Obama's Not Lying...YOU ARE!

[kshillbillys]

Tommy Felts' columns now appear weekly in The Paris News (Tuesdays), The Ottawa Herald and The Coffeyville Journal (Thursdays). Additional columns, features and bio are available at: http://www.angelfire.com/journal/ratpuppy/voices.html

Obama's not lying — you are

By Tommy Felts
Voices From The News
Published September 17, 2009

There's a new rule in American politics — the president never lies.

Here's the spin: He might misspeak or miscalculate; He might "revise" or "reconsider" a promise; He might even say something, then immediately deny it.

But he never lies.

His opponents and critics?

Well, that's a different story.

Just look at Republican Congressman Joe Wilson. The South Carolina lawmaker earned the contempt of Democrats, the media and lovers of polite society last week when he disrupted Obama's prime time health care address to Congress.

"You lie!" Wilson hollered twice, angrily pointing his finger toward the president.

The congressman later apologized for his rude behavior and blamed the outburst on an emotional, knee-jerk reaction to Obama's health care plan. But that explanation left some of his liberal colleagues, a cadre of bloggers and loud political pundits and even a former president unconvinced.

They surmised Wilson was lying about his motives.

See, it wasn't merely health care reform that sparked the lawmaker's ire, they reasoned, it was Obama's race.

Wilson is Southern, a Republican and a critic of Obama's polices.

Obama is black.

Thus, their skewed logic goes, Wilson must be a racist ... a lying racist.

"I think it's based on racism," Former President Jimmy Carter said Tuesday of the lawmaker's anti-Obama outburst. "There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president."

What? Wilson's not alone?

Listen to Democratic talking points or watch the network news (they're now frighteningly the same) and you'll learn liars dominate the Republican Party.

Angry town hall attendees? They're liars who mask their racism with talk of shrinking Medicare, high taxes and distrust of big government.

The 75,000-plus people who marched on Washington D.C. this weekend to protest "Obamacare?" They're liars who scream about the deficit to hide their desire to keep poor folks and minorities sick and impoverished.

Lawmakers who question the authenticity of Democrats' health care claims? They're liars who can't stand the fact they have to share the national spotlight with a black man.

Not only are American conservatives — and the moderates, independents, Libertarians and Democrats who've joined them in these endeavors — now puppets of some evil master bent on destroying the president, they're all lying to keep secret their deep-seeded, undying hatred of black people.

Who knew?

In truth, few tactics work better to squelch rational, reasoned debate than tossing in the race card.

Obama's supporters and political allies — though thankfully not the president himself — are using this dirty old trick to fight-off opposition to sensitive presidential proposals and safeguard the overall Democratic agenda.

Losing the public relations war on health care?

Belittle, dismiss and, if that doesn't work, call 'em lying racists.

It's a disgusting ploy — whether used by liberals or conservatives — meant to force critics' silence and prevent them from rallying further support. After all, no one wants to be publicly labeled as a racist, nor do they want to be associated with people who have been deemed bigots and liars by the larger society.

Are there some racists who oppose Obama's presidency? Of course. Were a few of them present at recent anti-tax rallies, health care forums and other protests? Undoubtedly.

But does that mean all opponents of the president's agenda are knuckle-dragging yokels who can't see past Obama's skin color? Absolutely not.

These are people who have genuine concerns and objections to the hard-left turn the president has attempted over the past few months. They question his judgement and associations with groups like ACORN. They're troubled by his cavalier approach to spending and his expansion of unchecked presidential power (see the growing list of appointed "czars").

It's wrong to label these newly politically-activated Americans liars and racists because they dare to stand up, voice frustration and demand answers. (That's what journalists used to do.)

Opposition isn't as simple as black and white. Don't be distracted by the ruse.

Regardless of the spin, Obama doesn't have a monopoly on the truth.

No lie.

[Catwoman]

You see this tactic used a great deal these days...The minute that someone doesn't like what they're hearing, or is forced to have to try to account for some mistep on their part, the race card is thrown down...And, being the well-schooled, civil, goin'/bein' sally, apologists that we've been trained to be, everyone backs off and lets those with the loudest, rudest, most obnoxious voices have their way...Because no one wants to lower themselves to that point being exhibited by the rudest other individuals.  Hmmmm...Wonder what would happen if someone finally stood up and said, "You're full of shit...You have the same abilities as any other human being...Why don't you try using them, instead of sucking out of the public trough and being a drain on society?"  Oh...Yes...I forgot...I'm not supposed to think that way, am I...Guess that makes me a racist, too, for refusing to bow to bad acting and expecting everyone, regardless of whether they're black, white, red, yellow, or pink polka dotted, to actually USE the gifts God gave them...Shame on me.  Where do I think I am?  The United States?  Hmmmmm...