Rise of the angry White man rears ugly face

(NNPA) - When a virtually unknown Republican Congressman, Joe Wilson from South Carolina shouted the words "You lie!" during the President's speech last month, it was the latest example of the uncivil tone and rancorous atmosphere created by many of the President's opponents on the right.In recent weeks, town hall meetings have descended into shouting matches, right-wing radio and television commentators have become increasingly vituperative in their criticism, and spasmodic outbursts of rage are becoming commonplace.

Calling Rep. Wilson's blunder "an appalling lack of civility in an institution that actually prides itself on civility," Dr. Maya Rockeymoore, president and founder of the Washington D.C.-based Global Policy Solutions, said some Whites may be experiencing anxiety as the political and social landscape of America changes rapidly.

"What is interesting here is that for decades, there was a stereotype of the angry Black male and now we are seeing something that looks like the rise of the angry White male," said Rockeymoore.

"If one were to psychoanalyze this situation it may be that in Barack Obama, you see the president of the United States symbolizing for them an end of an era, and that is an era where they were actually able to limit competition for prestigious positions, posts and opportunities just to other White men."

Anti-racism activist and author Tim Wise agreed, saying the severe economic downturn, a Black president, demographic shifts and a change in pop culture have been "jarring" to the collective White psyche causing widespread anger, fear, insecurity and an identity crisis among those who have enjoyed a privileged existence in America.

"It's sort of like a collective nervous breakdown on the part of large segments of White America," said Wise, who also authored the book, "Between Barack and a Hard Place: Racism and White Denial in the Age of Obama."

"Looking at double-digit unemployment isn't all that rare for Blacks and Latinos, but for White folks, that has not even been close to the reality since the days of the Depression, so when you have had two or three generations of Whites who have never had that kind of insecurity, that is very jarring, I'm sure for folks who have gotten used to taking for granted a fairly solid opportunity structure."

The presence of a president of color has also been a cause for anxiety by those who have grown accustomed to being special and the symbol of importance in the dominant society, said Wise.

Rep. Wilson said his emotions got the best of him when he inappropriately blurted out "You lie!" violating the protocols and decorum of the American political landscape. While in the hours immediately following his gaffe, Rep. Wilson was roundly condemned by many political commentators, the next day, his right wing supporters came to his defense.

The Secret Service reports that the rate of threats against the President has increased 400 percent since President Barack Obama took office in January as the first Black President of the United States.

Shortly following Pres. Obama's health care speech, consistent Obama critic Sean Hannity of FOX News called the president's September 9 address "a campaign speech full of partisan hackery." Rep. Wilson was also given a chance to defend himself by answering softball questions lobbed at him during an appearance on Sean Hannity's Sept. 10 broadcast.

Bloviating conservative hardliner Rush Limbaugh also called Pres. Obama a liar on his day-after radio show, and said he wished Rep. Joe Wilson had not apologized.

T-Shirts were immediately available for purchase on the Internet in support of Rep. Wilson. According to CNN, he raised $1 million from supporters. According to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, as of Sept. 11, Rep. Wilson's opponent, Rob Miller, an Iraq War veteran had received $750,000 in donations, within less than 48-hours after Rep. Wilson shouted at the president on national television."

There are also some angry White women in the media mix such as author and lecturer Ann Coulter, commentator Laura Ingraham, and best-selling author Michelle Malkin, who is Filipino, who all reach the public with their acerbic feminine perspectives via radio, television and the blogosphere.

"Even the White icons in pop culture are not White the way they were when John Wayne was the thing," said Wise. "White America has been made for years to feel that we were the prototype of what an American was."

Referring to David Duke who served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1990 until 1992 and in a losing effort, garnered over 671,000 votes when he ran for Governor of Louisiana in 1991, Wise said, "The reality is that all those people that voted for Duke had to go somewhere, they didn't all die," he said.