by L.B. Woodgate

Created on: August 20, 2010

The New Islamaphobia Threatens the American Democracy

What is it about a handful of people who seem to have greater influence on the public discourse than their numbers justify and who are easily convinced of abject falsehoods about President Obama?

A recent poll revealed seemingly intelligent people were convinced (18% of those polled) that Barack Obama was a Muslim, even after many of these same people denigrated his Christian church associations with the Reverend Jeremy Wright prior to the 2008 elections.  Is Alzheimer’s setting in earlier and with more people than we thought?  Why do most of these same people insist that the president was born in Kenya despite the fact that records show he was born in Hawaii and nothing authentic exists to support a birth in an African nation?

It strikes me that part of what is in play here is the manipulation by political and media opportunists to exploit a strain of bigotry developed during an earlier predominantly white culture in America which continues to manifest itself within many white conservatives over the age of 50 today.  Most of us who lived in the 50’s and were a part of the social changes that brought about Civil Rights to more people were not automatically transformed by this new social dynamic.  Old habits and views die hard and many people, though not legitimate racists, are still imbued with a feeling that blacks and other minorities are inferior on levels where leadership potential at the highest levels are required. 

It’s not something anyone will own up to but many in the South where I was raised still make comments that reflect a racial superiority of one group over another, though such attitudes are not limited to the old Mason-Dixon demarcation.  It’s more subtle now because they are never sure that people they grew up with and held similar views remain unchanged on some levels.  When older, conservative whites are amongst themselves and feel sure they are of all the same mind, it is not uncommon when the occasion avails itself that racial stereo-types are discussed.  Harry Reid’s slip during the lead up to the 2008 election revealed earlier this year about Obama being "light skinned" and "with no Negro dialect" is an example of this.  There was no intended racism here but there was a stereo-type expressed, however less malicious than any true bigot would let loose.

But this prevailing strain of bigotry, especially from anti-Obama

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>