Are you tired of matching wits with Tea Party Bubbas who have difficulty spelling common English words?
Are you tired of putting homophobic conservatives in their place?
Are you tired of pointing out the many errors of Republicans ideas and destroying them in any conversation that has a level playing?
Has arguing about the "fiscal cliff", "tax cuts to the rich", and "why Mitt lost" got you down?
Are you looking for a new, hip target?
Then I have the perfect target for you. This target is perfect because they are all around you (you might even live with one). It's perfect because it's usually a minority voice. It's perfect because their responses can be blown away with a handful of perfected 1-2 punches that, even if illogical, are regarded as bullet proof by your friends who will cheer. Just go beyond the sideways orangutan soul patch to learn more!
That perfect target is "the white male liberal". And the topic is "racism" and/or "bigotry".
Best of all, your target can't defend itself. That's right. IT CAN'T DEFEND ITSELF. What more do you need of a target?
Well, that's not quite true. It can defend itself. But such attempts are ill advised since we know how to handle them.
When one of that breed attempts to defend itself, you can use one of several tried and true responses that are guaranteed to humiliate and shame the white male liberal back into hiding. And hiding is what we want, right? We really DON'T want their input on an honest discussion about racism and bigotry. I mean, that's why we can't admit that, like Bigfoot, the UN-BIGOTED white male liberal may exist. That would ruin a perfect target. It would ruin the fun.
So under the guise of wanting to have an open and honest discussion of "bigotry", write an article that blames white male liberals for being subtle, closet bigots, or eagerly taking part in racist institutions, then kick back and watch the fun. It takes a powerful individual to attempt to assail this near-holy idea that is sweeping the ranks of non-white male progressives. Most won't attempt it. In fact, to fight back is taboo in many quarters. When, on the odd occasion you do get a white male who responds to such an attack, you can always use the following guaranteed responses to shout them down and put them back in their place:
"How's it feel with the shoe on the other foot?"
"You are deflecting."
"Denial is more than a river in Egypt."
"Look in the mirror too difficult?"
"Obfuscation."
"Feeling guilty?"
"You're a liar."
"Awfully defensive. Must mean something, eh?"
"You don't recognize it but you do it."
"LOL! You deny it so you MUST BE GUILTY OF IT!"
This is a shame. I can find the same list of responses used by tea party members and frothing conservatives in a thread who can't admit I have a point. To see my fellow liberals using such tactics on other liberals makes me feel sad.
I'm not writing this diary to mock anyone in particular. I'm not writing it to cause a commotion. My intent is not to perform "race baiting". I'm not writing it to be booted from dailykos, although that may be the result. I'm writing it because it's what I do, as a writer. I write about issues that people don't like to discuss. This is one. I believe it is absolutely essential that the liberal community take a long look at this behavior. I believe we are more honest than the conservative community, and even when the task is difficult and painful, we are stronger and more capable.
I am not writing it to be a hero among "the white guys who feel terribly guilty and put upon" either - I'm sure I will garner a ton of hatred and vilification along with the usual responses listed above. Some will be long and drawn out but the words will mean essentially "you're wrong. you are a bigot. so there." If that is the response you have then maybe you should take a moment and think that you MAY be wrong and the person you want to gleefully attack MAY be a friend, and MAY not deserve such a horrific accusation.