Everybody knows the history of race relations in America. First came slavery, then jim crow and the KKK, finally the civil rights movement brought our country out of its hatred and hypocrisy and into the modern era. However the transition from racism to equality was not a smooth or particularly quick one. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 effectively made it illegal to discriminate against anyone based on their race, religion, or ethnic background. However implementation of this decision through school desegregation and the creation of fair employment and housing practices was still a long way off. However these are the issues that everyone always focuses on. What about the rest of the story?
Interestingly enough, it wasn't until 1967 in the landmark supreme court case Loving v. Virgina that it was officially unconstitutional to have laws banning interracial marriage. Racist attitudes about mixed couples continued throughout the 70's and 80's. It wasn't until arguably the 1990's that interracial marriages were looked upon favorably by a majority of Americans, as in able to be made legal through a popular vote and not a court ruling. Remember that because it is important. Although public opinion of interracial marriages has continued to improve, there are still those in 2009 who frown upon such unions.
Enter political correctness. About the time that the civil rights movement started, the term African American became popular. It certainly is much better than "darkie", "boy" or "nigga". But equality was still a long way off. After the civil rights act it was illegal to discriminate based upon race. It would soon become socially taboo and politically incorrect to refer to a person of color as a nigga, (something I wish continued to this day among members of the Black community). But if I were alive back then, would it have made much difference? Say I wanted to marry a white woman after the 1964 non-discrimination laws were passed. I would still have to wait three years depending on what state we lived in because there were still laws on the books actually telling me who I was and was not allowed to marry. Sounds ridiculous right? Keep that in mind too, it's also important.
Realistically speaking her family probably wouldn't have been too thrilled at the idea. Mine probably would have either, not like I would have cared one iota what other people think. What might my new father-in-law have said to me on our wedding night? "Well your not a nigga... but I still don't think you're good enough for my daughter." Ouch, I think I'd rather you just cut the act and call me a nigga anyway. Its obvious you want to if you are still making all the same judgments and holding all the same racist worldviews that lead you to look upon me negatively in the first place. So what good is political correctness in the face of obvious disdain and hatred? In this scenario, does being politically correct about telling me who you think I'm good enough for based upon erroneous and false stereotypes and prejudiced and archaic world views actually make your position ok? Am I supposed to leave that confrontation with warm fuzzies because I'm not a nigga, I'm just another lazy black guy who isn't good enough for your white daughter?
Fast forward to 2009 and suddenly everything is different. I am on a wonderful campus surrounded by beautiful women everywhere. I can choose freely who I associate with and who I date, without fear of violence or social disapproval and reprisal. Which is a good thing, seeing as how the campus I'm on is over 50% women and 80% White. Now I'm not the best at math but I think those numbers mean that the vast majority of women that I interact with on campus won't look like I do. I'm fine with that. Most other people are fine with that. Thank God we have come a long way since 1967. So basically I'm cool and don't have a care in the world. What a selfish view to have! Any inequality anywhere is an injustice to all. So this brings up the question, "what about the gays?"
Yesterday had the potential to be a landmark election in American history. No Barack Obama is not up for reelection already, it was something much deeper than just one man or one political office up for grabs. The state of Maine was voting on whether or not to uphold a law that was passed earlier in the year that gave gay couples the right to marry. Things looked promising at first. Early returns from the heavily Democratic cities and towns showed that the law was going to be upheld. Then the results from the Republican leaning areas of the state came in and it was all over. In a 53% to 47% vote, Maine rejected the idea of equality for all of its citizens, following in the footsteps of every other public vote and referendum on gay marriage that this country has ever had.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1934432,00.html?iid=tsmodule
Recall what I told you to remember. It wasn't until the late 1990's that interracial marriage was popular enough to win a popular vote in an election. That election never happened because of Loving v Virginia. It looks like gay marriage might not be so lucky. Again consider political correctness and the wonderful lip service it gives to minorities in this country. Recently several prominent figures, politicians, entertainers, and athletes, have gotten in serious trouble for making comments that are insensitive to gay people. Most recently a NFL player was suspended and fined after he insulted his coach by calling him a fag after a particularly upsetting loss. Its wonderful that it is socially unacceptable to use words that are offensive to gays and lesbians, as it should be. But going back to the nigga example, what does it really matter if there is no true equality?
Opponents of gay marriage in Maine used the same tired line that won in California, "we're doing it for the children". They insisted that is the law was upheld that gay marriage would be taught in schools, which is false. And even if it was, what harm could that do. Republicans act like being gay is a disease like the h1n1. They see homosexuality as contagious, like being around a gay person will somehow turn the rest of us gay, also false. These hate and scare tactics are wrong. But they work. They worked for proposition 8 in California and they worked last night in what is arguably the most liberal state in the country. That is what probably hurts the most for gay rights activists. This was a golden opportunity for them to make great strides towards finally achieving equality. America once again showed it is not yet ready to live up to the lofty words in the Declaration of Independence that "all men are created equal" and that "everyone has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". Isn't the world lonely enough without restricting relationships between loving and consenting adults even further. I've been out on my own for a while now and I know that the world is a lonely place. The last thing I would tolerate is someone else telling me who and when and how I could get married. Quite frankly its none of their business!
American hypocrisy is astounding. Not only do we as a nation fail to live up to our own promises of freedom and equality, but politicians aren't helping matters either. The same "family values champions" are the same ones who illegally use tax-payer money to galavant down to Argentina to cheat on your wife with this other random woman. Oh and your two little boys are watching how you treat your wife and how humiliated she is in front of the whole country. Thats a great way to protect the sanctity of marriage Mark Sanford, former governor of South Carolina. Or how about Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards? His wife has cancer and is fighting for her life running in and out of hospitals to get chemotherapy while trying to be there for her husband and his political career. How does he repay her? Does he stay loyal and faithful to her like any man with even the slightest hint of integrity would? Nope. He cheats on his dying wife with a younger woman and then tries to make up for it by apologizing to the American public. I'm not the one he should be apologizing to, he should apologize to God and his wife. Those are the people he hurt and let down, not me.
This whole argument that legalizing gay marriage somehow weakens or cheapens the institution is bogus. America's divorce rate is through the ceiling as it is and Gay marriage is not legal. Maybe if people spent more time worrying about their own marriages and not what gay couples were doing then being a divorce lawyer wouldn't be such a lucrative business option. As a future lawyer I have already decided that I will never practice divorce law. I want no part in destroying what people swore before God and man was an eternal bond. I know the pain that comes from broken families. I won't help other people perpetuate the pain that I went through. As for the institution of marriage, its all a matter of personal choice. I'm a straight Black man that can support gay marriage with a clear conscience and still believe in the role of the traditional family. I want to be with one woman and one woman only, for life. Me supporting equality for all people in know way changes my view that marriage is a wonderful gift that should be protected and cherished for as long as both shall live. Until I meet the right woman for me I'll keep searching. But I won't settle for anything less than the one. Just like America shouldn't settle for anything less than total and complete equality.
I am sure that the vote last night in Maine was only the beginning. The fight will continue until full rights are one for gay couples. Until that day comes don't give lip service with all of this political correct bull. Remember, even if you don't call me a nigga but you still look at me and treat me like I'm one, then we really have made no progress at all.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Better off not being a woman.
Apparently I was very sheltered as a kid. I truly believed that we lived in a world where good was the overwhelmingly normal outcome and that evil was an outlier of human behavior. Maybe all of those Disney movies where good always triumphs over evil went to my head. Or maybe it is just in my nature to always try and see the positive in any situation, no matter how messed up things may be. I'm not turning into a cynic, not yet anyways, but when I come across news stories like this one, it's hard to swallow, impossible to rationalize, too horrible to comprehend.
Domestic violence has always been one of my few unforgivable sins. Whether it's the hopeless romantic in me that just can't fathom acts of violence against women or the fact that several people close to me that I love deeply have been the victims of men who talk with their fists and not their mouths, it has always been an issue that struck me at my core. Seeing the personal side from the eyes of the victim is truly heart-wrenching. Seeing from the eyes of politics or cowardly bystanders is maddening. But that is exactly what happened in these two news stories.
The first article is about the changing role of women in Saudi Arabia. Thankfully the majority of the article is positive. It details the progress that Saudi Arabia has made in incorporating women into the workplace. Much of this progress is thanks to the ruler of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah, and his decision to replace conservative Islamic hardliners with clerics who will emphasize the tolerance of Islam, something that radicals like the Taliban in other countries conveniently choose to ignore. Women are finally attending univeristies and gaining employment as educated professionals, working alongside men in important fields like government, law and medicine.
Many Saudi men are unused to these changes. Saudi culture is still very misogynistic despite all of the wonderful gains they have made towards equality in the last couple of years. It is still against the law for women to drive cars, or to even leave the house without the permission of a male member of the family. Those that do could face harsh punishment. King Abdullah appointed his daughter, Princess Adelah, to spearhead the effort against domestic violence. They succeeded in passing legislation that made it illegal for husbands to beat their children and wives. My question is, what kind of society needs to have these kinds of laws passed in the 21st century? The royal family actually sponsored PR campaigns encouraging husbands to "satisfy their wives emotionally and to protect their marriage". Isn't that common sense? I honestly didn't think that people had to be told to cherish the one that they pledge to spend the rest of their life with. But this is a culture that for the longest time has had absolutely archaic views towards women, placing them on the level of human property if not worse. It was normal for Saudi husbands to beat their wives for any kind of offence, real or imaginary. Even something as simple as spending too much money at the market could lead to a socially sanctioned one sided boxing match. The American equivalent would be Jimmy giving his wife Karen a black eye because she just couldn't say no to the 30% off sale at Kohls. Up until recently no one would have batted an eye had such events transpired in the Kingdom. Fortunately all of that is changing and domestic violence is becoming socially unacceptable, like it should have been all along. Women in Saudi Arabia have a long way to go, but it is promising that the country is taking steps in the right direction.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20091010/wl_time/09171192915200
Before we as Americans get on our high moral horse and proclaim that inequality and abuse are problems in other cultures but not our own, we should take a look at another story from California. Very rarely do I find myself at a loss for words, but this time I really didn't know what to say. All I know is that before I read the news article I was having a good day, afterwards, I was sad, angry, and questioning the very nature of humanity itself. We all remember high school. For some it was good, for some it was bad. But the bad very rarely get this bad. Like nearly everyone else in America I went to homecoming and prom. My worst fears were embarassing myself in front of my date on the dance floor or spilling something on myself at dinner. I'm notorius among my friends for being clumsy. For my parents, their worst fear was that I would miss curfew and be too tired for church the next mroning, (or maybe that us kids might sneak off to a party or somewhere else for some extra fun, they never really told me). But no teenager or parent would expect what happened recently at California's Richmond High School.
Saturday night, while a homecoming dance was taking place at the school, a fifteen year old girl was gang raped and beaten by as many as ten guys. For over two hours she was molested in the school courtyard, while police officers and school faculty were watching over the rest of the students at the dance that was taking place in the school gym.
Details are fuzzy as to how the incident started. Thankfully the girl is now out of the hospital and is at home making a full recovery. Or at least as much of a recovery as is possible from such a traumatic event. This raises three questions, the first two of which are obvious, how did this happen and what steps were taken to prevent it? Apparently the student was for some reason separated from the rest and attacked by this group of guys, who range in age from 16 on up. So far only 6 of the suspected ten have been arrested. I can only hope that the rest are caught as well and sentenced to the maximum prison sentence that the law allows for that crime. As far as preventive measures, the school knew that only 7 of their 16 security cameras actually worked. They had lobbied for years to get additional lighting, cameras and security fences. Some of this equipment was supposed to have been installed over last summer. It was not, and now an innocent girl has paid the price for the district's cost cutting measures.
Obviously there is something wrong and evil about the men who attacked her. There is no question there. I hope they get everything they deserve and more for such a heinous and cowardly crime. But the saddest part of this ordeal hasn't even been mentioned yet. Not only was the girl attacked by the gang, but there were several bystanders who watched the attack. They made no move to help or intervene in any way. No 911 calls were reported for this incident. She was found naked from the waist down and barely conscious sometime the next day. The police estimate that as many as 20 unknown people stood by while this girl fought for her life against a bunch of thugs and criminals. How do they know there were bystanders? Because these perverts took pictures of the rape with their cell phone cameras. Nice to know that we as Americans don't call for help when someone is in trouble, we sit by and watch and use technology to document the event for future recollection. There really isn't much left to say. Everything is just as bad as it sounds, no exaggerations or emotional pitches needed. Whoever watched this brutal attack and did nothing to stop it are just as guilty as the thugs who actively participated. My heart and prayers go out to the girl and her family.
http://www.usatoday.com/NEWS/usaedition/2009-11-03-column03_ST1_U.htm?csp=34
All of this leaves me thinking that this world is messed up beyond repair. If we live in a place where such atrocities are possible then what else is left to say? My sister turns eleven in less than a week. As she matures into a young woman is this the kind of thing I have to worry about happening to her. After all the girl at that homecoming dance was only four years older than her. Still a child, yet these guys, (I refuse to call such cowards men) used her for their own sick pleasures and fantasies. What if it had been their daughter or signifigant other that was attacked? Would they even care? Apprently not if they are willing to treat someone else's loved one so cruelly. I know if I had gotten the phone call and she was related to me then someone would have hell to pay. At what point is enough truly enough? What does one do when the world seems to have lost its mind and there is nothing you can do about it accept read about it and slowly become more and more depressed and angry? I know one thing is for sure, it is time for all the real men to stand up and put a stop to this nonsense. Until that happens, you're probably better off not being a woman.
Domestic violence has always been one of my few unforgivable sins. Whether it's the hopeless romantic in me that just can't fathom acts of violence against women or the fact that several people close to me that I love deeply have been the victims of men who talk with their fists and not their mouths, it has always been an issue that struck me at my core. Seeing the personal side from the eyes of the victim is truly heart-wrenching. Seeing from the eyes of politics or cowardly bystanders is maddening. But that is exactly what happened in these two news stories.
The first article is about the changing role of women in Saudi Arabia. Thankfully the majority of the article is positive. It details the progress that Saudi Arabia has made in incorporating women into the workplace. Much of this progress is thanks to the ruler of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah, and his decision to replace conservative Islamic hardliners with clerics who will emphasize the tolerance of Islam, something that radicals like the Taliban in other countries conveniently choose to ignore. Women are finally attending univeristies and gaining employment as educated professionals, working alongside men in important fields like government, law and medicine.
Many Saudi men are unused to these changes. Saudi culture is still very misogynistic despite all of the wonderful gains they have made towards equality in the last couple of years. It is still against the law for women to drive cars, or to even leave the house without the permission of a male member of the family. Those that do could face harsh punishment. King Abdullah appointed his daughter, Princess Adelah, to spearhead the effort against domestic violence. They succeeded in passing legislation that made it illegal for husbands to beat their children and wives. My question is, what kind of society needs to have these kinds of laws passed in the 21st century? The royal family actually sponsored PR campaigns encouraging husbands to "satisfy their wives emotionally and to protect their marriage". Isn't that common sense? I honestly didn't think that people had to be told to cherish the one that they pledge to spend the rest of their life with. But this is a culture that for the longest time has had absolutely archaic views towards women, placing them on the level of human property if not worse. It was normal for Saudi husbands to beat their wives for any kind of offence, real or imaginary. Even something as simple as spending too much money at the market could lead to a socially sanctioned one sided boxing match. The American equivalent would be Jimmy giving his wife Karen a black eye because she just couldn't say no to the 30% off sale at Kohls. Up until recently no one would have batted an eye had such events transpired in the Kingdom. Fortunately all of that is changing and domestic violence is becoming socially unacceptable, like it should have been all along. Women in Saudi Arabia have a long way to go, but it is promising that the country is taking steps in the right direction.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20091010/wl_time/09171192915200
Before we as Americans get on our high moral horse and proclaim that inequality and abuse are problems in other cultures but not our own, we should take a look at another story from California. Very rarely do I find myself at a loss for words, but this time I really didn't know what to say. All I know is that before I read the news article I was having a good day, afterwards, I was sad, angry, and questioning the very nature of humanity itself. We all remember high school. For some it was good, for some it was bad. But the bad very rarely get this bad. Like nearly everyone else in America I went to homecoming and prom. My worst fears were embarassing myself in front of my date on the dance floor or spilling something on myself at dinner. I'm notorius among my friends for being clumsy. For my parents, their worst fear was that I would miss curfew and be too tired for church the next mroning, (or maybe that us kids might sneak off to a party or somewhere else for some extra fun, they never really told me). But no teenager or parent would expect what happened recently at California's Richmond High School.
Saturday night, while a homecoming dance was taking place at the school, a fifteen year old girl was gang raped and beaten by as many as ten guys. For over two hours she was molested in the school courtyard, while police officers and school faculty were watching over the rest of the students at the dance that was taking place in the school gym.
Details are fuzzy as to how the incident started. Thankfully the girl is now out of the hospital and is at home making a full recovery. Or at least as much of a recovery as is possible from such a traumatic event. This raises three questions, the first two of which are obvious, how did this happen and what steps were taken to prevent it? Apparently the student was for some reason separated from the rest and attacked by this group of guys, who range in age from 16 on up. So far only 6 of the suspected ten have been arrested. I can only hope that the rest are caught as well and sentenced to the maximum prison sentence that the law allows for that crime. As far as preventive measures, the school knew that only 7 of their 16 security cameras actually worked. They had lobbied for years to get additional lighting, cameras and security fences. Some of this equipment was supposed to have been installed over last summer. It was not, and now an innocent girl has paid the price for the district's cost cutting measures.
Obviously there is something wrong and evil about the men who attacked her. There is no question there. I hope they get everything they deserve and more for such a heinous and cowardly crime. But the saddest part of this ordeal hasn't even been mentioned yet. Not only was the girl attacked by the gang, but there were several bystanders who watched the attack. They made no move to help or intervene in any way. No 911 calls were reported for this incident. She was found naked from the waist down and barely conscious sometime the next day. The police estimate that as many as 20 unknown people stood by while this girl fought for her life against a bunch of thugs and criminals. How do they know there were bystanders? Because these perverts took pictures of the rape with their cell phone cameras. Nice to know that we as Americans don't call for help when someone is in trouble, we sit by and watch and use technology to document the event for future recollection. There really isn't much left to say. Everything is just as bad as it sounds, no exaggerations or emotional pitches needed. Whoever watched this brutal attack and did nothing to stop it are just as guilty as the thugs who actively participated. My heart and prayers go out to the girl and her family.
http://www.usatoday.com/NEWS/usaedition/2009-11-03-column03_ST1_U.htm?csp=34
All of this leaves me thinking that this world is messed up beyond repair. If we live in a place where such atrocities are possible then what else is left to say? My sister turns eleven in less than a week. As she matures into a young woman is this the kind of thing I have to worry about happening to her. After all the girl at that homecoming dance was only four years older than her. Still a child, yet these guys, (I refuse to call such cowards men) used her for their own sick pleasures and fantasies. What if it had been their daughter or signifigant other that was attacked? Would they even care? Apprently not if they are willing to treat someone else's loved one so cruelly. I know if I had gotten the phone call and she was related to me then someone would have hell to pay. At what point is enough truly enough? What does one do when the world seems to have lost its mind and there is nothing you can do about it accept read about it and slowly become more and more depressed and angry? I know one thing is for sure, it is time for all the real men to stand up and put a stop to this nonsense. Until that happens, you're probably better off not being a woman.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Interracial Relationships and the Myth of Post Racial America
It really is amazing how life works out. Sometimes I don't understand why certain things happen in my life. Often times events are seemingly random and completely unconnected. But at other times everything falls into place like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle.
So a couple of days ago I'm on my way to class when I run into a beautiful woman who is an old friend from high school. We stop and chat for a while about life, how the quarter is going, just basically catching up on everything that has happened since the three years we've seen each other. I'm having a great time and am running the risk of being late, not that that was high on my priority list at the time. So just when I'm about to ask for her number she drops the bombshell, she already has a boyfriend. Now before you ask, no this isn't some personal sob story about my love life or the lack thereof. I went on about my day still happy we had a chance to talk and rather nostalgic about my recent social past. It never once occurred to me that the fact that she is White might alarm some people.
Fast forward two days and I'm browsing the web at work when I come across two interesting articles. The first involves an interracial couple that was denied a marriage license in Louisianna. My first reaction was shock, I thought maybe it wasn't recent, like a fluffy historical news interest article about life in the 1950's. Then I looked at the date and realized that this was recent, as in 2009! Then the anger set in. I'm really passionate about justice and equality for all people, I'm also a hopeless romantic, so the idea of someone telling someone else who they can or can't marry based upon a reason as stupid as skin color is mortifying to me. I read a little bit of the article and was surprised to find that the jugde OPENLY ADMITTED that the reason he denied their request was because they were an interracial couple. At this point, I was confused. People who are racists and bigots very rarely openly admit to a point like this. Most people try to hide behind rational like "I'm not racist because I have Black friends" or "I didn't mean to offend anybody, those are just my beliefs". Once caught, bigots often offer a weak apology to placate the media and then go right back to business as usual. However this case seemed a little different.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091016/ap_on_re_us/us_interracial_rebuff
The rational behind the judge's decision was interesting to say the least. To summarize the article he basically said that based on his past experience, the children of interacial marriages are not accepted by either ethnic group and are therefore socially maligned and ostracized. He contends that this causes extreme harm to the child and that he wants no part in creating such a painful situation. For this reason he has denied every interracial marriage request he has recieved, which is a grand total of 4. The judge goes on to say that he treats everyone the same, marries Black couples in his home and "lets them use his bathroom" so therefore he is not racist. The couple currently in question has vowed to fight this matter in court with the help of the American Civil Liverties Union.
There are several interesting questions involiving race relations and legal conscience that can be raised from this scenario. However, I only want to focus on one in particular, is the judge right about the kids? Obviously what the judge did is against the law. It is illegal to discriminate against anyone based upon their skin color. But the judge raises an interesting point. Are interracial relationships and their offspring still socially unacceptable in America? I know historically speaking they certainly were at one point. If they still are then that would be a huge blow to this whole wave of euphoria about America being a post-racial nation since we finally elected a Black president as the commander in chief. Unfortunately the article about the judge offers no survey data about people's attitudes towards cross-race love. But my attention was grabbed by a link to a related article on politico.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/28175.html
This article is about a man who is currently running for political office in New York. He is a White man who is married to a Black woman and is one of the first politicians to ever use images of an interracial family as a positive in campaign politics. He has two beautiful children who campaign with him and pose for photos. This is an uplifting story about a genuine guy that isnt ashamed of who he is or who his family is. By all accounts, political pundits and analysts have concluded that his campaign strategy, designed to give him credibility among Black voters and to portray the image of solidarity, worked very well. He recently won the Democratic primary run off election and is now preparing for the next phase of the campaign. The article continues with glowing interviews from the family and from analysts who all describe this as an example of the wonderful effect that Obama has had on the social and moral fiber of America.
Then reality sets in. It seems that as long as it's a White man marrying a Black Woman or a White person interested in someone of the opposite gender who is Asian or Hispanic or Native American then there is no problem. Black people can usually marry anyone they want too, actually it seems like everyone can, as long as you aren't a Black man that wants a White woman that is. The article goes on to note that the political history of interracial relationships has not always been so pleasant. They reference a 2006 Senate race in Tennessee where the Black incumbent was beaten by the Republican challenger after the Republican National Commitee ran adds tying the Black man to a scantily clad White woman who was several years his junior. Small wonder he only lost the election. 40 Years ago it would have been his life. And yes the this is the same Republican National Committee that currently has a token Black guy, Michael Steele, as its chairman to try and nullify Obama's hold on the minority electorate vote. Maybe if he would stop trying to be hip and actually condemn racist practices like that 2006 campaign add then I would buy into the charade a little more.
Make no mistake, this is all intentional. The political strategists knew that stoking racial fears would win them that Senate seat. They also knew that it was wrong but they did it anyway. Since slavery, Americans have had an incredibly powerful and equally stupid belief that Black men were here to harm "their" White women. It was one of the justifications for slavery that Black men were animals that need to be controlled for the good of society. Slave rebellions would somehow mean that White women would be terrorized and victimized by the brute, by the animal, by the other. Nevermind the fact that it was actually White men who were married to White women who were the ones raping Black slaves and forcing them to carry and deliver their illigitimate children. After the emancipation proclomation there was no mass rape of White women. White Union soldiers did more damage economically and socially to the South then the freed slaves. But their irrational and racist fears persisted, some even till this day. Emmit Till was a 14 year old kid who was murdered and thrown in a river because he allegedly whistled at a White woman. This was one of the pivotal events that helped to spark the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's. I wonder what these same people would say 50 years later if they saw me chatting with my friend on the bus.
Irrational fears and bigotry were enough to derail the politcal career of an otherwise successful legislator. Race relations and politics continue to interact in unfortunately negative and predictable ways. Don't get me wrong, we have made large strides as a nation. The second article cites a Gallup study that put public support for interracial relationships in 1994 at 48%. In 13 years that number has risen to 77% by 2009. Also please note that this is not just a White phenonmenon. There are plenty of bigoted Blacks as well who can't get past their own prejudice to accept an interracial relationship. I actually wrote a whole post on this a few months back. Regardless of what color or etnic group you are, you should be able to find love and enjoy it without some racist nutjob condemning the union. Until the number from the Gallup poll is at 100% approval (with people not lying on the survey), America still has work to do. It is sad that I can have the best of intentions and the purest of motives and still be frowned upon for who I choose to socialize and interact with. Things didn't work out with my friend, but if they had I wonder how long it would be before we too were the victim of irrational fears and prejudice.
So a couple of days ago I'm on my way to class when I run into a beautiful woman who is an old friend from high school. We stop and chat for a while about life, how the quarter is going, just basically catching up on everything that has happened since the three years we've seen each other. I'm having a great time and am running the risk of being late, not that that was high on my priority list at the time. So just when I'm about to ask for her number she drops the bombshell, she already has a boyfriend. Now before you ask, no this isn't some personal sob story about my love life or the lack thereof. I went on about my day still happy we had a chance to talk and rather nostalgic about my recent social past. It never once occurred to me that the fact that she is White might alarm some people.
Fast forward two days and I'm browsing the web at work when I come across two interesting articles. The first involves an interracial couple that was denied a marriage license in Louisianna. My first reaction was shock, I thought maybe it wasn't recent, like a fluffy historical news interest article about life in the 1950's. Then I looked at the date and realized that this was recent, as in 2009! Then the anger set in. I'm really passionate about justice and equality for all people, I'm also a hopeless romantic, so the idea of someone telling someone else who they can or can't marry based upon a reason as stupid as skin color is mortifying to me. I read a little bit of the article and was surprised to find that the jugde OPENLY ADMITTED that the reason he denied their request was because they were an interracial couple. At this point, I was confused. People who are racists and bigots very rarely openly admit to a point like this. Most people try to hide behind rational like "I'm not racist because I have Black friends" or "I didn't mean to offend anybody, those are just my beliefs". Once caught, bigots often offer a weak apology to placate the media and then go right back to business as usual. However this case seemed a little different.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091016/ap_on_re_us/us_interracial_rebuff
The rational behind the judge's decision was interesting to say the least. To summarize the article he basically said that based on his past experience, the children of interacial marriages are not accepted by either ethnic group and are therefore socially maligned and ostracized. He contends that this causes extreme harm to the child and that he wants no part in creating such a painful situation. For this reason he has denied every interracial marriage request he has recieved, which is a grand total of 4. The judge goes on to say that he treats everyone the same, marries Black couples in his home and "lets them use his bathroom" so therefore he is not racist. The couple currently in question has vowed to fight this matter in court with the help of the American Civil Liverties Union.
There are several interesting questions involiving race relations and legal conscience that can be raised from this scenario. However, I only want to focus on one in particular, is the judge right about the kids? Obviously what the judge did is against the law. It is illegal to discriminate against anyone based upon their skin color. But the judge raises an interesting point. Are interracial relationships and their offspring still socially unacceptable in America? I know historically speaking they certainly were at one point. If they still are then that would be a huge blow to this whole wave of euphoria about America being a post-racial nation since we finally elected a Black president as the commander in chief. Unfortunately the article about the judge offers no survey data about people's attitudes towards cross-race love. But my attention was grabbed by a link to a related article on politico.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/28175.html
This article is about a man who is currently running for political office in New York. He is a White man who is married to a Black woman and is one of the first politicians to ever use images of an interracial family as a positive in campaign politics. He has two beautiful children who campaign with him and pose for photos. This is an uplifting story about a genuine guy that isnt ashamed of who he is or who his family is. By all accounts, political pundits and analysts have concluded that his campaign strategy, designed to give him credibility among Black voters and to portray the image of solidarity, worked very well. He recently won the Democratic primary run off election and is now preparing for the next phase of the campaign. The article continues with glowing interviews from the family and from analysts who all describe this as an example of the wonderful effect that Obama has had on the social and moral fiber of America.
Then reality sets in. It seems that as long as it's a White man marrying a Black Woman or a White person interested in someone of the opposite gender who is Asian or Hispanic or Native American then there is no problem. Black people can usually marry anyone they want too, actually it seems like everyone can, as long as you aren't a Black man that wants a White woman that is. The article goes on to note that the political history of interracial relationships has not always been so pleasant. They reference a 2006 Senate race in Tennessee where the Black incumbent was beaten by the Republican challenger after the Republican National Commitee ran adds tying the Black man to a scantily clad White woman who was several years his junior. Small wonder he only lost the election. 40 Years ago it would have been his life. And yes the this is the same Republican National Committee that currently has a token Black guy, Michael Steele, as its chairman to try and nullify Obama's hold on the minority electorate vote. Maybe if he would stop trying to be hip and actually condemn racist practices like that 2006 campaign add then I would buy into the charade a little more.
Make no mistake, this is all intentional. The political strategists knew that stoking racial fears would win them that Senate seat. They also knew that it was wrong but they did it anyway. Since slavery, Americans have had an incredibly powerful and equally stupid belief that Black men were here to harm "their" White women. It was one of the justifications for slavery that Black men were animals that need to be controlled for the good of society. Slave rebellions would somehow mean that White women would be terrorized and victimized by the brute, by the animal, by the other. Nevermind the fact that it was actually White men who were married to White women who were the ones raping Black slaves and forcing them to carry and deliver their illigitimate children. After the emancipation proclomation there was no mass rape of White women. White Union soldiers did more damage economically and socially to the South then the freed slaves. But their irrational and racist fears persisted, some even till this day. Emmit Till was a 14 year old kid who was murdered and thrown in a river because he allegedly whistled at a White woman. This was one of the pivotal events that helped to spark the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's. I wonder what these same people would say 50 years later if they saw me chatting with my friend on the bus.
Irrational fears and bigotry were enough to derail the politcal career of an otherwise successful legislator. Race relations and politics continue to interact in unfortunately negative and predictable ways. Don't get me wrong, we have made large strides as a nation. The second article cites a Gallup study that put public support for interracial relationships in 1994 at 48%. In 13 years that number has risen to 77% by 2009. Also please note that this is not just a White phenonmenon. There are plenty of bigoted Blacks as well who can't get past their own prejudice to accept an interracial relationship. I actually wrote a whole post on this a few months back. Regardless of what color or etnic group you are, you should be able to find love and enjoy it without some racist nutjob condemning the union. Until the number from the Gallup poll is at 100% approval (with people not lying on the survey), America still has work to do. It is sad that I can have the best of intentions and the purest of motives and still be frowned upon for who I choose to socialize and interact with. Things didn't work out with my friend, but if they had I wonder how long it would be before we too were the victim of irrational fears and prejudice.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Staying the Course
Obama faces a critical decision in regards to Afghanistan and American foreign policy. We invaded Afghanistan in 2002 in response to the terrorist attacks by AL-Qaeda on September 11th. Since then the people of Afghanistan have suffered terribly. Their already poor country was shattered by political infighting and civil war as the new government headed by Karzai attempted to stave off threats from the deposed Taliban. Since the war began, thousands of innocent civilians have died in Nato bombing raids, Taliban reprisals, terrorists attacks, and the like. Sadly enough, this suffering civilian population is all too familiar with being in such a precarious situation.
Historically speaking, none of this is new. When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan towards the end of the Cold War, America ran covert operations to supply weapons and supplies to the mujahadeen fighters who were conveniently killing our enemies for us. Using the maxim that the enemy of our enemy is our friend, we supplied weapons to Osama Bin Laden and his supporters who were successful in driving out the Soviet invaders. Much like the deceit and deviousness that America is so good at, the covert weapons that we supplied allowed them to win the war. However the problem doesn't come from the weapons supplies. The problem is that as soon as the war was over, we went home. We gave no money to rebuild homes and schools that had been destroyed in the fighting. Hospitals and other peices of infrastucture that are necessary to run a modern country were left devastated by the Soviet occupation. We sent a clear message to the Afghan citizens; that they were nothing more than pawns in a global game chess being played out by the two superpowers. However this game didn't involve wooden or marble peices, but the flesh and blood of human beings who paid the ultimate price while unwittingly fighting the enemies of America for us.
The right thing to do in any sich case would be to give aid when it was necessary, no matter what war or parties caused the devastation. However because our direct and secret involvement escalated the conflict and multiplied the devastation, it became a moral imperative for America to help Afgahnistan rebuild. Instead we ignored the problem and did nothing.
The power vacuum left by the Soviets and Americans was filled by the only locals with guns the Taliban.Ironically, we are the ones that supplied them with the weapons that they would later use against us in the name of Allah. Put simply, had we not been cowards in the 1980's and ran home to ignore the problem, we wouldnt be fighting a war in Afghanistan today. Don't believe me? Run a quick counterfactual scenario. Suppose America ahd been responsible in 1980 and worked to fix a problem we helped create. Had America funded schools, hospitals and other necessary projects to acheieve an acceptable standard of living, then the people would be eternally grateful. All of the hate filled rhetoric of the Taliban about how the west is evil and immoral would have never taken hold because they would owe us for rebuilding their newly liberated country. It is quite conceivable that a pro-America democracy could have been established as early as the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1989. The last 20 years then would have been filled with peace and prosperity for Afghanistan, instead of suffering under the oppressive Taliban who kill all who oppose them, civilian or otherwise. What kind of people kill thier own just to stay in power?
Unfortunately America didn't do the right thing twenty years ago. What's worse is that there is now political pressure from the left for Obama to not escalate the war in Afghanistan. They keep calling for the troops to come home. They argue that the real war is no longer in Afghanistan but is in Pakistan, where the majority of the terrorists have fled. Obama's generals are arguing for more troops. They know the fight can be won if we perserver. The generals are not caught up in all the politics and appeasement that corrupt Washington and make America do the things we know to be wrong. Politically speaking, the right call is for Obama to cut our losses in Afghanistan and get out of dodge. Public support for the war has dropped dramactically as casualties increase and timetable drags on with no clear end in sight. The analysts are correct in saying that Pakistan, with it's internal discord, current civil war with Al-Quaeda, and unsecured nuclear material is the real threat to American security. I think that these problems should be addressed as well. However the moral decision is to stay the course and to help secure Afghanistan for its people. Otherwise chaos will reign and the status quo of fear and death every moment will continue.
Can you imagine living like that? It is easy for Americans to ignore the plight of others because we have it so good here. What if your car was blown up by terrorists while you were on the way to Macy's for that Saturday morning sale? What if your child picked up a landmine and never came home from playing outside? What if your wife or girlfriend was attacked by misogynist nut jobs who use an extremist interpretation of religion to declare that their place is at home, covered from head to toe and basically the slave of all their male relatives? How would we respond to such atrocities? How does one live in such a place.
More than likely your response is the same as mine, a blank stare. Because we as Americans simply can'te relate to this kind of suffering. We have no reference to or experience with sucha level of violence and loss. However the Afghani people do. This has been their existence for as long as the war has been going on. And we sit here and complain about the cost of gas and rising unemployment and bicker about healthcare while everyday Afghans leave their house wondering if they will ever see their loved ones again. America has a chance to do something about all of this. Our generals believe that we can win this war once and for all. We must increase troop levels in Afghanistan, not for our security, but for the security of the Afghani people.
America will find that we reap what we sow. If we leave Afghanistan to its fate again untold numbers of innocents will die when the Taliban return to power. Any who collaborated with America in forming their current government will die. All of the local leaders who have denounced the Taliban will die. Any and all who have spoken out and stood up for their rights as indivduals and as a fledgling nation will be silenced. And their blood will be on our hands. America has a wonderful opportunity here. If self serving interests and ideology are all that would motivate America to stay then consider this. Staying in Afghanistan would send the message to our enemies and allies alike that we are willing to fight for the right thing. All of the propoganda of peole like Osama Bin Laden who say that America isn't interested in fighting for Muslims would be void. We are fighting to protect Afghans from the handful of crazies that wish to impose the harshest from of Shariah or Islamic law upon their country. Such stringent punishments are a perversion of the religion of islam. That is why so many people have come out in opposition to this oppression.
We now stand at a crossroads, once a decison is made there can be no turning back.
Will America stand for morality and freedom, or will we go as home as cowards with our tail between our legs like in the 1980's? Only time will tell. I pray that Obama makes the right decision.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
The Party of No
I hate it when I am right about things going badly in America. It honestly gives me no satisfaction whatsoever. I would much rather be wrong and swallow my pride and look like an idiot while watching our country progress in a positive direction than sit back with the smug satisfaction of knowing that I called it all along. Just two days ago I posted an article about the lack of bipartanship in this country. More specifically I wrote in disgust about politicians and pundits on both sides who use political gamesmanship and mudslinging to divide this country to further their own selfish interests. Less than 24 hours after that post Republicans embarrassed themselves during a presidential address of congress concerning healthcare as I and the rest of the nation watched it live. At least I can say I told you so...
Wednesday night, President Obama was addressing a joint session of Congress on the issue of healthcare. He was addressing several myths that I have highlighted on the blog for weeks now such as the rumor about "death panels". Obama had just stated that the healthcare bill would not entitle illegal immigrants to healthcare coverage, which it wouldn't, when Republican Rep. Joe Wilson screamed "lie, You lie!" from his seat. To put this in perspective, this was not just a simple outburst that needed to be reprimanded. NO president in the history of this country has ever been shouted down by an opponent at a joint session of congress. It simply has never happened in the 300 some years that this country has been in existence. What's worse is that this was not the only incident of the night. Republicans laughed when Obama said their were still minor details to be worked out before the bill was passed. Another man, a congressman mind you, carried a homemade sign around his neck that read "what bill". At other points in his speech, Obama was booed by Republicans, like when he was refuting their hateful and incredibly stupid false myths about the health care bill. Republicans were mostly silent during Obama's rousing calls for bipartisan support. Even when the president conceded that he was wiling to compromise on certain issued they didn't budge an inch. But it was quiter than OSU fans during the Florida game when Obama rightfully blasted Palin, a supposedly responsible politician, for spreading lies like the death panel rumor in a conscious and politically motivated attempt to kill reform at all costs. Now you tell me which party the big insurance companies have in their pocket!
Here is the news story here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/politics3199018;_ylt=AnMTJYT.b43gWYhzbrybHIms0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTJ0dWxyM2Y0BGFzc2V0A2NxLzIwMDkwOTEwL3BvbGl0aWNzMzE5OTAxOARjcG9zAzIEcG9zAzgEcHQDaG9tZV9jb2tlBHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA2xhd21ha2Vyc2Nvbg--
After Wilson's outburst, by far the worst of the night, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shot him a look that would give ice chills. Joe Biden, the Vice President, and Michelle Obama both shook their head in disbelief. Again I don't think the gravity of this idiot's actions is getting through. No president has ever been subjected to this level of blatant disrespect before by his own people! At least it was a foreigner that threw shoes at President Bush and not a fellow American. After the speech was over Rahm Emmanuel, Obama's chief of staff, approached Republican leaders in Congress and demanded that Wilson apologized. That is the nice and censured version, I think (and hope) that Rahm wasnt so nice during the whole exchange.
Even veteran political commentators were stunned by Wilson's outburst. It is simply something that is unheard of in American history. NBC's Chuck Todd and MSNBC's Joe Scarborough were horrified at the level of disrespect shown to the president. Now to the Republicans credit, some like Senator McCain from Arizona, have called on their colleague to apologize for his actions. Wilson did later issue a statement apologizing for his lack of decorum and attributed his unacceptable behavior to an "uncontrollable rush of emotion". Nice to know that the people we elect to Congress have the composure and temprament of a three year old child. I also wonder if the man realizes that the point that he accused Obama of lying about is in fact the truth and that his right-wing buddies are feeding him nothing but lies and propaganda? It also begs the question, did this guy read the bill in the first place? Maybe if he had he wouldnt have made a fool of himself on national tv. Oh and then there are others like Republican strategist and former Bush advisor Karl Rove who thought the whole incident was hilarious. http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/09/obama-joint-address/
So where do we stand now? I'm not making such a fuss about the actions of this moron from South Carolina for no reason. He represents a symptom of a problem, and not the problem itself. The problem is stubborness. The Republican party as a whole has decided upon the strategy of "no". It is their answer to everything that Obama does, even his very presidency itself, (birthers anyone?). Just 24 hours ago I wrote about partisanship and how it can tear a country apart. It is now happening before our very eyes. Congress is deadlocked because neither side will compromise. The general public is polarized to one side or the other and unwilling to give ground or worse, they are disillusioned with Washington in general and don't think that any of our problems are ever going to be solved. This is not the direction that America need to go in. There are currently millions of uninsured Americans in this country. As Obama said last night, we are the ONLY advanced Democratic nation in the world that has such a problem with its healthcare system. It is a moral imperative that we cover our citizens to the best of our ability as a nation without running up the deficit to untameable heights. These are Obama's words, not mine, but I fully agree with him.
24 hours ago I warned that these stupid political games would have dire consequences for our nation. 12 hours ago another Republican made a fool of himself on national tv and insulted the man I voted for to lead this supposed democracy. The people need reform. The people will have reform. 24 hours ago I stood for bipartisanship. In theory I always will because I believe that compromise and moderation often yield the best policy initiatives. But it is clear that the Republican part does not want to compromise. 24 hours ago I was against the use of the reconciliation process. Now I say this is the last call. Any that want to come to the table and offer their suggestion on both sides are welcome. But like Obama said last night, the time for games has passed. We need health care reform and we need it now, no matter how the legislation has to be passed. Just remember that if in 2010 or 2012 the Republicans try to say that the Democrats went it alone and ignored their input this is a lie. The Republicans are the negative ones. They are the party of no. And if they want to ever be elected to office again I suggest they start being useful. Otherwise they can reap the fruits of their labor and enjoy many more years of not being in power.
Wednesday night, President Obama was addressing a joint session of Congress on the issue of healthcare. He was addressing several myths that I have highlighted on the blog for weeks now such as the rumor about "death panels". Obama had just stated that the healthcare bill would not entitle illegal immigrants to healthcare coverage, which it wouldn't, when Republican Rep. Joe Wilson screamed "lie, You lie!" from his seat. To put this in perspective, this was not just a simple outburst that needed to be reprimanded. NO president in the history of this country has ever been shouted down by an opponent at a joint session of congress. It simply has never happened in the 300 some years that this country has been in existence. What's worse is that this was not the only incident of the night. Republicans laughed when Obama said their were still minor details to be worked out before the bill was passed. Another man, a congressman mind you, carried a homemade sign around his neck that read "what bill". At other points in his speech, Obama was booed by Republicans, like when he was refuting their hateful and incredibly stupid false myths about the health care bill. Republicans were mostly silent during Obama's rousing calls for bipartisan support. Even when the president conceded that he was wiling to compromise on certain issued they didn't budge an inch. But it was quiter than OSU fans during the Florida game when Obama rightfully blasted Palin, a supposedly responsible politician, for spreading lies like the death panel rumor in a conscious and politically motivated attempt to kill reform at all costs. Now you tell me which party the big insurance companies have in their pocket!
Here is the news story here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/politics3199018;_ylt=AnMTJYT.b43gWYhzbrybHIms0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTJ0dWxyM2Y0BGFzc2V0A2NxLzIwMDkwOTEwL3BvbGl0aWNzMzE5OTAxOARjcG9zAzIEcG9zAzgEcHQDaG9tZV9jb2tlBHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA2xhd21ha2Vyc2Nvbg--
After Wilson's outburst, by far the worst of the night, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shot him a look that would give ice chills. Joe Biden, the Vice President, and Michelle Obama both shook their head in disbelief. Again I don't think the gravity of this idiot's actions is getting through. No president has ever been subjected to this level of blatant disrespect before by his own people! At least it was a foreigner that threw shoes at President Bush and not a fellow American. After the speech was over Rahm Emmanuel, Obama's chief of staff, approached Republican leaders in Congress and demanded that Wilson apologized. That is the nice and censured version, I think (and hope) that Rahm wasnt so nice during the whole exchange.
Even veteran political commentators were stunned by Wilson's outburst. It is simply something that is unheard of in American history. NBC's Chuck Todd and MSNBC's Joe Scarborough were horrified at the level of disrespect shown to the president. Now to the Republicans credit, some like Senator McCain from Arizona, have called on their colleague to apologize for his actions. Wilson did later issue a statement apologizing for his lack of decorum and attributed his unacceptable behavior to an "uncontrollable rush of emotion". Nice to know that the people we elect to Congress have the composure and temprament of a three year old child. I also wonder if the man realizes that the point that he accused Obama of lying about is in fact the truth and that his right-wing buddies are feeding him nothing but lies and propaganda? It also begs the question, did this guy read the bill in the first place? Maybe if he had he wouldnt have made a fool of himself on national tv. Oh and then there are others like Republican strategist and former Bush advisor Karl Rove who thought the whole incident was hilarious. http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/09/obama-joint-address/
So where do we stand now? I'm not making such a fuss about the actions of this moron from South Carolina for no reason. He represents a symptom of a problem, and not the problem itself. The problem is stubborness. The Republican party as a whole has decided upon the strategy of "no". It is their answer to everything that Obama does, even his very presidency itself, (birthers anyone?). Just 24 hours ago I wrote about partisanship and how it can tear a country apart. It is now happening before our very eyes. Congress is deadlocked because neither side will compromise. The general public is polarized to one side or the other and unwilling to give ground or worse, they are disillusioned with Washington in general and don't think that any of our problems are ever going to be solved. This is not the direction that America need to go in. There are currently millions of uninsured Americans in this country. As Obama said last night, we are the ONLY advanced Democratic nation in the world that has such a problem with its healthcare system. It is a moral imperative that we cover our citizens to the best of our ability as a nation without running up the deficit to untameable heights. These are Obama's words, not mine, but I fully agree with him.
24 hours ago I warned that these stupid political games would have dire consequences for our nation. 12 hours ago another Republican made a fool of himself on national tv and insulted the man I voted for to lead this supposed democracy. The people need reform. The people will have reform. 24 hours ago I stood for bipartisanship. In theory I always will because I believe that compromise and moderation often yield the best policy initiatives. But it is clear that the Republican part does not want to compromise. 24 hours ago I was against the use of the reconciliation process. Now I say this is the last call. Any that want to come to the table and offer their suggestion on both sides are welcome. But like Obama said last night, the time for games has passed. We need health care reform and we need it now, no matter how the legislation has to be passed. Just remember that if in 2010 or 2012 the Republicans try to say that the Democrats went it alone and ignored their input this is a lie. The Republicans are the negative ones. They are the party of no. And if they want to ever be elected to office again I suggest they start being useful. Otherwise they can reap the fruits of their labor and enjoy many more years of not being in power.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The Culture Wars: Bringing America Back Together
This will be my first post that is not directly tied to one news story or idea. For about a year now I have blogged about politics and society in America and what the right course of action should be, at least in my opinion. At the end of my freshman year I added political science as a second major because I wanted to be informed about how decisions are made in this country. After all, knowledge is power.
I started watching the news and reading blogs from all over the political spectrum. I give time and consideration to all views, even ones that don't align with my own. I consider myself a political moderate and hate political gamesmanship and party politics above all else. For every post I have critisizing the Republicans I have an equal amount to say about the poor choices of the Democrats.
Many forces are coming together that I fear are unseen by the vast majority of Americans. We live in a supposedly post-racial America, yet ever since the historic election of President Obama it seems like race has been the only thing on the mind's of many politicians. Race baiting on both sides is not bringing America back together, but is rather driving it apart. While name calling and mudslinging have been a part of American politics for centuries now, it seems to me that current efforts on both sides are going above and beyond what is necessary to make the point.
This isn't some high horse moral argument about the need for honesty and civility in politics even though it very well could and should be. I see no reason why grown men and women can't sit down and talk out their differences like adults instead of name calling and lying like preschool children. Rather I am concerned for the common American who turns on their computer or television or flips a page in the newspaper and blindly accepts everything that politicians and political pundits are telling them. While there are many factors like socio-econmic status, family heritage, race, age, marital status, and others that can impact a person's party identification, an important part of that identification is tied to issue voting and image. In otherwards, the information that the average American recieves goes a long way towards determining their party affiliation. More important than mere party politics, this information is shaping and reinforcing thw world views that Americans have, how they see themselves, their fellow Americans, and everyone else in the world.
Don't believe me when I say that political polarization in this country is real? Just look at news headlines for the last few months. The tea parties protesting taxatation during the 4th of July, "birthers" who question the legitimacy of the Obama presidency because they subscribe to a stupid fairy tell that he wasn't actually born in Hawaii, "deathers" like Sarah Palin who wrongfully insist that the end of life counseling in Obama's healthcare plan is actually a mass socialist plot to redistribute healthcare benefits to the young and to kill your grandparents off early, people who bring loaded assault rifles to town hall meetings where the president is supposed to be speaking, Democrats who insist that they want a bipartisan solution to healthcare and then run around talking about reconciliation or the ability of the senate to pass important legislation with less than the normal majority of votes.
When will America learn that these political games get us nowhere? Was the hatred and angst that Glenn Beck stirred up last week during his smear campaign against green czar Van Jones worth it? Was it worth it to call Barack Obama a closet racist and lose dozens of sponsors, Beck? The sad answeer is yes. In America such divisive and repulsive behavior by supposedly responsible politicans and pundits is rewarded with results. Van Jones resigned from his post following the effective smear campaign and while Beck's advertiser list is a little thin his number of viewers and ratings are now at an all time high!
I said earlier that I follow blogs and news stories online. I do this not so much for the information itself but to see people's reaction to what is being talked about. Obviously going to a liberal site like huffingtonpost will give me right wing bashers and vice-versa. So sometimes I visit moderate news sites where the comments are anything but. For instance, check out the comments your fellow Americans left in reaction to this story about Glenn Beck, http://washingtonindependent.com/57912/glenn-becks-next-target-cass-sunstein.
If you scroll all the way down to the bottom you can find lovely little jewels of bi-partisanship and togetherness like this:
"Glenn Beck is a race-baiting, dry-drunk opportunist who will never pass up the chance to enrich himself while serving his corporate masters. He is a demagogue of the basest and most cynical stripe"
"Sweetie, America IS a sad little place. The Republicans made it that way a few years ago. I stopped watching your news a few months ago. Every person on your networks and cable seems to be a rabid republican with no sense of humour. Your country has been turned into a 'red neck' backwoods. The world has become bored with you people. You cannot even stand up for your own President. Americans are disgusting."
"IT'S AMERICA you dumb bastard......if you don't like it leave. Spell it correctly you commie piece of crap!!!! I guess turn-a-bout is fair play right. Obama had a hidden agenda and it is slowly being exposed. Bush attacks were unfounded.
Yours truly in Afghanistan"
"Don't call me a commie. I have that right only to determine what political group I belong with. I don't criticize you for being a right wing neo con christofascist. What is the minimum security clearance?"
But wait, here is my absolute favorite one of the whole bunch.
"Left wing women need to use there mouth and thoughts for sexual pleasure only, due to the fact they are a bunch of idiots when it comes to real issues, left wing whatever? that call themselves men who in fact are cowards! need to stay home and bake cookies and clean house, let the real men due your women so that they can find out what real pleasure is all about, doing it with a real man, this would keep them out of plolitics, and in the bedroom... OK so bring it on after all I just threw a banana in the monkey pit so come on lets hear it??? after all it will be nothing more then a knee jerk reaction from cowards and pleasure dolls hearing the truth! God Bless Glenn Beck! keep up the good work in exposing the rats nest!!!!! keep the left on nut drive"
So to recap, no facts, no logic, all name calling and offensive, bigoted comments from people who fancy themselves arm chair politicians. Apparently all liberals are godless wimps and socialist commie nutjobs and all republicans are racist, redneck, uneducated drooling morons who cling to guns and God. Is this what America is becoming? These people have the right to vote in this country. They have the right to publish such hateful and vile statements that serve no purpose except to inflame tensions between the two sides. I see no truth here because there are NO FACTS! Not one person brought up facts or a reasoned argument. Where is the logic? It is all emotion that is misplaced into attempts at villifying the supposed enemy. Oh and my absolute favorite, "Left wing women need to use there mouth and thoughts for sexual pleasure only, due to the fact they are a bunch of idiots when it comes to real issues." Are you kidding me?! Who died and put women's rights back two hundred years? This poster has the nerve to say something as blatantly sexist and offensive as offensive gets and then two sentences later is invoking the name of God to support his side of the debate. Hypocrisy at is absolute worst. I'm pretty sure that God wouldn't want you debasing his children like that. Oh and the last time I checked a man's political leanings have nothing at all to do with their ability or lack of ability to please a woman in bed as that same ignorant comment so asserted (also making me lament over this misguided fool's concept of real manhood but I digress).
This is where we stand America. These are the people that goble up partisan politics like there is no tomorrow. These are the people that continue to make it possible for the Glenn Beck's and Rush Limbaugh's of the world to make a living spewing their messages of hate and intolerance across the airwaves. It is one thing to reason and to defend your position with facts and numbers and statistics. It is another thing entirely to make baseless claims that fan the already rising flames of fear and intolerance in this great nation. No matter what side you support, if you see or hear mudslinging, race-baiting or any other attempt to divide our country for ones own personal or political gain then put a stop to it. The only way to confront lies is with the truth.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
The Heart of the Republican Party
I am a political moderate. I see myself as conservative on things such as family values yet liberal on foreign relations issues and things like health care and social security. As an educated man, I know the importance of balance and reason. Often times no one side is totally right on a particular issue. The best solutions are usually some sort of compromise.
Politics is all about selling an image. Politicians are well aware of this fact. That is why all of their double speak and long rhetorical answers that dont really give up any useful information are such a part of the profession. Politicians know, especially in the age of mass media and the internet, that one slip of the tongue can cost them their entire career. Some people like Bill Clinton are lucky enough to recover and continue to prosper. Other's like Howard Dean in the 2004 Democratic primaries didnt even have to SAY anything to crush their hopes at elected office. His strange and inexplicable shrill yell during a campaign rally convinced the general public that he was a little loose in the head and not fit to run for president.
I would like to think that America is capable of electing smart people to public office. Serving the public, when done right, is one of the most fulfilling and important careers that a person can have. So why do supposed smart people do and say stupid things? And I'm not talking about off the cuff remarks that are maybe questionable. Forget all the name calling and political spins and hearsay, when a politician says something so outrageous and so blatantly offensive as to call into question their ability to effectively perform their job, then they should be held responsible.
U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins, a Republican from Kansas, was talking at a forum in her home state when she made the comment that Republicans were looking for a "great white hope" as an answer to Obama's popularity and his policy proposals. Really? Why can't the Republican answer be Bobby Jindal, the popular and well spoken minority governor of Louisianna? Or how about Michael Steele, the new chairman of the Republican national party? Or maybe Michelle Malkin, a right wing leaning blogger and author whose column is one of the most widely read blogs in the country, (and is also very attractive I might add). But no, according to this bigot of a representative from Kansas, the Republican party must continue its long history of nominating old white protestant males for the highest office in the land.
There are two things that make this whole situation so revolting. The first is that she is certainly not the only one in the Republican party who thinks along racial lines. The whole ruckus over Sotomayor and the wise latina crap was unbelievable. If you didn't hear about all that then see my other posts. No one in the Republican party is thinking about using minorities as anything more than a sideshow, clowns who can keep the public's attention long enough for them to find their next White boy golden child who will save America for the real Americans, white people. Now I just said previously that I believe in moderation and that mudslinging and name calling are really not productive ways to help our country to grow and become better. But her comment can only be seen as racist. It is a comment that someone who has a superior social position thanks to the color of their skin would say because the status quo is being challenged. Yes America has a black president and its about time too!
More importantly, this comment will only further divide this country. Right now with all of the ruckus over healthcare reform and two ongoing wars the last thing our country needs is to be distracted by this crap. The best part is that Obama doesn't act like a he is "the Black president" Sure he plays basketball on the weekends and has a beautiful and intelligent Black wife that he goes on dates with, but its not like he is in the hood taking complaints from everyday folk and then going back to Washington to fight for the rights of minorities while forsaking all his other constituents. Obama is everyone's president. He was elected with the help of white voters in this country! Is everyone who opposes Obama racist? Absolutely not. Is every Republican a white supremacist? Nope. But when you have a party with people like Glenn Beck who make a completely unfounded an equally stupid claim that Obama has a deep seated hatred for white people or people that bring loaded assault rifles to rallys where the president is speaking or congressmen that throw away all decorum an common sense and insist on parading out yet another ancient white guy to run this country, it starts to make me wonder about the future of the Republican party.
They say that by 2040 this country will be predominately people of color and that whites will be the official minority. Maybe then the Republican party will support government initiatives like social security and a public option for healthcare reform. As long as the new minority benefits!
All of the political science literature that I have read to date has suggested that America's two party system will never change thanks to the political structure of the nation and other factors. I love watching the cable news networks like MSNBC and Fox News because all of the hosts make wild predicitons and crazy claims about their opponents in an attempt to drive up ratings. I do not subscribe to propaganda or sensationalist journalism. However here is my own crazy claim that common sense and the facts actually support. If the Republican party continues to pursue divisive racial politics in an era when the rest of the country is trying to move on then of of two things will happen. Either the smart Republicans will distance themselves from the looney ones and we will have a three party system with a major political realignment, or the Republican party will cease to exist alltogether as an effective political force. Fortunately in America the people with common sense outnumber idiots like Glenn Beck and Representative Jenkins. Our democaracy will flourish, unlike the careers of the foolish.
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