When I was in Norwalk, Conn., some days ago, I saw a stark sign (homemade): “McCain + Palin = Racist!” The first letters and symbols were in black, and the final word — “Racist!” — in red. I took a picture of it with my BlackBerry, thinking that I might share it here on NRO. But I’m not technically adept enough to figure out how to post it.

In any case, I was thinking: “What in the world in McCain’s record or speech, or in Palin’s record or speech, would lead one to think that either person were racist?” The answer, I believe, is nothing — except that some people think that Republicans or conservatives are bad. And that which is bad is racist. Ergo, “McCain + Palin = Racist.” (Oops, forgot the exclamation point: “Racist!”)

I’m a pretty patriotic guy — who loves baseball and Irving Berlin and Wendy’s Frosties — but sometimes, as I often say, you must admit that this is a pretty sick country.

UPDATE: A reader helped me with that photo — uploading it (if “uploading”’s the word) here.