On Barack Obama

Courtesy of a New York Times article on race in the campaign.

"He's neither-nor. He's other. It's in the Bible. Come as one. Don't create other breeds." - Ricky Thompson, Mobile, AL.

Breeds? Seriously? We're not talking about the AKC here, we're talking about human fucking beings, you ignorant fuckneck. It's nice you can use your Bible to justify your hatred and bigotry. I really wanted the above to be the Quote of the Day, but the brief article was full of wonderfully vile and hateful gems, and I just had to share those too. For example:

"I would think of him as I would of another of mixed race. God taught the children of Israel not to intermarry. You should be proud of what you are, and not intermarry." Glenn Reynolds, Martinsville, VA.

Oh, I see. Another biblical scholar. Look, I'm no expert on theology, but I thought there was something in the Bible about pride being a bad thing. But what the hell do I know? That book is full of all kinds of crazy, contradictory crap. Whatever. Still, I somehow suspect if Obama wasn't of mixed race, you know, if he were, say, like 100% African American, Mr. Reynolds wouldn't warm up to him any quicker. And for the record, I did try to find something in the Bible about mixing races, and had no luck. If anyone wants to explain that to me, feel free.

"He's going to tear up the rose bushes and plant a watermelon patch." - James Halsey, Mobile, AL.

Hey, no Biblical rationalizations there. Just good old-fashioned racism that doesn't need any theological pedigree. Nice.

"He doesn't come from the African-American perspective; he's not of that tradition. He's not a product of any ghetto." - Kimi Oaks, Mobile, AL.

Oh, well, so long as he's not the product of any ghetto, I guess that's okay. And since he's not of the African-American tradition, that's probably okay too. I don't know what the fuck that means, but Ms. Oaks throws it out there like we should, nudge nudge wink wink and all that. If anyone wants to explain that one too, feel free as well.

"I've always been against the blacks," said [Bud] Rowell, who is in his 70s, recalling how he was arrested for throwing firecrackers in the black section of town. But now that he has three biracial grandchildren ... he said he had "found out they were human beings, too."

Wow. It took having biracial grandchildren to come to the conclusion that people of mixed ancestry were human beings. I guess better late than never. For me, I think I figured that out when I was about four. I'm not sure what excuse one has for taking five or six decades to realize what anyone with one iota of decency or sense already knows, that all human beings are, to use your words, Mr. Rowell, human beings. It's a pretty simple fucking formula, I think. Human being = Human being. For fuck's sake, it's not really complicated. At all. Unless one is willfully being ignorant.

I'm not trying to pick on Southerners here, but The South is where the story was written, and where these people were interviewed. I am sure if someone went to Seattle and asked around, they'd hear the same kind of stupid shit.

Which saddens me as much as it angers me.