Racist Congressman Violates Protocol To Gain Points with Bigots:

Republican Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina—the state that led the country into a bloody civil war in order to keep black people enslaved—showed his colors last night by shouting out at the president during his speech, "You lie!" when the president insisted that he would not sign a bill that would provide health care coverage to illegal immigrants (although that would certainly be the Christian thing to do).

The story immediately jumped all over the Web. No congressman has ever in anyone's memory violated congressional protocol in this fashion. Of course, the country has never had a black president either. Reportedly, Wilson's office apologized for the outburst, but the effect is the same as if it had not.

While the president finished his speech by quoting from a letter written by the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, stating that what is "at stake are not just the details of policy, but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country," the true colors of the Republican party had already been made plainly clear. Wilson and his ilk are willing to stoop to the lowest levels of bigotry and hatred to maintain their power base.

If there are any members of the Republican party with a shred of decency remaining, it's time they follow Senator Arlen Specter and switch parties or at the very least declare themselves independents. They have a great example in Teddy Roosevelt, who abandoned the party nearly one hundred years ago.