Don't mean to bore you here, but a little background is useful to make the point. The term "tar and feather" was a form of vigilante justice. Hot tar was painted or poured on the victim and while the substance was still hot, the victim would then be rolled on a pile of feathers. Not very pretty.
The earliest known attacks of "tarring and feathering in the United States date to the mid 1700's, though in some areas abroad these practices were incorporated into the penal system. All known victims were "white" until the mid 1800's to early 1900's, and it then became infamous as a "black" injustice.
The term "tar" is specifically meant to conjure up images of "black" injustice committed by "whites."
In today's NYTimes Political Blog article McCain Campaign Says Obama Is Playing the ‘Race Card,’ written by Michael Cooper and Michael Powell, the term "tar" is used to describe what these writers believe is being done to Obama.
The McCain campaign’s decision to make the charge now that Mr. Obama was playing the “race card” comes as it has adopted a far more aggressive, negative posture towards Mr. Obama in recent days, trying to tar him as arrogant, out of touch and unprepared for the presidency with a series of statements by Mr. McCain and a series of negative ads – some of which have been condemned as misleading.
According to the two Mikes, McCain makes a "charge" while being "aggressive, negative," and is "trying to tar." And if this hasn't convinced you yet that the accusation of race baiting is false, the two Mikes add for good measure that some of McCain's ads "have been condemned as misleading." Surely, that ought to do it.
Never mind opinions based on fact proving Obama HAS indeed been "arrogant," IS "out of touch," and IS woefully"unprepared for the presidency," and that's just from the liberal left.
Sheesh. Is a little honest reporting too much to ask? Apparently. These guys are in denial or in the tank...Mmmmm, let me guess.
And so we have two more deserving winners of "The Bird Award." Viva la Pajaro!!!!
