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Race Baiting and Fear-Mongering in American Politics

fishmongerfunkfishmongerfunk 4,154 Posts
edited July 2010 in Strut Central
someone here mentioned it was new american past-time. is it just me or has the American political dialogue reached an all-time low? why are people like this even allowed to be on tv? its not just fox news but they seem to be majorly driving this bs...



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  Comments

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    The notion of a "post-racial presidency" held absolutely ZERO weight to all but the most dangerously naive people. Voting Obama in was a remarkable achievement but any meaningful post-racial society would have to mean America achieving post-racism. A single election couldn't possibly achieve that.

    I do agree that the current state of discourse on racism is abysmal and hyper-reactionary and on one level, it certainly seems worse now than it was, say, 10 years ago. I largely attribute that to the changes in the media, which now offers more platforms for people to spout.

    But it'd be ahistorical to suggest the discourse is actually worse than in previous eras where you have politicians declaring "segregation forever," white parents trying to stone buses carrying Black kids trying to go to school, or mass deportations and incarcerations of legal U.S. citizens. Which is to say, there's always been race-baiting and fear-mongering: ain't a damn thing changed except the players.

    I mean, how is this the NEW American pastime? Benjamin Franklin was demonizing German immigrants back when Pennsylvania was still a COLONY and let's not even get started on Jefferson's defenses of slavery.
  • Options
    Unknown
    Frum seems like the smugger face in that interview.

    There's nothing new about race-baiting or fearmongering in American politics, though.
  • fishmongerfunkfishmongerfunk 4,154 Posts
    manny: i can;t argue with anything you have written but i guess what i am also trying to say is that this is like the perverse opposite of "segregation foreverer" but just as racist and maybe even more pernicious because it isn;t on the surface and so it may be harder to discern....you have these hard right wing guys and gals pretending they are the inheritors of martin luther king's legacy by calling out "black racism" and trying to connect everything they can to some wild-ass notion of "reparations".

    i see this as a new spin on a very old tradition..
  • CousinLarryCousinLarry 4,618 Posts
    I find claims of reverse racism equally if not more irritating/disturbing than more direct racist statements.

    "They are treating me unfairly because I'm a white man."

    Bitch please.
  • Garcia_VegaGarcia_Vega 2,428 Posts
    I like what Chauncey DeVage wrote yesterday in regards to this topic:

    "These folks (as typified by the Jeffrey Lord???s, Pat Buchanan???s, Rush Limbaugh???s, Bill O???Reilly???s and Glenn Beck???s of the world) are also projecting their deeply rooted racial fears on to others. While they have long denied the existence of white racism (be it structural or personal) against black and brown people in this country, many on the Right are afraid that a black man who happens to be President will turn the tables on white folk and do to them what historically Whites as a group have visited on people of color in these United States for some 3oo or more years. In this twisted alternate reality white people are victims of racism, and black folks have been laying in wait for centuries to visit undeserved and unjust vengeance upon ???The Man.???

    Sadly, we have reached an impasse in this country, one that neither a ???beer summit??? or ???teachable moment??? will correct. Why? Because denial mixed with fear are potent elements in a toxic stew of white racial resentment on the Right???a mix that will not be undone by appeals to reason, historical fact, or common sense. There is no pithy way to put it. These are very sick, sick people. I would be embarrassed for them if they had any shame."
  • DB_CooperDB_Cooper Manhatin' 7,823 Posts
    CousinLarry said:


    Bitch please.

  • fishmongerfunkfishmongerfunk 4,154 Posts
    garcia: can you post a link to that article by devage?
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    The biggest problem still lingering amongst white Americans today is that they still openly, obnoxiously think that their opinions are naturally the most right and appropriate, and see no problem in forcing these opinions down the throats of anyone who happens to disagree. They have lawyers write these opinions down on paper and call them rules or even laws and then think they are now officially accepted by all around them...be that people of color, animals, or the Earth itself. The sheer arrogance of white people is never-ending and to whites empathy is something that only an Oprah figure can fake. Maybe at times whites actually give a shit about something beyond themselves on the surface, but 9 times ot of 10 it's just part of some self-serving ego-trip to justify the preconceived assumption of both personal and white-grouped superiority. This is something that has not changed from the days of slavery, it has only shifted amongst white consciousness into new forms. But the basic anal-retentive, imposing sticklerism of whites that comes from their belief that only their shit doesn't stink is as alive and well today as it has ever been.
  • nzshadownzshadow 5,526 Posts
  • Garcia_VegaGarcia_Vega 2,428 Posts
    crabmongerfunk said:
    garcia: can you post a link to that article by devage?

    Its an editorial in reaction to all the Shirley Sherrod controversy
  • dayday 9,611 Posts
    DB_Cooper said:
    CousinLarry said:


    Bitch please.


    dying
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    Unknown
    On the plus side, most of the race-baiting Arizona immigration law was struck down today. At least for now.
  • sabadabadasabadabada 5,966 Posts
    HarveyCanal said:
    The biggest problem still lingering amongst white Americans today is that they still openly, obnoxiously think that their opinions are naturally the most right and appropriate, and see no problem in forcing these opinions down the throats of anyone who happens to disagree. They have lawyers write these opinions down on paper and call them rules or even laws and then think they are now officially accepted by all around them...be that people of color, animals, or the Earth itself. The sheer arrogance of white people is never-ending and to whites empathy is something that only an Oprah figure can fake. Maybe at times whites actually give a shit about something beyond themselves on the surface, but 9 times ot of 10 it's just part of some self-serving ego-trip to justify the preconceived assumption of both personal and white-grouped superiority. This is something that has not changed from the days of slavery, it has only shifted amongst white consciousness into new forms. But the basic anal-retentive, imposing sticklerism of whites that comes from their belief that only their shit doesn't stink is as alive and well today as it has ever been.

    If I had posted this, only replacing "white" with the word "black" I would have been banned.

    P.S. Legislatures write the laws, dingbat, not lawyers.
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    sabadabada said:
    HarveyCanal said:
    The biggest problem still lingering amongst white Americans today is that they still openly, obnoxiously think that their opinions are naturally the most right and appropriate, and see no problem in forcing these opinions down the throats of anyone who happens to disagree. They have lawyers write these opinions down on paper and call them rules or even laws and then think they are now officially accepted by all around them...be that people of color, animals, or the Earth itself. The sheer arrogance of white people is never-ending and to whites empathy is something that only an Oprah figure can fake. Maybe at times whites actually give a shit about something beyond themselves on the surface, but 9 times ot of 10 it's just part of some self-serving ego-trip to justify the preconceived assumption of both personal and white-grouped superiority. This is something that has not changed from the days of slavery, it has only shifted amongst white consciousness into new forms. But the basic anal-retentive, imposing sticklerism of whites that comes from their belief that only their shit doesn't stink is as alive and well today as it has ever been.

    If I had posted this, only replacing "white" with the word "black" I would have been banned.


    you'd also be a racist asshole
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    sabadabada said:
    HarveyCanal said:
    The biggest problem still lingering amongst white Americans today is that they still openly, obnoxiously think that their opinions are naturally the most right and appropriate, and see no problem in forcing these opinions down the throats of anyone who happens to disagree. They have lawyers write these opinions down on paper and call them rules or even laws and then think they are now officially accepted by all around them...be that people of color, animals, or the Earth itself. The sheer arrogance of white people is never-ending and to whites empathy is something that only an Oprah figure can fake. Maybe at times whites actually give a shit about something beyond themselves on the surface, but 9 times ot of 10 it's just part of some self-serving ego-trip to justify the preconceived assumption of both personal and white-grouped superiority. This is something that has not changed from the days of slavery, it has only shifted amongst white consciousness into new forms. But the basic anal-retentive, imposing sticklerism of whites that comes from their belief that only their shit doesn't stink is as alive and well today as it has ever been.

    If I had posted this, only replacing "white" with the word "black" I would have been banned.


    Yes, this is just the thread to be whining about ficticious cases of reverse racism. Stay golden, Saba.
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    sabadabada said:
    HarveyCanal said:
    The biggest problem still lingering amongst white Americans today is that they still openly, obnoxiously think that their opinions are naturally the most right and appropriate, and see no problem in forcing these opinions down the throats of anyone who happens to disagree. They have lawyers write these opinions down on paper and call them rules or even laws and then think they are now officially accepted by all around them...be that people of color, animals, or the Earth itself. The sheer arrogance of white people is never-ending and to whites empathy is something that only an Oprah figure can fake. Maybe at times whites actually give a shit about something beyond themselves on the surface, but 9 times ot of 10 it's just part of some self-serving ego-trip to justify the preconceived assumption of both personal and white-grouped superiority. This is something that has not changed from the days of slavery, it has only shifted amongst white consciousness into new forms. But the basic anal-retentive, imposing sticklerism of whites that comes from their belief that only their shit doesn't stink is as alive and well today as it has ever been.

    If I had posted this, only replacing "white" with the word "black" I would have been


    writing from some African nation?
  • sabadabadasabadabada 5,966 Posts
    HarveyCanal said:
    sabadabada said:
    HarveyCanal said:
    The biggest problem still lingering amongst white Americans today is that they still openly, obnoxiously think that their opinions are naturally the most right and appropriate, and see no problem in forcing these opinions down the throats of anyone who happens to disagree. They have lawyers write these opinions down on paper and call them rules or even laws and then think they are now officially accepted by all around them...be that people of color, animals, or the Earth itself. The sheer arrogance of white people is never-ending and to whites empathy is something that only an Oprah figure can fake. Maybe at times whites actually give a shit about something beyond themselves on the surface, but 9 times ot of 10 it's just part of some self-serving ego-trip to justify the preconceived assumption of both personal and white-grouped superiority. This is something that has not changed from the days of slavery, it has only shifted amongst white consciousness into new forms. But the basic anal-retentive, imposing sticklerism of whites that comes from their belief that only their shit doesn't stink is as alive and well today as it has ever been.

    If I had posted this, only replacing "white" with the word "black" I would have been banned.



    Yes, this is just the thread to be whining about ficticious cases of reverse racism. Stay golden, Saba.

    I'm merely pointing out that an ignorant racist rant is just that, an ignorant racist rant, regardless of who makes it or who the target is.

    Stay stupid Harv.
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    sabadabada said:
    HarveyCanal said:
    sabadabada said:
    HarveyCanal said:
    The biggest problem still lingering amongst white Americans today is that they still openly, obnoxiously think that their opinions are naturally the most right and appropriate, and see no problem in forcing these opinions down the throats of anyone who happens to disagree. They have lawyers write these opinions down on paper and call them rules or even laws and then think they are now officially accepted by all around them...be that people of color, animals, or the Earth itself. The sheer arrogance of white people is never-ending and to whites empathy is something that only an Oprah figure can fake. Maybe at times whites actually give a shit about something beyond themselves on the surface, but 9 times ot of 10 it's just part of some self-serving ego-trip to justify the preconceived assumption of both personal and white-grouped superiority. This is something that has not changed from the days of slavery, it has only shifted amongst white consciousness into new forms. But the basic anal-retentive, imposing sticklerism of whites that comes from their belief that only their shit doesn't stink is as alive and well today as it has ever been.

    If I had posted this, only replacing "white" with the word "black" I would have been banned.



    Yes, this is just the thread to be whining about ficticious cases of reverse racism. Stay golden, Saba.

    I'm merely pointing out that an ignorant racist rant is just that, an ignorant racist rant, regardless of who makes it or who the target is.

    Stay stupid Harv.

    You don't even know what racist means if you think that racist is just any case of someone pointing out the obvious characteristics of a given race...especially the histroically dominant race. Plus, in this case...it would be white on white racism, which doesn't even make any sense.
  • sabadabadasabadabada 5,966 Posts
    HarveyCanal said:
    which doesn't even make any sense.

    WHITE POWER!
  • nzshadownzshadow 5,526 Posts
    nevermind.
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    HarveyCanal said:


    You don't even know what racist means if you think that racist is just any case of someone pointing out the obvious characteristics of a given race...especially the histroically dominant race. Plus, in this case...it would be white on white racism, which doesn't even make any sense.

    Are you posting drunk?
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    sabadabada said:
    HarveyCanal said:
    which doesn't even make any sense.

    WHITE POWER!

    Oh yeah, that's another characteristic of white people. Noone, even other white people, are allowed to get away with criticizing them. Either assume the superiority right along with them, or be sticklered to death.
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    bassie said:
    HarveyCanal said:


    You don't even know what racist means if you think that racist is just any case of someone pointing out the obvious characteristics of a given race...especially the histroically dominant race. Plus, in this case...it would be white on white racism, which doesn't even make any sense.

    Are you posting drunk?

    No, the definition of racism includes the facet of wielding power against someone. And with whites running the show all this time, there is nothing racist about saying that whites generally feel superior to others. And to call such a thing racist, especially when expressed by a fellow white, is unnecessarily asshurt to the fullest. In other words, poor overpaid, everything comes easy to Saba...he's offended to hear the blatant truth and he's got every right to feel like a victim too, boo hoo.
  • sabadabadasabadabada 5,966 Posts
    HarveyCanal said:


    And with whites running the show all this time ... .

  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    Yes, any white who criticizes other whites at large is the equivalent of Chuck Manson thinking he's kicking off a race war. Please keep proving all of my points, dude.
  • sabadabadasabadabada 5,966 Posts
    HarveyCanal said:
    Please keep proving all of my points, dude.

    the only point you have is on the top of your head.
  • tabiratabira 856 Posts
    No, the definition of racism includes the facet of wielding power against someone.

    that's institutional racism. You probably know this but for clarity's sake, racism pure and simple is believing that someone's genetic make up makes them inferior and predetermines how they will behave. There's a whole lotta racist mother f@ckers out there on BOTH sides of the tracks. That ain't no whitey violin playing, it's just a fact.
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    YALL SOUND WHITE
  • tabiratabira 856 Posts
    batmon said:
    YALL SOUND WHITE

    and YALL SOUND BLACK
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    tabira said:
    No, the definition of racism includes the facet of wielding power against someone.

    that's institutional racism. You probably know this but for clarity's sake, racism pure and simple is believing that someone's genetic make up makes them inferior and predetermines how they will behave. There's a whole lotta racist mother f@ckers out there on BOTH sides of the tracks. That ain't no whitey violin playing, it's just a fact.

    I never said a thing about whites being inferior to anyone else though. I merely pointed out the obvious, which a lot of white people nowadays want to sweep under the rug, that overwhelmingly white people still think of themselves as superior to non-whites. Is that genetically derived? I don't even pretend to know...I'm just calling the end product as I see it in practice.

    But I guess I also pointed out how whites feel so left out of the victim scene that comes from living under white racist rule...that they are now bending over backwards to come up with any way to get in on portraying themselves as victims too. Again, this has nothing to do with inferiority and everything to do with just how it is.
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