We Hanged Him Because There Was a Tree There

Republicans outraged at criticism of some of their racist loyalists are acting like a lynch mob explaining away the rope. “We didn’t hang him because of race. We hanged him because there was a tree there.”

The party’s faithful, which sadly includes many angry racists, continue to engage in hate talk. Birther idiocy about Obama’s alleged alien illegitimacy, automatic weapons brought to presidential appearances, back-to-Africa posters, Southern governors talking of secession, ugly photos, Joe Wilson’s tacit assumption of white supremacy with his public show of disrespect – these aren’t spontaneous outbursts of emotion. They are well-executed strategies by dangerous elements of Republican party – and their hand-washing enablers.

But when someone calls them out on the racism, Republicans accuse the truth tellers of “playing the race card.”  Many – not, thankfully, all – in the mainstream media are the ultimate not-my-problem bystanders, afraid to get involved, shaking their heads at the belligerents as if there was not a profound moral principle at stake. Talking about race in America is playing with fire, they say. They are willing and even eager to cover the real fires when they come, but they will not participate in prevention.

GOP strategists assume all talk about racism probably helps their cause. It keeps their base fired up; it distracts from the issues at hand, like health care reform. For different reasons, the White House must try to keep the focus elsewhere. Obama is everyone’s president, and he is right to lead by example, to prove wrong by action the dehumanizing, racist ideology still alive in America.

But we can’t be silent in the face of mindless bullies. They must be forcefully confronted.

I hope it is true that America is slowly approaching a post-racial era. Most young people I know, at least those that grew up outside bigoted families who taught the fourth “R” of racism, are way ahead of their elders on matters of prejudice. Nixon once pointed to extremists and asked a great, Silent Majority to join him in opposing them. I believe a silent (and not-so-silent) America  is opposed to today's right-wing extremists. They need to know we are standing up to protect them.

On the other hand, what will it take to ease the tension between the worldviews in collision in America today? White racists believe non-whites are subhuman. The election of Barack Obama has shaken them in a way far different from progressives' reaction to George W. Bush.

The pre-Civil War era is called the ante-bellum period, the time before the war. Like that time, there is talk of secession from Southern governors like Rick Perry. Like that time, there is a growing “tenth amendment” movement based in part on the idea that Obama’s presidency is illegitimate. Is this America's new ante-bellum era?

No, there won’t be a shooting Civil War. But I have to ask:  don't many of us have the sense that the racist anger will continue to grow, or to grow louder, until some tragedy occurs? Will it take the deaths of young innocents?

For once, can’t we confront a menace like this head-on before the tragedy of the last act? The old saying from the theater is, a gun introduced in the first act is fired before the play is done. Well, guns have been introduced again – on the street – in the opening acts of this awful drama. If we are the civilized people we say we are, we will bring the curtain down now. We cannot wait.

Cross-posted at DogCanyon.org

 

 

Follow Glenn W. Smith on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@glennwsmith

Comments

[Pyrum]

When someone calls them out on playing the race card, democrats accuse the truth tellers of being racist.

[Cassandra2]

You can't "play the race card" if there isn't something to play against, can you? Spin and distort all you want, the facts remain facts.

[SouthHouse]

Given that white men have been in power in North America since 1619 (and still essentially are), let's go with that card game metaphor a little further and consider the following questions:

1. Who started the game?
2. Who supplied the deck of cards?
3. Who has been the dealer since the game began?
4. Who inserted a race card into the deck in the first place-- and why?
5. Why is the race card still IN the deck if it's so objectionable? (Hint: go back to Question 4)
6. Who has played the race card most often since the game began? (Hint: Question 2)
7. Who wins most often when the race card is played? (Hint: Question 1)

Who wants to answer these questions?

[Freesia2]

They want the tragedy Glenn. They are courting it, promoting, practically salivating for it.

Why it is that they would think that such a vile and inhuman tactic to try to claw their way to power would make an Independent like me want to vote them? I told someone from the GOP recently that they should just drop the G and O and the P and instead strinks some Ks together - say about 3 - and monogram that on their towels because what they're doing and more importantly the impulse that feeds it is no different from the men in the sheets who wear theirs Ks with pride.

I feel helpless. I said that here the other day and some very nice posters told me not to feel that way, to trust the secret service to do their job, to get off my duff and get busy supporting candidates down ticket. Etc. Sound advice. But I still feel paralyzed because I feel like I'm waiting for the shoe. Not the one that's thrown. The one that drops.

This began, this "be racist or bust" technique by the GOP began last fall with the Palin rallies. And this is where it's led. Here we are.

[pons1595]

As a white man who has socialized with mostly white people for over 60 years, I must tell you that racism is alive and well in this country as deeply as it ever was. Yes, for a while--pre- Obama election--their racism was somewhat hidden and not as manifest as it is today. But to act as if racism isn't playing a major role in all the political issues of today is stupid and ignorant; the Frankenstein mob mentality of the Republican party and their followers is overwhelming.

[littleolwinemakerme]

See Glenn, you just played the race card & didn't even know it.