In February of 2009 the ersatz news magazine, Newsweek famously lead with a cover stating, “We’re All Socialists Now”. I wonder how things change now that we are all racists.

Perhaps at long last, we can have substantive conversations in regard to the policies of Mr. Obama without the standard hyperbolic ad hominem attacks. For the last 6 years, I have been called a racist, a homophobe, a misogynist and more all for the horrific crime of failing to support the policies of Senator and then President Obama. My own family members have called me names both to my face and behind my back for having a differing viewpoint than that of Mr. Obama. My mother has posted on FaceBook so many insulting things about conservatives over the last 6 years that it is impossible to even estimate the number. My father stated in front of guests that at least 80% of the motivation conservatives had for campaigning against Candidate Obama was racism.

But now things are different. To paraphrase Newsweek, “We Are All Racists Now”. Even the uber-leftist Ed Asner bemoans the lack of Hollywood outcry over the Presidents desire to enter into military conflict with Syria. He claims that the left in Hollywood are afraid to stand against this policy of the President because they are fearful of being called a racist. Well, they should be. They and the left in general have been calling anyone who thinks the President wrong on anything a racist for so long it is the punch line of jokes. So now that we have an issue that a full 70% of Americans and Code Pink finds to be not just wrong but very wrong mustn’t we all wear the mantle of racist?

Or, perhaps we could recognize the stupidity of the attack and realize that there are substantive disagreements on significant amounts of Obama policy that have not one damn thing to do with the color of the man’s skin. Perhaps we could talk calmly about why conservatives think free markets are the best and fastest way to feed the poor in this country and beyond? Maybe we can talk about how the Obama administrations rule by executive order and departmental regulation is in conflict with this country’s founding on the concept of natural rights? Perhaps we could discuss the science behind reproduction and why conservatives believe that abortion is a crime against a distinct, living, human being with the rights we agree all humans should have? Maybe we could discuss fiscal policy and talk about why conservatives support smaller government and believe that asking our great grandchildren to pay for our birth control is ethically wrong and fiscally foolish? Maybe we can discuss why the truth behind any tragic loss of life of American soldiers and diplomats always makes a difference? Is it possible we could have open, calm, logical, rational discussions on any and all issues upon which this administration takes a stance without being called names first and having our positions discounted as evil without even being heard?

I do not now nor have I ever cared about the Presidents race. It is the least relevant thing about his presidency. I have and do disagree with the vast majority of the President’s political views and the way in which he has led this country. If that disagreement makes me a racist then you must accept that if you have even had second thoughts about attacking Syria then you are a racist too.

Kind of a low blow isn’t it? Yes, it is. And, it has been for a very long time.