Fox News and other conservative outlets (that's right conservatives are responsible for racism getting worse) have harped away on talking points to convince that racism is over but at the same time attack people of color for "black lives matter", for unemployment "ban immigrants" and for terrorism (ban Muslims).
All of these are dog whistles, alerts to white supremacy, to take their nation back.
But this nation was and in many ways still is, owned by white supremacy. Every indicator of economic success, every indicator of wealth, shows that whites are still far in advance in achievement to people of color. People of color have made some progress to be sure, but as far as overwhelming the white majority, no way.
Now, mixed race, those who so indicate in census, are increasing dramatically: as if it makes any difference. But to the white supremacist it does; and currently they have no gripe....none!
It was 1947 when Major League Baseball finally integrated. It was in the early 1970s that NCAA Football finally integrated southern schools.
History proves that conservatives are lying, for political advantage by the way. On the one hand they lecture that political correctness is a problem, that we don't need to be careful of what we say anymore about our black neighbor, because racism is over. We don't need Affirmative Action anymore because racism is dead.
Meanwhile, we need to build a border wall to keep the brown Mexicans out and stop immigration of the black Middle Easterners. And statistics show that racial preferences and advantages are far from over.
The problem is history.. I am presently engaged in yet another "conversation" with a good 'Christian' who claims to not be racist, and he goes on and on that liberals cause racism by talking about it; that the Democratic Party is the racist part.
Both of these are Fox Talking POINTS! I have watched them do it. If we don't talk about race it will go away, while conservatives pass voter suppression laws keeping people of color from voting? If we ban immigration of dangerous people (people of color) we will be safe and that is not racist. The facts show that homegrown terrorism is far more damaging than foreign grown since 9/11.
And finally, if we ignore 1970 on, we will realize that liberals and the Democratic Party that is now more diverse than the society it serves and is definitely NOT racist!
One thing about white supremacy; it thrives on lies. For over 100 years the south maintained a segregated society claiming that African Americans liked it that way. "You don't understand us, they want to live apart, it is our ways", I have heard from southerners for years. Fact is segregation was used as a club to keep people of color poor and hopeless. Or from the north, "We are integrated, there is no racism here"...
Then Detroit blew up, Watts blew up, and the urban riots showed that the north also has a problem.
WE ALL ARE RACIST. YOU CANNOT GROW UP IN THIS SOCIETY AND NOT BE, AND THAT GOES FOR ALL COLORS AND GENDERS.
Being part Native American, and a lifelong adherent to integration and diversity, I still hear my inner self make racist responses to what I see.
Why? Because my inner ear was trained from growing up in America to recall the racist jokes, the “Step and Fetch It” , Amos and Andy, and yes, the “Redskins” of John Wayne Movies. And there was an avalanche of racist “teachings” when I was growing up. There was no way to avoid them...NONE!
And that is why “political correctness” is essential in this culture. We have to practice it forever. And yes, we ALL have to practice it. When a group of African Americans are joking around and dropping the “N” word over and over, with children around, they are perpetuating the racism.
The white kid if they are watching , and some of the stuff is hilarious, and thinking, “I can belong (like Bill Maher) and utter that word when I joking around. They do, and the fight is on!
And that word, in the proper context, cuts like a knife and will start a fight in a heartbeat.
Look, we live in a diverse culture, and that is not going to change. The “Take America Back” is a dog whistle that says, take America back from those people. Yes, I know it is also political, but remember, the Democratic Party now is diverse and contains the people of color of the nation; even in a political context.
Make American Great Again implies that a Black President made America less. Take My Country Back from whom specifically? Guess!
Let's say for the purpose of argument that Obama took America away from Whites. Even if he did, and that is a matter of opinion, our racist past does not allow it…statistics don't lie, whites are firmly in control of the United States. In fact it is getting more so.
Think not, then look at what is happening. The Alt Right, fascism is growing. Young people who don't read history, actually believe that white people are losing their position of privilege, while harping on as conservatives that government regulations hamper liberty; which conveniently precludes government from protecting civil rights. The Voting Rights Acts was gutted, Voter ID has resulted in a Republican majority in the Senate and the House, and a conservative majority rules the Supreme Court....how much more white can it get!???
Ever seen a picture of Republican staffers, or the Cabinet, or the leadership of the House or Senate: almost all male and all white!
In many ways we need more protection of civil rights today than we did in 1963! If any groups are losing right it is the minority groups. The backlash toward Obama is very strong.
If you still doubt that then look at who is President. Look at the Congress, full of white men (Republicans) elected through gerrymandering and voter suppression that would make George Wallace proud.
History is screaming at us right now. Fascist white supremacy is so bold now, by a openly racist President, that they actually are growing, in a post Obama era. This is again, classic white backlash, which we have seen in 1970 with Nixon and the Southern Strategy and finally with Reagan and his “shining city of a hill and his war on drugs” that incarcerated an entire generation of people of color.
Look, you have to work at diversity every day….you have to be aware every minute. You have to be able to take it if a person of color unleashes his or her anger on you. You have to be ready with history to explain and be HONEST!
I was playing golf a few weeks ago with a young African American man. He explained that he was VERY successful in advertising, obviously upper middle class.
After a few holes, when I had shared my educational background, he asked me straight up; “Why do White People hate Black People”?
So I told him….and it took the rest of the round to tell the story. And it was based on historical information, data and yes history. As I went on and on (as I am wont to do) he kept shaking his head.
Then he thanked me. He said that most of his white friends, when asked that question, immediately said, “White people don’t hate black people”...and then went on and on in defense. He said it was refreshing to hear a white person actually tell the truth...I told him I was racist and working on it...I told him he was also, and working on it.
Welcome to America!
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