Why are some "Conservatives" so Hostile towards Obama?

[dalthauser]

I was reading the comments on cnn.com (yes, old habits die hard) as well as Facebook following the Massachusetts senate race, and I was honestly saddened and sometimes alarmed by the level of venom/toxicity some people were expressing towards president Obama. 

I wonder if any sociologists are studying this because to me it is bizarre and a little scary.  I don't know what to make of it, but I'd really like to understand it.

I decided to brainstorm possibilities:

* Could it be racism - are people exploding with emotion because they are subconsciously racists and must come up with anything they can think of nasty to say about him (save the "N" word). 

* Could these (I assume) conservative people have snapped because they feel so powerless given the liberals ha(d) a super majority and the ability to pass anything they want if they had a mind to (which, apparently they don't have a mind to)

* Could they be acting out so extremely because an administration is in power that believes almost the polar opposite of what they do?

I'd like to have a conversation with some of these people to find out what is motivating their ugliness, but I feel it would be impossible to get them to simmer down enough to allow themselves to really get to the heart of their anger - or be able to express themselves without the raw emotion getting in the way of communication.

or am I just over-reacting....... maybe I'm seeing hostility and hatred where there is none.

Thoughts?

Comments

[texasts.livejournal.com]

Any conversation you'd have with these folks (and I know a few, dammit) would be pointless. Everyone would end up seriously pissed off.

JMHO

And yes there is some very definite h and h going on here. So pointless.

[tx-cronopio.livejournal.com]

It's my belief that it all stems from racism. Clinton was hated by these folks, but not with this level of viciousness.

[jbluemoon.livejournal.com]

Nope you are not over-reacting. It's racism pure and simple.

[joebanks.livejournal.com]

I think it's racism, there are other factors too; but i believe his race bothers people. I made no bones that i hated the Bush presidency, was opposed to nearly everything done under it; but i could never bring myself to say i hated the man, i never felt like getting up a at tea-party meeting and screaming with rage. I even had a grudging respect for his father and Reagan i couldn't stand but it wasn't extreme anger.

What drives these people's anger is more then taxes (which are going down, anyway) or the idea of people who don't have health care getting it. Our culture is changing, things like the semi-acceptance of gays and then a black man is president; another sign of change.

Since before the civil war, irresponsible politicians have sought by religion and ethnicity to divide people who should have common economic interests.

[texasts.livejournal.com]

Well said!

[eats-veggies.livejournal.com]

Thanks Joe - your contribution helps me to expand on my original ideas - and is, in a strange way, comforting.

I didn't hate Bush either - I hated what he stood for and what he was doing - but not him as a man and person. Sometimes I even felt a little sorry for him. He seemed to be a puppet of some very ambitious and dare I say sinister people.

[cosmorama.livejournal.com]

I voted on one of those polls on facebook and then commented on someone elses comment, that I felt was inaccurate. big mistake, I was swamped with the most vile, mean, nasty comments! These people have deep seated hate and you can't have a half way rational conversation with them. Violent too!

Not to say all conservatives or rebublicans are like that of course. It is very fascinating to figure out.

[glowy-lovers.livejournal.com]

Firstly I'm not in USA so atm am not seeing h and h towards Obama ..........but my question is didn't you have this level of hate against Bush? That seemed to be apparent over here.

May I add this is not intended to flame by any means , I am asking a genuine question as like I said the Obama h and h is not showing yet over this side of the Atlantic.

As a new friend I don't want you to take it the wrong way

[eats-veggies.livejournal.com]

I hear what you're saying, but I do think there is a huge difference.

Regarding Bush - everyone (even extremely liberal democrats) gave him the benefit of the doubt. The frustration and anger didn't start coming out until well into his presidency. People started out very respectful with an "agree to disagree" attitude towards him. Even when he made huge faux pas ("BRING IT ON!" etc.) people just shook their heads and rolled their eyes. (side note: This month is the end of Obama's FIRST YEAR in office)

Even after it was obvious Bush was seriously off - there were very VERY few people who made vicious or personal comments - nobody attacked his every move - his families moves - or wished him harmed (ie - a friend of one of my Facebook "friends" writes in a comment:

"He already is a chia pet so it seems fitting. I am so glad Scott Brown won and now Hussain can shove his health care plan and give himself a colonoscopy with it."

I wish I could say this was an isolated post - or even that it ISN'T common - - this type of post is par for the course lately from this segment of the population. Can you imagine living with that kind of hatred in your heart? Just reading it drags me down to the ground.

With Bush - the biggest negative PERSONAL reference was his big ears (which I thought were kind of cute - in a goofy way). Most others were direct references to stupid things he did or said - those are facts - and make him the butt of jokes - but they aren't PERSONAL ATTACKS... there is a big giant difference here.

[glowy-lovers.livejournal.com]

I see :/

[minemouse.livejournal.com]

I agree completely, but I am not sure where all this venom is coming from either.
Obama inherited a MESS from their boy, and you can't fix a mess of that magnitude in one year.

[walksbeauty.livejournal.com]

I have felt very sad over the obvious h & h... not your imagination. What has also been disturbing is how many people who began as staunch supporters of Obama who are now turning against him. Hello!? What took many years to damage will not be corrected so fast... And, I don't know about you, but I have contact with a LOT Of conspiracy thinkers who are as likely to see evil in Obama as a spaceship of aliens....