Ah Rupert Murdoch. This is definitely not good. Eric Holder had a point.
“A Nation of Cowards”
There’s a measurable amount of unnecessary aggression in those words, aggression that does not do much for progressing a more positive dicussion of race; however, in recent weeks there have been quite a few subtle acts of racism and racial stereotyping, and subsequent debates, that have done nothing but fuel a nation that has pent up any racial aggression behind a veil of complacency (granted, when the black man can come from the streets and still be a ‘gangster’ making millions smoking ‘medical marijuana’ it all makes sense, right Weezy F. Baby? NOTE: The interview is fantastic because of the drama in Weezy’s face whenever he gets real). That said, let’s take a look at a few of them (besides the shitty cartoon above):
1) Michael Steele: ”There was underlying concerns we had become too regionalized and the party needed to reach beyond our comfort” zones, he said, citing defeats in such states as Virginia and North Carolina. “We need messengers to really capture that region – young, Hispanic, black, a cross section … We want to convey that the modern-day GOP looks like the conservative party that stands on principles. But we want to apply them to urban-surburban hip-hop settings.”
I’m getting really into Michael Steele because he says so much unadulterated bullshit that it’s hilarious that this guy is head of the RNC. That said, this recent bit of patronizing on his part is a little less funny. It’s not like the Republican party hasn’t jumped off the deep end already, however, if they follow through with this plan, it’s seriously going to be the fastest ticket to destruction that the party will ever see. Okay, in all honesty, applying ‘urban-suburban hip-hop settings’ to the party isn’t going to completely dismantle its foundations; however, there can’t be a lot of resulting good from stereotyping minorities this way. Regardless, if it’s gonna happen; it’s gonna happen. Let’s hope it doesn’t but, if it does, it’s going to be hilarious. What music are they going to play during the campaign? Seriously, for some reason, the only rapper that comes to mind is $hamrock.
YIKES FTW!
2) James Clyburn D-S.C. (In response to Republican governors Mark Sanford of South Carolina, Rick Perry of Texas, and FUCKIN’ MIGHTY Bobby Jindal of Louisiana planning to refuse stimulus money):
”Now the (South Carolina) governor says, ‘I don’t want to accept the money,’” Clyburn told CNN. “That’s why I called this an insult. That’s why I said this is a slap in the face; because a majority of these counties are, in fact, inhabited by African-Americans.”
Suddenly, defending and stereotyping the black man has become an issue for these people that, amidst eight years of decadent political debauchery, seemingly kept to themselves. Granted, Barack Obama opened up the acceptability to voice, draw cartoons about, or come up with stupid plans regarding the–of course relative–racial idiosyncrasies of American politics; however, there seems to be a problem when our first African American President is the catalyst for a period of discontent–a period that hopefully is more fashionable and transient than serious. Ideally, the discussion must continue, however, not in the analytical finger pointing that could dangerously cultivate into a more noticeable conflict.
That said, what Sanford, Perry, and Jindal are doing is quite ridiculous. Granted, should we thank them for principle then dish out the reprobation or should we call them ‘heartless political bastards’ then dish out even harsher reprobation? With that in mind, Clyburn is only highlighting demographics to enhance effect. All in all, principles aside, it’s politics.
And it’s with that word–politics–that things get a bit murky. I sincerely believe that political motivation and racial commentary can never blend homogeneously. I mean, to really have a racial discussion requires more complex commentary than anything mentioned above. It’s always going to be bigger than black and white. Indeed, there’s always the 1960′s but we can’t forget the Trail of Tears, World War II and the Japanese American Internment, and even the Zebra Murders (a series of killings by radical Islamists against the white population). Nowadays, conservative types would love to deport every Mexican getting a job because leaving them here is obviously un-American and, lest we forget, there’s still some lingering disdain amongst many ignorant types towards anyone that vaguely looks like they read the Qu’ran. The fact that we’re back to black and white in such a politically polarizing period in American history arouses the Spidey Senses a bit. Is it activism or politics?
Get him, he’s Taliban!
Unfortunately, in less intellectual and more noticeable media outlets, the headlines will be a black president and Mark Sanford being subtly called racist. Ideally, we would have been discussing race relations on a much broader scope already and wouldn’t have needed Barack Obama and 1964 to motivate our voices. I sometimes wonder whether or not Clyburn would’ve said what he said under a white president or Sharpton would be outside News Corp. if the same cartoon was really about Nancy Pelosi. Optimism dictates that it’s quite wonderful that they took Barack Obama’s HOPE for what it is and are rising to the occassion in the light of some obvious social violations. Pessimism, however, wonders why it’s all happening right now, so closely lumped together after January 20. Eric Holder wasn’t necessarily eloquent when he said what he said and he may have been as narrow in point-of-view as Clyburn, however; in light of the state of race dicussions in America, maybe he was right.
“A Nation of Cowards”
//Vladimir Sorokoskev
