Vox Nova on "Racism in America"
An interesting discussion on racism in America is taking place at this post by Morning's Minion.
You will probably not be surprised to learn that racism in this country is exclusively a sin of the right and of unreconstructed Southerners. Just ponder the assumptions inherent in one commenter's remarks here and here:
(1) Conservatives are presumed to be racists; and
(2) Any effort by conservatives to point out that there are those on the left also guilty of racism, both overt and subtle, is deemed to be "projection".
Labels: America, Catholic Social Teaching, Hypocrites, Racism
posted by Pro Ecclesia 2:45 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Hmmm. Which region of the country is the only region to ever elect black governors? Which region of the country is experiencing an increase of black citizens as a result of migration from other parts of the nation? Which party supports race based policies that discriminate on the basis of race? Which party has an elected US Senator who was a Klansman in his younger days and who, a few years ago referred to white "niggers"? Which party has had an individual speak at several of its conventions who referred to New York as "Hymietown"?
Ooooh ... can I play "Vox Nova"
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"You're projecting, Donald."
As a Northerner transplanted to the South for the past three years (specifically Texas and Louisiana), I do find that I have encountered more prejudice, stereotyping and residual racism in my purview of the South than anywhere I have ever lived (having lived in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri and California previously). I dare not universalize my own experience, but I will say that I have encountered a very sad situation of racial tension down here.
I will add that neither "conservatives" nor "liberals" have been any worse in this regard.
Obviously many blacks have a sunnier view of the South today. I find it hard to believe that they would be moving to a part of the country where they perceived racial animosity as greater than in other parts of the nation.
http://www.sptimes.com/2003/10/31/Worldandnation/Census__Blacks_moving.shtml
Well, to be relatively serious, it was an old joke among blacks that (1) white Southerners don't mind how close you got as long as you don't rise too high and (2) white Northerners don't mind how high you rise as long as you don't get too close.
I suppose we all have our anecdotal evidence. The last time I personally witnessed someone use the "N" word as an epithet for blacks in a conversation (just a few months ago, actually), the person who used it was a lifelong Democrat from Cleveland, OH, who hates Republicans in general and George W. Bush in particular.
I think you're as likely (or more likely) to hear racist commentary among the white working class of the Midwest and Northeast as you are from the typical Southerner.
You know, there is a lot of overt, let alone subtle, racism still left in the American bloodstream. I know personally of cases where nooses were hung in a factory to intimidate blacks. Here in Michigan. In the 21st Century. Since it's a union shop, it'd be safe to say that the perps were Democratic voters.
But I hadn't even considered the question of party affiliation until now.
That's because it's irrelevant, unless you are bent on finding the locus of this particular evil in the camp of your partisan opponents.
For MM, that's the essential point.
And it's why every time I try to take Vox Nova seriously, one of their posters has a tragic spasm like this.
Racism is still an important evil to be fought in this country. And MM just demonstrated why he's fundamentally unqualified to be initiating a discussion about it.
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