There are troubling signs for possible outbreaks of racially motivated violence leading up to the 2012 election season. With some politicians throwing out references and fond remembrances of secession, segregationist groups and the civil war, it is the sound of dog whistles in the air.
As we saw during the Health Care reform debates, things became heated with name calling, reports of a Congressman being spat on and even guns brought to Presidential speech locations. An article by Melissa Harris-Lacewell titled "Are conservatives inciting racial violence with heated rhetoric?" posted on The Griot website March 24, 2010 asked the question directly as some lawmakers seemed to join in stirring racial hatred pot.
Events of racial violence
Has anything actually happen that could have been considered racial violence since President Obama took office. There was the incident when a white man beat down a black woman army reservist outside a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Georgia, the story was chronicled in an article in the Huffington Post September 16, 2009 titled "Cracker Barrel Attack: Tasha Hill Beaten In Front Of Daughter, Called Racial Slurs"
Another disturbing incident occurred in New York when a customer in taxi attacked the driver with a knife after asking if he was Muslim. An article titled "N.Y. man charged with stabbing cab driver for being Muslim" by Terence Corcoran in USA Today August 25, 2010 goes into the specifics on this incident.
Racially motivated violence
The pattern is that seems to be no pattern anymore when it comes to racially motivated violence. Random individuals carrying some type of deep hatred for someone of another race seem to be the new menace. This is a very dangerous situation because no one knows who they are or what will trigger their feelings into becoming actions.
When rhetoric became heated like it did with the health care debates and ground zero mosque issue it could give someone a reason to act on their dark motivations. Will the racial atmosphere heat up again when President Obama runs for a second term. Every indication is that the same staples of birth certificate, socialism and secret Muslim agenda will still be around. It will be up to calmer heads to call for calm if things go too far.
The composition of the field of Presidential contenders will have some impact on the racial climate. Even more important than that will is sideline noise from those seeking to grab news headlines with provocative statements. Let’s hope they can keep their over-the-top chatter in check in light of those who may take it as an actual call to action.
