Let me start by saying that I look in the mirror and see a white man staring back at me. I am Jewish, and I do know that there are people even here in the liberal northeast that see me, not as white, but as Jew. There are over 300 million people in this country, there are bound to be a few assholes. I am often mistaken as being of Italian heritage, and on rare occasion, I've been spoken to in Spanish with the expectation that I would understand (I don't).
Last year, and I suppose this could apply to many years, a number of unarmed black males (both men and boys) were killed by police. I state this just as a fact without judgement of the police action. Many on the right reflexively dismisses any racial component to these deaths. To them I ask, "How many unarmed white people were killed by police?"
Let's get into this- but let's do it below the fold, thanks.
A lot of people have been talking about the video of the Oklahoma chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon that exposed rampant racist attitudes. Again, the right reflexively dismisses the inherent racism. After all, we have a black President. Don't black people use the word all the time? White kids listen to rap, too!
I personally do not use the "N-word." Warning: I'm about to. I agree that it is offensive. When White People use it referring to black people, they are de-humanizing them. You are not a "Black Person" which of course acknowledges your equality as a person, you are a "Nigger."
On the other hand, when black people use that term among themselves, it defangs it. They acknowledge their humanity and their sameness- Their sense of belonging. As a Jew, I tell Jews being cheap jokes. By doing so, I can not be hurt by anti-semites making those jokes.
I am equally offended by the fact that the word gets censored. The movie "Blazing Saddles" could not be made today. "Nigger" gets cut from the film. But "Nigger" is the point of the film. An old woman responds to Cleavon Little's how are you with an "Up Yours, Nigger!" After he subdues a bad guy she returns, apologizes, gives him a pie, and still asks that he not mention that she came by and apoligized.
Later in the film, the town is going to be destroyed by people who want to seize the land because its about to become more valuable due to the knew railroad (sound familiar?) They get help from the railroad builders (Black, Chinese, Irish). They agree to help from the "Niggers and the Chinks" but they "don't want the Irish."
We need to see movies like this precisely because they point out just how offensive the word is.
The Right likes to quote Thomas Jefferson saying that the tree of Liberty must be watered by blood to defend there infatuation with the 2nd Amendment. I wonder if they are accurately citing him. They do hate his separation of church and state letter. They also hate his "All men are created equal." Black men are men after all, and equal, yes they DO have a problem with that.
South Carolina attempted to secede from the Union in December of 1860 NOT because of anything that President Lincoln had done, but for fear about what the President-elect might do in abolishing slavery. I will stipulate that the Civil War, which began with South Carolina firing on a Federal fort, yes, War of Northern Aggression my Ass, was about States Rights, on the very day that wingnuts admit that the state's right they were defending was the right to own slaves.
The man who wrote "All men are created equal" owned slaves. The man who said "Give me Liberty or give me death!" owned slaves. Our founders did not work until slavery was no more (I'm looking at you, Michelle Bachmann). I love America! Mentioning these facts does not harm America. When you wave the Tennessee Confederate Battle flag, you are waving a banner of treason. Period!
When you say that Freedom of Religion was written to apply to Christianity, you need psychiatric help! When you say that America was built by White Europeans (Pat Buchanan) you forfeit your place in serious discussion.
Here is a definition of racism I would like you all to contemplate:
In 2015, It is reasonable for a police officer to see a black person and be afraid that that officer's life might be in jeopardy.