The Republican Party is racist.
Just recently I read that some Black people have talked publicly about congressional intransigence toward Barack Obama as racist. Had never read that before; had had only the most fleeting thoughts of that before. Overwhelmingly, I had always thought of it as bitter partisanship, which is what you read over and over again.
Elizabeth Lauten's Facebook post made me think of it again: The Obama kids didn't look or act like First Children should. I thought of an interview that I heard during the 2012 campaign. An older white couple came out of a Republican event and the wife said "We need a First Lady that looks like a First Lady. Michelle Obama does not look like a First Lady."
Now, the obvious, of course: Michelle Obama doesn't look like a First Lady. How so (aside from being Black)? The reporter asked and I don't remember the woman's response but it did not enlighten; whatever the answer was, you didn't go "Oh! that's it; thought she meant 'cause she's Black." Because what answer COULD she give?
But the other thing: "We need a First Lady..."? Actually, we don't need a First Lady! Don't need one at all. I don't remember ever before hearing that "I'm for so-and-so for president because his wife looks like a real First Lady."
I mean, look, I have a rule: "Never talk to the people."(It's not a common rule.) In a democracy, during an election, it's not a good idea, it will destroy your faith in popular government; we're so stupid--When was the last time you heard a real thoughtful answer from one of those man-in-the-street interviews?--but this lady's answer was so retarded (Yes, I know that's politically incorrect) even before she got to the "Michelle Obama doesn't look like..."
So if somebody says that Sasha and Malia don't look or act like First Kids or that Michelle doesn't look like a First Lady, I will bet you that those folks don't think Barack Obama looks like a president either! Huh? How about that for connecting the dots? YES!
And that is racism.
Anyway, I agree with those Black folk I have read about who think that Republican opposition to Barack Obama is in part racist. Republicans never wanted this president to succeed, they were not going to cooperate in governing the country because that would mean a Black man had succeeded. Republicans wanted Obama to fail because Black people "look like" failures to them.
The irony is that the most fevered Republican intransigence, like shutting down the government, marginally helped Obama, it made the Republicans look so bad it made the president look reasonable by contrast. But since the 2010 mid-term elections they have stymied everything President Obama has suggested. They just will not participate in government with a Black president. Very little has gotten done as a result and of course that has hurt Obama's presidency. But, in my view anyway, the supreme irony is that Obama's failures have been of his own making. He has shown that he can put a bird into an air pump all by himself, just like presidents did who have had wives and kids who "look like" a First Family.
Just recently I read that some Black people have talked publicly about congressional intransigence toward Barack Obama as racist. Had never read that before; had had only the most fleeting thoughts of that before. Overwhelmingly, I had always thought of it as bitter partisanship, which is what you read over and over again.
Elizabeth Lauten's Facebook post made me think of it again: The Obama kids didn't look or act like First Children should. I thought of an interview that I heard during the 2012 campaign. An older white couple came out of a Republican event and the wife said "We need a First Lady that looks like a First Lady. Michelle Obama does not look like a First Lady."
Now, the obvious, of course: Michelle Obama doesn't look like a First Lady. How so (aside from being Black)? The reporter asked and I don't remember the woman's response but it did not enlighten; whatever the answer was, you didn't go "Oh! that's it; thought she meant 'cause she's Black." Because what answer COULD she give?
But the other thing: "We need a First Lady..."? Actually, we don't need a First Lady! Don't need one at all. I don't remember ever before hearing that "I'm for so-and-so for president because his wife looks like a real First Lady."
I mean, look, I have a rule: "Never talk to the people."(It's not a common rule.) In a democracy, during an election, it's not a good idea, it will destroy your faith in popular government; we're so stupid--When was the last time you heard a real thoughtful answer from one of those man-in-the-street interviews?--but this lady's answer was so retarded (Yes, I know that's politically incorrect) even before she got to the "Michelle Obama doesn't look like..."
So if somebody says that Sasha and Malia don't look or act like First Kids or that Michelle doesn't look like a First Lady, I will bet you that those folks don't think Barack Obama looks like a president either! Huh? How about that for connecting the dots? YES!
And that is racism.
Anyway, I agree with those Black folk I have read about who think that Republican opposition to Barack Obama is in part racist. Republicans never wanted this president to succeed, they were not going to cooperate in governing the country because that would mean a Black man had succeeded. Republicans wanted Obama to fail because Black people "look like" failures to them.
The irony is that the most fevered Republican intransigence, like shutting down the government, marginally helped Obama, it made the Republicans look so bad it made the president look reasonable by contrast. But since the 2010 mid-term elections they have stymied everything President Obama has suggested. They just will not participate in government with a Black president. Very little has gotten done as a result and of course that has hurt Obama's presidency. But, in my view anyway, the supreme irony is that Obama's failures have been of his own making. He has shown that he can put a bird into an air pump all by himself, just like presidents did who have had wives and kids who "look like" a First Family.
