Racism, Sexism, and Anti-Mormonism in a Race for the White House

My son went to school the other day and upon his return he mentioned that because he wasn't an Obama fan, his friends called him a racist. A pretty wicked and hateful word for 10 year olds to be throwing around. I have noticed It it the same sort of talk with adults as well, when they mention not wanting to vote for Mitt Romney because he is a Mormon, plain and simple. I remind them of a favored president of many, JFK, and his need to overcome his Catholicism during the race for the Presidency. Some just frown and raise their eyebrows in disbelief. Others, remembering in a haze, answer "aaaahhhhh...but that was a long long time ago, and times hav changed." "Evidently they haven't accordingly, to what you just said." I admonish. I remember the pundits talking about Romney's religion as being a 'large hurdle to overcome'. He had to do quite a bit of press to get 'it' out of the way.

Then there's Hillary Clinton. She's a 'nasty witch' if she's too tough (although the men are fine if they are nasty) and if she cries, as she did in her infamous 'breakdown', they were the tears heard 'round the world. Every paper picked it up worldwide and each had their own take. Very few allowed her just to be herself, instead, in the sexist manner, she was crying to manipulate, to win. A man tears up and it's compelling or it gives us an 'awwww' moment. Hillary tears up, and I'm surprised she wasn't asked to undergo a lie detector test. Perhaps next election go round candidates will take lie detectors as part of their campaign. Then there is Bill. Of course he's throwing insults back as fast as he's receiving them. He's also launching a few of his own. I suppose the expectation is he's not supposed to be tough on the campaign trail on Hillary's behalf. Now that the roles are reversed, he should be a demure 1st wife errr husband.