As a politically active Democrat who’s lived in Greenville South Carolina for more than 20 years, I’ve learned how to live as a persecuted minority. I post my political signs in my yard fully expecting them to be stolen or set afire. I’ve had strangers accost me in parking lots to chide me about my anti-war or pro-Democratic Party bumper stickers so I can’t say I was surprised by a recent story related by John Painter, the Chair of the Pickens County Democratic Party. John’s wife Denise was in the parking lot of the Greenville Humane Society recently when a lady accompanied by two children walked past the tailgate of her car. Denise overheard the pre-teen boy comment to the woman “I thought it was illegal to be a Democrat in South Carolina?” The woman responded “It’s not illegal son but it is frowned upon.” Denise turned to the young man while addressing the mother and responded, “That’s a load of crap.” Then turned to the boy and said, “If you want to grow up to help other people be a Democrat but if you only care about yourself then become a Republican.” She then turned to the lady and told her to have a nice day before leaving.

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By PAUL KRUGMAN Anger is sweeping America. True, this white-hot rage is a minority phenomenon, not something that characterizes most of our fellow citizens. But the angry minority is angry indeed, consisting of people who feel that things to which they are entitled are being taken away. And they’re out for revenge. No, I’m not talking about the Tea Partiers. I’m talking about the rich. These are terrible times for many people in this country. Poverty, especially acute poverty, has soared in the economic slump; millions of people have lost their homes. Young people can’t find jobs; laid-off 50-somethings fear that they’ll never work again.

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This is excerpted from Jon Meacham’s final editorial comment in Newseek Magazine September 8, 2010.

“In 1957, President and Mrs. Eisenhower attended the opening of the Islamic Center  Center on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington. (They doffed their shoes; the first lady padded about in her nylons) “And I should like to assure you, my Islamic friends,” the president said, “that under the American Constitution, under American tradition, and in American hearts, this center, this place of worship is just as welcome as could be a similar edifice of any other religion. Indeed, America would fight with her whole strength for your right to have here your own church and worship according to your own conscience. This concept is indeed part of America, and without that concept we would be something else that what we are.”