AlterNet: Rights and Liberties: The White Elephant in the Room: "The bitter truth is that the election marks a substantial and dangerous victory for the rightwing forces in this country. Despite a presidency marked by numerous impeachable offenses; despite daily exposure by the press over many months of the administration's lying and incompetence; despite both a disastrous war and an unprecedented loss of jobs; despite an impressive effort by the Democrats, unions and allied groups to mobilize and protect the vote; despite a massive voter turnout led by African American voters; despite the fact that people of color constituted 23 percent of all voters as opposed to 19 percent in the last election, the president turned a 500,000 vote loss in 2000 into a 3.5 million vote victory and the Republicans increased their majorities in both the House and the Senate."

"The Bush administration has rudely informed Arab Americans that they, like other immigrant groups from the Global South before them, are not just part of the 'melting pot.' They are also a group that is singled out by the government, the media and much of the public for racist stereotyping and harsh treatment."

(Via AlterNet.)