Sharp Contrast

 
UPDATE

In a sense, it’s good that McCain went negative so early, and that his campaign has been as scattershot as it has been. Otherwise, I’m not sure how much coverage the Ashley Todd story would’ve received beyond the initial breaking of the story.

Upon reading the story initially, I was overwhelmed by a sense of being revisited by Susan Smith. Recognizing that as a rather cynical reaction, and because I’m not a fellow Republican, it seemed prudent to wait and see what happened with this story.

A good thing, too. Had the incident been proven true, there would be some massive crow eating going on, instead of the righteous gloating about to take place; because it’s false. Oh good lord, it is as false as anything else in the McCain campaign.

Thank you, Ms. Todd, for going to a place not even Karl Rove would consider. Thank you for using the old “Fake Black Male Suspect” fallacy as a means of exploiting political fears; why I’m sure those other ignorant forces who spread the fear that Blacks would get even should Obama be elected would not use this event as a means to buttress their arguments. Thanks for proving that there is no tactic too low for the Right’s minions to exploit.

Ms. Todd is going to face charges for this, and I, for one, am hoping they are not lenient with her.

UPDATE - As B.E. Earl pointed out in the comment field, Ms. Todd has exhibited behavior that suggests some concerns over her psychological well-being. Those should be addressed by the system before any kind of judgment is placed on her. Needless to say, that same consideration should not be applied by those who sought to exploit the more dangerous aspects of her story.
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Thank you, Ben Smith, for providing the proper tonic to wash that previous story out of my mouth.

(tip of the hat to PNWFilmGeek, who also deserves a nod for the Pity Pander tip)
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Which brings us to Cordula Meyers’ interview with Michael Eric Dyson for Der Spiegel (translated and hosted on Salon), for a much needed reality check. Dyson touches on what we could realistically expect from an Obama presidency, the very fine line he must toe within the African American community, and the forces that have created the schism to be found therein. Fascinating reading.
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Seeing as we’re dealing with contrasts in this entry, here’s a refreshing fantasy break. (tip of the hat to lyamhound, who found it via The Slog)