The evolution of the race card in American politics

[DarrinS]

http://www.slate.com/id/2267975/?from=rss





At the beginning of the summer, my conservative friend David Frum made a joking remark that stayed with me. The evolution of right-wing abuse of President Barack Obama, he said, was not unlike the evolution of American pornography. It took a long time for the appearance of things like bare breasts and pubic hair to occur, but once those thresholds had been crossed, it didn't take long for the most lurid things to be freely depicted and for the competition for obscenity to become ever more extreme. "Everybody's afraid now of being outdone from the right," he told me. "So when somebody eventually comes out and calls Obama an 'Afro-Nazi,' it will go mainstream quite fast."

High marks for prescience. For Dinesh D'Souza to label Obama the equivalent of a Kenyan Mau Mau was one thing, but for former Speaker Newt Gingrich to endorse the analysis with such dispatch was quite another. What will they do for an encore?

The "race-card" game, when I was young, was a simple one. It used to be George Wallace and Orval Faubus shouting about "n_____s." As the 1960s advanced, this became less respectable and, with the defection of white Southerners to the Republican Party, more a matter of codes and signals. Nixon's "Southern strategy" was a relatively subtle example; George Bush Sr.'s use of the Willie Horton subliminal ad a rather crude one. I would say that this began to change with Bill Clinton, the first politician to play the card twice.

While running poorly and beset by sex scandals in New Hampshire in 1992, he left the campaign trail and returned to Arkansas to supervise the execution of a mentally disabled black man named Ricky Ray Rector, a prisoner so lobotomized by his own attempted suicide that when the executioners came to his cell, he left part of his "last meal" behind "for later." Try imagining what would have been said about a Southern Republican governor who did the same thing during a tight election. But then, try imagining a Southern Republican president, impeached for perjury and obstruction, rejoicing in the defense that he was America's first black chief executive.

The man who did actually become the first black president has been unusually forbearing when it comes to the race card, and he was originally very fortunate in those who played it against him. As Obama asks in his memoirs, who would have predicted that the Republicans in Illinois would have run a black man against him in the Illinois Senate race—an out-and-out extremist named Alan Keyes, who denounced him for not being the descendant of slaves and therefore not "truly" black! When the terrain shifted, and it was a question of Obama's being too much of an African-American, or in some critiques too likely to be a Muslim, it was originally from Hillary Clinton's camp that most of the innuendoes came. ("Not as far as I know," was her tooth-gritted reply to the question about whether her rival was a Muslim.) Long before Glenn Beck had accused the president of being motivated by hatred for white people, the Hillary camp had been circulating the rumor that Michelle Obama was on tape with a speech denouncing "whitey." It's true that Rahm Emanuel later vetoed the appointment of her chief propagandist Sidney Blumenthal to a job at the State Department, but by that time Obama had rewarded one of his chief taunters with the job of secretary of state.

The vagaries of the race card have, if anything, only increased since then. A huge number of liberals have already decided that in some way Muslims constitute a race of their own, or at any rate that criticism of their religion can be construed as "racist." (The fact that the Quran contains many racist observations about Jews will mean that this card can and will be used to turn an almost infinite number of tricks. Still, I predict that liberals will regret handing Muslims such a handy alibi for any criticism of their faith.) And if there is anywhere in particular where Obama could have learned the dangers of the same card, it could well be—as described in David Remnick's biography—from his father's bitter experience of Luo-Kikuyu tribal fratricide in Kenya, which led to the murder of the country's most promising politician, Tom Mboya, at the dawn of independence. Aside from a minor and avoidable gaffe on the occasion when Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. was clumsily arrested at his own front door in Cambridge, Mass., Obama has done little or nothing to raise the racial temperature and has endured a pelting of vulgar defamation with remarkable patience.

It would be or ought to be dangerous if we ever get to the point where the charge of racism becomes so overused and hackneyed as to be meaningless. Such a term ought to retain its potency as a weapon of shame and disapproval. Yet there are times, I must confess, that I almost wouldn't miss it. Last week in Washington, D.C., we saw the culmination of a long and dire campaign to sabotage the reform of the city's schools. For years now, since the time of the disgraceful Marion Barry, a rumor has been circulated in the black wards of the capital that there is a thing called "The Plan." This sinister scheme involves the deliberate erosion of black neighborhoods and communities in the interests of a white/Hispanic ascendancy. That would make its supposed leader a Korean-American named Michelle Rhee who as the city's chancellor of public schools was willing to close hopeless schools and to fire illiterate and unqualified teachers. Despite the support of the Obama administration, the reform and the reformers have now been voted down. In a succession of articles, the Washington Post's leading black columnist, Colbert I. King, more or less explicitly head-counted Mayor Adrian Fenty's nonblack appointments and encouraged citizens to think with their epidermis. So, in voting for the re-election of a black mayor and for the approved program of a black president, I can be held to have cast a "white" vote and to have played a race card without even knowing it. It is not only on the right that the auction of demagogy is operating, and the bids are headed downward.

[clambake]

well, at least the right guy started this thread.

[DarrinS]

well, at least the right guy started this thread.

At least your posts are consistently meaningful.

[Winehole23]

What stood out to you, Darrin?

[clambake]

i was congratulating you for finding a race card article.......instead of you, yourself, bringing up race.

its a new angle for you. :tu

[DarrinS]

What stood out to you, Darrin?


If you read the article, Hitchens doesn't single out liberals' use of the race card. I think the article is fair.

[clambake]

It would be or ought to be dangerous if we ever get to the point where the charge of racism becomes so overused and hackneyed as to be meaningless. Such a term ought to retain its potency as a weapon of shame and disapproval.

you should take this under consideration, darrin.

[Winehole23]

I read it. I was just wondering if you did. You say you noticed his evenhandedness. I doubt that's all you noticed.

What else stood out to you?

[clambake]

I read it. I was just wondering if you did. You say you noticed his evenhandedness. I doubt that's all you noticed.

What else stood out to you?

one thing should be easy for him to answer.

[rjv]

irony just seems to go over some people's heads.

[Winehole23]

That's just the sort of question Darrin prefers to dodge. I'd be expecting either no answer at all or a question in response.

[Winehole23]

irony just seems to go over some people's heads.Darrin's total lack of self-awareness is one of the minor miracles of this board. He treats us to a chuckle on pretty much a daily basis.

[rjv]

Darrin's total lack of self-awareness is one of the minor miracles of this board. He treats us to a chuckle on pretty much a daily basis.

that he does.

[DarrinS]

Darrin's total lack of self-awareness is one of the minor miracles of this board. He treats us to a chuckle on pretty much a daily basis.

Your ilk always wants to make the thread about the person who started it, instead of the content of the thread.

Oh well.

[Winehole23]

Which comment? You didn't say.

[Winehole23]

I'll discuss anything you want to Darrin. Start anywhere.

[DarrinS]

It would be or ought to be dangerous if we ever get to the point where the charge of racism becomes so overused and hackneyed as to be meaningless. Such a term ought to retain its potency as a weapon of shame and disapproval.



you should take this under consideration, darrin.


That's entirely my point of bringing up these issues. I never call libs racists, but I point out their overuse of the race card.

Has this very subtle message from the state-contolled media gone unnoticed:

"Tea Party = racists"

[Winehole23]

(Darrin complains that the content gets short shrift, but he actually prefers the flame war too.)

[DarrinS]

I'll discuss anything you want to Darrin. Start anywhere.


Do you have any opinion of the article that doesn't include some snarky comment about me?

[DarrinS]

A huge number of liberals have already decided that in some way Muslims constitute a race of their own, or at any rate that criticism of their religion can be construed as "racist." (The fact that the Quran contains many racist observations about Jews will mean that this card can and will be used to turn an almost infinite number of tricks. Still, I predict that liberals will regret handing Muslims such a handy alibi for any criticism of their faith.)




:clap

[Winehole23]

That's entirely my point of bringing up these issues. I never call libs racists, but I point out their overuse of the race card.You overuse it too. Your lack of self-awareness is showing again.


Has this very subtle message from the state-contolled media gone unnoticed: "Tea Party = racists". What a relief. Since the media is state-controlled, all we need to is elect Republicans to correct its current biases.

[Spurminator]

:clap

:lmao

I knew you'd love that one.

[Winehole23]

A huge number of liberals have already decided that in some way Muslims constitute a race of their ownExamples?

You shouldn't thump such a weak chest -- it might cave in.

Islamophobia belongs in the class of religious bigotry, not racism. Hitchens's conceit that liberals conflate it with racism is dubious bordering on braindead.

[Winehole23]

OTOH, there's very little doubt that Islamophobia becomes generalized as a suspicion of people with"middle eastern" looks and names. Islamophobia makes the connection with racism all on its own, without any help at all from unkind liberals and leftists.

[DarrinS]

Examples?

You shouldn't thump such a weak chest -- it might cave in.




You can't control yourself, can you?

[Winehole23]

You can't give a example of what you just highlighted, can you?

[clambake]

Islamophobia belongs in the class of religious bigotry, not racism. Hitchens's conceit that liberals conflate it with racism is dubious bordering on braindead.

i doubt he expects to be called out directly for that claim.

he loves to pick a fight just to fight. i find his unabashed arrogance amusing.

[DarrinS]

i doubt he expects to be called out directly for that claim.

he loves to pick a fight just to fight. i find his unabashed arrogance amusing.


FYI... Christopher Hitchens is an athiest.

[clambake]

FYI... Christopher Hitchens is an athiest.

and.....?

[rjv]

A huge number of 'conservatives' have already decided that in some way democrats such as clinton, obama and emanuel constitute being liberal

[Winehole23]

FYI... Christopher Hitchens is an athiest.An atheist spoiling to debate true believers. Who ever heard of such a thing?

[Winehole23]

(Maybe, just maybe, he felt the need to wash out the distinctively bitter taste of Iraq War "success" for lions of liberal intervention like himself. )

[boutons_deux]

"charge of racism becomes so overused and hackneyed as to be meaningless"

As long as policies, attitudes, politics, employment, schooling, iow, life, has a race-influenced aspect, the charge of racism will not be meaningless.

Playing the race card is nearly always nothing but Calling A Spade A Spade.

So what if Hitchens is famous atheist? He's also dying of cancer. Excuse me while I play the atheist cancer card. :)

[doobs]

"charge of racism becomes so overused and hackneyed as to be meaningless"

As long as policies, attitudes, politics, employment, schooling, iow, life, has a race-influenced aspect, the charge of racism will not be meaningless.

Playing the race card is nearly always nothing but Calling A Spade A Spade.

That's racist!!!!!1

[DarrinS]

A huge number of 'conservatives' have already decided that in some way democrats such as clinton, obama and emanuel constitute being liberal


Bill Clinton pretty much governed from the middle.

There is no question that Obama is, at least ideologically, a far-left liberal.

[rjv]

Bill Clinton pretty much governed from the middle.

There is no question that Obama is, at least ideologically, a far-left liberal.

really? how so ?

[ElNono]

really? how so ?

Obviously, forcing people to purchase health insurance from private corporations is the epitome of left-wing politics. :rolleyes

[Winehole23]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/tomtoles/2010/09/13/c_09142010.gif

[rjv]

Obviously, forcing people to purchase health insurance from private corporations is the epitome of left-wing politics. :rolleyes


yes and making deals with big pharma and the banks.

[Winehole23]

Calling Obama a fascist would be at least colorable (http://www.lectlaw.com/def/c252.htm), but Darrin probably thinks the left wing owns fascism. He's argued as much in these pages before.

[Winehole23]

That's racist!!!!!1Maybe, maybe not.

http://www.yaelf.com/aueFAQ/miftocllspdspd.shtml

[Winehole23]

"Spade" in the sense of "Negro" is not recorded until 1928. (It comes from the colour of the playing card symbol, via the phrase "black as the ace of spades".)

[Winehole23]

@doobs:

You were awful quick on the draw with the accusation of racism. Chip on your shoulder? :lol

[doobs]

Maybe, maybe not.

http://www.yaelf.com/aueFAQ/miftocllspdspd.shtml

It was a joke. I sarcastically played the race card against b_d, capitalizing off of his suggestion that the race card is almost always appropriate.

I'm actually unsure of whether his use of that phrase was deliberate though.

[doobs]

When someone uses a string of exclamation points with a "1" at the end, that's a clue that they're being sarcastic.

I seem to recall that there's a special font for sarcasm here, but it's been awhile since I've been a regular at ST.

[Winehole23]

I wasn't familiar with the usage. This might be the very first time I've seen it.

[Winehole23]

It was a joke. I sarcastically played the race card against b_d, capitalizing off of his suggestion that the race card is almost always appropriate.He shares that with DarrinS, so yeah, I can see that.

[doobs]

I think it's an internets lolcats type thing. Clearly I'm not cool enough to pull it off.

http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/3351/ohnoes1.jpg

http://sparxmind.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/funny-pictures-it-would-be-best-if-you-closed-the-airlock.jpg

[Winehole23]

Another chink in my cultural programming, ruthlessly exposed on SpursTalk. :toast

[Winehole23]

Anyway, back on topic, Hitchen's anti-Islamism is merely a symptom of his more general anti-religiosity, and a fig leaf for his totally unprincipled support of the Iraq War.

[doobs]

If it makes you feel any better, I'm probably doing it incorrectly. My usage of internet lingo is like Al Gore doing the Macarena.

[Winehole23]

I'm no judge myself. Your disclosure is safe with me.

[rjv]

Anyway, back on topic, Hitchen's anti-Islamism is merely a symptom of his more general anti-religiosity, and a fig leaf for his totally unprincipled support of the Iraq War.

yes, and in the process he seems to be creating a totem pole of religious zealots (with muslems at the top) based on a cultural bias against the arab world. and hitchens always seems to take the worst examples of what he argues against in order to make his arguments stronger. in most cases he takes the extreme factions of faith and in this article's case he argues against individuals he claims to be 'liberal' who are anything but that.

[Spurminator]

Nuance:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6b/God_is_not_great.JPG

[TeyshaBlue]

Another chink in my cultural programming, ruthlessly exposed on SpursTalk. :toast

I'll never take you seriously again.

/Blue :lol

[Winehole23]

Nor should you.

[TeyshaBlue]

Nor should you.

:lol

[Winehole23]

Randum interetz jackassez canot bee trvsted.

[Winehole23]

We're just in it for the lolz.

[Winehole23]

yes, and in the process he seems to be creating a totem pole of religious zealots (with muslems at the top) based on a cultural bias against the arab world. and hitchens always seems to take the worst examples of what he argues against in order to make his arguments stronger.Hitchens spent too much time in bars. He may have developed a bad habit or two.

[LnGrrrR]

well, at least the right guy started this thread.

:lmao

The exact first thing I thought.

[MannyIsGod]

I have mixed feelings on Christopher Hitchens. One one hand, he's a very smart man and I will never accuse him of under thinking an issue. On the other hand, he has such a hatred for all religions that the way he views Islam is framed by this very world view.

I do think Christopher Hitchens - to quote Barkley - must be rolling over in his grave to have someone like DarrinS using his articles to supposedly make a point.

[MannyIsGod]

:lmao

The exact first thing I thought.

Indeed.

[Winehole23]

Chris Hitchens isn't dead yet, bro.

[Winehole23]

lol

[Winehole23]

I've done that.

[MannyIsGod]

You missed my joke, WH. There is a reason why I said to quote Barkley. :p

[ElNono]

It was a joke. I sarcastically played the race card against b_d, capitalizing off of his suggestion that the race card is almost always appropriate.

I'm actually unsure of whether his use of that phrase was deliberate though.

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj275/bonebeef/Race_Card1.jpg

[Winehole23]

@Manny:

Too oblique for me. Maybe I was out of turn.

[MannyIsGod]

@Manny:

Too oblique for me. Maybe I was out of turn.

On inside the NBA Charles Barkley once said someone had rolled over in their grave while they were still alive. I can't remember who the original was, but of course they gave him shit but he says it on a regular basis no with no regard to the heartbeat or lack there of of his subject. Its a running joke.

Being an NBA board - political forum or not - I think most will get the joke.

[Spurminator]

I think it was Larry Bird. IIRC, he was talking about the then-awful Celtics and said Larry Bird must be rolling around in his grave.

[LnGrrrR]

A huge number of liberals have already decided that in some way Muslims constitute a race of their own, or at any rate that criticism of their religion can be construed as "racist." (The fact that the Quran contains many racist observations about Jews will mean that this card can and will be used to turn an almost infinite number of tricks. Still, I predict that liberals will regret handing Muslims such a handy alibi for any criticism of their faith.)

A strawman. I have never said that any criticism of Islam is "racist", and I doubt many other commentators have. Could the author point out where someone has said that any criticism of Islam is inherently racist?

The author conflates "support for the mosque/freedom of religion" with "support for all things Islam", which is silly.

[LnGrrrR]

If it makes you feel any better, I'm probably doing it incorrectly. My usage of internet lingo is like Al Gore doing the Macarena.

For all you old folks, the !!!11!! thing is from online gaming, where players must usually type while in the middle of battle; hence the punctuation errors. It's usually used along with "leetspeak", ie. OMG JOO n00bz I pwned u!!!11!

[TeyshaBlue]

For all you old folks, the !!!11!! thing is from online gaming, where players must usually type while in the middle of battle; hence the punctuation errors. It's usually used along with "leetspeak", ie. OMG JOO n00bz I pwned u!!!11!

that's l33t speak, you noob!:bang

[TeyshaBlue]

We won't talk about the fucking senior discount I got at Chicken Express this weekend, either!:depressed

[LnGrrrR]

I'd like to note here that being an atheist doesn't automatically make you sensible and rational, contrary to popular belief. We're not all robots. :lol

[LnGrrrR]

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj275/bonebeef/Race_Card1.jpg

I've seen a few of these hilarious MTG cards out there... is there a website that collects them? This is pretty damn funny.

[LnGrrrR]

that's l33t speak, you noob!:bang

STFU l4m3rz i wuz splainin 2 j00 0ldazzzzz g33z35z

[MannyIsGod]

I'd like to note here that being an atheist doesn't automatically make you sensible and rational, contrary to popular belief. We're not all robots. :lol

Yeah Darrin tried to play that as though the clouds would part and the angels would sign and illuminate the great atheist thinker.

BUT HE'S AN ATHIEST!

[ElNono]

I've seen a few of these hilarious MTG cards out there... is there a website that collects them? This is pretty damn funny.

No idea, I just googled because I figured there was one out there... :lol

[DarrinS]

Yeah Darrin tried to play that as though the clouds would part and the angels would sign and illuminate the great atheist thinker.

BUT HE'S AN ATHIEST!


Well, Daniel Pearl's father is against the GZM, but since his son was beheaded in Karachi, he can hardly be objective, right?

[DarrinS]

K.O. is like watching performance art.

QZpT2Muxoo0

[clambake]

breaks out the utube!

[Spurminator]

Well, Daniel Pearl's father is against the GZM, but since his son was beheaded in Karachi, he can hardly be objective, right?

A.) Probably not.
B.) How is this relevant to the conversation?

[Winehole23]

Being an NBA board - political forum or not - I think most will get the joke.You just said Barkley. I thought you meant Bishop Berkeley. :lol

[Spurminator]

:lol

Now it's a mosque thread again.

Great.

[Winehole23]

johnny one note strikes again.

[MannyIsGod]

Well, Daniel Pearl's father is against the GZM, but since his son was beheaded in Karachi, he can hardly be objective, right?

and somehow an atheist automatically is?

Darrinbot needs more work man. The programmer is slipping. Should just make the code open source so we can all partake in the fun.

[MannyIsGod]

Youtube and the Race Card with a side of Islamophobia.

Pretty much a DarrinS classic.

[DarrinS]

breaks out the utube!

Lnggrr asked for an example. Keith compares GZM opposition to events that led to the Holocaust.

[DarrinS]

and somehow an atheist automatically is?

Darrinbot needs more work man. The programmer is slipping. Should just make the code open source so we can all partake in the fun.


More lame insults. I'm not surprised at the weak shit you guys bring to the table.

[DarrinS]

johnny one note strikes again.

<burp>


^You should stick to those, WH.

[Winehole23]

Keith compares GZM opposition to events that led to the Holocaust.The infamously overcooked kristallacht meme.

Didn't really take, did it?

[LnGrrrR]

Lnggrr asked for an example. Keith compares GZM opposition to events that led to the Holocaust.

But KO is talking about opposition to the mosque. He's not saying that ALL criticism of Islam is unfounded/racist, is he?

[rjv]

You just said Barkley. I thought you meant Bishop Berkeley. :lol

me too..perhaps some idealism humor that went over my head.

[MannyIsGod]

More lame insults. I'm not surprised at the weak shit you guys bring to the table.

Darrin, the day you type more than 2 sentences in a post and actually have a point then you'll get something other than insults.

Until then, youtube on Darrinbot!

[DarrinS]

Darrin, the day you type more than 2 sentences in a post and actually have a point then you'll get something other than insults.

Until then, youtube on Darrinbot!

LOL @ your two sentences.

You can always choose not post in one of my threads, right?

[clambake]

you don't even post in one of your threads.

the first page has reply worthy comments. instead, you ran away.

[DarrinS]

But KO is talking about opposition to the mosque. He's not saying that ALL criticism of Islam is unfounded/racist, is he?


I see your point.

However, there must be thousands of articles online about "racial profiling" as it relates to airport security measures and Muslim passengers.

[DarrinS]

you don't even post in one of your threads.


Very solid argument. Thanks for participating.

[DarrinS]

you don't even post in one of your threads.

the first page has reply worthy comments. instead, you ran away.



well, at least the right guy started this thread.


:lol

[clambake]

:lol

still running, huh?

[LnGrrrR]

I see your point.

However, there must be thousands of articles online about "racial profiling" as it relates to airport security measures and Muslim passengers.

Not following how you're relating the two.

[ElNono]

Not following how you're relating the two.

You need a YouTube? :lol

[clambake]

I read it. I was just wondering if you did. You say you noticed his evenhandedness. I doubt that's all you noticed.

What else stood out to you?


one thing should be easy for him to answer.


irony just seems to go over some people's heads.


That's just the sort of question Darrin prefers to dodge. I'd be expecting either no answer at all or a question in response.


Darrin's total lack of self-awareness is one of the minor miracles of this board. He treats us to a chuckle on pretty much a daily basis.


that he does.


Your ilk always wants to make the thread about the person who started it, instead of the content of the thread.

Oh well.


Which comment? You didn't say.


That's entirely my point of bringing up these issues. I never call libs racists, but I point out their overuse of the race card.

Has this very subtle message from the state-contolled media gone unnoticed:

"Tea Party = racists"
you create these issues and pretend to submit them with objectivity. you're not fooling anyone.


(Darrin complains that the content gets short shrift, but he actually prefers the flame war too.)

[MannyIsGod]

LOL @ your two sentences.

You can always choose not post in one of my threads, right?

I obviously derive entertainment from your stupidity, Darrin. I just think its funny you try to run to the "you don't want serious conversation" card almost as often as you run to the race card.

Who do you honestly feel you're fooling?

[ChumpDumper]

Well, Daniel Pearl's father is against the GZM, but since his son was beheaded in Karachi, he can hardly be objective, right?Ted Olson is for the construction of the mosque.

[redzero]

Christopher Hitchens is the man.

[Winehole23]

<burp>


^You should stick to those, WH.You only wish. See you tomorrow. :lol

[Winehole23]

me too..perhaps some idealism humor that went over my head.
Ding! Fries are done! Overdone! :lol