I realize that there are many entrants in the race to the moral bottom now being staged by

[Atticus]

the racist, nativist Teabagger cult, but Tom Tancredo's call for reinstituting the "literacy tests" used in years past to deny poor blacks and other minorities the right to vote has to be near the lead.

As I watched the video of that stupid smiling serpent tossing chunks of bloody red meat to the simple-minded cowards draped in flags, flecked with spittle and secure in the certainty of their own righteousness, I was struck by the cartoon-like similarities between Mr. Tancredo and his new queen, Sarah Palin.

Neither of them speak to their audience so much as they toss out small, simple, easy to swallow sound bites that seldom contain anything that would pass for well-considered opinion. They deliver a line and, like Henny Youngman or Myron Cohen or some other Borscht Belt comic of yore, smilingly wait for the predictable crowd response. There is no real attempt at communication or reason. It is enough for them that the crowd is willing to stand and receive their vacuous immoralities and throw back cheers or laughter or applause on cue. They accept this as the adoration they are due.

This is ugly stuff. Racism is mean and raw and bloody and is not something that good people---of any party or faith or class---can countenance or condone without surrendering their right to be called "good". Racism demands that people of a certain color or hair texture or facial structure be discriminated against and humiliated and harrassed and beaten and lynched and denied their very humanity.

We should be embarrassed as a nation that we have permitted, largely without censure or condemnation, at this dawning of the 21st century, such a transparent and cowardly regression to stain our political landscape.

I am just one American, but I am not just ashamed: I am angry.

I will not allow anyone to be comfortable in their self-imposed ignorance. I will call bigotry by its name and force these fools to wear their racism on the outside of their coat; where the world can see it and judge it.

"This will not stand".

[shraby]

1. Well said and thumbs up!

[KonaKane]

2. I say to Tancredo "OK, lets do it".

I would match the education, intelligence and awareness of the liberal leftist to the rethug troglodytes in the Baggin camp any day of the week. Of course I am not recommending literacy tests - only pointing out that Tancredo really fucked up if he wanted to use that as a battleground.

[undergroundpanther]

3. freedom of expression doesn't make it alright!

Ich Bin Ein Auslander
by pop will eat itself


Listen to the victim, abused by the system
The basis is racist, you know that we must face this
"It can't happen here". Oh yeah?
"Take a look around at the cities and the towns."

See them hunting, creeping, sneaking
Breeding fear and loathing with the lies they're speaking
The knife, the gun, broken bottle, petrol bomb
There is no future when the past soon come

And when they come to ethnically cleanse me
Will you speak out? Will you defend me?
Or laugh through a glass eye as they rape our lives
Trampled underfoot by the rights on the rise

Ich Bin Ein Auslander (X 4)

Welcome to a state where the politics of hate
Shout loud in the crowd "Watch them beat us all down."
There's a rising tide on the rivers of blood
But if the answer isn't violence, neither is your silence

If they come to ethnically cleanse me
Will you speak out? Will you defend me?
Freedom of expression doesn't make it alright
Trampled underfoot by the rise of the right.

Ich Bin Ein Auslander (X 8)

[gratuitous]

4. They probably shouldn't cheer literacy tests

Considering the mad orthographic skillz they display on their "protest" signs. Morans.

[Skittles]

5. DAMN STRAIGHT

literacy tests would eliminate a lot more repuke voters than Democratic voters

[readmoreoften]

6. Agreed.

[truedelphi]

7. But look at the bright side. If "literacy testing" comes back

People like Sarah Palin and George W. won't be allowed to vote, let alone run for office.

Sarah (After taking her test): I mean, like yeppers, those tests about the stuff you do with the pen and the paper, when you are holding them, they were a bit consuming, especially since the way the Russians were looking right over my shoulder while I was trying to do the testing and making me nervous, and where the Constitution might say that this way of working it isn't the correct way, it did tend to make me a stronger person, or moose shooter, so..."

[JoeyT]

8. She'd whine about all the

"Gotcha" questions those mean liberals put on the test.