The Slippery Slope From Fear Mongering To Hate Mongering

Ever since 9/11 we have been living in an atmosphere where the fear has been palpable. The administration, while telling us just to go shop, was at the same time forming the Department of Homeland Security to rob us of many of our rights, treat us all as suspected terrorists and tell us if we dared to question their actions we were unpatriotic. The public, in general, nodded their heads and said, "Duh, okay, jist as long as they're keepin' us safe!" Balderdash.

As bad as this has been, it is getting even worse as desperation raises it's ugly head heading into the final weeks of the campaign. Fear mongering. Obama is "palling around with terrorists". Who is the real Obama. Wink, wink.

I'm wondering if the unintended consequence of this baiting isn't far more dangerous than another attack on American soil. It is turning rallies which are supposed to support one candidate into mob mentality against the other. It is one of the most frightening scenarios I've witnessed in politics.

The Washington Post described one event as such:

There were boos, middle fingers turned up and thumbs turned down...

The rhetoric is vehement and irrational. "We have the good Reverend Wright. We have Pfleger. We have all these shady characters that have surrounded him. We have corruption here in Wisconsin and voting across the nation. I am begging you, sir. I am begging you. Take it to him!" This from a radio talk show host. He's nearly as incoherent as Sarah Palin has been.

Even McCain was quoted as saying, "Senator Obama has a clear, radical, far-left, pro-abortion record."

The very worst however, are the women. Cindy McCain and Sarah Palin stirring the fervor. McCain using her own son as bait. "The day that Senator Obama decided to cast a vote to not fund my son when he was serving sent a chill through my body." Please.

Fomenting frustration and raw emotions into hate filled responses like "kill him" is dangerous beyond words. I am appalled that it is two women leading the charge. Especially these two. The potential First Lady and the potential Vice President.

I understand their own frustrations in having to confront the notion that they may not win. But to allow themselves to be so used by the campaign is not only insulting to them, it is insulting to every woman in the country. At their most disappointed, you never heard Hillary supporters saying much other than they'd never vote for Obama. No threats, no character assassination.

As this continues any neutral thoughts I may have had about McCain and his team have eroded. I am embarrassed for these women who'd I'd like to have thought would be above such behavior.

I fear for the mood of the country already stressed to a dangerous degree. No good can come from this tactic. As for women, we're being set back decades.

It's ugly.