First up I am glad Chris Matthews said this to RNC chairman Reince Priebus:
The naked and wanton racial animus that the Republican Party is trucking in, is saddening. Republicans have suffered no consequences for this.
Now some of this is because talking about racial issues is horrifically difficult. This piece by Ta-Neshisi Coates, Fear of a Black President, is one of the best pieces I have read on race in sometime. I would highly recommend reading it if you have not.
For me the main difficulty is explaining something to someone else, that they have no perception of. People give lip service to the idea of racism or racial animus, however, its expression is completely transparent to most. Racism is not just the denigration of "one" for the "other", it is also embedded privilege of one over another. It is never having to be concerned, about whether a random run in with police could mean the end of your life. It is not having to defend every word or action by a prominent member of your race when they say something stupid/controversial (how often was President Bush asked about stupid things Ted Nugent said, or asked to defend even their fellow political travelers like Pat Robertson? Now think about the number of times President Obama has been questioned about Kanye, or Harry Belafonte, or Louis Farrakhan?). Mr. Coates sums this feeling up well, here:
Racism is not merely a simplistic hatred. It is, more often, broad sympathy toward some and broader skepticism toward others. Black America ever lives under that skeptical eye. Hence the old admonishments to be “twice as good.” Hence the need for a special “talk” administered to black boys about how to be extra careful when relating to the police. And hence Barack Obama’s insisting that there was no racial component to Katrina’s effects; that name-calling among children somehow has the same import as one of the oldest guiding principles of American policy—white supremacy. The election of an African American to our highest political office was alleged to demonstrate a triumph of integration. But when President Obama addressed the tragedy of Trayvon Martin, he demonstrated integration’s great limitation—that acceptance depends not just on being twice as good but on being half as black. And even then, full acceptance is still withheld. The larger effects of this withholding constrict Obama’s presidential potential in areas affected tangentially—or seemingly not at all—by race. Meanwhile, across the country, the community in which Obama is rooted sees this fraudulent equality, and quietly seethes.
Never being able to talk about the issue, because it is viewed as complaining or more likely blaming. Imagine what it is like, having something that effects every aspect of your life, yet you can not talk about it. But the most insidious part of talking about racism, or racial issues, is that it plays on a very basic human response. Recoiling at any notion that, your personal life/experiences, are somehow advantaged over someone else's, by something other then your own hard work and suffering. No one wants to admit that. Everyone believes their life is hard, and replete with their own special trials and tribulation. So no one whats to hear about their "advantages". Born to a wealthy family? Well, you still had to pass the SAT's and entrance exams for that private school. However there is little mention of the private tutors enjoyed through out their formative years, or connections to former senators that got you to the front of the line for Yale law school. That is seen as a non-factor. That an equally bright kid from the projects never had those opportunities is just evidence of insufficient work ethic.
The current Republican campaign is of a piece with this. The fallacious attacks on the Obama Administration's waiver to states for innovation in the welfare system feed into this. Giving hard working American's money to those "lazy" others, is just baked into it. This is what this campaign has become, and it is mighty nice to hear someone call it out.
-Cheers
3 comments:
to be fair, kanye was acting like a jackass.
good to see you back on the tubes, sir.
to be fair, kanye was acting like a jackass.
good to see you back on the tubes, sir.
where was the "summer storms" part?
Heh, trying to keep the ulcers at bay, but we are what we are. So it was only a matter of time sir.
Oh the "Summer Storms", part was going to be a reference to another section I had written, that expanded upon on some of the themes above. Except it was getting increasingly angry sounding. So I edited it out. :-)
Also on Mr. 'Ye he was, indeed, being a jackass, but how often are Caucasian politicians asked about Hank Williams latest rant?
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