The Drunken Buffoon and His Posse of Eight

An odd incident happened the other night as some friends and I walked to our car from a night out in Downtown Dallas. As the four of us strolled through a dimly lit neighborhood someone unexpectedly ran by and shouted, "Jews!"

Now, amazingly, he was right. I don't know how he figured it out, but all of us in the group were Jewish. Maybe our noses are really that big and distinguishable. As this buffoon walked away, one of my friends unwisely muttered "I should stab you in the heart" under his breath.

At that point the drunken buffoon and his posse of eight confronted us. What ensued from this point on doesn't really matter except for the fact that we all narrowly avoided a serious confrontation. Thankfully we're all alright. As the bickering died down, one member of the posse threw an insult that caught me by surprise. He shouted, "Obama supporters!"

Now, my friends are anything but Obama supporters. They are proud American citizens and immigrants from the collapsed Soviet Union. To them, for whatever reason, Obama represents an Un-American and and foreign force in American politics. I disagree with them, but what struck me was the insult.

What the drunk person said does not reflect poorly upon my friends at all, but on the insulter himself. Is it bad to be associated with Obama because he is a Democrat, a socialist, or black? I can never know what he was really thinking, but I believe he was hinting at Obama's "otherness." I find this whole thing quite humorous, actually. My friends and him probably hold the same beliefs about Obama!

I had two moments of clarity as we drove home.

First, the Jewish community in America must not take its freedom for granted. I don't think that the community is especially at risk, but this incident reminded me that anything is possible and that freedom from persecution can never be guaranteed.

Second, I may be right or wrong in this assessment, but it appears that the Republican party is increasingly appealing to a particularly disgruntled demographic of society. They are a group of white people that are rejecting a change, perceived or real, in their socio-economic standing and position of power. "To them, they are the "real Americans." They are the white, hardworking, rural, god-fearing, heirs to power, and sole representatives of American excellence.

Here are some examples of the trend:

First, Congresswoman Michele Bachman recently said that she was concerned that Obama held Anti-American views and that the media should conduct an investigation into whether members of congress are Pro or Anti-American. I wasn't alive during the McCarthy era, but it sure sounds familiar.

Second, a McCain spokeswoman proclaimed that even though Virgina has been a tight race, "the rest of the state – real Virginia if you will – [] will be very responsive to Senator McCain's message." What the hell is the real Virginia? Some Virginians are more "real" and "American" than others? I want to meet one of these real Virginians.

Third, McCain rallies appear homogeneous. His rallies are not necessarily indicative of all of his supporters, but I think it is symbolic. At least on TV, his audience is predominantly white. Now, you would expect that McCain would place a diverse crowd behind him to portray a broad base of support. Here is my question: is a diverse audience absent or is it precisely that he wants to portray a homogeneous crowd? If either situation is the reality, it does not bode well for the Republican party.

Furthermore, some McCain/Palin supporters are occasionally quoted at rallies claiming that Obama is a muslim, socialist, and terrorist. A good debate about policy and leadership qualities is a legitimate reason to support one candidate or another, but ignorance is not. Even if Obama were a Muslim, what is the big deal? Aren't we a nation without a religion?

And now to my point. It is first and foremost important for Americans to understand that we are a vast nation of differing cultures, nationalities, and perspectives. Increasingly, "minority" and "majority" are getting skewed. In Texas, whites are below the 50% population line.

We need to rethink what it means to be an American and where our ancestors really come from. No one group of people represent the "real America." Our diversity is one aspect of our society that has made us strong and will continue to make us strong.

We must not let our fear of the unknown cloud our national conscience. We need to realize who were, and who we aren't. When we do that, I think all groups in this great country will be secure in their freedom.