I have become extremely concerned and disturbed as the campaign has taken a nasty turn this week. It is not surprising that the flailing Republican ticket has decided to go negative. What I have been disturbed by though is the violent language which is being stoked on the campaign trail. In separate instances this week crowds at McCain-Palin rallies have been heard to yell "treason," "traitor," "kill him," and "off with his head" in reference to Barack Obama. These remarks, many of them audible to the Republican candidates, were not immediately repudiated.
Even more disturbing is that, even in the face of this hatred, the campaign has kept up the same line of attack. They are fomenting an environment where it would not be surprising for some wingnut to attempt an act of violence against Obama, one of his supporters, or even a member of the media which has also been on the receiving end of much of this same vitriol.
This is not supposed to be the way we conduct democracy in America folks. Please see Andrew Sullivan's piece on this.
Obama is probably going to win this election. Let's not create an environment where the next president has to go everywhere in a bullet proof pope-mobile and his family and country have to be fearful for his life.
John McCain can put a stop to this. I'm waiting to see some leadership from him. As Sullivan signs off: "For once in this campaign, put your country first."
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