From Hitler to Jim Crow to Obama

Book excerpt: Julian, online, I took note of an alarming number of thisisbyus writers posting horrendous and racist comments about a young Senator from Illinois, actively campaigning for President of the United States. Posting under the moniker “Gabby on the Gulf Coast” I promoted From Hitler to Jim Crow, a story about the displaced in Pensacola, my goal: write for the world and move forward the first-hand accounts about their struggles. I so wanted the world to care about the continued and unrelenting day-to-day plight of human beings who lost everything due to a hurricane. While some thisisbyus writers posted words revealing genuine concern and some provided positive feedback regarding the prose I chose there were countless others who took issue with the title, From Hitler to Jim Crow. Up to this point I never realized how many writers peddled their influence via virtual words attempting to set their plans of distraction in place against Senator Obama. Embracing a laissez-faire attitude has never been my style and I understood the price for the poor, the displaced, was too high for me to remain silent where these savvy writers were concerned. As these writers began using Hitler and his ideology in their comparisons to Senator Obama I found myself becoming increasingly insulted. Julian, I am proud to be an American, though naturalized, and using any analogy to Hitler enabled me to confront their criminal words as it became clear Senator Obama had a real shot at the White House. Conversely, Senator Hillary Clinton’s supporters became to a greater extent venomous with what I perceived to be their race-based objections used as diversions when they saw the handwriting on the wall Senator Obama was becoming the frontrunner in the race to the White House. As I held tight to my dream and goal to show the plight of the displaced in Pensacola I found myself washed into a political hurricane once other writers became more and more aware of the strength of my conviction that Senator Obama was the only logical choice for President of the United States of America.