"Racism laundering" and conservatives

[Tommy_Carcetti]

I posted this in response to a thread here earlier, but I figured it deserved a post of its own, and I would expand on my thoughts a little more.

The days of "seperate but equal" in our public schools and drinking fountains for "colored" and "whites" seem to be gone, at least it appears that way. But what happened to all that racism and all that hatred? Did it go away once the final gavel in Brown v. Board of Education was struck? Did it go away when Martin Luther King uttered the words "I have a dream..."? Did it go away at any other landmark moment during the civil rights struggle of the 1950s or 1960s?

I would say certainly not. Racism does exist in this country. It may always exist, sadly, but what pains me the most is the way it's done, and by no surprise, it is found in many on the right, "conservatives" and even those considered mainstream in the Republican party.

What's the new tactic of the right? It's called "racism laundering".

They pick an argument, such as illegal immigration, where there is at least a legitimate argument as to why people should follow proper procedures and customs when immigrating to the country. Enforcement of codified border and immigration laws is in fact a legitimate argument.

But they'll then use that legitimate argument as a basis to denegrate people on the basis of their nationality or race as an exercise in pure bigotry. They'll talk bad about the language and culture of Mexicans, and demand token measures be taken, like making English the "official" language. They'll accuse them of being violent and involved in criminal activity (as if there are no Americans who are violent and involved in criminal activity). They'll accuse them of being involved in smuggling terrorists over the border. They'll say they are bringing in diseases into the country, like leporsy. In the end, the discussion is no longer about enforcement of immigration laws, but now it's about those dirty, criminal Mexicans who are coming into the country to take your jobs and rape your wives.

Or think terrorism by Islamic radicals. I think we can all say terrorism is a horrible, horrible thing. However, many on the right have taken upon using terrorism as an excuse to denegrate the Muslim religion. They love to quote bits and snippets of the Koran to indicate that it is somehow this ultra-violent movement, or say that there is no relationship between the Muslim Allah and the Christian God (whereas a review would have them being one and the same.) The fact that there are terrorists out there like Bin Laden who also proclaim to be Muslim and doing Allah's work gives some on the right an easy excuse to hate, hate, hate billions of people because they don't share their religion.

A final example that comes to my mind would be a few years ago when Bill Cosby made some comments about how the black community needs to shape up, have better aspirations in life, and look to better role models. All in all, there was nothing wrong in what he said. But one important thing bore notice--it was a black man saying this to the black community. In other words, it was a moment of introspection, a call to action. The problem arose when white conservatives took Bill Cosby's words and made it their own. Now, no longer was it words of reflection from one black man to another. Now, it was whites telling blacks about everything they saw wrong about blacks. And because a black man originally said it, white conservatives used it as an excuse to exercise all the stereotypes they secretly still held against blacks--that they were all a bunch of wannabee thugs and gangstas with no direction or desire in life. And it goes to show how legitimate discussion and thought can be turned into an excuse to hate and perpetuate stereotypes.

Racism is not dead in the least. It is just subtly hidden, and even accepted, by many people on the right, who will use legitimate arguments as an excuse to hate. That's what I call "racism laundering."

[bryant69]

1. It is harder to fight

Muslim Menace articles and statements are pretty overt, but the rest of this, along with the white male persecution complex and so on are harder to tease out into the open where we can discuss them openly.

And of course Conservatives know to scream "political correctness" at the first sign of trouble.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Tommy_Carcetti]

3. "Political correctness" and conservatives

The thing about political correctness and conservatives is they take it extremely literally. For example, the Dixie Chick's comments about Bush was damned as being unpatriotic. This is political correctness to a T.

Claiming racism and discrimination is useless outside the context of the power structure. For example, the ultra-wealthy are technically a "minority" but can anyone here say with a straight face they are an oppressed people? Not when they are the ones holding all the cards.

Yet the right doesn't understand that context requirement. A few months ago, a conservative columnist in my newspaper wrote an incidious column where he claimed there was a "wealthy minority" who was being oppressed by taxes, and that their only tool in fighting back was to make huge political donations to the candidates in power. In other words, he was arguing for bribery. I actually wrote into the newspaper mocking this man's column and saying that to claim wealthy individuals were the victims of discrimination was an insult to Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and any other person who dedicated their lives fighting discrimination and seeking equal rights.

[Mountainman]

2. Something that I always remember is that racism is learned. It is taught by parents and teachers

and others with influence on children. In the movie "Mississippi Burning" the wife of one of the deputies that was involved in the killing of the civil rights workers says that in school they used the bible to teach racism and that you are taught it, you live with it and you marry it.

If we could break the cycle of teaching racism to our kids that would help a lot I think.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. If, indeed...

The thing is, boiled down, racism is so ignorant and petty. Disliking a person because of the color of their skin?

But you're right, it's a viscious cycle.

[NOLALady]

4. Whenever I'm in the company of a sizeable group of Black

folk, the conversation inevitably turns to the problems in the Black community...Crime, Drugs, Unequal Justice, Education, Role Models, Personal Responsibility, etc. This conversation comes up in the ghetto with those struggling to make it on minimum wage, as well as in the buppy McMansions.
As an intelligent person, I'm certain that Bill Cosby knows that Black people are well aware of the problems that plague their communities. He wasn't the first Black person to comment on this, nor will he be the last. (Listen to any Black Talk Radio Show, or go to any Mega Church and you'll hear it)
Mr Cosby decided to make these comments on a world stage. How could he not know that many would use his comments to perpetuate their hate and stereotypes?

Bill Cosby was in New Orleans last year when there was a March across the bridge. (The one where the policeman shot at the fleeing Katrina victims) Once again he made these comments. I groaned, but the crowd cheered. When it came out in the media, it went something like... "The crowd was excited about Bill Cosby, until he began to tell them about getting their act together." She must have been at a different rally. Actually, the crowd cheered and applauded Mr. Cosby because he acknowledged something they talk about at least once a week or whenever the family gets together.
:rant: