Sudden outbreak of racism on the Left

If the primary campaign of 2008 taught us anything, it taught us this: Anyone who opposes Barack Obama for any reason must be a racist. The progressive blogs screamed that message with the volume and repetition of an early Philip Glass opera.

You know that little two-note figure (doodle-doodle-doodle-doodle) running in the background of most Glass works? That was the song of the progs: Racist racist racist racist racist racist ra-CIST ra-CIST ra-CIST ra-CIST ra-CIST ra-CIST RAY-cist RAY-cist RAY-cist...

Well, now the disease has begun to infect the progressive sector. Headlines such as this one...

Even with Obama in charge, anti-war Democrats powerless

...have pulled the scab off the deep and lingering wounds of bigotry. Here's Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake, as quoted in the Washington Post:

"Since he's been inaugurated, Barack Obama has demonstrated a remarkable desire to keep evidence of Bush crimes generally, and Bush's torture regime specifically, concealed," said Jane Hamsher, the founder of the Fire Dog Lake blog in an email exchange with the Fix. "Some of his supporters won't care. But others believe he is betraying promises he made on the campaign trail about transparency, and there is a growing sense that he is becoming complicit in the crimes he is attempting desperately to shield from public scrutiny."

Oh, Jane. Why all the hatred, Jane? I can't read Firedoglake now without wanting to take a shower.

Now let us stalk little Davey Sirota, who seems bothered by Obama's studied inattention to single payer:

Listening to a 2003 Obama speech, it's hard to believe he has become such an enigma. Back then, he declared himself "a proponent of a single-payer universal healthcare program"...

In that speech six years ago, Obama said the only reason single-payer proponents should tolerate delay is "because first we have to take back the White House, we have to take back the Senate, and we have to take back the House."

Of course, even as a senator aiming for the "possible" in a Republican Congress, Obama promised to never "shy away from a debate about single payer." And after the 2008 election fulfilled his precondition of Democratic dominance, it was only logical to expect him to initiate that debate.

That's why the White House's current posture is so puzzling. As the Associated Press reports, Obama aides are trying to squelch any single-payer discussion, deploying their healthcare point-person, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., to announce that "everything is on the table with the single exception of single-payer."

So it's back to why -- why Obama's insurance-industry-coddling inconsistency? Is it a pol's payback for campaign cash? Is it an overly cautious lawmaker's paralysis? Is it a conciliator's desire to appease powerful interests? Or is it something else?

I'll tell you what it is Davey: You're a bigot, plain and simple.

Even our old friend AntiFascist has become mired in the tar-pits of intolerance:

Big Increases for Intelligence and Pentagon "Black" Programs in 2010

Continuing along the dark path marked out by his predecessors in the Oval Office, President Barack Obama's Defense and Intelligence budget for Fiscal Year 2010 will greatly expand the reach of unaccountable agencies--and the corporate grifters whom they serve.

Just look at the words: "Black Programs" and "dark path." Consciously or unconsciously, the writer has chosen to employ verbiage which perpetuates the legacy of white supremacy. Only a true racist would use the term "Black Programs" instead of the value-neutral "covert programs." (AntiFascist should have learned this lesson in 2008, when a politician in Texas taught the nation that the phrase "black hole" is inherently racist.)

Over on Kos, most of the patrons are still racism-free -- that is to say, most of them still consider Obama to be the Messiah. Alas, some former O-fans have allowed hate to warp their souls. Witness:

I'm tired of folk like Mr. Obama - who by force of threatening me with prison if I don't financially contribute to his war efforts - who then goes on and uses my money to blow up innocent people in countries such as Pakistan that really haven't done anything to us.

Didn't the author of that text ever hear the song "You have to be carefully taught"?

Obama is a war criminal...and he should be prosecuted for it.

Phew! Now I ask you: What, if not bone-deep racism, could possibly cause these people to emit such vile verbiage? Fortunately, that Goebbels mentality is still a rarity in Cheetoland.

Even at Democratic Underground, one can see a few attendees wearing white sheets:

Even the fact that this anti-war candidate has now escalated war rather than "change the mindset" is troubling imo.

Remember, that even Petraeus wanted ALL the photos released . . .!!!!

Yow. Just feel the hate! It burns like lye...

Fortunately, most parts of the Democratic Underground landscape seem to be relatively racism-free:

Prez Obama is a hero and while I don't worship him or anything else..I do appreciate his contribution to our country.

Admirable. However, I'm a little troubled by that hesitancy to embrace the concept of "worship." Remember: The earwig of racism seeks to invade even the most liberal cranium.

This D.U. poster seems to have scrubbed the bigotry right out of his soul:

Obama Is NOT Defending Torture or Bush/Cheney and he's Certainly Not Breaking The Law

This bullshit meme needs to end here at DU. Those repeating it are causing harm to the party and to the Democratic and Liberal causes.

Obama is absolutely not defending torture by asking the court to reconsider it's decision. He's within his legal right to do so. And he's stated the reasons for this, on the record.

Obama has listened to all parties and has made a judgement call that releasing previously unreleased photos to the public
1) Add nothing to the argument or currently ongoing investigations into torture by the DoJ
2) Place Americans abroad at an unnecessary increased risk of harm

Keep rationalizing. If you don't, your name is Adolf. Follow the lead of this D.U. poster:

I think that one reason why Obama does not want to pursue the torture either by an investigation committee or by releasing the photos, is because he wants to improve relationship with the Muslim world. Next month he will be visiting Egypt and last think he needs is to have those photos, in addition to Abu Ghraib ones, posted on local papers and on banners of protests "welcoming him."

I trust Obama to handle these abuses in his own way, away from headlines.

Control your thoughts. Do not allow even the slightest hint of anti-Obamaism to infect your mind. Because there is one -- and only one -- reason why anyone would ever take a stand contrary to that of Our Leader: Racism.

Or so I was told, incessantly, throughout 2008.