White Privilege and the 2008 Election

[MrScorpio]

Submitted by BuzzFlash on Sat, 09/13/2008 - 3:44pm. Guest Contribution

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION

By Tim Wise

For those who still can’t grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are constantly looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.

White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because "every family has challenges," even as black and Latino families with similar "challenges" are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.

White privilege is when you can call yourself a "fuckin’ redneck," like Bristol Palin’s boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll "kick their fuckin' ass," and talk about how you like to "shoot shit" for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.

White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.

White privilege is when you can claim that being mayor of a town smaller than most medium-sized colleges, and then Governor of a state with about the same number of people as the lower fifth of the island of Manhattan, makes you ready to potentially be president, and people don’t all piss on themselves with laughter, while being a black U.S. Senator, two-term state Senator, and constitutional law scholar, means you’re "untested."

White privilege is being able to say that you support the words "under God" in the pledge of allegiance because "if it was good enough for the founding fathers, it’s good enough for me," and not be immediately disqualified from holding office--since, after all, the pledge was written in the late 1800s and the "under God" part wasn’t added until the 1950s--while believing that reading accused criminals and terrorists their rights (because, ya know, the Constitution, which you used to teach at a prestigious law school requires it), is a dangerous and silly idea only supported by mushy liberals.

White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you. White privilege is being able to have a husband who was a member of an extremist political party that wants your state to secede from the Union, and whose motto was "Alaska first," and no one questions your patriotism or that of your family, while if you're black and your spouse merely fails to come to a 9/11 memorial so she can be home with her kids on the first day of school, people immediately think she’s being disrespectful.

Clip --

White privilege is being able to claim your experience as a POW has anything at all to do with your fitness for president, while being black and experiencing racism is, as Sarah Palin has referred to it, a "light" burden.

And finally, white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with George W. Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because white voters aren’t sure about that whole "change" thing. Ya know, it’s just too vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain.

White privilege is, in short, the problem.

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION

Tim Wise is the author of White Like Me (Soft Skull, 2005, revised 2008), and of Speaking Treason Fluently, publishing this month, also by Soft Skull.

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/contributors/1755

[polichick]

1. Great piece! It's become more and more obvious how this election is...

...about the last gasp of white supremacy.

[CaptJasHook]

46. This sums it up

[Solomon]

51. Thank you. I've been saying this too.

[Va Lefty]

2. Off to the greatest page K&R!!

[gordianot]

3. This is what McCain/Palin really represent "white privilege".

In addition you cannot criticize POW McCain or the woman Palin. Not only that you must show "deference" which I interpret as ultimately a racial codeword. By the way I am white and reject all racial privelage.

[The Shadow]

55. It's What The Repug Party Actually Represents

You know this just by looking at the people at any repug event or even their convention, no diversity whatsoever. It's by design...you know the old wink, wink, nod, nod thing.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. *Stands up*

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[Number23]

16. I'm standing too, BumRush!!!

Good Lord, if I could rec this a thousand times...

Mr. Scorpio, I'm giving you fair warning that I will be kicking your thread every hour or so until I think everyone on DU has read this. Really fantastic piece. The last line is the money quote:

"White privilege is, in short, the problem."

Happy to Rec. Thanks for posting.

[Number23]

23. Kick!

:kick:

[Starry Messenger]

5. k&r good sir

[holiday]

6. I didn't think race was going to be issue this election but now

i can see it is. And God love Obama I know he has had to work 10 times as hard to get to where he is and he has to watch everything he says and does because he is black. McCain gets to do anything he wants

[Terran]

7. Excellent

Thank you, Sarah Palin, for your shining example. May we hope somebody reads this and learns something. Great post man!

[FrenchieCat]

8. Yep....that's it!

I said it here, but not as well! http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/diarypage.php?did=9281

[Soup Bean]

9. Sounds like we're electing redneck County Commissioners instead of POTUS.

I swear, this stuff sounds just like my Tennessee home county in the mountains. My homefolk will cheer this woman on. I can't IMAGINE the country being led by people that think like my locals. Please, real world, don't let this happen. Don't let the small minority of small people with big mouths keep this country. I am so sick of the way we are being governed. I am very much in the minority of thought in my home state, so I have to count on someone to save me. Please help. Vote Obama/Biden and get out the vote. I need a change, big time.

[Tansy_Gold]

10. K & R &

I T Y S

[intheflow]

11. I love Tim Wise!

Thanks for posting--always worthwhile reading. K&R

[Kind of Blue]

41. Thank you, MrScorpio!!!

This post was absolutely delicious!

[Raineyb]

12. Always glad to see a Tim Wise piece referenced

He has a way of cutting right to the point and often makes points I'd like to but don't manage as well.

Regards

[elkston]

13. This is an awesome essay. But I would caution for a moment...

Be careful in showing this to white swing voters who might be trying to decide if Obama is right.

One thing I've learned is that some whites who may hold slightly prejudiced views hate being called on it. Reminding them of their white privilege, even if they know it's true, could backfire. They don't want to feel like they are being pushed into voting for Obama by escalating white guilt.

So just keep spreading out the facts without delving into race, and let them make their own decision. Many might be ready to reach out and make that "black" vote that they've never done before. They might be unsure of Obama, but absolutely convinced it cannot be McCain.

A hesitant vote counts just as much as an enthusiastic one.

[democracy1st]

22. true fact

[Phredicles]

14. Damn, I feel like getting a tatoo of this column right on my hairy white butt.

:applause:

[ismnotwasm]

15. Excellent piece

And very true

[my2sense]

17. This is spot on

:kick:

[SeattleGirl]

18. Great article.

And spot on.

[Skittles]

19. a lot of this is more rich privilege than white privilege

very often, poor whites get the same treatment as blacks

[judasdisney]

21. Sarah Palin expects "deference" from the media before she will "grant access"

"Deference" is her word, not mine.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-onthemedia9-2008sep09,0,6637772.story

[WildEyedLiberal]

24. Exactly, I was going to say this is Republican privilege, not "white" privilege

Yes, most Republicans are white, but not all whites are rich powerful Republicans, and as you said, poor whites don't get these kind of advantages that Palin and McCain get to exploit. Imagine if a Democrat, even a white Democrat, had Sarah Palin's "accomplishments" and background?

[Kind of Blue]

40. Yes, you're right. But I think the point is white

privilege is tied into an ethnic mindset. It's not about poor whites or rich powerful repugs' ability or inability to exploit perceived or unperceived advantages, it's about using that mindset to polarize and get votes. I don't even wholly blame the repugs for the divide. Look to our own party during the primaries and you'll find it.

[Two Americas]

45. false

Just because not all whites enjoy the same privileges, that does not mean that all other things being equal people get more privilege by virtue of being white.

As poor whites we should not feel, as the Republicans so desperately want us to feel, that acknowledging the impact of racism on people somehow screws us. That is what drives racism - the politicians creating this antagonism between working class people using race as the wedge. To miss that is to miss racism entirely.

What you are apologizing for and promoting with your post is the very essence of the right wing racist appeal - that white people are getting screwed too, so racism is not an important thing to consider.

[Skittles]

56. oh what horseshit

no one is saying racism is unimportant - we are just pointing out that a lot of stuff blamed on "white privilege" is actually rich privilege - do you think poor white babies are seen as blessings by their family or by society?

[Two Americas]

58. not looking for a fight

I think you are missing the point. Just give that some consideration, if you want to.

[Skittles]

60. I am not missing the point

YOU do some considering

[Two Americas]

62. ok

I will.

[Runcible Spoon]

63. Don't fight, Skittles and Two Americas! You're two of my favorites!

:cry:

[Two Americas]

66. lol

Thanks Farce. Just a little misunderstanding.

[Two Americas]

44. not so

It is not an either/or, and understanding racism is not to deny class. I don't know why you want to present it this way.

Obviously, if you give this any thought at all, the fact that poor whites are mistreated does not change the fact that all other things being equal, it is more difficult for a person of color than a white person.

Are you saying that until and unless all white people are treated well that racism is not a problem?

In any case, I wonder if you read the article, because as far as I know the Palin's are not wealthy and even if they were that would have no bearing on what Tim is saying here.

[Number23]

57. *Applause*

as far as I know the Palin's are not wealthy and even if they were that would have no bearing on what Tim is saying here.

Couldn't agree more. I thought it was interesting that the conversation almost immediately turned to "it's more a class issue than color" when the Palins are mocked constantly as easily being contenders on the next episode of "Jerry Springer." This isn't another Andover/Yale/Harvard group benefiting from class AND race. This is bottom of the barrel scraping and because she happens to be a white female at the right place at the right time, the world is her oyster.

[Two Americas]

59. thanks

Anyone saying that "it's more a class issue than color" missed the point of Tim's essay.

Another interesting thing is how many people are willing to discuss racism, providing it can be used against the Republicans or some other group of people. I posted excerpts from another great essay by Tim that may not be so warmly received by those who fancy themselves to be warriors against racism, or highly enlightened on the subject, merely by the fact that they "support" Obama.

[CakeGrrl]

75. Agreed - I get the author's point, which is that

this nation will at least sometimes overlook the failures and questionable character of white people who aspire to positions of power provided they are sufficiently charming, charismatic or attractive.

It has NEVER afforded a black person the same level of tolerance for similar aspirations. A black person has to prove themselves beyond a shadow of a doubt and then some to allay white fears.

[Raineyb]

77. I remember it as well

And was annoyed because I felt it was a huge key to the PUMA problem but the threads got locked so fast I don't even think I had a chance to comment. It's the key to the sense of entitlement I get from the PUMA people. But people are uncomfortable talking about white priveledge in reference to Democrats and prefer to pretend it doesn't exist in the party. That's complete rubbish of course because if it didn't exist we wouldn't have so many so-called long time Democrats who "just can't vote for Obama." What they mean is while it's fine to have black governors and senators and mayors etc it's just not acceptable for one of those black people to head the party and be at the top of the ticket.

Regards

[Two Americas]

78. so....

The problem is with the "PUMA" people, then?

That is an example of what I was talking about. We can see and are willing to discuss racism when it is useful to us in some other way, and when we can point the finger at some one else - battling against Clinton supporters, in your example.

The notion that electing a Black man to the presidency is a referendum on racism is belied by the fact that had Powell been nominated by the Republicans he would have done extremely well - perhaps much better then McCain. That is not to say that racism is not a significant factor in the election, and in all politics, but rather to say that it is not so simple - Obama supporters = not racist; Obama opponents = racist.

[Brewman_Jax]

79. Here's the article you're looking for

Collateral Damage: Poor Whites and the Unintended Consequences of Racial Privilege by Tim Wise

From the article: A few years ago, a young woman who was an anti-poverty organizer in
rural Kentucky asked me how she could infuse her work with an
anti-racist analysis.

She knew there was a need to address the connection between
institutional racism and white privilege on the one hand and economic
oppression on the other; but at the same time, she was aware of the
difficulty of relating these issues to the lived experiences of the
mostly white poor with whom she was working.

After all, how does one explain--indeed is it even proper to bring
up--the existence of white privilege among poor whites, for whom the
idea of privilege must seem remote and even absurd? And how could she
make poor whites realize the need to fight racism against people of
color when they have, to put it mildly, their own problems?

I thought seriously about her questions and promised to get back to
her with some ideas; then, as often happens, I got sidetracked and
never got around to responding. Yet, I continued thinking about the
issue, finally concluding that not only is it proper to address the
reality of white privilege among the white poor, but indeed it is
critical to do so, if we ever wish to address not only the misery
faced by too many people of color, but even that felt by the white
poor themselves. For poor whites, as I?ll explain below, are victims
not only of a class system that views them as expendable, but also a
racial caste system that favors them, and yet whose favors come at an
enormous cost.

Of course, to suggest that poor whites reap the benefits of skin
color when they suffer so terribly in class terms seems preposterous
to some. But privilege is not merely a monetary term, nor is it
solely an absolute concept; rather, it is also relative, and it is
this relative meaning of the term "privilege" that concerns us here.

The white poor, for example, clearly reap certain privileges
vis-à-vis the poor of color: benefits about which we must be honest.
First and foremost, is the more positive way in which they are
typically viewed relative to poor folks with darker skin, and how
this translates into differential treatment. Consider the early
imagery of the poor in the U.S., and what various changes in that
imagery over time have meant in terms of racial positionality. Not
all that long ago, the poor in this country were typically thought of
and represented as white, especially white and rural. Images from the
Great Depression or the Dust Bowl were among the first
mass-distributed visuals of the poor in the U.S., and along with
early 1960s media and political attention to conditions in
Appalachia, helped frame poverty in a way that was just as likely to
conjure up visions of whites as anyone else.

In line with the mostly white representation of the poor, came a
significant degree of sympathy for those in poverty. During the
Depression and for several decades after, most Americans viewed
poverty as something that was at least in large part the result of
forces beyond the control of the poor themselves. But by the 1970?s,
the discussion of poverty had shifted dramatically, thanks in large
part to a transformation of media imagery. Whereas in 1964, only a
little more than one-quarter of all media representations of poor
people in the U.S. were representations of blacks, by the early
1970s, over 70 percent were, and three out of every four stories on
so-called welfare programs featured African Americans.




http://archives.econ.utah.edu/archives/marxism/2005w36/msg00269.htm (scroll down to the 2nd article)

[Two Americas]

81. thanks

Another good essay.

"And yet, these benefits and privileges have a flipside: one that
demonstrates just how harmful racism against people of color--which
generated those privileges in the first place--can be, even for the
persons who reap the benefits of it in relative terms. In other
words, white racial privilege and its corollary--anti-black and
anti-brown racism--have blowback effects on whites, especially the
white poor, and these blowback effects render the white poor a form
of 'collateral damage' in the ongoing oppression of their darker
brethren."

- "First, because the poverty and welfare issues have been racialized,
the white poor have been rendered largely invisible."

- "Secondly, to be white and poor in a nation that is rooted in the
notion of white domination and supremacy is to fail to live up to
that society's expectations; and to fail to live up to those
expectations--which because of racial privilege are higher for whites
than for others--is to render oneself vulnerable to a special kind of
stigma."

- "Third, to the extent the public identifies poverty and welfare
efforts with blacks, that same public will become increasingly
hostile to the provision of income support needed by all persons in
poverty, including whites."

[JVS]

68. Even the daughter of a doctor I knew as a kid took a lot of shit when she got knocked up.

Bristol is enjoying the kind of privilege only available to the highest elite.

[Number23]

20. Kick!

:kick:

[jcla]

25. Great post! Thanks Mr. Scorpio

Tim Wise didn't mention that they can use words "community organizer" as a belittling/and/or fear (of evil Black folk stirring up poor folk) point. Say things like "Osama, Obama, yo mama" and people think it is funny. Belittle Muslims by call them terrorists and get positive responses. Put out "ObamaWaffles" as satire.

Try to remove Polar Bears and Beluga Whales from the endangered species list so they can "drill, drill and export oil". Claim Alaska produces 25% of our oil.

Approve "aerial hunting".

Want to interpret the Constitution as the founding fathers wrote it. (Remember 3/5Th's of a man) .. what about a woman's right to vote to say nothing of equal pay for equal work.

[EffieBlack]

70. He does mention the "community organizer" criticism - it's in the full piece

this was an excerpt.

[DeeDeeNY]

26. So true.

I consider myself to be a member of the same race as Obama -- the human race.

[joop]

27. k&R

I can't wait to email this one. THANK YOU!

[BluRay01]

28. K&R

because I think that this sums up one of the biggest reasons that the polls are even close.

Excellent read--I hope it is seen by many people out there, not just on DU.

[Zuiderelle]

29. Good essay! K&R

[Tutonic]

30. That husband of hers scares me more than Palin or McCain. He is

pure evil.

[Virginia Dare]

65. He seems "McVeigh"-like...n/t

[Suprk]

31. Excellent Essay

[bridgit]

32. wurd!

[BlooInBloo]

33. Problem: White folks utter nice words about this... But they don't really believe it.

[windoe]

34. K & R Good awareness piece

it is just a fact white privilege gives benefit of the doubt in countless situations, and for white people it is nearly invisible. Obama running for president has really raised awareness for so many people and this has potential to be very healing for this country. I want him to be president so bad it hurts.

[kestrel91316]

35. Absolutely hit the nail on the head!

[Imagevision]

69. Great piece...

[BklynChick]

36. k/r

[Pisces]

37. Kicked, Excellent article. Should be front page of every newspaper.

[OwnedByFerrets]

38. Big K and R

[Bette Noir]

39. Ive been wanting to talk about this, but it hasn't come up on any threads I've seen...

You know the ad McCain released last week, that said Barack was being "disrespectful" of Palin, for calling her a liar? I might not have thought anything of it, except that the McCain campaign will say anything, anything at all to distract people from the issues. As it happened, I saw the ad shortly after watching a documentary on the KKK.

It struck me that this was exactly the chord the campaign intended to strike-- the idea of a black man being disrespectful toward a white woman. Obama hasn't been, of course; I haven't seen a campaign so polite in my lifetime. Still, I wonder whether Palin was chosen specifically so the McCain campaign-- possibly without McCain's knowledge--could direct some of that KKK style string-'em-up fury toward Obama.

We've gotta win this one, guys. After 8 years under Bushie, America's teetering on the brink of destruction. An administration by McCain, and, God forbid, Palin, would push us over the edge.

[EffieBlack]

71. Exactly!

[JackBeck]

42. You can also add heterosexual privilege for both

And male privilege for McCain.

One of the many workshops that I present deals with cultural competency. An exercise we do is put newsprint up around the room and on the separate pieces of paper are written: WHITE, MALE, and HETEROSEXUAL and everyone walks among the separate sheets and lists the privileges that each affords these certain groups. Lots of good stuff tends to come up.

Many people have suggested we should add CLASS to the list, but that suggestion is pending approval by the state.

[Stump]

43. Nice post.

K&R

[mrs_p]

47. this is the best thing i've read for weeks. nt

[mrs_p]

48. Error: You've already recommended that thread.

[valerief]

49. Keek!

:kick:

[OneGrassRoot]

50. Bingo. Thank you so much. n/t

[silverweb]

52. K&R

Excellent. Unequivocally true, blunt, and pulls no punches.

It's going to piss off a lot of "I'm not racist!" silent beneficiaries of coded racism, who expect their privilege as a matter of course. As someone once told me when I was young, "Be happy. You're free, white, and 21. Take what's yours."

On the other hand, it just may make a lot of other people question their tacit acceptance of blatant and covert racism, aka "white privilege."

Well done.

[tnlurker]

53. Good Article

I will be sending this to some co-workers.

[Two Americas]

54. more from Wise

Uh-Obama:
Racism, White Voters and the Myth of Color-Blindness

by Tim Wise

On the one hand, many a voice has suggested that Obama's success signifies something akin to the end of racism in the U.S., if not entirely, then surely as a potent political or social force. After all, if a black man actually stands a better-than-decent shot at becoming President, then how much of a barrier could racism really be? But of course, the success of individual persons of color, while it certainly suggests that overt bigotry has diminished substantially, hardly speaks to the larger social reality faced by millions of others: a subject to which we will return. Just as sexism no doubt remained an issue in Pakistan, even after Benazir Bhutto became Prime Minister in the 1980s and again in the 90s (or in India or Israel after both nations had female Premiers, or in Great Britain after the election of Margaret Thatcher), so too can racism exist in abundance, in spite of the electoral success of one person of color, even one who could be elevated to the highest office in the world's most powerful nation.

<snip>

More importantly, to the extent Obama's success has been largely contingent on his studious avoidance of the issue of race--such that he rarely ever mentions discrimination and certainly not in front of white audiences--one has to wonder just how seriously we should take the notion that racism is a thing of the past, at least as supposedly evidenced by his ability to attract white votes? To the extent those whites are rewarding him in large measure for not talking about race, and to the extent they would abandon him in droves were he to begin talking much about racism--for he would be seen at that point as playing the race card, or appealing to "special interests" and suffer the consequences--we should view Obama's success, given what has been required to make it possible, as confirmation of the ongoing salience of race in American life. Were race really something we had moved beyond, whites would be open to hearing a candidate share factual information about housing discrimination, racial profiling, or race-based inequities in health care. But we don't want to be reminded of those things. We prefer to ignore them, and many are glad that Obama has downplayed them too, whether by choice, or necessity.

<snip>

The extent to which Obama's white support has been directly related to his downplaying of race issues simply cannot be overstated, as evidenced by the kinds of things many of these supporters openly admit, possessing no sense of apparent irony or misgiving. So, consider the chant offered by his supporters at a recent rally--and frankly, a chant in which whites appeared to be joining with far greater enthusiasm than folks of color--to the effect that "Race Doesn't Matter, Race Doesn't Matter," a concept so utterly absurd, given the way in which race most certainly still matters to the opportunity structure in this country, that one has to almost wretch at the repeated offering of it. Or consider the statements of support put forth by Obama supporters in a November 2007 Wall Street Journal article, to the effect that Obama makes whites "feel good" about ourselves (presumably by not bothering us with all that race talk), and that Obama, by virtue of his race-averse approach has "emancipated" whites to finally vote for a black candidate (because goodness knows we were previously chained and enslaved to a position of rejectionism). Worst of all, consider the words of one white Obama supporter, an ardent political blogger in Nashville, to the effect that what he likes about the Illinois Senator is that he "doesn't come with the baggage of the civil rights movement." Let it suffice to say that when the civil rights movement--one of the greatest struggles for human liberation in the history of our collective species--can be unashamedly equated with Samsonite, with luggage, with something one should avoid as though it were radioactive (and this coming from a self-described liberal), we are at a very dangerous place as a nation, all celebrations of Obama's cross-racial appeal notwithstanding.

<snip>

By granting exemptions from blackness, even to those black folks who did not ask for such exemptions (and nothing I have said here should be taken as a critique of Obama himself by the way, for whom I did indeed vote last month), we have taken racism to an entirely new and disturbing level, one that bypasses the old and all-encompassing hostilities of the past, and replaces them with a new, seemingly ecumenical acceptance in the present. But make no mistake, it is an ecumenism that depends upon our being made to feel good, and on our ability to glom onto folks of color who won't challenge our denial let alone our privileges, even if they might like to. In short, the success of Barack Obama has proven, perhaps more so than any other single thing could, just how powerful race remains in America. His success, far from disproving white power and privilege, confirms it with a vengeance.

http://www.lipmagazine.org/~timwise/Obama.html

[Raineyb]

76. I remember when that article was posted

I thought it was a good one. Unfortunately, it wasn't received as well and the two threads that discussed it were locked pretty quickly. I hate to have to be the one to say this but it would appear that as long as we discuss white privilege in respect to Republicans it will go over fairly well but when we turn it towards fellow Democrats it gets derided as racist. The article you've excerpted was no less true than the one we're discussing now yet the reception is 180 degrees different.

Regards

[Two Americas]

80. yes

Glad I am not the only one who sees this and who is interested in it.

Would anyone here deny that had Colin Powell been at the head of the Republican ticket he would have done very well? Would that then have meant that the Republican party and all of those Republican voters were therefore "not racist?" The elevation of an individual person of color is not necessarily a blow against racism. It can however, be used to deny racism, and so to reinforce it and make it more entrenched.

Before the Obama campaign, it was very difficult to get discussions going here about racism, and the number of people taking strong stands about it were few and far between. Then suddenly everyone was interested, and almost everyone was portraying themselves as a fighter against racism and an expert on the subject. Yet many of those same people had no problem viciously attacking other Black leaders - Sharpton, Reverend Jackson and others for example.

Many whites have a desperate need to see themselves as "not racist," to differentiate themselves from those other evil whites - often portrayed using various stereotypes - southern, red neck, uneducated, rural. That tells us that for many people, anti-racism is about themselves, how they see themselves and how they want others to see them. It has nothing to do with racism. It is tokenism, and serves to alleviate white guilt. That need is associated with higher income and education levels, and that reinforces a negative image the public has of modern liberalism. The need to superimpose "my personal values" onto politics - really personal prejudices and preferences and not values, and about the individual rather than about the political - is seen by much of the public as arrogant and hypocritical, as a self-indulgent avocation, as a luxury reserved to the relatively privileged.

Is there racism in America, and is there racism among Republican voters? Are there chickens in the barnyard? But many will vote against the Democrats not so much over race, but rather in resistance to being lectured. Even if that resistance to being lectured is merely cover for racism, why do we keep giving them cover when we gain nothing in return? That could only be because people's personal preferences are dominant over political concerns, and I think that is the case, and that the ascendancy of the politics of personal values is the fatal weakness in modern liberalism.

[KathieG]

61. Powerful...that's it in a nutshell

:kick:

[Virginia Dare]

64. Yup. Luckily Obama understands all of this..

and I trust will deal with it in his own way. He's an absolutely phenomenal person.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

67. she isn't prepared to hire Black people

[quantass]

72. k

[Kitty Herder]

73. Excellent! Cuts right to the heart of the matter.

:applause:

[olegramps]

74. Two Major Issues will decide this election

It is my opinion that there are two major issues that will decide this election. Race and Abortion. Race will deliver the South and Rural votes and be fortified by a large portion of the over 60 vote. Abortion will deliver the fundamentalist and the Catholic vote. Obama needs the youth vote if he is to stand any chance at being elected. We will see if they show up.