Remember That Time...When Racist Remarks Weren't Tolerated?
Remember That Time...When Racist Remarks Weren't Tolerated?
Time To Get Off The Bench
Remember That Time?
Remember that time in 2002 when Senator Trent Lott praised the segregationist Strom Thurmond, and was criticized by his own party? The comment, for all practical purposes, ended his career.
Then, remember that time in 2008 when Senator George Allen of Virginia who was making a run for President, made his “Macaca” remark to a native American opponent? He was run out of the race, condemned by both parties, liberals and conservatives.
Remember that time in 2013 when a Nevada Assemblyman by the name of Jim Wheeler said he would vote to reinstitute slavery if his constituents wanted it? He was bashed by both parties again, yet, he did win reelection.
Then, remember that time in 2017, former Iowa Congressman, Steve King made the comment, “we can’t restore our civilization with other people’s babies,” linking to a tweet about a right-wing, anti-immigrant politician in the Netherlands. (King seemed to forget that “other people’s babies” were forced to build the capitalist, economic colossus that created this civilization and provides way more wealth for white people than those “others”).
It was perhaps one of the most racist comments coming from the mouth of a U.S. Congressmen in 50 years. For the comment, King was reprimanded, and he even lost his Committee assignment.
These remarks and reactions to them happened not that long ago. There was a time in our recent past when a racist comment or even implication could sink a career and result in serious repurcussions.
So what happened? Charlottesville!
The Charlottesville moment came in 2017, the same year that King’s remark landed him in the hot seat. Charlottesville changed it all. Donald Trump let the white supremacist genie out of the bottle…again!
This was the moment when the top of the political food-chain failed miserably to provide clear, unambiguous, and direct messages of condemnation to the forces of white supremacy. President Trump, who is not known for having any sort of moral clarity other than his own well-being, said, “well, there were ‘good’ people on both sides.”
That is all they needed to hear….white supremacist rhetoric was out of the bag. The genie was out once again. White nationalism and supremacy was now acceptable and white supremacists came crawling out of their dark hiding places. There would no longer be any repercussion for racism. The top guy approved of them.
Racism has always been there. Ask any person of color. But publicly, outwardly, and without proper condemnation from those in authority, they were legitimized. Now, they had recognition from the very top and racism was given a free hand, which inevitably leads to intimidation and violence.
How do we know it leads to violence? The Anti-Defamation League’s latest report just came out this week called highlighting that 2022 has seen the highest amount of white supremacist propaganda of any recent year. Here is the data from the report:
Notice the straight line rise in incidents since 2018, the year after the Charlottesville event.
The report also identifies where 93% of this propaganda is coming from: the Patriot Front, Goyim Defense League (GDL) and White Lives Matter (WLM). These groups are no longer hiding, but promoting themselves through social media and public events…all without any repercussions.
What is even more worrisome is that it isn’t just about propaganda memes, slogans and messages. Bad as they are, these images and ideas translate into action.
White Supremacy Is the Greatest Domestic Terrorist Threat to the US
The latest FBI report on domestic terrorism, points to white supremacist groups as being responsible for most of the violence being committed against American citizens in the past couple decades. It isn’t Muslims, blacks, Hispanics, immigrants, or anyone else. It is white supremacists.
Any casual review of the January 6th attack on the Capitol will verify this report is accurate. The FBI report in 2021 details that since 2010, white supremacists have carried out at least 17 lethal attacks, killing no fewer than 77 people — accounting for more than half of all fatalities from domestic terrorism.
But this only scratches the surface because the FBI admittedly doesn’t keep accurate statistics or use effective counter-tactics against white terrorist groups. The numbers are likely much higher.
The Trump normalization of racism has now metastasized into the mainstream of our culture. The Republican party, once the party of Lincoln, Radical civil rights and freedom for enlsaved people, now openly promotes racist tropes and policies. Republican politicians routinely cavort and socialize with otherwise discredited white nationalists and bigots. They make racist remarks in the halls of Congress and certainly on the campaign trail, with no fear of accountability.
States across the nation are passing laws to restrict the accurate teaching of American history in the name of a falsely defined, vague “CRT” to scare white parents. Openly white supremacist public meetings and events are held without impunity or accountability.
White Supremacy Never Travels in Just One Lane
Historically, white racism is rooted in an economic and socially patriarchal view of society that views gender roles and racial hierarchy as set variables, biologically and many times, divinely ordained. In others words, when white supremacy rises as it is again currently, it will slop over into other areas of life and policy and try to control gender, social and economic opportunities.
It is no coincidence that states are now going after trans-gender protections for young people, and some even want to “eliminate” the concept of trans-gender as a topic to discuss. It isn’t enough to establish white control over society, but it extends to sexual expression, gender identity and behavior….it always has. Patriarchy is always threatened by anything non-binary.
The LGBTQ community is a target. Marriage equality will be attacked, and could be rolled back by a conservative Supreme Court majority that is sympathetic to white racist and patriarchal ideas.
Cross-dressing also offends white supremacist-patriarchal sensibilities so it has to be stopped. Several states are passing laws to ban drag-shows, or drag children’s reading hour at the library. Like bans on Critical Race Theory (CRT), these bills are just the latest tactics to uphold white supremacy and systems of power like racism, homophobia, and transphobia.
A woman’s right to choose health care for her own body has been attacked and the Roe protections have been rolled back. White supremacists always try and control the bodies of other people, especially women…especially black women. Do not think for one second this fight is just about racial attitudes and actions…it is a complete and comprehensive vision of society.
It is time to connect these dots…these policies are tied together by a vicious ideology of white supremacy rooted in our history, and subconscious. But that is the point of this article.
We’ve Been Here Before…Deja Vu’
This isn’t a new phenomenon, although the tactics and rhetoric sometimes change from era to era. The reality of American history is that white patriarchal-racist ideology has always been the foundation for deciding who is acceptable, which groups are “in” and which are not, and which groups should be given second class citizenship, or no recognition at all.
What we are facing today is a new Jim Crow era or some historians would simply call it a continuation of the earlier form. When used in relation to voter suppression laws being passed recently, activists have called it “Jim Crow 2.0.” But it includes the whole swath of repressions, erasures, oppressions and violence.
A Moment of Inflection and Action
I believe we are at a moment of inflection and crisis that requires all American citizens to think about what kind of society we want to create and leave for the next generations. I don’t think there is a sideline to set on in this battle. To be silent in the face of this onslaught of white supremacy is to be complicit. It is time for every American of good-will to come off the bench, and fight like hell! This white supremacist re-emergence has now threatened well over half the US population’s basic human rights…and they will not stop!
So, in my next column, I’ll address how I as an individual, will choose to deal with this moment of history. It isn’t a grand strategy or another non-profit that I’m starting, but it is a way that I see going forward for any individual to react, get involved, and resist. But….ya gotta get off the bench!
I’m looking forward to hearing your ideas. I feel pretty helpless in the face of it all. I vote but where we live is predominantly Dem so … I get angry and sad about what’s happening in Iowa and other states, but… thus, the helplessness.