Margo Howard | 09/16/2009 5:30 pm

Margo Howard: The Origins of Obama Rage?

Our Dear Margo shares what she fears to be the truth behind the growing dissent for President Barack Obama and his policies.

By Margo Howard

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Editor’s Note: A longtime journalist, Margo Howard went into the family business (her mother was the fabled Ann Landers) in the 1990s as Dear Prudence. Her broad experience and understanding of human nature provide answers for the troubled — and entertainment for everyone else. Margo’s advice column, Dear Margo, appears twice a week — on Thursdays and Fridays — on wowOwow.com.

I wrote this a few days ago, but with my editor decided it might be too incendiary. After former President Carter’s interview, however, I decided to join the still-thin chorus expressing this viewpoint. I think Obama and his supporters have been too willing to turn the other cheek – an admirable impulse in normal times. But when the debate becomes as coarse as it has, rebuttal is needed.

I find what is abroad in the land, as Henry James would have said, simply repellent — forget frightening. An elected official hollers out "You lie!" during a presidential address, yahoos are wearing firearms wherever they go, even at events where the president is, not to mention bars … certainly a great place to have a drunk with a pistol. The desperate lunatic fringe, with some help from the Fox guys, have people (well, OK, the gullible, dim ones) believing that old age is reason enough for execution, Obama was born in Kenya, dissenters will be locked up á la the Nazis and the true mission of this administration is to turn us into a Socialist — if not a Communist — country. Even a true-blue conservative author and speechwriter for George W. Bush, David Frum, is concerned about "the wild accusations and paranoid delusions from the fever swamps." The Los Angeles Times called the increasing number of head case Republicans "the party of the paranoid."

Maureen Dowd wrote what I had been thinking: All this insanity is simply the bigots acting out. I am afraid it may really be true that the loudest naysayers cannot stand it that we have a black president. In what psychiatrists would call "displacement," the anger of some at having an African-American leader has been dolled up with scare tactic complaints and projections. They just can’t live with it, so they’re trying to upend it. Divide and conquer. Read it and weep.

1252 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Ain’t gonna happen baby!

By Kathy Lee on 09/20/2009 12:17 pm

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Baby, how about Rev. Wright? Do you think he is a racist? If you don’t know, ask Michelle and Barack Obama….they listened to him for 20 years every Sunday morning.

By deber B on 09/20/2009 5:08 pm

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Raising objections to decisions our leaders make does not make you a hater. Criticizing our elected officials is healthy, democractic, and necessary.

By T P on 09/19/2009 6:44 pm

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Speaking out is one thing. Shouting "FIRE" in a crowded theater is another.

By Baby Snooks on 09/19/2009 6:47 pm

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Amen Snooks…like shouting ‘RACIST!!!’ when people merely disagree with politics and policy of the sitting POTUS.

Spot on!

By Mary Quite-Contrary on 09/19/2009 7:36 pm

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Mary Q-C,

Quite True. Anymore, "crying racist" is like saying "please pass the salt". No one starting to listen anymore. Your friend "Little Red Riding Hood" better watch out, because when she "cries Wolf", no one is going to believe her either.

By Kathy Lee on 09/19/2009 8:29 pm

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Kathy, I can’t link from my phone (the BB can…I just don’t know how to) but upthread I left a quote, from HotAirOnLine…”If we all are racists, is anyone racist.” The rest of the quote was very profound (to me at least). Click on my sunflowers…its there.

By Mary Quite-Contrary on 09/19/2009 10:12 pm

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Mary Q-C,

It was very profound! And so very true. I don’t mind calling out a racist, if it is justified, but the way this word is being slung around now is starting to ring on deaf ears. There will be regrets someday, that’s for sure.

Some poster here went off on the poor children and what they must be seeing what is happening. My thoughts on that, it works both ways. I thought the same about the children that were in Rev. Wright’s church who listened to his vulgar comments and racists comments. They showed the children in the church jumping for joy when hearing these words. To me, that is very sad. The children that were in DC on the 9-12, were learning a great history lesson about speaking out and letting your voice be heard. That is what is good about America. "Freedom of Speech".

By Kathy Lee on 09/19/2009 10:48 pm

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There’s a difference between shouting it when there is no fire and when there is. And racism in this case is the fire. I wonder if any of you ever read what you post. Interwoven in it all is racism. For all to see.

By Baby Snooks on 09/20/2009 1:25 am

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I have been ‘here’ for over six months, to date over 1300 posts..and I DEFY you to find overt or implied racism in ANY of my postings; nor have I ever (and I read all responses via the email alerts) been accused by any one of being a racist. The one, in our cyber conversation, with the profound attachment to all things black and white appears to be you. I made the point above clearly and without rancor or personal attack…but once again, like your fire analogy YOU prove my point…the last feeble defense you have is to accuse another of “racism.”. Pffft…like an intelligent woman posted above…”Pass the salt.”

By Mary Quite-Contrary on 09/20/2009 7:49 am

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You bet, T P, that’s why we are the greatest country…being called a "racist" for raising objections to our president is a new twist. And, it’s not working.

By deber B on 09/20/2009 5:10 pm

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Hate is wrong. I have never been so ashamed in all my years. You republicans really think people are buying into your lies. Maybe the ignorant are but most of America has had enough of the circus. We are all human beings. Shame on you. Your reprehensible behavior is affecting children. Our future black,white, etc. I was hoping to see hate and racism erased by now. I have never felt so proud as the day Obama was inaugurated. Not because he was black but because he was a bright man with a plan. He actually spoke English. You all should be ashamed of yourselves. Disagreement is one thing but out and out trying to bully your way back into power is ridiculous. Just as ridiculous as your behaviour. There are small children who are watching you. Children of all colors. If you morons don’t think the African American and Latino communities are watching you your wrong. You have small numbers of religious right wingers. Your republicans in the house and senate are being put into the light for what they are. Again shame on you. Things do not get fixed by tantrums and racism. Things get fixed by actually doing something. You are standing in the way of America moving forward. Liberals like me are now standing and we will not allow you to take us into a theoretical dark age.

By S G on 09/19/2009 7:17 pm

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Your numbers are dwindling….now that you cannot buy the next election for Obama. ACORN is out! No more voter registration fraud…no more registering Paul Newman two maybe 10 times. No more fraudulent home loans to minorities as ACORN looked the other way….no more fraud, S G. Let’s see how Obama deals with just straight voter registration. It has to make him nervous coming from a community organizer who approved of that type of system.

I believe the DEMOCATS in the White House are being exposed. The republicans have nothing to hide. They are just digging for the truth and coming up with some very interesting information. More will follow. I’m sure you cannot deny that Van Jones was a questionable "advisor" for the President and the ACORN offices were being run by low life employees who had no problem with prostitution and underaged prostitutes. I wish I could make this up but I don’t have to.

Liberals like you need to stand up and question this administration and why nothing they’ve implemented so far has helped our economy in any way.

Where are those jobs the $787 billion stimulus was suppose to provide to turn the economy around? Keep looking….they just aren’t there. Those new unemployment numbers will come out next month. Now those are some numbers you can believe in….no jobs…no jobs created by the pork laden failed stimulus.

By deber B on 09/19/2009 7:40 pm

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Deber B,

Are you saying Mickey Mouse and dead people cannot vote anymore? Well I’ll be darn. No more selling cigarettes and booze for votes? Well I’ll be darn. No more handing out $5 dollar bills for votes? Well I’ll be darn. Looks like whoever trained the Acorn staff didn’t do a very good job, now did he? Good for America! Good for our Tax Payers!

By Kathy Lee on 09/19/2009 8:36 pm