Blackwashing: Colbert Unveils New Strategy For Racists Who Want To Bash Obama (VIDEO)

Stephen Colbert defended those American politicians who choose to refer to President Obama as "that boy" or "uppity" (or send emails depicting the White House as a watermelon patch) last night in a segment called "blackwashing." Colbert insisted that these critiques, along with those from Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh that accuse Barack Obama of doling out reparations, are not in fact racist, just badly packaged. Stephen insists that the better way to roll out such criticism is with the stamp of approval of a black person so that you can hide behind their racial shield while slinging mud. Colbert went so far as to suggest racists adopt black children and/or dress in blackface to achieve such ends.


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Comments

[mapmaker515]

Great satire of not only the denial of racism regarding Obama but underlines very documented examples. Genuis.

[brooklyncitizen]

Idea1013

"As a student of psychology and sociology, I understand what the term racism means, as well as the more general prejudice, or bigotry, if you will. You, on the other hand, are defining these terms emotionally, not literally, as I was."
__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­____

rac⋅ism
  /ˈreɪsɪzəm/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [rey-siz-uhm] Show IPA

–noun
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.

2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.

3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

How's that?

[Idea1013]

I'm certain that you are trying to make some point here, but not sure what that point is. The post you took that line from was a response to a post where you defined racism as:

"Racism is institutionalized oppression impacting access to housing (Katrina) availability of public services (Katrina), emergency response (Katrina) , employment, justice system, access to a good education etc....INS­­TITUTIONA­L­IZED."

As you can see, that is nowhere near the definition I provided in the following post, nor is it close to the def. you provide above. Your attacks are fallacious, though I cannot understand why since you seem to be quite intelligent . This is why I suggested earlier that the post read as emotional, not reasonable.

[brooklyncitizen]

LOL
Or we can write this up as the yet another condescending liberal response .
Interesting that your perception is that of being "attacked" . What does your sociology/­psychology training tell you about that? Hmmm....?

[brooklyncitizen]

Read #2:
"policy system of government"= Institutionalized

[brooklyncitizen]

Colbert who claims he " doesn't see color" is brilliant. Just that phrase alone mirrors the lack of self-reflection by some in white America...­especially the many who feel the need to proclaim their non-racist views (red flag).

The absurdity of the phrase and it's brilliance lies in the fact that the truth is the complete opposite.

[Artos]

Racism exists in every race. None are free of it. Whenever one race is a majority in a Country always there will be discrimination of some kind against the minority. The question becomes
how much and to what degree is it innocent and when does it become violent or create inequality. Do all whites treat all Blacks with disdain on a daily basis or do they share work relations, social relations and associate freely with each other. Many people of all colors resist the idea of inter marriage for example, and yet there are many that could care less about it. There are those in some parts of this country who are still doing their best to hinder the advancement of the Black Populations within their territories. As long as these kinds of things persist we will remain a nation a odds with itself. Those who live in the past and resist change will ultimately keep America in the Dark Ages.

[brooklyncitizen]

Two points :

No racism does not exist in every race. Prejudice does, racism is institutionalized policy such as apartheid, Jim Crow, slavery, racial profiling, redlining (banks that turn down minority applicants for loans- a widespread policy in many urban areas in the 1970's) etc.

"Do all whites treat all Blacks with disdain on a daily basis or do they share work relations, social relations and associate freely with each other. Many people of all colors resist the idea of inter marriage for example, and yet there are many that could care less about it."

Prejudice is subtle, racism isn't. People react to other's physical appearance it's what's known as race and gender politics. You don't get to think about it -you respond, unless you are very aware and have processed and thought through a lot of your perceptions yoru responses are based on your feelings about race.

It's as simple as not addressing the one black person in your meeting, or if there are two black people in your office calling them by the same name as if they are interchangeable though they may be very different in appearance. It's not "criminal" but it does indicate that the response is based solely on race or gender for that matter. Don't let me get started on that last one....

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

The racist rhetoric from the right,usually couched in language that can provide a means of denial, or excused as a misunderstanding,or some other vacuous reasoning, is finally coming back to bite them in the rear.The majority of Americans are not racists(Republicans included) and it doesn't take a genius to see through the comments and behaviour of right wing politicians and talk show hosts that expose their bigotry openly.

Maybe it's a good thing these politicians expose themselves for what they are.Come election time when these racists are voted out of office or conversely voted in, we'll get a better picture of how much work needs to be done.

I'm of the opinion now that it will take at least a few more generations to close the book on racism.I think it will happen when their numbers trickle downward to a low enough point that racism will be viewed more as a perversion­,something shameful that (normal) people don't want to be associated with.But as long as we have people willing to proudly stand and make asses of themselves,it won't go away.

[surfcitysteven]

The best proof of right wing racism is in the actions of the people around the most egregious offenders. People walked by and just chuckled at the man with the "Obama-monkey" at the Palin rally. Pretty telling. Look at the tea-bagger rallies and all the hate-posters. Nobody gets in their grill, it is just welcome approval of their bigotry with smiles all around.

[conscioushope]

surfcity~

You've hit it right on! Thanks for this excellent example....that seems benign, but is malignant racism.

[QuanticoCat]

As long as any one person indulges in racism, no matter how it is justified or rationalized, it will never cease to be a problem.

[conscioushope]

Quantico~

Yes! And, also as long as one person ignores racism, it will continue.

[mamacat]

Colbert is brilliant. A picture truly is worth a thousand words.

[LemonMeringue]

My husband says all this racism was lost baggage in this country and the baggage suddenly showed up after all these years. Well put, I thought.

The country has already moved on and these folks are freaking out because they know they've been left behind. They are loud and rude but they are not the majority and they are not America. They're dinosaurs.

[brooklyncitizen]

Not if you are on the receiving end it's not "lost baggage" ; it's a daily reality. I think it's more like collective amnesia for those that don't have to deal with it.

[redhead61]

You are of course very right and that was an important point.

[joeyfoto]

LemonlMeringue wrote: "The country has already moved on and these folks are freaking out because they know they've been left behind. They are loud and rude but they are not the majority and they are not America. They're dinosaurs."

Dear LemonMeringue, that is also very well put. Let us hope that you are correct. If those who whip up desperate passion in these pathetically ignorant and frightened people, win by cynical manipulation of bigotry and ignorance, America is in for a long-slow-slide into a dark pool of slime. We thought that 2008 was THE big election; 2010 is the election of the century.

The Republican Party has chosen to go for the lowest common denominator of politics. They are counting on ignorance, bigotry and fear. They have turned their backs on all honest debate. It is up to the rest of us too keep up the pressure by taking more seats in 2010, in both the House and Senate. America is at a tipping point, if the GOP wins with the politics of stupidity, we are in for a very bad future.

[KarateKid]

Colbert hails from South Carolina, proving that they ain't all like dem boys Wilson and Sanford.

[QuanticoCat]

How do we end racism in this country?

[roberto8ag]

"How do we end racism in this country?"

I don't think is possible...

"If a black man is racist, is it okay?
When it's the white man's racism that made him that way,
Because the bully's the victim they say,
By some sense they're all the same."

- Katie Melua

[satanlite]

"If a black man is racist, is it okay? "

Absolutely not.

[Garioch]

Not only is she not Bob Dylan she's not even Frank Dylan. That's not even deep enough to be called shallow.

[listentome]

Ignorance exists in all cultures. And quite contrary to many whites beliefs, most black people do not think that a black racist is any better than most white people think of a white racist.

[negogato]

I will say we have come this far as a nation; racists do not like being called racists. The word they are is the word they fear. It is a step.
And yes as Idea1013 says there is more to it. There was strong racism against Irish and Italians by self proclaimed Real Americans until really quite recently. There has been very strong bias by Protestants against the minority of Catholics until really quite recently. Anti Semitism has been eclipsed by Anti Islam in the last few years but is that an improvement in our national character?
The problem right now is the rant stance that the country is being taken away from self proclaimed Real Americans by Americans that they do not value. And something must be done. It is pushed by Beck and Limbaugh that the answer is action: violence. It is not us against them Rush; you want us against us.
We are citizens, patriots and compatriot’s all. Saying that the President himself is not a citizen is the grand tumor of this cancer. Being in the minority in terms of advantage and income is not a reason to be prevented from voting. This is fundamental to the sickness that contests over who is a Real and who is not a Real American in America. The natural result of this sickness is a shift to violence to reclaim something we are told is being lost – because the orderly process of voting didn’t work.

[Beca]

negogato, what you are referencing about Irish and Italians is not accurate, you can't be "racist" against people from your same race! Irish and Italian and other European white people are all the same "Race", they are of different Ethnicity and Culture, but the same Race. What the Irish and Italian people experienced was deep prejudice and classism, since these groups entering the U.S. were very poor and under-educated--the Irish arrived because of the Potato famine, they were mostly the very poor under educated farmers who came here. Yes, they were treated horribly and there was a great deal of prejudice and discriminaiton against them, but they did not experience "racism".
So many people in this country use, overuse and misuse hot button words without knowing what those words acutally mean causing great damage. Overusing and misusing these hot button word dillutes and even over-simplifies the true meaning and impact of these words. These days its' "racism" and "socialism", and most of those who misuse these words are the same ones who chant "English only" and "English is the "ofical" language". Its very sad and disturbing.
I do agree with the rest of your post.

[Policon]

I take deep offense that what happened to the Italians and Irish wasn't racism. You assume that because they were "white," they were only hated because they were poor and undereducated. BS. Italians were called the n-word when they got off the boat. The largest mass-mob lynching in America took place in New Orleans with 12 Italians. Italians were interned during WWII (not to the extent of the Japanese), and the federal government refuses to acknowledge it, let alone apologize for it. Even the Irish weren't considered "white." Americans threw rocs at the Irish when they got off the boat. To say that what they went through wasn't racism is totally disgusting.

[t9chi]

I think now is the time. Now that we have brought them to the front, I think it is time to let them know we see what they are and we think it is reprehensible. That we will no longer tolerate it in this country. Speak up at the ballot boxes. Let them know enough is enough.

[Artos]

Every ethnic group has found someone else to hate. Were this nation entirely composed of White people, I am absolutely sure that we would still find one segment of the population that was treated as less than the rest. We in America have a way of separating ourselves in one fashion or another. Look at sports and how we have different sports teams at odds with each joined by those who live in the City or region from which their teams originate. Fights often brew up between rival sports addicts. The military often uses the tactic of Inter- Branch competitiveness to set up rivalry. This has and does lead to fights between members of the different branches. Even our intelligence agencies defend their territories jealously to the point that their was no cooperation when it was needed prior to 9/11.
I could set forth even more examples, but you get the point. These examples vary in the degree of the hostility shared or held by each but it does show that these things happen and are easy to create. The Question should be why are humans so simple minded that it does happen.

[John Hoyes]

The Colbert Report writing staff really pushed the envelop on this one.

[jan4insight]

And they did it well!

[listentome]

It was superb. Comedians may just be the answer to the beginning of a serious conversation about racism.

[valkyrie607]

"Stephen has no black writers"--I was splitting my sides at that one.

[kannita]

It was disturbing but true. Probably totally lost on the right-wing.

[PlainBread]

LoL. He covers all issues in such short amount of time. Colbert is genius.

[CheBella]

Colbert is soooooooo great ---

Also love what Bill Maher said --

All Republicans aren't racists,

but if you are a racist, you are probably a Republican.

[listentome]

So true.

[brooklyncitizen]

Hate to break it to you...many liberals are racists or bigotted.

[POLINUT]

Colbert is genius! Bravo!