Thursday, September 17, 2009
And Now It's The Racers
Neo-neocon has an interesting discussion going on the subject of 'racers'. (Her use of the word, and her perception of the need for it, are interesting. First we had the 9/11 'truthers', who were convinced of a Bush Administration complicity in 9/11; then we had the Obama 'birthers', who believe President Obama may not have been born in the United States, and thus should have been disqualified to run for President; and now there are the 'racers', those who view everything through the perspective of racial tension, and cannot understand how anyone can criticize President Obama for reasons that are not racist.)
The examples of racers abound. Maureen Dowd, hearing Rep. Joe Wilson shout "you lie!" to President Obama during the recent address to Congress, heard something the rest of us did not -- and claims that the racial slur she heard in her head was real, and something Rep. Wilson should be castigated for. Former President Jimmy Carter agreed, and added that a lot of criticism of President Obama is racist (an assertion he backed up with nothing at all -- and which sounds strange, coming from someone who is no stranger to racist politics himself). Rep. Charlie Rangel has entered the fray as well, claiming that when people object to President Obama's health-care proposals, "then you know there's just a misunderstanding, a bias, a prejudice, an emotional feeling"... adding, "Some Americans have not gotten over the fact that Obama is president of the United States. They go to sleep wondering, 'How did this happen?' ".
The implication one gets from all this is that racism is the only logical explanation for criticism of the President. (Funny, that -- I remember, not too long ago, when criticism of the President was considered "the highest form of patriotism".
Neo's latest discussion is here. See also her argument that the truthers and the birthers are by no means on an equal footing. (She doesn't support the birthers; come to think of it, neither do I. But that doesn't mean that the two groups are equally off base, or deserve ridicule the same way.)
Have a look; it's well worth it.
