Philadelphia NOW, Bucks County NOW, Montgomery County NOW speak out against racism underlying right-wing opposition to health care reform

The members of Philadelphia NOW, Bucks County NOW, and Montgomery County NOW urge our fellow citizens to speak out against the racism underlying right-wing extremists’ opposition to health care reform.

Yes, the extremists have a constitutionally protected right to racist speech, but the majority of Americans who abhor these ugly appeals to racial fears have a moral obligation to speak out against this poison.

We believe that a relatively small number of people are responsible, but their influence is magnified by media coverage of their attacks on President Obama. The extremists gain legitimacy when leaders of our society appear reluctant to condemn implicit and at times frighteningly explicit racism. Although journalists (e.g. Maureen Dowd, Barbara Ehrenreich, and Joan Walsh) have begun to speak out forcefully, for the most part our elected officials have been silent.

This racism must be exposed for the lunatic fringe movement it is. It’s time for fair-minded citizens to make their voices heard.

Karen Bojar
President, Philadelphia NOW

Helene Ratner
President, Bucks County NOW

Kathy Shank
President Montgomery County NOW