The Last Time Right-Wing Hatred Ran Wild Like This a President Was Killed

[mpicky]

That being John F. Kennedy, who was gunned down in Dallas, of course.

I've been thinking a lot of Kennedy and Dallas as I've watched the increasingly violent rhetorical attacks on Obama be unfurled. As Americans yank their kids of class in order to save them from being exposed to the President of the United States who only wanted to urge them to excel in the classroom. And as unvarnished hate and name-calling passed for health care 'debate' this summer.

The radical right, aided by a GOP Noise Machine that positively dwarfs what existed in 1963, has turned demonizing Obama--making him into a vile object of disgust--into a crusade. It's a demented national jihad, the likes of which this country has not seen in modern times.

But I've been thinking about Dallas in 1963 because I've been recalling the history and how that city stood as an outpost for the radical right, which never tried to hide its contempt for the New England Democrat.

Now, in this this month's Vanity Fair, Sam Kashner offers up in rich detail the hatred that ran wild in Dallas in 1963. To me, the similarity between Dallas in 1963 and today's unhinged Obama hate is downright chilling.

Kashner's fascinating cover story actually chronicles the professional struggles of writer William Manchester who was tapped by the Kennedy family, after the president's assassination, to write the definitive book about the shooting. The Vanity Fair articles details the power struggles, and epic lawsuits, that ensued prior to Manchester's publication.

But this unnerving passage from VF caught my eye. In it, Kashner retraces Manchester's step as he researched his book. It's unsettling because if you insert "Obama" for every "Kennedy" reference, it reads like 2009:

Manchester also discovered that Dallas “had become the Mecca for medicine-show evangelists … the Minutemen, the John Birch and Patrick Henry Societies, and the headquarters of [ultra-conservative oil billionaire] H. L. Hunt and his activities.”

“In that third year of the Kennedy presidency,” Manchester wrote, “a kind of fever lay over Dallas country. Mad things happened. Huge billboards screamed, ‘Impeach Earl Warren.’ Jewish stores were smeared with crude swastikas.…Radical Right polemics were distributed in public schools; Kennedy’s name was booed in classrooms; corporate junior executives were required to attend radical seminars.”

A retired major general ran the American flag upside down, deriding it as “the Democrat flag.” A wanted poster with J.F.K.’s face on it was circulated, announcing “this man is Wanted” for—among other things—“turning the sovereignty of the US over to the Communist controlled United Nations” and appointing “anti-Christians … aliens and known Communists” to federal offices.

And a full-page advertisement had appeared the day of the assassination in The Dallas Morning News accusing Kennedy of making a secret deal with the Communist Party; when it was shown to the president, he was appalled. He turned to Jacqueline, who was visibly upset, and said, “Oh, you know, we’re heading into nut country today.”

Manchester discovered that in a wealthy Dallas suburb, when told that President Kennedy had been murdered in their city, the students in a fourth-grade class burst into applause.

Today, conservatives are expressing outrage that Rep. Nancy Pelosi had the nerve to raise concerns about the onrush of violent political rhetoric. The Noise Machine claims it has no idea what Pelosi's talking about. But the truth is, America's most famous bouts of political violence (i.e. JFK, Oklahoma City, etc.) have always been accompanied by waves of radical, right-wing rhetoric. Given that history, the GOP's insistence that the hate now filling the streets couldn't possibly inspire violence seems woefully naive.



http:
//www.alternet.org/blogs/politics/142726/the_last_time_right-wing_hatred_ran_wild_like_this_a_president_was_killed_

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/protect_obama/?rc=alternet1

[jennypage]

This is terrifying. I hope with all my heart that nothing like what happened to Kennedy happens again.

[USMCSGTsGirl1239]

I have been thinking about this a lot too... in all honesty, I am of the opinion that at some point there will be an attempt, that will not be caught in time enough to be foiled... but also hoping that it will end up like it did with Reagan and not JFK.

I would like to think it wouldn't happen, but you just never know. However, the secret service is amazing... and are highly trained to do everything to prevent such things if at all possible.

[Viva]

I read something similar about about Dr King. There are many who believe that rhetoric spewed about the him and the Civil Rights Movement led to his death also.

[Chewy D]

If he does get assassinated, I'll ****ing move to Canada Not joking either. I would hate and be so ashamed to be from here

[Cru22]

Yeah, it would be terrible if Obama to be assasinated... horrible. But this idea that the right "hates" Obama is BS. I dont hate him... no one I know hates Obama, thats not to say there are not idiots out there that do. I dont like a lot of his policies... but I would say most everyone in the section of this board didnt like Bush's policies. And Ive seen people say they hated Bush, does that mean all liberals hate Bush.. no. Would youve tried to kill hiim? No, because then you would get D!ck C. :Joke:

But this notion that if youre on the right you hate Obama is BS. Im so sick of hearing, you dont agree with him, Youre a racist... youre a neo con... youre a facist... youre a right wing christian radical...

Its like if I called all Liberals eco terrorists, or whatever that group is called outside of Portland is called... the Tiger somthing..

I honestly think the whole reaction is because conservatives until now have had a quiet voice, now all of the sudden a lot have come and spoke out. With that I think you see some of the radical right... Just like you see the liberal protests, not all are extreme left. And just because a group comes out and says, "I dont agree doesnt mean that all or most conservatives hate Obama. Yeah there are a few, Bush had them too especially his second term.. holy ****. I dare didnt mention his name in my college classroom.

Its basically a scare tactic and liberal squaking. The right does it too, both sides of guilty of it...

[jennypage]

I wish people would quit making excuses for the nutjobs and PROVE that they really are the minority. Not saying anything makes a louder statement than you think.

[ash]

It is extremely scary and if he is killed I know that I will never feel proud to be an american ever again.

[Cru22]

Originally Posted by jennypage I wish people would quit making excuses for the nutjobs and PROVE that they really are the minority. Not saying anything makes a louder statement than you think.

Im not making excuses for the nut jobs... im saying dont associate me or other normal concervatives with them. How about I associate you with Stalin or Chavez.. that would be stupid.

And your last sentence makes me laugh.

Liberals have the loudest voice out there... and thats fine I'm not criticizing. I mean go to any college campus and look around... very little conservative voice and a huge liberal one. And thats ok... its a free country, but just cause you dont wanna hear it doesnt mean we should be quiet.

[Jennifer Lynn]

Originally Posted by Cru22 Im not making excuses for the nut jobs... im saying dont associate me or other normal concervatives with them. How about I associate you with Stalin or Chavez.. that would be stupid. And your last sentence makes me laugh. Liberals have the loudest voice out there... and thats fine I'm not criticizing. I mean go to any college campus and look around... very little conservative voice and a huge liberal one. And thats ok... its a free country, but just cause you dont wanna hear it doesnt mean we should be quiet.

She means that being quiet about what's being said makes a bigger statement by practically condoning it. She's not telling anyone who disagrees to be quiet, she's saying that if this isn't the majority, then prove it.