‘Racist’ a term that must be applied cautiously
As I noted yesterday, U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson said something pretty stupid and inflammatory about his colleague from South Carolina, Joe Wilson, regarding Wilson’s outburst during President Obama’s health-care speech to Congress:
”It did not help the cause of diversity and tolerance with his remarks. If I was a betting man, I’d say it instigated more racist sentiment, feeling that it’s OK, that you don’t have to bury it down,” Johnson said. “I guess we’ll probably have folks putting on white hoods and white uniforms again and riding through the countryside, intimidating people. That’s the logical conclusion if this kind of attitude is not rebuked.”
That’s just nonsense, and it’s completely unfair to Wilson. Opposition to Obama’s health-care plan is not by any means evidence of racism, and it is wrong to imply otherwise. In fact, “racism” is such a powerful charge that it should never be leveled lightly. Using the charge in an effort to silence criticism, as some have done, is wrong and destructive and cheapens the stigma of real racism.
But let’s not fool ourselves. Real evidence of racism abounds. Fox News star Glenn Beck, the inspiration for last weekend’s rally in Washington, said on the air recently that “this president has exposed himself as a guy, over and over and over again, who has a deep-seated hatred for white people, or the white culture.”
President Obama hates white people? That’s racist nonsense, plain and unvarnished, and any movement that looks to clowns such as Beck for leadership despite such statements opens itself up to justified questions about racist intentions.
Period.
Mark Williams, another of the leaders of the Tea Party movement, went on national TV last night and confirmed previous statements that Obama is our nation’s “racist in chief” and an “Indonesian Muslim turned welfare thug.”
“Welfare thug?” It’s been said that in the infinity of time, there is no sentence that has not already been written or uttered, but I’m gonna guess that in all the long history of the American republic and the English language, no previous president has ever been described using those two words. You might say Williams was speaking in code, but the phrase is so blatantly racist that no decoding is required.
Then there’s the coverage of the schoolbus fight in St. Louis. It now appears that it was a simple case of bullying, reprehensible but utterly unremarkable. Yet right-wing outlets such as the Drudge Report and Rush Limbaugh immediately rushed to sell it as a metaphor for “Obama’s America” in which the poor downtrodden white male is once again being victimized. It was pretty sad to see the insecurities of millions of adults projected onto one teenaged kid.
In fact, as a white male myself, I’m embarrassed. People who look like me dominate the vast majority of Fortune 500 companies and the vast majority of elected political offices. We also control an overwhelming proportion of national wealth, yet somehow we are the downtrodden and powerless?
Guys, if you’re not getting what you think you deserve and have earned, it’s not because the black man is keeping you down. Really.
The game is pretty obvious. What we’re seeing is an effort to stir up white anger and resentment at black Americans in general and at Barack Obama in particular. It is an effort to remind white America that Obama cannot really be your president because, well, look at him. He’s one of Them, not one of Us.
And we’re better than that, all of us.
Johnson ought to apologize, profusely and sincerely, to Wilson. Wilson said two words, “You lie,” and there is no way in the world to accurately claim racism based on that evidence. The fact that Wilson is white, conservative and from South Carolina add absolutely nothing to the “evidence” against him. If you’re gonna throw charges of racism around, you have to be able to back them up.
That said, Limbaugh, Beck, Williams and others are appealing to racism, plain and simple.
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219 comments Add your comment
saywhat?
September 16th, 2009
1:07 pm
first!
saywhat?
September 16th, 2009
1:11 pm
Would it be racist to point out that Obama has successfully protected this nation from terrorist attack longer than GWB did in his first term? I suppose now we’ll have to read some nauseating post by Dusty gushing over what a fantastic leader Obama is, seeing as he has done better than her previous hero, W.
stands for decibels
September 16th, 2009
1:15 pm
Would it be racist to point out that Obama has successfully protected this nation from terrorist attack longer than GWB did in his first term?
Why… yes. It would be racist, racist I tells ya, to point out that Obama has kept us safer than Bush.
stands for decibels
September 16th, 2009
1:17 pm
And to Jay’s point–Glenn Beck’s disgusting assertion that Obama doesn’t like white people really ought to be universally condemned by responsible folks in the opposition party.
If they have, I’d love to know about it.
Joey
September 16th, 2009
1:19 pm
Saywhat?
Your name fits well with your words.
Bosch
September 16th, 2009
1:20 pm
Jay,
What are your thoughts about Carter’s statement? Just curious.
Awake
September 16th, 2009
1:21 pm
Unlike Bush, Obama has benefited from an organized, vigilant, anti-terrorist predecessor. The question of his ability to continue to provide security is in doubt. Jimmy Carter is a discredited windbag who set the USA up for decades of islamic terrorism thanks to his weakness, is only a hero to those left wing lunatics who think that Mugabe and Chavez run fair and open elections.
TaxPayer
September 16th, 2009
1:23 pm
saywhat?
September 16th, 2009
1:11 pm
Would it be racist to point out that Obama has successfully protected this nation from terrorist attack longer than GWB did in his first term? I suppose now we’ll have to read some nauseating post by Dusty gushing over what a fantastic leader Obama is, seeing as he has done better than her previous hero, W.
Say What! Oh! Never mind. You’re correct. Except for Dusty. Dusty is on the beach this week.
jt
September 16th, 2009
1:23 pm
I still like Bill Clinton(our first black president) better.
Bosch
September 16th, 2009
1:23 pm
“It was pretty sad to see the insecurities of millions of adults projected onto one teenaged kid.”
Amen.
stands for decibels
September 16th, 2009
1:24 pm
Obama has benefited from an organized, vigilant, anti-terrorist predecessor.
Yes, he has; unfortunately, Clinton was henceforth succeeded by GW Bush.
Bruno
September 16th, 2009
1:24 pm
“How has misuse of insurance driven up costs?”
“I’m talking the $12 Tylenol and the $120 cling–they’re real Bruno–and I’ve had the chance to review charts over years at hospitals in Atlanta. Some of the charges would blow your mind. Your immediate reaction would be “I can get a lot of bottles of Tylenol for 12 bucks, and of course you could. So why is the hospital charging you $12 for one regular strength Tylenol?”
I think you answered your own question, PON. Thanks for making my case for me.
“Reveals what about me?”
By beginning with the supposition that a large percentage of people (or is that only Republicans?) are inherently racist, it’s easy for you to make the leap that any opposition or challenge to Obama is ultimately motivated by this racism, despite no outward evidence of that being the reason. As such, it reveals to me that maintaining your presupposition is more important to you than considering the actual evidence. Just my opinion, of course.
stands for decibels
September 16th, 2009
1:28 pm
In fact, as a white male myself, I’m embarrassed. People who look like me dominate the vast majority of Fortune 500 companies and the vast majority of elected political offices. We also control an overwhelming proportion of national wealth, yet somehow we are the downtrodden and powerless?
Hear [gerund] hear.
Or as Zappa so eloquently put it back in ‘66:
“Hey, you know something people?
I’m not black
But there’s a whole lots a times
I wish I could say I’m not white”
TaxPayer
September 16th, 2009
1:29 pm
Oh! By the way! I’m sorry for running you off, Angry Black Man! I did not mean to do it. Can you forgive me? Will you? Don’t leave. Folks here, including myself, enjoy your virtual company.
TW
September 16th, 2009
1:31 pm
Racist? No
Supremacist? Yes
Racism is but a symptom of a disorder characterized by the incessant need to be better than.
Now that skin color is taboo, it resorts to labels like lib, socialist, etc.
Sadly, those who suffer from this disorder, though they wear it like a badge, ought be embarrassed, as it reveals a very major kink in their upbringing – it never happened. That’s why the teabaggers are simply the adult version of the terrible twos
Doggone/GA
September 16th, 2009
1:33 pm
I think, and have thought for a long time, that a BIG part of the problem is that too many people use “racist” when they mean “bigoted”…and yep, I’ve said so before.
TaxPayer
September 16th, 2009
1:35 pm
And, racism had nothing to do with all the bias that has been displayed by schools that proudly present Bush while disavowing any knowledge of Obama. It was just a political thing. A difference in philosophies. It was nuthin’ ‘cept a misunderestimating and it won’t happen again… until next time.
Horrible Horace
September 16th, 2009
1:36 pm
Guys, if you’re not getting what you think you deserve and have earned, it’s not because the black man is keeping you down. Really.
And conversely
Guys, if you’re not getting what you think you deserve and have earned, it’s not because the white man is keeping you down. Really.
Turd Ferguson
September 16th, 2009
1:37 pm
Doggone/GA
September 16th, 2009
1:33 pm
Proof please.
Jimmy Carter
September 16th, 2009
1:39 pm
Mr Bookman…I must ask that you tender your resignation.
Public Option or No Bill
September 16th, 2009
1:39 pm
Jay you should research these frequent blogs, even if they cut your actual print columns to two (Cox Conservatives diluting the quality of AJC when they removed you, Maureen, and Cynthia from the editorial board and replaced them with themselves and turned way to the right).
Wilson has a pedigree as a racist–did you check his background. He supported keeping the Confederate Flag in S.C. and has been a member of many successionist groups all his life. He also lied about being an immigration attorney in a statement to the national media. Try Fact Check sites on Wilson before you paint him as a saint.
That’s right — Wilson was one of only seven members of the South Carolina Senate to vote to stick it to the blacks to keep the battle flag. It was finally brought down under intense national pressure and from an NAACP boycott, which cost the state millions in tourism revenue. I recall a similar battle took place in Georgia while Mr. Bookman was in residence here and on the editorial board of AJC at the time.
Wilson is an active member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans–check their literature Jay. They are saturated by white supremicists.
Notes the Southern Poverty Law Center,
Early editions of the SCV’s Confederate Veteran newsletter defended the Ku Klux Klan, argued that the United States was created “for white people,” and complained that “when a Negro has learned to read he ceases to work.”
Bosch
September 16th, 2009
1:40 pm
Bruno,
I think a large percentage of people are prejudiced and judgemental, especially in this area of the country, and no not just Republicans. I have my theories as to why, which surprisingly isn’t about race, but mostly about religion – and if I had a few months of uninterrupted time, I might could put together my complete thoughts on the matter, but alas, I don’t – and it would be a very, very long post.
Captain Underpants
September 16th, 2009
1:44 pm
“I guess we’ll probably have folks putting on white hoods and white uniforms again and riding through the countryside, intimidating people. That’s the logical conclusion if this kind of attitude is not rebuked.”
What a coincidence…WalMart is having a sale this weekend on all white sheets sizes little boys/girls, big boys/girls, teens and adults.
OOPS…I MEAN, xtra small, small, medium and large.
TaxPayer
September 16th, 2009
1:44 pm
Bosch,
I enjoy your posts. So, the best place to start is “In the beginning”.
Turd Ferguson
September 16th, 2009
1:45 pm
Public Option or No Bill
September 16th, 2009
1:39 pm
Again with the Flag nonsense? BTW…have you checked the Flag lately or decided not to as Jesse and Al kept closed mouthed.
F-105 Thunderchief
September 16th, 2009
1:46 pm
You’re a racist! You’re not a real American!
It’s ugly from any angle.
Public Option or No Bill
September 16th, 2009
1:48 pm
@ the Turd–
I know Jawjaw’s flag and its history and the people who pushed to keep the confederate flag. I also recognize the systemic racisim by many of the Repubos here.
Kamchak
September 16th, 2009
1:48 pm
When Ms. Tucker did this thread yesterday she linked it to this TPM story. I’ll repeat here what I said yesterday–if Hank Johnson is piggybacking on Wilson’s 15 minutes of fame, then he needs to shut up. This posting from the TPM site though caught my eye mainly because I recognized it as being from a prolific former poster at salon.com:
Johnson is correct; and that’s why I said this needs to be autopsied in the bright light of day so everyone sees what it is. I, for one, won’t tolerate the racist effort to sweep it under the rug with the excuse that telling the truth about it is some sort of bad politics.
Silence is assent. I won’t be part of the silence.
This from today’s dead tree version (thanks DB) of the AJC, however, leads me to believe that Hank Johnson views this as being not just one instance of heckling.
Rep. Scott (D-Atlanta)also suggested Wilson’s remarks were indicative of racial undercurrents. During August, Scott — who like Johnson is black — got several pieces of racist hate mail regarding health care reform that referred to him and Obama with racial epithets. A swastika was also painted on a sign outside one of his district offices.
“I think certain things have been tolerated to allow disrespect of this president because he is an African-American,” Scott said in an interview.
Public Option or No Bill
September 16th, 2009
1:51 pm
Why in the world does posting a commenen t take 10 refreshes and often put a 404 error up on a box whose IE or FF works perfectly at any other blog site?
Why does it take so long on this blog and no other blog for a comment to post?
Why are there such random whacky filters here?
Why is Wordpress so hard for AJC’s? web personnel who are supposed to be helping Jay Bookman?
Public Option or No Bill
September 16th, 2009
1:55 pm
Why can’t Jay Bookman post rules for posting and fix the random filter when you make a 2 sentence reply that filters your side of the discussion but not the person you’re trying to answer?
How long would it take for Jay Bookman to pick up his cell to call whoever runs the technical Wordpress part of this blog to fix the glitches that are unique to AJC blogs but no others in the world?
Why should it take a long period of time for a comment to show and why doesn’t this blog return to your posted comment instead of to the top of the page, the first page of the thread, or a 404 error when no other blogs on the planet do this?
Is there no one at Cox who can help Jay fix the technical area of this blog?
TaxPayer
September 16th, 2009
1:57 pm
Rush Limbaugh couldn’t resist trying to connect the brutal beating of one student by another on a school bus to President Obama, using it as an example of how Obama is somehow causing racism throughout the U.S.:
You put your kids on a school bus you expect safety but in Obama’s America the white kids now get beat up with the black kids cheering ‘yeah, right on, right on, right on.’ Of course everybody said the white kid deserved it he was born a racist, he’s white.
In fact it would be Limbaugh who seems to have the racial hangup. The St. Louis-Dispatch reports that the beating was not racially motivated, as a Belleville police captain had originally speculated, but was instead incited by a pretty common dispute on school buses: choice of seating.
Good old boy, Rush. I wonder if he or Hannity or Beck, et al, covered that racially charged attack down in Clayton County. For some reason, I don’t think so.
Finn McCool
September 16th, 2009
1:57 pm
What’s a white man gotta do to get ahead in America? Jeez. I’m sooooo oppressed!
Bruno
September 16th, 2009
1:58 pm
“I think a large percentage of people are prejudiced and judgemental, especially in this area of the country, and no not just Republicans. I have my theories as to why, which surprisingly isn’t about race, but mostly about religion – and if I had a few months of uninterrupted time, I might could put together my complete thoughts on the matter, but alas, I don’t – and it would be a very, very long post.”
Human nature is what it is, of course, Bosch. Due to our “pack animal” genetics, it is only natural for us to identify with those who look like us. Having said that, automatically labeling any opposition to Obama as being racist in origin blocks any meaningful discussion about what the best way to move forward is, which is unacceptable to me. There’s too much on the table here to not allow any opposition.
I’ll echo TaxPayer in asking that you make an effort to expand upon your remarks, though. It could be interesting.
Scooter
September 16th, 2009
1:58 pm
Bosch,
I enjoy your posts
TaxPayer, I don’t know about you but I have really enjoyed the interesting and civil debate here today. Very entertaining!
Jackie
September 16th, 2009
1:58 pm
It is known that no one can prove a negative. Given this statement, there is no way anyone can prove one to be a racist based upon statements.
On the other hand, exhibiting racist tendencies by actions and associations goes further to provide insight into the actions one may take by the “company they keep.”
Don
September 16th, 2009
1:58 pm
From a Progressive book, and why FOX is the only station that carries the REAL stories, and why the ‘racists’ term is thrown around by the left, it’s brainwashing.
“What Orwell could not know in the 1930s and 1940s was that Totalitarianism and its propaganda apparatus would ultimately succeed in penetrating “the inner
heart” of individuals. Nor could he have known how much more sophisticated and pervasive propaganda was destined to become, how in the latter part of the
twentieth century latter-day avatars would graft onto this already dark art a whole host of new and extremely powerful elements. In fact, what was in
Orwell’s time already a frighteningly manipulative tool would over the next few decades take several more quantum leaps forward in its ability to
subliminally deceive and influence. It did so by evolving in a Darwininan manner, by confronting the challenges of capitalism and democracy, and then under
the pressure of this of this natural selection, mutating to incorporate traits from each as if it were cloning new genetic material onto its figurative
genome. It was in this manner that propaganda’s genetic makeup gained a new hybrid vigor, achieving an unforeseen level of sophistication and efficaciousness
that would doubtless have astounded Orwell. In this process there were several major evolutionary breakthroughs worthy of note.
1) Stalin to Mao
The first came about as China imported Stalin’s form of Marxist-Leninist propaganda and imbued it with “Chinese characteristics,” turning it into “Mao Zedong
Thought.”
2) The Marriage of Freudian Insights to Old-Style Political Propaganda
“The second significant evolutionary step occurred because of explicit advances in the burgeoning world of psychoanalytical thought. A new approach,
pioneered by Sigmund Freud, plumbed the depth of human unconsciousness to form a revolutionary corpus of systematized theories on how to understand, and even
heal, the inner workings of the human psyche. Through a quite unholy matrimonial convergence, “old-style” political propaganda became fortified by Freudian
insights about human insecurity, weakness, yearning and guilt. The result: new forms of manipulation in which overt political coercion merged with an array
of subtle but powerfu covert psychological mechanisms.
“One of the pioneers of some of these new psychological mechanisms was Edward Bernays, the father of “public relations,” who also happened to be Sigmund
Freud’s grandson. … ‘If we understand the mechanisms and motives of the group mind,’ Bernays presciently observed, ‘is it not possible to control and
regiment the masses according to our will without their knowing it? The recent practice of propaganda has proved that is possible. …’
“When public relations theory and its application to commercial advertising–which Orwell had derided as “the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket”–
became available to authoritarian regimes as a means to bolster their own propaganda and control efforts, a new industrial-strength brew that was infinitely
more subtle and and convincing than anything that had preceded it was born. …
3) Electronic Media
“The third, and last evolutionary development in propaganda was brought about by the development of technology, particularly in the electronic media. What
could be achieved visually on television (and later on the Internet) was far higher on the periodic table of persuasiveness than anything that had preceded
it. This new medium was capable of making almost any almost any message seductive and convincing. … When crossbred with forms of twentieth century
totalitarian ideology and propaganda, television became a powerful new form of indoctrination for both commercial and political purposes.”
Historygeek
September 16th, 2009
2:00 pm
Would it be racist for me, a white guy to say:
That a typical black person has had a negative trait bred into them?
That typical black people don’t care about poor white children?
That blacks routinely target whites unfairly and it showed their stupidity?
That we should build policies to support whites instead of blacks based on the color of their skin alone?
.
September 16th, 2009
2:01 pm
I’m all about banning religion from this country. It’s ruining everything.
And I don’t mean banning faith or spirituality…just organized religion. Root all evil.
Bosch
September 16th, 2009
2:01 pm
Taxpayer,
Thanks!
Bruno
September 16th, 2009
2:01 pm
“How has misuse of insurance driven up costs?”
“I’m talking the $12 Tylenol and the $120 cling–they’re real Bruno–and I’ve had the chance to review charts over years at hospitals in Atlanta. Some of the charges would blow your mind. Your immediate reaction would be “I can get a lot of bottles of Tylenol for 12 bucks, and of course you could. So why is the hospital charging you $12 for one regular strength Tylenol?”
Still waiting for your reply, PON.
“I also recognize the systemic racisim by many of the Repubos here.”
So what is your motivation for posting here, PON? Obviously it isn’t to promote honest discussion. Tell me why I should take anything you say seriously?
mike
September 16th, 2009
2:02 pm
Here are some links to some photos of a time period that many folks seem to be forgetting:
http://www.ringospictures.com/index.php?page=20090816
Brad Steel
September 16th, 2009
2:02 pm
Glenn Beck shares some of his brilliant deductions with …who has a deep-seated hatred for white people, or the white culture.
Like which white people, fatboy, his mom?
Public Option or No Bill
September 16th, 2009
2:03 pm
@ Bruno–
I still don’t understand what you mean by unnecessary insurance filing? Please elaborate. And I haven’t made your case for anything and when you think I have please have the courtesy to say how instead of glibly high fiving yourself and stating I have.
@ Mr. Green–
The NEJM /Wood Johnson study was done by all statistically accepted methodologies and the mechanics of the survey were posted.
I’ve read IBD for years. Great stock charts and good tech sector info. But their editorial page is right out of the brains of Hannity and Limbaugh.
They did not say where their random MD sample came from of course which is a statistical flaw in and of itself. They said nothing about their methodology.
And make no mistake about it, the AMA’s 16.666% of physicians in US members support reform and public option in large percentage, but AMA is actually working very hard to defeat any health care reform behind the scenes and their past president is conspiculously working to defeat reform for big bucks as a major lobbyist.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
September 16th, 2009
2:03 pm
Well, us poor White people are being held down by Those People. You can say it ain’t true, but in your heart you know I’m right. They took away our rights when they took the Klan from us and passed all these Civil Rights laws. Just because I don’t like or trust Those People none at all or have anything to do with them is no reason to call me a Racist. Heck, I even said hello to one once. So you can kind of say one is my friend.
Anyhow, I ain’t going to stick around here and let this Normal and AmVet and TnGelding and DebbieDoEverybody and USinUK and other libruls call me a bunch of names I don’t deserve. Have a good p.m. everybody.
Public Option or No Bill
September 16th, 2009
2:04 pm
Public Option or No Bill Your comment is awaiting moderation.
September 16th, 2009
2:03 pm
mike
September 16th, 2009
2:04 pm
Here some more photos of those”tolerant” critics of Bush who would never be uncivil like those mean old racist conservative critics of Obama’s.
http://www.zombietime.com/zomblog/?p=612
Anybody remember these shots making it on to the news during the coverage of the war protests?
Scooter
September 16th, 2009
2:04 pm
Public Option or No Bill
September 16th, 2009
1:55 pm
Thanks for that post. I thought it was just me making an error!
Public Option or No Bill
September 16th, 2009
2:04 pm
@ Bruno–
I still don’t understand what you mean by unnecessary insurance filing? Please elaborate. And I haven’t made your case for anything and when you think I have please have the courtesy to say how instead of glibly high fiving yourself and stating I have.
Public Option or No Bill
September 16th, 2009
2:04 pm
@ Bruno–
I still don’t understand what you mean by unnecessary insurance filing? Please elaborate. And I haven’t made your case for anything and when you think I have please have the courtesy to say how instead of glibly high fiving yourself and stating I have.
DeKalb Conservative
September 16th, 2009
2:05 pm
The r-word is used more frequently than it should be. Its used to discredit and silence a person, but rarely is it used in its proper context.
For example, Jay, who is and esteemed writer is too quick to assign Glenn Beck’s comments as racist. Perhaps the proper word used would be bigoted.