Thanks for the kind words, Goat. I like to think I might provide a fresh breeze among the general discourse here. There is way too much anger and name calling (some of which is play, I understand). I don't know that we're exactly a microcosm, but I do believe that we could be seen as some indication of the problem of current political discourse in the "real world."
And Oohrah, our entire sense of politics--for most people, not necessarily "our" on this list--is heavily influenced by the media. Not lamestream or mainstream, just the media: major newspapers and major TV outlets (or rather, the other way round) are how most people get their news. Further, most citizens don't look beyond their favored media outlet, whatever it is. Your question about narrative is really important, but I don't think it should be limited to the question of Republicans and racism. It should be extended to most political issues (including, btw, Democrats and their alleged "tax and spend" nature). I don't think you were saying it's the only question where the narrative concept might apply; I think you were staying on topic. : ) For my part, I don't see that Republicans as a whole are painted as racist as much as Tea Partiers specifically are so painted. (And they're not Republicans, or not solely Republicans, right? : ) ) Interestingly, I saw a New Left Media video on YouTube the other day, comprising interviews with attendees at the recent Beck rally in DC (not necessarily Tea Partiers, but probably?). Whether or not this was edited to make the interviewees seem ignorant or what have you, that's how many of them seemed--not racist, but not possessed of terribly deep understandings of the Constitution, of current democratic behaviors, and even of some of their own guy's (Beck's) statements. I'm NOT making a generalized comment about Tea Partiers here; I'm pointing out that racism did not appear to come up, though perhaps some viewers will infer it.
Ultimately, this is why we NEED media education and media literacy in schools, in adult programs, talked about loudly in nearly every forum. The liberal media myth is partly true, as is the meme about Fox News' partisanship. Both are founded in some reality, though probably not quite as deep or as insidious as critics on either side insist. (Fox News, for instance--if they didn't call themselves "fair and balanced," I wouldn't be troubled nearly as much.) To that end, if anyone is interested in media education, I would suggest you go take this survey:
www.surveymonkey.com
While many of ACME's members/attendees/presenters are indeed liberal, the issues should matter to all. Please don't be troubled by their attachment to Free Press, that evil bunch of Marxists. : ) ACME is less rabid, generally, and again, media education is an essential issue for everyone. Come and be contrarian! Not mean or spiteful or attacking, but contrarian. : )
