Debate over fear-mongering: sleazy tactic or just the facts?

Today, we at the Daily Nebraskan's opinion section wanted to give our readers both sides of the debate regarding fear-mongering in the presidential campaign.

The Commentators

Emily Nohr: With fewer and fewer days before Nov. 4, the press is going crazy with Republican "fear-mongering." Scare tactics, often confused with facts, are being criticized by the Democratic Party. I guess we shouldn't be scared by Sen. Joe Biden's predictions of a "generated crisis" that will "test" Sen. Barack Obama should he win the presidency. Or by the fact that police forces across the country are preparing for riots if Obama loses. Far from fear tactics, these are scary, tangible realities. Let's take a look at a few other scenarios:

Emily Nohr is a freshman journalism major. You can reach her at opinion@dailynebraskan.com.

Monica Sanford: I increasingly feel the urge to laugh when watching Republican attack adds. They've done everything from personally blame Barack Obama for higher gas prices and the mortgage crisis to call him a socialist and a terrorist. These are Republican attempts to prey on fears and prejudices. Here are some truths about Obama.

Monica Sanford is a 2nd year graduate student in Architecture and Community and Regional Planning dual major. You can reach her at monicasanford@dailynebraskan.com.

Does Obama's connection to Bill Ayers matter?

Emily Nohr: Yes. If Obama associated himself with, say, one or two radicals, it might just be a coincidence. But the list of people with whom Obama is tied to is substantial: Louis Farrakhan, Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers and most recently Rashid Khalidi. Obama's choice of "acquaintances" reflects his own judgment.

Ayers and Obama are not casual acquaintances. In April during a Democratic Primary debate hosted by ABC News, George Stephanopoulos asked Obama to "explain the relationship" he had with Ayers. Obama responded, "He's not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular basis."

For the Ayers-founded Chicago Annenberg Challenge, Obama served as chairman and handled fiscal matters. It would only be logical to think that Ayers and Obama had some sort of relationship, considering Ayers trusted Obama with the job of distributing more than $100 million to groups they mutually supported.

Excuse Palin's hokey word usage to a group of donors in Englewood, Col., when she stated Obama is, "palling around with terrorists." She could have really reamed him for the association, but she instead took the high road. Sorry, world, for Sarah Palin just being herself.

Monica Sanford: No. Despite Sarah Palin's claims that Obama has been "palling around with terrorists" to run "a radical education foundation," Obama has repeatedly condemned terrorist tactics.

The "radical" group Palin mentioned in association with Obama was the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, sponsored by the Annenberg Foundation, created by prominent Republican Walter Annenberg. Obama and Bill Ayers, a Chicago university professor, sat on the board along with several conservative Republicans.

While Obama and Ayers once served on a board at the same time, Palin's claims of "palling around" suggest a stronger relationship than this connection demonstrates.

The terrorist - yes, he was that - is a man who, 30 years ago, endorsed property damage as a form of social activism aimed at halting the Vietnam War. The Republicans are making Ayers into a 9/11 style conspirator and trying to paint Obama with the same brush. In reality, Ayers' actions have more in common with a punk throwing a rock through the window.

Is suggesting Barack Obama's connections to Islam fear-mongering?

Emily Nohr: Simply pointing out facts is not fear-mongering. Does Obama have Islamic roots? Yes. Is he a Christian? Yes. However, people who use the words "Islamic" and "terrorist" interchangeably are inaccurate. It's a horrible label, but, nonetheless, it happens.

The shady part is that Obama has repeatedly denied his past. On Nov. 12, 2007, he released a statement on his Web site that read: "Barack Obama is Not and Has Never Been a Muslim." True or not, Obama's statement attempts to create a false sense of distance from the Muslim religion and community. Obama's unclear past merely foreshadows his current association with radical Muslims.

If the Obama campaign finds it necessary to expose everything about their opponents, including wardrobe prices, Americans at least deserve to know Barack Obama's connections to Islam.

Monica Sanford: It can be. When Republicans use the word Muslim or Islamic, they know the immediate mental connection a large percentage of Americans will make is to terrorists. Taking advantage of strong religious and racial prejudices is fear-mongering.

At a recent McCain rally, supporters not affiliated with the campaign showed up to distribute bumper stickers that read "Obama: Change?" The remarkable thing about this is that the creators changed the 'C' to an Islamic crescent and the 'G' to a soviet sickle and hammer. In one fell swoop they managed to call Obama a Muslim and a Communist. They are preying on American fear of radical Islamic terrorists and whatever leftover Cold War anxiety they can scare up.

Is it accurate to say that Barack Obama has socialist tendencies?

Emily Nohr: Yes. In a 2001 radio interview, Obama complained that the Supreme Court "never entered into the issues of redistribution of wealth," and implied that it should have. The job of the court is to interpret law and policy, not to legislate from the bench.

Immediately, Obama's plan was labeled as "socialist." While this label may be untrue, his policies, especially fiscal ones, have socialist qualities. Obama thinks it's not "fair" that some people aren't as successful and thinks that those who do have money should pick up the slack.