Pardon, your pointy white hood is showing . . .

The recent spate of racist attacks against the First Family is disappointing and disgusting.  Sure, there were the clump of rednecks who showed themselves during the campaign, with their "Curious George" dolls at McCain rallies and ignorant jokes about eating fried chicken at State dinners.  But now the so-called respectable people are jumping on the bigoted bandwagon.

The first post-election attack occurred in February, when The New York Post published a political cartoon depicting Obama as an escaped chimpanzee, shot dead by police, with the caption, "they'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."  Perhaps that cartoon emboldened the other racist political types, because they're releasing their inner Archie Bunkers all over the place now.

Of course, most of these prejudiced politicos are in the South.  Again (sigh).  First comes South Carolinian GOP activist Rusty DePass, who responded to a news story about a gorilla that escaped from the zoo with this erudite comment on his Facebook page: "I'm sure it's just one of Michelle's ancestors -- probably harmless."

He later dismissed any criticism of his astonishingly racist remarks by saying he's sorry if anyone was offended, as his remark was clearly in jest.   Real funny there, Rusty.  When will white people -- primarily white Southern men -- figure out that African Americans don't like to be compared to apes?  Gee, is that so hard?  And why are they always so shocked when people take offense at such an outrageous comparison?

Next up to the plate steps another long-time Southern Republican, Sherri Goforth, a legislative aide for South Carolina  state  Sen. Diane Black.  Goforth thought it was cute to send an email -- from her govenrment-owned computer, mind you -- showing a collage of portraits of all our Presidents.  Obama's portrait showed only a jet-black background with two large white eyes peering out.  

Sen. Black expressed her surprise and dismay over the racist email, noting that Goforth is a 20-year veteran with a stellar record.  She issued a written reprimand. "Both verbally and also through writing with a letter that went into her file, that if these kind of communications occurred again, she would lose her job," said Black. Oh pul-eeze.  Does Black really want Gofoth to continue to represent her office?  Why was she not fired immediately?!

Goforth herself isn't even apologetic about the hateful photo, saying she accidentally sent it to the wrong email recipient.  Wow.  So she has no remorse over the content of her email, she's just sorry she got caught.  Doesn't get much worse than that.

I feel sorry for normal Republicans who truly desire to rise above this infantile level of attack and engage in honest policy disagreements that transcend such petty issues as skin color.  Almost 45 years since the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and there's been so little measurable difference in attitude.

That's the change I'm waiting for.