Not racism; projectionFrom The Dish: A common meme on the left is that racism is driving the hatred of Obama. I think the root is deeper and scarier: it is shadow projection...
American mythology says that we are the good country, and to maintain the pure version of that belief, we are willfully ignorant of our faults. In the minds of many 'patriotic' Americans, we have no dark side. Unwilling to own our dark side, we project our shadow onto others...
The right is projecting its shadow onto Obama... The more evil revealed about the right's excesses on torture, on wars of choice, or nearly destroying the economy, the more evil Obama will look in their eyes, as they cannot tolerate owning responsibility, because in their own minds they are only good...
Racism makes Obama the Other, but shadow projection is an even more powerful (if interrelated) force than simple racism, and it is very susceptible to the mob mentality... This will not end well. Now that Obama is carrying their shadow, only a dramatic event from outside could change it.
(Or, they could gain awareness of their disowned dark side, and tolerating the inevitable pain of that experience, integrate into a healthy whole. This would require white, middle-class middle-aged Americans -- the primary protesters -- to acknowledge that white middle class Americans are not all goodness and light and start taking responsibility for white privilege, their environmental choices, effect of class on economic status, etc. Don't hold your breath.)
The more those on the right deny their own failings, the more their internal unease will increase, the more the hatred of Obama will grow, and the more the need to do something will increase. No wonder the right is going bat shit crazy. In the movie playing in their minds, the enemy is within the gates.
