Here is yet another of my writings influenced by the last Election Cycle. Like I said: I'm memorializing them here so we can see and remember what we almost got hit with. Never sit things out! Vote! You might end up going back in time . . . with all the racism that used to reign free . . .
Lee Atwater would be so proud . . .! Racial Politicking is alive and well:
(C) Dike Matthew 10/30/12
"Feeling . . . 'Froggy' . . .?"
Lee Atwater would be so proud . . .! Racial Politicking is alive and well:
"Obama is such a Black Dope!"
"We don't want to give Black People other people's money."
"Obama has a problem with White People."
A Book called "The Roots of Obama's Rage" written by this Dinesh D'Souza and a 'documentary' based on the same both out now.
Ann Coulter's comment about 'Our Blacks' . . .
Colin Powell is now a knee jerk race-only voter because he lacks the sophistication STILL, even after being a four star general and former head of the Joint Chiefs, to divine any comprehension and perspective on the issues of today, foreign and domestic. He 'somehow lacks that ability'.
. . . And I have to say, that lately, I've heard many White Conservatives all too 'eagerly' giving their 'take' on how my life, as person of color, is or could or should be. They are admonishing my or 'Folks like Me' perceived lack of vision or drive to be more self-sufficient. They link it to some sort of racial dependency my ethnic group has that has been carefully fostered by Democrats . . .
Etcetera, etcetera . . . etcetera.
Message: Obama and You People(read: non-white) are scary, loafing, angry, prejudiced . . . and White America should be wary.
My ears are ringing from the Dog Whistle.
I need to take a deep breath and pause for a second . . . because this sort of crap is just too constant to be just 'one of's'.
To those out there, almost all of whom are White, that champion this 'stuff' lately, . . . to those out there that talk as if you know what it is like to be a so-called Minority BETTER than those of us who are, . . . to those out there who unapologetically insist on telling people of color how they should feel about the myriad of racially-tinged, 'intellectual farts' from the Right . . . Listen up:
There is free speech, and to be sure, you can say whatever you want . . . but seriously and respectfully, you don't know what the hell you are talking about.
You aren't me or like me . . . and you are forever insulated from a whole world of experiences and considerations . . . and there is nothing you can do about it.
That 'insulation' is something Tim Wise calls 'White Privilege'.
Frankly I agree.
White Privilege is something you benefit from even though it is something you didn't personally 'buy': Your forebears 'carved it out and fused it into society' for your use and benefit . . . but to the exclusion of 'others'.
This Privilege cannot be 'given back' or disavowed
"But I . . . didn't do anything! Why should I be penalized for what my great grandfather did? It's not my fault!"
True.
But unfortunately . . . it's not how society works, functions . . . You get an automatic 'rebate' on Life in ways others don't or never will, that is undeniably beneficial to You and Folks like You.
The problem is you now have to 'Pay' for it. Nothing is free. And that 'benefit' you've been obliviously enjoying makes what you think you see and experience, as fake and hollow as can be . . . Because a huge part of your fellow travelers' reality is hidden from you. It affects you . . . But you you can't see it.
It's frankly a little difficult for you to see it unless you are 'open' to it . . . and I know many like you who are, so it's not impossible
Lately, however, there have many racially tinged criticisms directed at the president and his perceived supporters of color that make you go 'Hmmm!?'
Again let me go back to the 'payment' due for your Privilege: One 'Toll' or fallout is You don't get to use a minority's ethnicity in a derogatory statement, even if it is not necessarily about the person's race.
It has long been a big 'no-no' and for good reason.
It's the only way to keep folks in the majority from getting too wrapped up in their world . . . without them seeing and recognizing how many different 'Atlases' have and still do hold their reality together and buoy their world 'upwards'.
Sounds hypocritical? Maybe. But it's a reality check, a caution . . .
Such flippant mentions of a minority's color has been fatal to the person . . . and has hardened an oblivious public-at-large's perception of the whole ethnic group, with the accused proclivities of said 'charge', to the detriment of any subsequent member of the group, who has no specific connection to the accusation at hand!
For Example: Blacks are STILL considered to have a substantial 'penchant' for violence against Whites . . . When the reality is starkly opposite.
Why?
So when you are calling the president a 'Great Black Dope' and other charges . . . the 'specificity' of this or these charge or charges is very suspect and can raise some concerns
Are you in fact saying that being Black predisposes you to being dopey or stupid . . . or lazy?
You may not be . . . but we have centuries of offensive archetypes about blacks being lazy, slovenly, dopey . . . that ACTUALLY 'informed' how Slave Masters dealt with slaves, how black workers were and are still treated and perceived . . .!
So please . . . if you are a member of the majority . . . you must understand: you have to be careful what you say and how you say it.
It may be 'innocent' . . . But you contribute to something far older and uglier than you imagine if you aren't careful and don't qualify the perspective.
You don't clarify, it can be interpreted as a Dog Whistle.
How about this then?: Leave all ethnic adjectives OUT of your policy discussions about the President shall we?
Then you remove the 'distraction' and dust-ups about race and we can focus on the all important issues . . . that is, IF your positions can stand up without the cover of this 'noise'.
But we can debate that in another post.
You've been blatant and sophisticated with your racial politicking as of late . . . but know this: myself and many others are on to the lot of you!
Enough is enough! You folks are feeling too damned 'Froggy'!
"We don't want to give Black People other people's money."
"Obama has a problem with White People."
A Book called "The Roots of Obama's Rage" written by this Dinesh D'Souza and a 'documentary' based on the same both out now.
Ann Coulter's comment about 'Our Blacks' . . .
Colin Powell is now a knee jerk race-only voter because he lacks the sophistication STILL, even after being a four star general and former head of the Joint Chiefs, to divine any comprehension and perspective on the issues of today, foreign and domestic. He 'somehow lacks that ability'.
. . . And I have to say, that lately, I've heard many White Conservatives all too 'eagerly' giving their 'take' on how my life, as person of color, is or could or should be. They are admonishing my or 'Folks like Me' perceived lack of vision or drive to be more self-sufficient. They link it to some sort of racial dependency my ethnic group has that has been carefully fostered by Democrats . . .
Etcetera, etcetera . . . etcetera.
Message: Obama and You People(read: non-white) are scary, loafing, angry, prejudiced . . . and White America should be wary.
My ears are ringing from the Dog Whistle.
I need to take a deep breath and pause for a second . . . because this sort of crap is just too constant to be just 'one of's'.
To those out there, almost all of whom are White, that champion this 'stuff' lately, . . . to those out there that talk as if you know what it is like to be a so-called Minority BETTER than those of us who are, . . . to those out there who unapologetically insist on telling people of color how they should feel about the myriad of racially-tinged, 'intellectual farts' from the Right . . . Listen up:
There is free speech, and to be sure, you can say whatever you want . . . but seriously and respectfully, you don't know what the hell you are talking about.
You aren't me or like me . . . and you are forever insulated from a whole world of experiences and considerations . . . and there is nothing you can do about it.
That 'insulation' is something Tim Wise calls 'White Privilege'.
Frankly I agree.
White Privilege is something you benefit from even though it is something you didn't personally 'buy': Your forebears 'carved it out and fused it into society' for your use and benefit . . . but to the exclusion of 'others'.
This Privilege cannot be 'given back' or disavowed
"But I . . . didn't do anything! Why should I be penalized for what my great grandfather did? It's not my fault!"
True.
But unfortunately . . . it's not how society works, functions . . . You get an automatic 'rebate' on Life in ways others don't or never will, that is undeniably beneficial to You and Folks like You.
The problem is you now have to 'Pay' for it. Nothing is free. And that 'benefit' you've been obliviously enjoying makes what you think you see and experience, as fake and hollow as can be . . . Because a huge part of your fellow travelers' reality is hidden from you. It affects you . . . But you you can't see it.
It's frankly a little difficult for you to see it unless you are 'open' to it . . . and I know many like you who are, so it's not impossible
Lately, however, there have many racially tinged criticisms directed at the president and his perceived supporters of color that make you go 'Hmmm!?'
Again let me go back to the 'payment' due for your Privilege: One 'Toll' or fallout is You don't get to use a minority's ethnicity in a derogatory statement, even if it is not necessarily about the person's race.
It has long been a big 'no-no' and for good reason.
It's the only way to keep folks in the majority from getting too wrapped up in their world . . . without them seeing and recognizing how many different 'Atlases' have and still do hold their reality together and buoy their world 'upwards'.
Sounds hypocritical? Maybe. But it's a reality check, a caution . . .
Such flippant mentions of a minority's color has been fatal to the person . . . and has hardened an oblivious public-at-large's perception of the whole ethnic group, with the accused proclivities of said 'charge', to the detriment of any subsequent member of the group, who has no specific connection to the accusation at hand!
For Example: Blacks are STILL considered to have a substantial 'penchant' for violence against Whites . . . When the reality is starkly opposite.
Why?
So when you are calling the president a 'Great Black Dope' and other charges . . . the 'specificity' of this or these charge or charges is very suspect and can raise some concerns
Are you in fact saying that being Black predisposes you to being dopey or stupid . . . or lazy?
You may not be . . . but we have centuries of offensive archetypes about blacks being lazy, slovenly, dopey . . . that ACTUALLY 'informed' how Slave Masters dealt with slaves, how black workers were and are still treated and perceived . . .!
So please . . . if you are a member of the majority . . . you must understand: you have to be careful what you say and how you say it.
It may be 'innocent' . . . But you contribute to something far older and uglier than you imagine if you aren't careful and don't qualify the perspective.
You don't clarify, it can be interpreted as a Dog Whistle.
How about this then?: Leave all ethnic adjectives OUT of your policy discussions about the President shall we?
Then you remove the 'distraction' and dust-ups about race and we can focus on the all important issues . . . that is, IF your positions can stand up without the cover of this 'noise'.
But we can debate that in another post.
You've been blatant and sophisticated with your racial politicking as of late . . . but know this: myself and many others are on to the lot of you!
Enough is enough! You folks are feeling too damned 'Froggy'!
(C) Dike Matthew 10/30/12
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