First up we have House Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), who sees Klans men riding in the night if Rep. Joe Wilson isn’t rebuked.
Next we have ex president Jimmy Carter, who thinks that the main reason people oppose Obama is because he is black.
While it is all to easy to lampoon mental midgets like Johnson and Carter for their manufactured charges of racism, it is time to start taking these race card dealers seriously. These race card dealers’ actions, be they intentional (may God curse them) or unintentional, have two very serious consequences for America.
The first consequence is obvious, a clash of the races. On one side you have black people. Many who readily buy into these bogus charges of racism because them have been fed a steady diet of racial distrust from the left. On the other side you have white people. Many who are getting more than just a little fed up with being called racist by the left, simply because they hold a different view from Obama. Sooner or later these opposing views are going to meet and something very ugly will result.
The second consequence is that it will be a very long time before we have another black as president. If a white person opposing a black president’s policies makes them a racist, then many white people will simply choose to avoid that label by not voting for any more black presidents in the future.
If we do not want to see race relations in America set back 50 years, then we should all start taking a sterner hand to race card dealers like Johnson, Carter, Dowd and Garofalo.
My personal view of racism is that there is still too much in the world. To make up charges of racism just to score political points is nothing less than pure evil. That is how I would label all these racial hucksters and treat them accordingly.
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36 comments:
This is a very well written piece and I agree with your conclusions 100%. There is enough real racism in this country that we do not need fabricated racism. I served in the military and have seen just about all the racism, white on black and black on white, that I can stomach. Where I live, in my neighborhood, I am in the minority; there are more blacks than whites on my block. Both my wife and I have been called racist by our neighbors because we do not support the health care bill (more likely, it is because we are no longer registered Democrats so that must make us traitors and racists). Now my kid is being harrassed at his bus stop. What does a person's race have to do with a policy we disagree with? Are we not allowed to disagree with another person if we aren't the same race? Everything you have warned about in your blog is already starting to happen. I watched the President's address to Congress and at no time was a racial epithet uttered. All Rep. Wilson said was "You lie". It was a bad move (and bad taste) and Wilson admitted his mistake. The man has publicly apologized twice and the President has accepted his apology. Enough is enough.
Hank Johnson happens to be my representative here in Georgia. I voted for this huckster to keep Cynthia McKinney (the Republican candidate had no chance)from being able to represent my district ever again. During his time as county commissioner I never heard this kind of dribble from the man.
Cliff you and I often think on the same lines. I too have said that we may never have another black president because to disagree is akin to racist views. Even though the race hucksters forget that B-Rock is bi-racial or as I like to term him semi-black. What if he had been born with the skin tone of his mother would they be standing up to holler racism?
I live in the "Deep South" and I'm sorry to say that you can't change some (or any) of these old people. Color is still a major part of their world.
I've always defended Carter, as at least being a decent human being and I still stand by that. Misguided, but decent.
You have to see the situation from the angle he's viewing it from.
After 30 years down here, I just spendt a year in small town Iowa... I hold more hope for small town Alabama and the "next generation" that comes into power.
I prefer any bullcrap to be one the table and not stashed in the closent.
'..an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity towards President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man...'
Jimmy Carter's words.
We have to consider the source, and the track record of the source.
This man came within a whisker of destroying the country during his tenure, and was tossed out of office by an indignant electorate. He has spent his lifetime blaming us all for his failures, as we continue to deal with the fallout from his folly.
I'm a middle-aged white guy who didn't vote for BHO, and think he has charted a course for the country at least as dangerous as Carter's.
It's not racist to say this, is it?
But to characterize disagreement as racism poisons the well, and (I think deliberately) distracts from any sort of orderly discussion of public issues.
And I don't see the White House doing anything to distance itself from this line of thinking.
Old lawyer joke:
If you don't have the law, pound the facts.
If you don't have the facts, pound the law.
If you don't have either, pound the table.
I hear the sound of flesh on hardwood.
Thank you, Clifton. You, again, are spot-on. You are a refreshing voice and I enjoy your blog very much. I think most of America has caught on to President Carter's feeble attempts to stir the pot over the years with his utter nonsense. It's actually very sad and seems to have gotten worse over the past few years. I can only pray for him at this point. When those who cry racism have nothing to back it up with, as it is in the case with Rep. Wilson, then it just bounces back onto the accuser and they appear ridiculous. Unfortunately, there are those who will take this charge and run with it, as the mainstreet media is doing. Surprise Surprise!
Cliff,
I suck!
Will host your post tomorrow, promise.
Very measured and intelligent post - I just wish those in positions of responsibility would elucidate such a thoughtfully articulated view.
My (far more snarky) take on it:
http://trackacrat.com/2009/09/16/and-for-my-next-trick/
Cliff, as always, an incredible piece of writing.
Thanks for telling it like it is.
First time reading your posts; they are excellent. I agree there is still abundant racism about, but it will never get resolved by accentuating the hostility, which more than adequately serves as a deflection from the real issues at hand. Spending, healthcare, etc. Kudos.
Excellent post, you have again 'hit the nail on the head!' I wish there was space to copy an editorial written yesterday by Mona Charen (Creators Syndicate) in The Pueblo Chieftain newspaper. The title was "Obama has lots of trouble with numbers." It, too, was a excellent piece of writing.
I am sadly not surprised by former President Carter's ridiculous use of the 'race card.' Barack Obama is our President period ... not our BLACK president. I think he is a narcissist, a socialist, an opportunist who happens to be of 'color.' Carter's presidency almost did the US in ... Carter's comments can only hurt Obama.
OMG ... this guy, Hank Johnson (D-GA), could hardly elucidate his thoughts. And the LEAP he took from 'You lie.' to racism?!?...Eyy-yi-yi....and HE is a House Representative!
*
2nd thought... WOW... I could not have said, explained or illustrated the point you made any better. You fabulously tied and connected all in such a laconic manner.
You're right on.
Thank you for observing proper orthography: There are five A's in "raaaaacism."
Somebody really ought to write that book. Not me, however, so feel free to use that title, so long as you acknowledge the source. God has a rich sense of irony, I'm told.
Clifton, you hit the nail on the head, there is no place for racism in this country. Equally bad, probably even worse, are the race baiters who are trying to frame the argument that if you disagree with or call out the POTUS than you must be a racist because he is African-American.
Fortunately, anyone with any intelligence knows that someone who needs to resort to name calling is usually on the wrong side of the argument and is unable to justify their position with facts or rational discussion.
Joe Wilson may have acted like a jackass with little decorum, but that does not make what he said racist.
As usual, the mediots and progressives are either clueless to what the problems really are in this country and/or have no interest solving them.
MKotyk88:
I am sorry to hear about the troubles you are having my friend. However, what you are experiencing is what comes from all these false allegations. Take heart, the recent Rasmussen poll shows that only 12% of Americans have fallen for these bogus racial allegations.
As I said in my post, we have to take a stern hand to the race card players before they ruin our nation.
Ron B:
OMG, I would have voted for a pet rock rather than that whack job Cynthia McKinny. Hank Johnson clearly has spent too much time with the Congressional Black Caucus. That crew are masters of brewing racial hatred, unless of course they visit the Socialist Paradise of Cuba, then all of a sudden they could not find racism with a flashlight. Hucksters the whole damn lot.
If Obama was really light skinned, I am sure liberal blacks still would have voted for him. After all they seem to accept the idea of Bill Clinton being the first black president.
@eloh:
Like I said in my post, there is racism. It does exist. I am sure some people voted against Obama because of it. However, what we have here is this attempt to paint everyone with a broad brush for political reasons and I find it absolutely evil to add to the real racism that already exists.
I have never been a big fan of Carter. When I was younger I held the save views of him as you do. Decent but misguided. However as I got older and learned some of his views regarding Israel and Palestine, I can no longer justify calling him decent.
Old South:
This man came within a whisker of destroying the country during his tenure, and was tossed out of office by an indignant electorate. He has spent his lifetime blaming us all for his failures, as we continue to deal with the fallout from his folly"
Very well said. I have detected the bitterness too. He loves to inject himself into things like he is trying to make up for being the worst of the worst.
I too sense that the Obama administration is being way too passive about quelling these racism charges. Especially when we consider that they are coming from his side of the fence.
gardeningmom:
Thank you. I get the feeling that Carter's comment may have been the last straw to break the camel's back on all these bogus racist charges. A lot of people are getting quite indignant about it. In the end, all the phony racism charges do is guarantee that Obama will be a one termer no matter what he ends up doing over the next 3 years.
Track A Crat:
No rush on the hosting, Take your time. I wish a lot of those in Washington would just show an ounce of common sense. Everything over there is just so whacked out.
Gary:
That is high praise coming from you. You write some of the best posts around Gary!
Velcro:
Thank you and welcome to ABC. Yes, most of these bogus racism charges have more to do with not answering our questions on health care, spending and the like, than they have to do with reality.
Sadly it appears that according to Rasmussen's latest poll, 12% of us fall for this nonsense.
Fruitcake Sandy:
You can email me the link to the article, my email addy is on the right side of the page.
In essence the whole opposition to Obama comes down to this:
"It's not the racism it's the socialism. Makes no difference what color the person pushing it is, we don't want it"!
Bz:
Johnson sounded embarrassingly stupid, I cringe every time I see that video. I think about all the bozos we have in Washington today and I try to imagine them getting America though the rough patches of the past like the Civil War, WW I and II, Civil Rights, etc. Quite frankly, I am hard pressed to find one serious statesman. We truly have a collection of hucksters.
RSM:
When it comes to using the proper orthography for that word, I learned from the best ;-)
As far as writing the book, I think I will leave that to someone more skilled than I. Although it would be ironic!
RSM:
When it comes to using the proper orthography for that word, I learned from the best ;-)
As far as writing the book, I think I will leave that to someone more skilled than I. Although it would be ironic!
Chris W:
The reason for all this sudden racism is because they have no answers to our questions. So they chuck the race card to shut us up. Ain't gonna happen.
I must say the hatred shown for President Obama is sad. And a lot of it is fueled by racism and hatred for people of color. Until you have walked in a person of color’s shoes for a lifetime you will never understand what it means to be a person of color. It’s the attitude that we get oh well hell we let you come in the front door now so shut up and act as though you are treated fairly. These are deep rooted issues and no person not of color would want to trade places with a person of color period so don’t tell us how to feel or what to say. And regardless He is still your president. He was elected by the people not just minorities Americans of all color. No one was upset about a president that stole two terms this man wants to make a difference and Jimmy Carter is not lying it is all the truth but you would have had to live it to understand it.
Anonymous @ 8:36 am :
"..Until you have walked in a person of color’s shoes for a lifetime you will never understand what it means to be a person of color..."
Excuse me? You do realize the name of this blog is called Another BLACK Conservative? Question: Did you just go around the blogosphere cutting and pasting this comment on any blog that mentioned Jimmy Carter and just got a little carried away with yourself?
A typical non-story interview with an inconsequential person. I haven't found anyone in my lifetime that is impressed by Jimmy Carter.
I wonder if the liberal media realizes how transparant their efforts have become. The most watched news is reporting on the misuse of public funds by Acorn, and the cheerleaders are trying to attach importance to the ramblings of a bitter old failed politician.
Jess:
I think Carter may have bitten off more than he could chew:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27248.html
I am starting to sense that there is a growing revulsion to all things left. Americans are getting a good look at "progressives" and their policies, tactics and beliefs and the view ain't pretty. I think we are seeing the very early stages of a true political realignment.
I think you're right. There was a time when playing the race card would get some traction with political agendas. I'm finding more people repulsed by this action and wondering about the intentions.
Although some of the press may avoid it, we're all in this together. Tyranny and Socialism are equal opportunity oppressors.
Revulsion is a good word for it. I have tried to think they were just ill-informed, immature, or had poor judgement, but it looks more and more like malice.
The damage they are doing is incredible even if bills are stalled. Libs act like they care if the world "likes" us, but this backing off the missile defense shield gives any allies an excellent reason to never trust the US again.
I'm just sick about what is happening.
You need to watch out for overstatement. If you hunt 'round the Web you can find the full text of Carter's comments; they aren't even false, given that one expects hyperbole from a political commentator. It's the interpretation being placed on those comments by (especially) the Leftoid bunch that comes out flat lies.
The effect you need to watch out for isn't "I'm not a racist, so those people are lying boors." It's "*shrug* OK, I'm a racist, and I'm never gonna get past it, according to them. Why make any effort to avoid racism?"
More at my blog. Even if you don't link me, I'd be interested in your comments on what's there. The email in my Blogger profile works.
Regards,
Ric
Jess:
Have you been watching some of the former MSM headlines? They seem to realize that the race card has backfired badly.
jodetoad:
"..but it looks more and more like malice."
Bingo! That is exactly how you should frame the Dems action. They hide behind a veneer of of faux compassion when their actions and policies are really evil.
Ric:
Actually what we are seeing is that the charge of Racism is becoming a joke. The danger there is that real acts of racism will start to get a collective yawn from everyone.
And then I gotta deal with this nonsense with my 9th graders. It's not like I have enough to do with the teaching part, but then I have to undo this nonsense as well.
The worst part is that if there is a real case of racism, it won't be taken as seriously as it should because of everyone and their cousin crying wolf every time Obama is criticized.
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