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Rachel Hulin

A Letter Found Taped to Mailboxes in Suburban Wisconsin

Yesterday, I was canvassing for Barack Obama in Wausau, Wisconsin when an elderly man brought this flyer into the office. He said it was taped to mailboxes all over his neighborhood. At the bottom, in fine print, is written: Approved and Sponsored by: Barack Hussein Obama II for President, Wausau Chapter. Is this another whisper campaign? It reminded me of eight years ago during the presidential primaries, when dozens of South Carolina radio stations received phone calls from people claiming John McCain had fathered a black child. The story was false, but many believe it helped tank McCain’s candidacy.

BS Article - Hulin Flyer NEW


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October 24, 2008 | 11:47am
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showing 1-20 of 33
Jeffer

Is it just me or is there no link to the impossible-to-read-on-this-page picture of the flyer? I've been accused of being stupid before, so don't hold back.

12:07 pm, Oct 24, 2008
mike-edwards

The 'next' Black President? The first one must have slipped past me while I've been busy monitoring how the deployment of home computer technology has improved our lives. Was it Jesse Jackson?

12:11 pm, Oct 24, 2008
Talyssa

Is there any actual evidence that this kind of thing works? I mean according to wikipedia the population of wausau is .54% black and 85.xx% white. If I was a white person getting one of these I'd look around and think "what black people?"

12:28 pm, Oct 24, 2008
zazzer

what's up with the five point ellipsis? and the weirdly indented second paragraph? and 'the NEXT black president?' generally, when pulling a sleazy political move, you shouldn't have a third grader as your copywriter.

12:33 pm, Oct 24, 2008
BigBlueFrog

No address or chairperson listed for the organization, I notice. They didn't want anyone tracking this back to its source. It makes me wonder whether the poor copywriting was intentional, to play on racial stereotypes, or just a sign of the creators intellect.

12:58 pm, Oct 24, 2008
Aaronthethird

These sorts of things are very sad. Its really unfortunate that there are still people who are afraid of others just because of how they look. If people want to vote for John McCain because they honestly believe his policies are better than Obama's that's their choice; I would tend to disagree with them, but I can respect their point of view. To vote for McCain because they are afraid of Obama just because he is black and has a non-European name is childish, racists, ignorant and unconscionable.

1:03 pm, Oct 24, 2008
clarityinthedefaultworld

A few words come to mind: Disgraceful; Ignorant, Racist; Horrid; Disgusting; Despicable.

2:37 pm, Oct 24, 2008
ImariQueen

Pathetic and misguided supporters for McCain believe people are more afraid of a black President than white supremacists. People are not afraid of race. People are afraid they are going to lose
1. their job
2. the roof over their head
3. medical expenses or loss to medical access.

2:55 pm, Oct 24, 2008
loveme

Of course there are people who do not want to work. But I strongly believe that most people want to work in order to sustain themselves. Barak's election convention included everyone. He is about everyone. There are people in this country who appear to deny that some people do not exist. This has to stop. We are all here and in this together whether some do not like it. Black people would be more prosperous if they came out of the starting gate as those others who want to deny their existance. Regardless of this, we are not looking for someone to give us something for nothing. We simply want to be treated like everyone in these United States.

2:59 pm, Oct 24, 2008
Tulku2

And in the end...? John McCain is either unable or unwilling to educate the ignorant in his base. This is what his grandchildren will read about him in the history books. May God help us if it works.

3:42 pm, Oct 24, 2008
jackie5

Both sides if my family can be traced back to before the revolutionary war. Both sides fought in it. There is no evidence of anyone owning slaves or dealing in the slave trade. Both sides had menbers who were injured or killed fighting for the north. I have nothing to be ashamed of. I am voting for Obama not because of color but because if we go into a depression I want someone who gives a care about people, not rather socialism is going to stop him from seeing the people are taking care. not somone thats sees us as communists monsters out to get him,

4:42 pm, Oct 24, 2008
poodzilla

WOW, that's my home town. The 2000 Census shows the city has a .5% black poplation. I revel in the thought that Wausau is where I am FROM, but is not home anymore.

5:15 pm, Oct 24, 2008
TigerEyes

Black folks? in Wausau? Haw Haw Haw!! At least the peckerwoods are honest about where THEY might be from.

10:07 pm, Oct 24, 2008
maxpower1013

Unbelievable... whoever started this is despicable.

11:24 pm, Oct 24, 2008
jsingh

It seems to me, and I have been around for a few elections, that this particular election is the most divisive and nasty that I have ever seen. In the past, and I mean the long past, candidates expressed their differences in terms of policy. In the last eight years, however, and I attribute this to Mr. Karl Rove, the expressions have become particularly divisive and personal. This year, in my opinion, has been exceptionally acute. People have been accused of "palling around with terrorists", have been accused of running for presidency without being a citizen, have carved their faces in hopes changing the election tides. I hope that the election of Barack Obama, whom I view will inspire a sea change in modern American politics, will inspire CHANGE in more ways that we can imagine. I hope we can experience change beyond Rovism and beyond Reagonomics, I hope we can expect a new level of humanism and a new generation of Democrats.

5:13 am, Oct 25, 2008
wbishop12

Anyone giving credence to this note is just as ignorant as the people who wrote it.

8:54 am, Oct 25, 2008
Granite

Remember the scene in The Chronicles of Narnia when the white witch is preparing for the big final battle and she gathers together all the monsters, freaks, creeps, and thugs? The last days of the campaign seem to bringing out the monster in some people.

First there was the wacko in Pittsburgh who claimed someone beat her up and carved a backwards B on her face because she was a McCain supporter and now this!

As the election draws nearer I predict the crazies will get crazier.

This is the funnest election ever! haha!!!

10:40 am, Oct 25, 2008
mojenn

I will be so happy when this ugliness is over and our country can be drug kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Here just over the border in Oklahoma the KKK have been attaching fliers to newspapers so when people walk out to get the paper they get a little hate and fear mongering with it. I hope these kind of people are indeed a dieing breed because I am ashamed to live among them.

10:59 am, Oct 25, 2008
loreleip

A further commentary on this report: "Bigots, Racists and People Afraid of the Dark" at http://fuelafire.blogspot.com/

11:28 am, Oct 25, 2008
vankuyk

Nothing surprises me anymore! I had dinner with a middle school teacher in Dallas, Texas, you know the kind that educate our children, who told me that Mr. Obama was a Muslim! I nearly fell of my chair and my food tasted not quite as good as before her extraordinary statement.

If this is the intellectual level and ability to think laterally of the American educators, God help us all!

11:57 am, Oct 25, 2008
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A Letter Found Taped to Mailboxes in Suburban Wisconsin

by Rachel Hulin

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