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There is an excellent post on We Are Respectable Negroes about the racist double standards in our society. Here's part of it that uses Sarah Palin to illustrate just how bad things still are.
If Sarah Palin were black she would have disappeared into obscurity long ago.
If Sarah Palin were black, her daughter's out of wedlock, "baby daddy drama" would have been presented as an example of both pathological behavior and a dysfunctional family that is symbolic of the social problems in that community. If Sarah Palin were black, never would the poor decision making by the Palin family be marked off as challenges overcome, or deeds to be valorized.
If Sarah Palin were black, her neo-secessionist husband would have been the death knell for her political career, because as we all know you can't trust "those people."
If Sarah Palin were black, her lack of intellectual curiosity, willful and cultivated ignorance, and lack of grace both written and spoken, would not be taken as "folksy." Instead, Palin would be viewed as unqualified for any public office.
If Sarah Palin were black she would be tarred and feathered as an "affirmative action baby."
We live in a society where it is socially acceptable to be crazy racist as long as one is careful not to express the racism directly. Indirect bigotry and code speak are quite common. Of course, this is hardly limited to racism. The problem is quite common with sexism and heterosexism too. Code speak like "Family Values," "Identity Politics," and "PC" are quite common and the "Identity Politics" code is often used by people who are on the left on some issues.
Of course, one could easily do an "If Rush Limbaugh Were Black."
- His bosses would have fired him for hoping that a President would fail.
- His lack of command of facts would be used to question the intellectual capacity of an entire race of people.
- Republicans would stampede to criticize him, rather than cowering in fear.
- Rush's dishonesty would get him vilified by the right, while those same wingnuts would treat that dishonesty as something to be expected from "those people."
- Rush's sexual escapades would be tied to stereotypes about black men.
- His illegal drug use would have gotten him taken off the radio.
- Rush's incredible obesity would be attributed to stereotypes of eating habits and laziness.
Don't think for a minute that I'm making this up. There still is a majority view in this country that white people who are incredibly lazy, unpatriotic, bigoted, stupid, dishonest, dysfunctional, and just plain irritating are "superior" to people of other races just because of the concentration of melanin in their skin.
Photo: cornexo
Sadly true. We don't like to believe that racism is still so rampant in this country but it so obviously is...this really makes that point. Good post.
Can you do: if Sarah were a Democrat?
her name would be condaleeza rice?
Good points. The real problem is that Sarah and Rush are both stupid.... and America loves Stupid. (with a capital S) reference....
pet rocks, disco,roller derby, Jerry Lewis, Fox News, American Idol, Judge Judy, Jerry Springer, Hostess Cupcakes, Hamburger Helper, .... wowsers! sounds like a short composite of Sarah.
You are so right--and it's just sad to realize such a double standard still exists.
What a great post!
I never thought about it that way but it's true.
It's amazing what a hot white woman and an errr... fat white bully can get away with.
((Hugs))
laura
Interesting post. Especially after reading what Mrs. Obama had to say about Palin (from Andrew Sullivan's blog):
Michelle O on Sarah Palin:
"You know, I don't have a read. I try not to make, or set opinions about people that I haven't had any substantive interaction with. I mean, I know what you see on TV and when-"
"Does it irk you when she criticizes?"
"You know, democracy is about critique. And the president is not immune to criticism."
Obama added, when pressed on Palin again, "I think it's wonderful to have strong female voices out there, but I don't know her."Perfect. Remember when people thought Michelle Obama was going to hoist the Red Black and Green over the White House, sing Lift Every Voice while raising her right fist? Remember Stokely Carmichael in a dress? Is anyone who knows the anything about African-Americans--or Americans at large, frankly--shocked that arguable the least controversial thing about the Obama White House is it's First Lady?
Wow. Very effective. ... on the comic relief side, reminds me of Cheech & Chong's routine replacing the word "kill" with the word F*&k.... or was that George Carlin?
And you forgot that both would have been lynched by crazy crackers, too.
Saw this on our trackbacks. Thanks for the link. If you don't mind I will repost yours.