In 1896, the US Supreme Court ruled in Plessy v. Ferguson, that separate but equal’ was constitutional, making segregation the law of the land. In a sweeping 7-1 decision, the Court, led by Chief Justice Melville Fuller, legalized and institutionalized discrimination by allowing any entity (in the Plessy case it was the railroads) to create a separate area for ‘anyone’ (read: blacks).

58 years later, in 1954, the US Supreme Court finally overturned that travesty under Brown v. Board of Education. The Earl Warren led-court ruled 9-0 that separate but equal public schools for black and white students denied black children equal educational opportunities. Legal segregation ended, but now society had to be transformed.

55 years later, in 2009, the US Congress, under scumbag Joe Wilson of South Carolina – decided 1-534 to revert to pre-1954 America and show the entire world that the President of the United States needs his own separate but equal White House. Joe Wilson’s little moment in the sun announced out loud and for the world that Barack Obama did not deserve the respect afforded to the President in such a setting, that he did not belong as Chief Executive, and that he should not be addressing the US Congress.

Yes, Wilson’s shout of ‘you lie’ was that bad and that obvious. And the GOP is relishing every moment of it.

Despite 8 years of lies — proven lies –by George Bush, no Democratic congressman heckled Bush during one of his inarticulate and fact-light speeches. While many Congressmen and Senators might have been twisting as Bush talked about such non-truths as “yellow cake” and other assorted prevarications over the years, not one of them shouted or booed during his speeches. While Bush might have earned his animosity, if anything, he did deserve some respect when he addressed the Congress and nation. Our elected representatives could then could heckle all they want when the House and Senate were back in session. [Then again, there is a good rule - when someone is digging themselves into sink hole as Bush constantly did, let them do it without interruption].

While the decorum around political debate has been sliding into the cess pool for years, the outburst of Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina in front of hundreds of millions worldwide was a ‘jump the shark’ moment in many ways and put an end to any pretense of ‘bipartisanship’. For more proof of the GOP’s complete lack of interest in Obama’s speech, Representative Eric Cantor was caught on camera tweeting on his blackberry. At least Representative John Shimkus had the ‘decency’ to walk out in the middle of the speech.

What is going is plain as day. While the ‘media’ is tiptoeing around this – I won’t. We have blatant, obvious, in-your-face and undeniable — RACISM. The rump of the Republican party, along with their mouthpieces on Fox News, the lecture circuit and talk radio — (choose your invective) hate/loath/despise/disdain/detest/abhor the fact a Black man is our Chief Executive. They simply cannot deal with it. And when a Republican cannot deal with something – they kick, scream and make a scene. A time-out wouldn’t be enough.

President Obama better get used to this — the GOP in Congress will do anything to make him fail (not look bad — fail). He could cure cancer and they would outright laugh in his face. And with a good chunk of the media enabling and legitimizing the behavior of cretins like Wilson, Beck, Grassley, Limbaugh etc. – there is a very good chance they will succeed in their Karl Rovesque tasks.

Considering a large section of the population of this country is pretty stupid (these are the same people who are fighting to keep the million dollar salaries of insurance company executives in place over a more affordable health plan for themselves — that is pretty stupid) they will fall for the tactics lock, stock and death panel.

Look at what has transpired over the past few months. Glenn Beck has been unabashedly proud about his hate for President Obama. He finds humor in saying Obama hates white people and is a racist. Limbaugh is no better — the diarrhea out his mouth is just as disgusting — only Beck’s sheer insanity has stolen the limelight from the shadow GOP party leader. Pastor Steve Anderson of the Faithful World Baptist Chuch (CHURCH folks, CHURCH) – leads his congregation in prayers for Obama to get brain cancer. The underlings, under the whispered direction of whackjobs like those three — have been bringing guns to town halls and speeches by Obama and other Democrats.

Two words – Brown shirts.

But it wasn’t until Wednesday that the Republicans in the halls of power out-and-out showed their contempt for this African-American President — by calling him a liar. Yes several, including McCain (who for a lunatic at least has some class) asked Wilson to apologize. Wilson obliged by giving a half-assed, insincere, obviously forced apology. It looked like a kid apologizing for toilet papering a house on Halloween — he got caught but was still glad he did it. But most of the GOP elders and leadership — DEAFENING SILENCE. Bush, Cheney, Cantor, Erection, McConnell, Blunt, Romney, Huckabee, Rice – nothing.

And you know what nothing mean — tacit approval.

So having found his 15-minutes of fame, Joe Wilson has decided to make hamburger out of his cow shit. He has gone on the internets soliciting for money. You have to watch his disgraceful begging to actually believe it. He is an embarrassment to this country and to the human race. Better yet — one poll showed 68 percent of Republicans approve of his conduct. To the country’s credit, his opponent for the seat in ‘10 has raised over $1 million so far.

While I do believe that anyone Democrat in the White House would be subject to the “hell hath no fury like a Republican scorned” obstructionism of the GOP — the hate has been turned up a couple of notches by the color of his skin. Until someone finally calls the GOP out on their increasingly errant and dangerous behavior — my fear is we will head down a road of no turning back.

And since the media doesn’t want to talk about the blatant racial overtones — everyone else should. Separate but equal — equal as defined by the GOP.

This is not snark — this is what is going on.