It's another world down South...

According to the LA Times, there has been major talk of racial prejudice in the instrumental swing state of Virginia. With strong labor unions among the coal mining towns of southern Virginia and a relatively large support group for the Democratic party, there's only one problem keeping these proclaimed liberals from voting Obama-Biden in November--they voted for Hilary.

Resident supporters and campaigners for Obama claim that Virginians have a difficult time overcoming the color of Obama's skin, even those who claim to be anti-racism and tolerant of diversity. One constituent stated that Obama "just doesn't seem like he's from America," and remarked that his middle name is Hussein, followed by, "and we know what that means." Whether these voters are simply uninformed or truly racist is uncertain, but the Times cites an article that appeared in a local newspaper by the treasurer of the Buchanan County Republican Party which suggests the latter.

The article is a "spoof" on Obama's platform, as the Times describes it, but to most readers, it is merely racist bigotry. Among other things, Bobby Lee May (the author) claims that every incentive Obama supports involves an increase in taxes, and on a more ridiculous note, that he would hire Ludacris to "paint the White House black" and charge taxpayers for spraypaint for graffiti. The article also suggests that Obama would update currency to reflect diversity with faces of Oprah, 50 Cent, and Paris Hilton, and replace the 50 stars on our flag with a crescent and star logo (representative of Muslims). He even wrote that Obama would replace the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy in our military with a "queer in every foxhole, and a camouflage sex toy in every backpack" requirement, followed by a blunt accusation of Obama as a communist.

I guess with the way race has been handled in major mainstream media, I forgot that people like this still exist. In all fairness, the media has taken quite a position on poking fun at the Republican candidates as well, but are they criticizing Sarah Palin as a woman, or as a politician? Maybe it's just my generation, but I thought America was mature enough to vote on politics--guess we have some growing up to do yet.