Former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper in HuffPo - On Republicans

Norm Stamper: Racism, John McCain and Other Republicans

Saw this title and had to tune in.  We have the most interesting police chiefs - the last one ended up as drug "czar" (that scary term that has been around for both Bush administrations) and this one was "soft on drugs" as well!  But what does he think about those pesky Republicans, who are massed in DC for their "Values Voters" brouhaha today?

During his time in San Diego, he found that 30/31 of his night shift cops (1976 vintage) used vile, racist language routinely.  Now, it's more than three decades later and we have not shown so much progress, and here's Norm:   

We've all seen the Obama-as-Hitler posters, the photos of the President of the United States dressed as jungle medicine man. We've watched as nasty hecklers, including members of Congress, demean both the highest office in the land and the man who holds it. (snip)  And so what if people of my leftist political persuasion stooped to similar behavior in condemning George W. Bush? Two wrongs...you know the rest.

We've witnessed radio and TV "personalities" impugn not merely the president's policies and priorities (which they've enthusiastically, and by all rights, done) but his citizenship, his religion, and yes, his race.  Where are the sensible, decent Republicans whose parents taught them to play nice, who helped their Alex P. Keatonesque offspring grow into mature, responsible adults? No one's asking Republicans to inveigh against principles they hold dear, like free markets, corporate gluttony, or private health care. But when it comes to civilized behavior would it kill them to take a page from John McCain's playbook and speak out -- in the here and now -- against dangerously inflammatory rhetoric?

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/norm-stamper/racism-john-mccain-and-ot_b_290732.html