If you'd like updates emailed to you, enter your email address:       False racism... and more... Average White Band had a hit or two in the 1970's -- a hit or two more than the average band no less. While I'm not seeking airplay, I find myself to be an average white guy in very abnormal and radical times. In an allegedly post-racial time in which President Obama and Congress purport to fix the budget deficit by spending money, seek to improve the economy by passing horrific, burdensome energy regulations, push a national health care overhaul on a populus fearful of big government overreach, and preach individual financial responsibility while dangling free money to incentivize more unaffordable borrowing (read: Cash For Clunkers), racism, or at least accusations thereof, has become a tool. We see it almost daily in the health care "debate." Rep. Diane Watson of Louisiana told town hall constituents that opponents are "trying to see that the first president who looks like me -- fails." (hear the exchange) Ms. Watson, with all due respect, what on Earth does health care reform have to do with the fact that the President is black? Rep. John Dingell of Michigan said on MSNBC: "Well, the last time I had to confront something like this [town hall protests] was when I voted for the civil rights bill and my opponent voted against it. At that time, we had a lot of Ku Klux Klan folks and white supremacists and folks in white sheets and other things running around causing trouble." (watch this) The inference, per Mr. Dingell, is that opponents of the health care bill in Congress are akin to KKK members and pesty white supremacists. Syndicated columnist Cynthia Tucker, appearing on MSNBC told us, about health care protesters: "I think 45 to 65% of the people who appear at these groups who will never be comfortable with the idea of a black president." (watch this) The inference? If you're against this reform package, you're a racist. This rhetoric defies common sense; we should not need to state that reasonable people can and do disagree, for any myriad of reasons, on the health care reform debate. Those passionate enough in their opposition (or their support, for that matter) to bring their views directly to their congressmen are -- well, passionate about their views and not, by virtue of that, racists. Reasonable people -- and even many less than reasonable people -- know this. The intensity and consistency of the rhetoric leaves some honest questions -- questions we can't easily answer. The link between racism and opposition to this health care package seems coordinated. Whose idea was it? What is the intent of calling opponents racist? Is it to bring shame upon them? Is it to discredit them so that the viewpoint itself is tarnished? Is it to intimidate them into shutting their mouths? Is it to make them fearful of speaking out? Are proponents afraid of debate? Do they believe that if serious debate is permitted, they will certainly lose? And if THAT is true, why would Congress and the President wish to pass a bill held up without debate and guaranteed to crumble WITH debate? Why is this particular bill SO important as to justify these race-baiting tactics? Months after America elected a black president for the very first time, why is the President and why are Congress set on race-baiting at all? Shouldn't the very nature of this past election make that strategy foolhardy? Perhaps the most shortsighted and exasperating aspect of this approach is the trivializing of real, actual racism. To use a "boy who cried wolf" strategy of invoking racism falsley in a debate about anything but is to discredit the real problem of racism and to marginalize actual victims of racism -- a dangerous side-effect that could haunt America well after these folks are no longer in the public eye. True victims of racism thus should be quite offended by the spectacle taking place. - HQ staff   Read It Now: Who is President Obama? An IMPORTANT look at the Obama czars, Obama appointments, and Obama associates. NEW: Liberalism, Progressive and Socialist movements unconstitutional -- documented! President "Spread the Wealth Around" Obama saddling financial industry with creating "a broadly shared prosperity" LAUGHABLE: Obama's warning on "scare tactics" is utter hypocrisy The lies and distortions in the President's health care address to Congress... documented. 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