The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that Republicans are Boggarts. I'm a big fan of the Harry Potter Series, in fact I just finished reading all of the books yesterday. In the books there is a "thing" called a Boggart. Here's the description from Harry Potter Wiki

A boggart is a shape-shifting creature that takes on the form of the viewer's worst fear. When facing a boggart, it is best to have someone else along, to try to confuse it. Because of their shape-shifting ability, no one knows what a boggart looks like when it is alone.

Just look at how they react to EVERYTHING. They look for what they think will scare people the most and that's what they push out there. With President Obama during the campaign they pushed out that he's a scary Black Man. Then they said he's a Muslim (which shouldn't be a smear). They essentially called him a terrorist. They went after Michelle by trying to say she hates America.

Since before President Obama was elected, they have been claiming he's not a citizen of the United States, that he was born in Kenya. They even went so far as to make a fake birth certificate.

In the last month during the health care debate, they've tried to scare people with death panels. They've tried to scare people with tax hikes. They've tried to scare people with rationing. They've tried to scare people by saying Obama and the Democrats want to encourage soldiers to kill themselves after war.

And then we have this crap with the school children where they said Obama was going to try to indoctrinate them with his socialist tendencies. They blamed that on the "lesson plan" that's no longer being used. May the lesson plan's wording have been bad? Yes, but a lesson plan/literature that was completely optional to the teachers showing the speech was not enough to warrant the "uproar" that ensued.

And a little while ago on MSNBC, I saw perhaps the dumbest argument yet. Joe Watkins claimed that they had a problem with President Obama's speech because they are afraid the kids will like him too much. You see, President Obama is too eloquent and "persuasive" and he may undo any of the -wiring- teaching that parents have done. Today he's talking about staying in school to get the kids to like him, tomorrow he's telling them it's okay for gays to be married and abortion is a good thing. Parents have the constitutional right to raise their children as they wish, and I seriously doubt that a speech from the President is going to undo YEARS of -wiring- teachings. Joe Watkins had me CRACKIN' UP, literally. I was tempted to roll on the floor with laughter. (I seriously hope video pops up soon).

So, how do you get rid of Boggarts?

The charm that combats a boggart is Riddikulus. The charm requires a strong mind and good concentration. The incantation and wand movement alone will not affect a boggart. The correct way to perform the charm is to push past the fear, and concentrate on something that will make the boggart look amusing. The charm does not, in fact, repel a Boggart; it just forces it to assume a shape that the caster will find comical, inspiring laughter, which will defeat a boggart.

We know this works because laughter may well have saved us from a McCain Presidency, SNL eviscerated Sarah Palin week after week, even when she was ON the program they made her look like a fool. Indeed "that's ridiculous!" is usually what people say when they realize what the republican argument against _________ is.

The teabaggers, aside from the unfortunate name choice, were made to look completely insane and laughable, even if they had some legitimate complaints they jumped the shark to crazyland, and now no one takes them seriously.

Look at Michele Bachmann, every time I see her name I get ready to giggle. She never makes me mad, she may make me cry though (of laughter).

And then there's this school flap, my friends and I have been joking about it all morning on Facebook. Even if there were legitimate complaints at one time, they take it too far and it becomes hilarious.

The Republican Party thrives on fear, and can't take being mocked. They can dish it out, but they damn sure can't take it.

Now I'm not saying all of our "GOP" woes will be fixed with laughter, but once the party becomes a joke, people won't take them seriously at all anymore outside of their whacked out base (again, look at Sarah Palin).

Cross-Posted at DailyKos

UPDATE: Watch the Joe Watkins Video for epic LOLs

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Cross-Posted@ Daily Kos

I know lots of you disagree with me, but I am not afraid for President Obama's life. I have never been afraid for his life. Yes, I realize there are crazy people out there and there are "more" threats against Obama's life than any other recent President. The only thing that surprised me when I heard that was that it's only 30 a day. But still I'm not afraid.

Yes, I'm Black, but I never even entertained the thought of not supporting Obama because I was afraid someone would kill him.

Yes, I know he had to get Secret Service protection earlier in the campaign than anyone else who didn't already have it.

I know these things. I know racism is still alive and well. But I am not afraid.

Perhaps it's because I'm part of that younger generation who has largely gotten this far in life without being subjected to outright racism. We came about when the racists were the minority, not the majority. Racism wasn't the law of the land when we were born. Perhaps it's because I never thought my own life was in danger because I'm Black.

I agree that racism is alive and thriving in some areas of this country and among some racial groups, but that group is largely becoming even more of a minority than it was before. Most of the country watching what's going on are appalled, they aren't cheering these wackos on. Those racists who are so proud to be racist are the MINORITY. Obama's election did not create any racists who weren't already that way. Maybe before his election those people were doing a better job of "hiding" their racism, but they were still racists. There are some people out there who just hate Obama regardless of his skin color, just like there were people out there who hated every president. That's just life.

I trust the Secret Service to keep him safe.

Racism is a real problem in America, mostly because no one seems to want to deal with it. People complain about it constantly, but don't really want to do anything to remedy it because it may not be politically expedient.

I think Michelle put it best during the campaign:

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and again in Phoenix

She called on another supporter, whose voice quivered and broke with barely contained emotion as she explained how important it is to her, personally, that our country change course. She explained that she had just returned from Oregon where she campaigned for Obama and attended the 75,000-person rally by the river. She had noticed, she said, that the Secret Service had increased security dramatically for Barack Obama's rallies since the Phoenix rally in January.

The room collectively gasped and murmured, some aghast that these fears were being spoken aloud directly to Barack Obama's wife. Some nodded, concern and fear on their faces. Others shifted on their feet, displaying a range of emotions -- concern, discomfort with the topic, indignation.

The woman continued: "What can you tell us..." and then her voice caught and broke as a sob rose up from her chest. She paused for a moment. "I'm afraid of what might happen. What can you tell us, after last week's comments--" another sob-- "after last week's comments, to make us feel more at ease?" She cried unabashedly after finally getting out her words.

The room that had been electrified with positive energy throughout the evening suddenly became still and quiet, all eyes focused on Michelle Obama. Michelle Obama's eyes, though, were focused on that concerned supporter. She paused, allowing the clearly distraught supporter to pull herself together. Maybe it was 30 seconds before Obama spoke, stretched out into imaginary minutes. Finally, she said firmly, "I'm ok. Really. I am ok. And if I'm ok, you should be ok.

"You know, we talked about this as a family."

She held the microphone with one hand, the other curved inward over her heart as she talked. Her tenor and body language was clear. Michelle Obama was talking as a mother. She was introspective and intimate, looking the questioner in the eyes as if they are the only two in the room.

"We talked about this as a family."

The room remained still and quiet. Imagine having that talk with your children. Then, she paused, gathering herself, pulling herself up, seeming to grow even taller, Michelle, the campaigning wife returns. She says,

"I've talked about this before. Barack is probably safer now than he was before. Kids are dying in the street in our community. They get shot walking to class, sitting in school, taking the bus home. They are dying in the street.... Send us good vibes. Pray for us. Think positive thoughts. But most of all, be vigilant. Be vigilant about stopping this kind of talk.It's not funny. You don't have to like Barack to dislike that kind of talk. Be vigilant about stopping that kind of talk."

Then she reminded the crowd what we are fighting for, and why it is important to forge ahead without fear. "Fear is the reason this country is where it is today. Fear is a useless emotion. Don't ever make decisions based on fear. Make decisions based on hope and possibility. Make decisions based on what should happen, not what shouldn't. Don't ever make decisions based on fear."

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So yes, I see the racism, I know what's going on, but I'm not afraid.

Cross-Posted@ Daily Kos

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