"Jungle Fever" and American politics.

"Rare is the time that a poll number makes me gasp. But there is one in the latest NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll that elicited one. While it was no surprise to see that President Obama snared 94 percent of African Americans surveyed, the presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney got nuthin’, zilch, niente, a big fat 0 percent. " [Source]

Yes Jonathan, but this could all change. Turns out that Mr. Ryan was honey dipping back in the day. That is, of course, until he met his future wife. (“Your mother left you with how much??!!” ) I kid.

Anyway, some folks believe that this could actually help Mr. Ryan with the black vote and that it could change those low numbers with us folks for the Romney ticket. Personally, I am not too sure about that. (Do you really think that those boys on the Duke Lacrosse team loved black people? Just sayin.)

But we won’t get into our history with this subject which is rife with all types of issues. We have evolved as a nation, and,(with all due respect to the folks who can’t get over the  slow speed Bronco chase) thankfully, getting a little “Jungle Fever” has become the norm. Well, with most people. (Sorry "Kossacks", I have to talk about it.)

 

I suspect that they would deny it, but I am willing to be that there are more than a few people under that republican tent who would not be willing to vote for the republican version of Robert DeNiro. Heck, they are just getting used to the fact that Romney is a part of that Joseph Smith religion. 

 

I think when Paul Ryan says some of my best friends are black it might have a deeper meaning that when his boss at the top of the ticket says it. I mean I don’t think Flipper has ever even dated a brunette. And, to be fair to Mr. Ryan, I don't think he has ever gone there. 

 

Goff is getting a lot of heat in conservative circles for her article, (and with others as well) but she does make an interesting point with her Lou Dobbs analogy:

 

"For years Lou Dobbs was the face of the anti-illegal-immigration crusade. As a result of his seeming obsession with the issue, he became in the eyes of many the face of xenophobia and racism, not to mention public enemy No. 1 of Mexican immigrants. There's just one hitch to this narrative: Dobbs is married to a Mexican-American woman, meaning that he is the father of Mexican-American children. (His Mexican-born mother-in-law even lives with his family.)
When I discovered this I was surprised, and not for the reasons you may think. While I was somewhat surprised to learn of his wife's heritage, given his own politics on issues that overwhelmingly affect a community of which she is a member, I was even more surprised that I'd never heard him mention it on his program or prominently in interviews. He certainly didn't hide it, but my point is, if anyone could have benefited from a "But my best friend -- in fact, my wife -- is Latina, so I can't be bigot" defense, it was Dobbs, and yet he chose not to hide behind that."

Actually Keli, he didn't have to say it, others said it for him, but I get your point. 

 

Still, at the end of the day, it’s not what he (Ryan) does in his personal life; it’s how his policies in his public one that shape the various issues I care about that concerns me. If his black girlfriend causes him to be more sensitive to certain issues when he is crafting legislation, well then that's a good thing. I don't care what's in his heart if the laws he helps to pass are good ones. George Bush seemed like a really nice guy, and he probably had a good heart; look where that got us.

 

Politically, this will put Ryan in a good light with independents. He might have some issues,however,with his Southern base. When 46% of registered republicans in Mississippi say that interracial marriage should be illegal you have to wonder. This is why the conservative bloggers jumping on Goff are being disingenuous when they act as if Ryan getting his swirl on might not be a problem. The truth of the matter is it could be. Keli focused on Ryan himself, I think this is more about his base and how they will react.  

 

The only thing holding this fickle coalition of Mormon worshipers, Negro daters, and Southern Christians together is their intense hatred of Barack Hussein Obama.

 

That's the type of hatred that even a little "Jungle Fever" can't stop.

*The pic that is above this post is NOT Paul Ryan and his ex. 

 

  

  

I don't know Dilbert, you might have some issues.

I think I want to jump in on this Dilbert Keli Goff feud. (Well, not Dilbert, but his creator)

Seems Keli (and others) took umbrage with actress Gwyneth Paltrow saying that she worked her behind off to get where she is in Hollywood and her fame is not a result of nepotism and privilege. (Quick question for Keli: Are you getting paid over there at Huff Po?)

".... I know I'm going to sound like a suck up, but you're gorgeous, have a great career, two beautiful children, married to a big rock star. It all looks so effortless. You're well spoken. It just rubs people the wrong way. You look perfect.

[Paltrow]It's funny because I'm so not. Of course, some of it is luck. My parents had money and they sent me to a good school, but it's like, what do you choose to do with that? You can rely on that and not do anything with it or you can say, "How am I going to justify that good fortune? How am I going to say my parents didn't waste their money on me?" I just think I'm really all about hard work and I honestly feel like anyone can have or do what they want as long as they put their mind to it. "

Well Gyneth, you do work in Hollywood, and having the right connections certainly helps.
So I can see where Keli is coming from on this one.

"In an age in which America’s class-divide is greater than it’s ever been, our patience has simply waned for the George W. Bushes and Gwyneth Paltrows of the world — people who were born on third base and act like they hit a triple. America was founded on the idea that everyone has equal opportunity to carve out their piece of the American Dream, but increasingly that’s becoming less and less of a reality. And there’s something infuriating about listening to people born into the Dream — silver rattle in one hand, silver spoon in the other — lecture the rest of us on how easy it is to obtain — if we’re just willing to “work our asses off” like they do. "

OK, so Missy says she worked her pampered behind off to get where she is, and Keli disagrees. No problem so far, right? Just two women having a a public debate about class, privilege, and hard work.

But then Dilbert's creator decides to defend Missy by saying the following:

"It’s worth noting, in the interest of context, that Goff was born with a few advantages herself. She’s beautiful, smart, and apparently had the resources she needed to make it through NYU and go on to get her Master’s Degree at Columbia University. If you ask Goff what made her successful, would she credit her hard work and leave out her other obvious advantages? Or would she answer honestly and say, “I worked hard for what I’ve achieved, but it didn’t hurt that I’m a brilliant, smoking-hot African-American woman in 2011.” I’m just saying that people don’t generally talk about their advantages. To do so would be…wait for it…gloating. " [Source]

Of course, because we all know that if you are a "smoking -hot African American woman in 2011", A-merry-ca will give you sooooo much. Those are always "obvious advantages". I am trying to figure out which one gives you a larger advantage. Being black? Being beautiful? Being a woman? Or just being smart?

Here is the thing: If Keli has all of the above qualities, she should succeed, and it would be
a travesty if she did not. If Paltrow is a good actress, and A-merry-cans find her attractive, (I don't know why, but hey, to each his own.) she should -and did- succeed. But for her to deny that her connections gave her an advantage over other aspiring actresses in Hollywood is ludicrous.

It's probably why Goff took her on for denying the obvious.

But why the defense of her from Scott Adams? Who, by the way, has had some issues of his own, lately. (Can you say sockpuppet boys and girls?) I think it's Interesting. It leaves me to wonder: If it was a melanin challenged writer dropping her two cents (no pun intended, Keli) about Ms. Paltrow in the Huffington Post, would we have heard from Mr. Adams?

I think not.

"I'm Not a Racist....I'm a Democrat"?

*

With all due respect to Keli Goff who wrote an excellent article for The Loop about racism and our right wingnut friends, I don't want folks to ever get the impression that it (racism) is only limited to the right side of the ideological spectrum. The fact of the matter is that some of our ideological soul-mates can at times be guilty of racism as well.

A liberal democrat is just as capable of being a racist as a conservative wingnut. I suppose the difference is that the liberal doesn't really think he is a racist and doesn't want to be painted as such. The wingnut, on the other hand, embraces his racism, and indeed wears it like a badge of honor.

My man Greg Fuller sent me an interesting article from Melissa Harris-Lacewell, who wrote it for The Nation which I want to share with you. After you read it tell me what you think.

"For weeks the media have been covering "racism in health care reform opposition." For the most part I've found this political moment to be an interesting opportunity to discuss the meanings of race, the history of racial exclusion and violence, and the ongoing realities of racial inequality in America.

But I have also been a little baffled as to why so many liberal white Americans are shocked about the sometimes explicit, but far more often, simply implied racial bias that has infected some of the opposition to the Obama administration. My scholarship and teaching center on issues of race, blackness, and African American politics, and while I believe "racism" is interesting and important; it is not exactly breaking news. Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune laughingly suggested that he was telling his white liberal friends who were aghast at the vitriol aimed at President Obama, "welcome to my world."

My surprise that "racism" has dominated the news cycle for so long turned to tangible anxiety when President Clinton appeared on Larry King Live. Former President Clinton made a compelling case for health care reform and when asked about the racial motivations of the opposition he said:

"I don't believe that all the people who oppose him [Obama] on health care -- and all the conservatives -- are racists. And I believe if he were white, every single person who opposes him now would be opposing him then."

I agree with Clinton that the opposition to President Obama's plan is about health care reform, not about race. Any Democratic president who introduced health care reform was going to be met with vicious, organized opposition. No one knows this better than the Clintons whose own health care reform efforts were effectively shut down by organized efforts on the Right.....

But the part of the interview that worries me comes next, when President Clinton said,
"While I have devoted my life to getting rid of racism, I think this [health care] is a fight that my president and our party -- this is one we need to win on the merits."
This statement required a double take. President Clinton said that he has devoted his life to getting rid of racism? And no one challenged this assertion?

President Clinton has a very checkered past involving racial innuendo, stereotypes, and racialized political strategies. When he first ran for President in 1992 Bill Clinton attacked hip-hop artist Sister Souljah during his speech to Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Coalition. He likened her to former Klansman David Duke. After the 1984 and 1988 defeats of Democratic candidates, Clinton knew he needed to signal his independence from Jesse Jackson and the racially progressive wing of the Democratic Party. His unprovoked attack on Souljah was part of that active distancing. But, Clinton's strategy was complex. During that same election, he also appeared on the Arsenio Hall show where he played the Saxophone. Clinton has always been masterful at both embracing and pushing away from black communities, black voters, and black interests based on his own political needs at the moment. Some have accused President Obama of using similar tactics.

Clinton used welfare reform and crime legislation to cement his position as a moderate "new" Democrat. Clinton's policies made life substantially more difficult for poor black mothers and led to the incarceration of tens of thousands more black men. Repeatedly during his presidency Clinton found his way to the center by ignoring the material needs of black communities. He refused to fight for his nominee and law school friend Lani Guinier who was viciously and inaccurately labeled a "quota queen." And when his wife was battling Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination last year, President Clinton's own voice sounded shrill in precisely the same ways as some of Obama's current opponents.

Despite his office in Harlem and his efforts in Africa, I am unconvinced by President Clinton's assertion of a lifetime commitment to battling racism. "

Now what this author is asserting could be viewed as blasphemy in some left wing circles. I mean that is the "first black president" she is talking about. But is she wrong? And do you want to give her a "you go girl" for writing the following?

"The point is that some members of the GOP, the health care industry, and some people in the crowds are using strategies, language, and images that are meant to stoke racial fear and anxiety. Many have principled opposition to the reforms being proposed by the administration, but that opposition is swimming in a sea of racial ugliness.

But when I heard President Clinton's revision of his own political racial history it struck me that the biggest issue may not be uncovering racism on the Right, it may be that we are providing cover for racism on the Left. If opposing Obama means you are a racist, then supporting Obama must mean you are not a racist. No need to worry with substantive efforts to compensate historic injustices or address contemporary inequalities, just keep wearing your Obama '08 shirt and you can have a free pass on racial politics.

Racism is not the the sole domain of Republicans, Conservatives or Southerners. Not all racists pepper their conversation with the N-word or secretly desire the extermination of black and brown people. Racism is complex, multi-layered, and deeply rooted in the American story. Name calling is not helpful in uprooting racism, but neither is a false sense of moral superiority. "

I know that I do.

Story here:

*Pic courtesy of The Nation.