The Barack "School Yard" Panic: How Much A Racist Thing?

Chris Stigall, a Kansas City talk show host, said, “I’m not letting my next-door neighbor talk to my kid alone; I’m sure as hell not letting Barack Obama talk to him alone. — Some Parents Oppose Obama Speech to Students (NYT)

I’m not saying the latest right-wing hysteria tactic — demonizing Obama’s outreach to school children — directly parallels the McCain campaign ad below.

I do think it’s interesting revisiting the post below, however, which I originally ran six days short of a year ago. Beyond all the “state indoctrination” and even Hitler Youth analogies being propagated by Obama’s school chat, I’m wondering how much there is (or is also) a racist meme at play. It’s something along the lines of: You can’t trust your children alone with this man … knowing how black men are. Wink, wink.

From:

Sep 09, 2008: McCain Ad Ties Sex With Race

Obama-Sex

In today’s trip to the swamp, the McCain campaign’s latest attack video ostensibly targets the Obama’s education plan.

… Except, the issue serves as nothing more than a foil to intimate that Obama — shown in the screen shot with a smarmy grin and his coat looking frumpy — desires to sexualize the lives of young children. More odious, however, it’s also an example of the McCain campaign playing the race card, activating stereotypes of the black man — seeming to gaze dreamily at something below (or shorter than) him — as driven by sexual appetite.

(screen shot: McCain for President)

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Michael Shaw
See other posts by Michael here.

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