of division in this country that may make some nutjob radical feel like they are helping the cause if they do.

3 Comments »

Sheila said:

I agree with Rep. John Lewis. Gov. Palin knows very well what she is doing. She is stirring up the McCain supporters with negative statements about Obama. And these negative statements only reinforce the hatred and racist ideas many have about Senator Obama. Sentator McCain should have put a halt to her long before now. He allowed her to work people up in to a group acting like a hostile mob; yelling from the audience “Kill Him”. John Lewis owes no apology to anyone and Obama does not need to say anything about Senator Lewis’ comments. Palin and McCain are the ones who should be apologizing to the American public for stooping so very low and playing to the ridiculous fears of the people attending their rallies and looking at their ads on television. Enough of this type of behavior.

# 11 October 2008 at 9:56 pm

SRD said:

I wholeheartedly agree with John Lewis concerning the impact of the negative rhetoric of McCain/Palin at the Town Hall meetings that indeed can lead to violence. John Lewis is a Veteran Civil Rights Leader. He marched side by side with Martin Luther King, Jr. He received a severe beating that almost cost him his life during the Civil Rights movement. John Lewis witnessed the assassination of Martin Luther King and so when he says that the tone of the McCain camp is dangerous and race baiting…he speaks from the depth of personal knowledge and recognizes it from a mile away. This is not something he read out of a history book but he saw racism up close and personal. He owes no one an apology for speaking the truth. Truth have merit and it certainly does matter. McCain is playing with fire… he is fanning the flames of racism that can ignite and lead to some overzealot bigot going after Obama beyond rhetoric. He is not fit to be the president and Sarah is not fit to be the VP. It was a reckless and unstable strategy that demonstrates his lack of ability to think beyond an impulse.

# 13 October 2008 at 12:47 pm