Healthcare debate fuels extremism

I want to start this post with a simple statement. Although I do not care for the way Barack Obama is running the USA at this point, I in no way agree with death threats to him or wish him any harm.

A protester at a health care rally in California waves a doctored poster of Barack Obama at a town hall meeting in Alhambra, Calif, Aug 11, 2009. Photograph: Jae C. Hong/AP

The message was clear. The sign carried by a 51-year-old man last week outside a raucous town hall meeting on health care in Hagerstown, Maryland, read "Death to Obama".

Just to emphasise his point, a second message was also scrawled on the cardboard placard. "Death to Obama, Michelle and 2 stupid kids," it stated.

Welcome to the disturbing new face of America right now . Many fear it might end in tragedy.

Obama has been labelled as a threat to democracy and an anti-white racist by senior presenters on the TV channel Fox News. Republicans, seizing on the fierce debate over Obama's plans to reform health care, have called him a socialist who plans "death panels" for the elderly.

Rumours have circulated that Obama was not born in America and that he plans to ban firearms. A recent poll in Virginia showed only 53% of voters believed Obama was born in the US. In neighbouring North Carolina, 54% of voters shared that opinion.

This is becoming a major security issue, prompting fears of an attack on Obama's life or some other incident of domestic terrorism. "This is a very dangerous situation that can spin off 'lone wolf' individuals who decide now is the time to act against people they see as an enemy,"

Federal authorities have launched a program to try to detect any individuals who might be planning attacks similar to those that in recent months have killed a Kansas abortion doctor and a black security guard at Washington DC's Holocaust Museum.

At the same time, the watchdog group the Southern Poverty Law Centre has issued a report that warns of rising numbers of potentially violent groups. The number of hate groups has grown from 602 in 2000 to 926, the organisation found.

Its report quoted one senior federal law enforcement official, Bart McEntire, as saying: "This is the most significant growth we've seen in 10 to 12 years. All it's lacking is a spark."

Many experts believe that spark is no longer missing. Critics say that Republican politicians have let loose a wave of anger tied to the health care debate. Fuelled by racial issues and the economic crisis, it may be impossible to control. "

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley warned his constituents that Obama's plan could "pull the plug on grandma". Former senator Rick Santorum, who is a possible 2012 presidential hopeful, recently sent out an email warning that Obama was "determined to remake America as a socialist utopia". Oklahoma congressman John Sullivan told supporters in his home state that Obama was creating an "enemies list" of those opposed to health care.

Fox News presenter Glenn Beck, has claimed Obama dislikes white people. "This guy is, I believe, a racist," Beck said. Beck has also discussed allegations that Obama is setting up a network of secret internment camps and joked about poisoning Democratic congresswoman Nancy Pelosi.

Meanwhile Rush Limbaugh, whose weekly radio show is listened to by millions of Americans, has compared the Democrats to the Nazi party. Perhaps taking him at his word, some health care protesters have carried signs featuring swastikas and Obama with a "Hitler" moustache.

(ironically enough from the beginning he has been compared to Hitler...and lets face it his actions and come ons fit the bill)

It is in the so-called "birther" movement that the radical right has gained the most traction. The myth, which has been debunked, holds that Obama was not born in America. Numerous Republican politicians have floated the idea based on the false allegation that Obama cannot provide a birth certificate. The theme has been picked up by the media, including mainstream outlets such as CNN.

(the question is why not just produce the original and let this story end?)

Since Obama took office, the rate of threats against the president has increased 400 per cent from the 3,000 a year or so under President George W. Bush, according to Ronald Kessler, author of In the President’s Secret Service.

Some threats to Mr Obama, whose Secret Service codename is Renegade, have been publicised, while most have been kept secret.

Then based on the codename which means:
1 : a deserter from one faith, cause, or allegiance to another
2 : an individual who rejects lawful or conventional behavior
3 : of or like a renegade; traitorous
disloyal, treacherous, dissident, false, rebellious, recreant

Synonyms:1. traitor, deserter, betrayer, dissenter

I have to wonder why his codename is renegade?

Now as I stated I do not believe anyone should or has the right to take a life. However in this case it is clear that these threats on Obama are not due to him being "African American", but from the outrage he is causing by pissing off Americans.

I recently sent out an email to over 100 people who voted for Obama and ask them if they wish they hadn't and 73 of them said if they could do it again they would not have voted for Obama. This goes to show that these are not just right wingers who are having a problem with Obama's ways.

I guess you should ask yourself the same thing if you voted for him.

I Never......I will leave it at that!