The U.S. Secret Service has thrown on their high alert investigative gear and for good reason. On Saturday, someone posted a poll on Facebook asking Facebookers whether President Obama should be assassinated. Yeah, you read right. Facebook and presidential assassination. Four choices were provided for the polltakers: yes, no, maybe, and yes, if he cuts my health care. I honestly don't know whether to laugh or start a Facebook poll asking if it's counter-evolutionary (or bad for my digestion) to live among idiots. Word out in Twitterland is blogger GottaLaff over at The Political Graveyard was the first to contact the Secret Service and break the story. GottaLaff writes:
"The hate speech, the threats have gotten completely out of hand. And those who have incited viewers and listeners— and you know who you are Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, etc.— are responsible for a good part of this horrific activity. No, it is not "grassroots", not even close. It is a sick, terrifying, dangerous movement toward violence and the worst kind of civil unrest."
I couldn't agree more. I would also add that this growing lynch mentality in connection with our first black president has reached a critical level. It saddens me that the town hallers and tea partiers of this country still feel they can promote the expendability of a black man's life and think nothing of it. In fact, some appear to see it as a game. You know, like a throwback to an earlier time in our history when chasing and killing black men was weekend sport. I pray the Secret Service finds the terrorist who posted the Facebook survey and all the Facebookers who answered yes, maybe, or yes, if he cuts my health care and locks them under the federal prison. Hell, I'll eat the key.
I just hope President Obama doesn't decide he has a better idea: like invite the assassination poll creator for a beer at the White House to discuss Facebook etiquette and end the evening with a few free throws on the White House courts.
Keith Josef Adkins is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and social commentator.