The term "terrorist" is loaded, and it would be disingenuous to suggest otherwise. It brings to mind swarthy Middle Eastern Islamic radicals bent on our destruction as evidenced by 9/11. It does not bring to mind a white hippie anti-war '60's radical, which is what Ayers was. The use of the word "terrorist" in regard to Ayers is outside of the historical narrative. Never before have I heard anyone use the word "terrorist" to describe '60's radicals who resorted to violence. But it is obvious that the McCain campaign chose to use word "terrorist" as a way to frighten people and remind them of the people who tried to destroy us. No one in their right mind would ever suggest that a '60's radical is a threat to anyone in 21st century America. But a "terrorist", well that is a big open wound in this country.
So Palin says Obama is "palling around with terrorists." Note the present tense and the plural noun. She is suggesting that he is currently in cahoots with multiple terrorists. Plus she said that Obama thinks that he sees America as so flawed that he associates with said terrorists. "He does not see America as you and I do," she said, meaning "he's not like us." Coupled with the fact that their surrogates emphasized his middle name, Hussein, which coincides with the last name of the Middle Eastern dictator we recently deposed, and John McCain's repeated question "Who is the real Barack Obama?" And their suggestion that Obama's campaign funding may have from the Middle East or Muslims. Plus their online propaganda campaign which says Obama is a Muslim, that he is not an American citizen, that he is somehow associated with other anti-American people, issues, or forces. When you take all this together it is inescapable that the are using racism and xenophobia to tell Americans to be afraid of Barack Obama. They cannot afford to make it a straight white/black thing, because they couldn't get away from it. They cannot overtly call Obama the "N" word and tell people not to vote for an "N," but they can surely put the dots out their and hope that people connect them. As Chris Matthews put it, McCain-Palin wants the voters to do their "dirty work" for them. And as we saw at McCain's town hall on Friday, people surely connected the dots, as evidenced by the guy saying he is afraid of an Obama presidency and the now (in)famous old lady who said she could not trust Obama because he is an "Arab." Combined to the various people at their rallies who have called Obama a "terrorist" or shouted "treason," "Off with his head," and "kill him." Are you saying that these people pulled this out of nowhere?
As for Obama not denouncing non-Christians as you think he should, I don't know which Bible you've read, but mine does not say that. My church never preached that. According to Christ, the highest commandment is to love, love you’re God and love others. That means everyone, and there are no preconditions for this love. The Bible goes further to say that those who say they love God, but hate their brothers are liars. It is harsher still and says that those who hate others are "murderers." Out of the two tickets, I would say that Obama and Biden have showed more Christian behavior than McCain-Palin. As for McCain-Palin, I'm afraid that Christ would offer them the term he often called the religious-political leaders of the time, and it is "hypocrite."
