Are Conservative Yakkers Stoking White Racial Resentment? (Video)
Sunday, September 13, 2009 at 12:00PM Anti-racism activist Tim Wise gives his take on Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and the perceived silence from Republicans on what Wise sees as the fanning of racial flames by these hosts.
Partial transcript after the jump.
From Crooks & Liars:
WISE: Right. Well like I said in the show before, it is the background noise of a lot of the opposition, not all of it but a lot of it. You know, when you have someone like Glen Beck saying as he did about a month ago that the health care debate isn't really about that. It is just reparations for black people, where you have Rush Limbaugh yesterday on the air saying first that community service is the first step towards fascism, which is bizarre even for him.
And then almost immediately after that saying one of the problems with America is too much multi culturalism. You wouldn't say that unless you are trying to stoke white racial resentment. And so when you say those things, I want to know when are Republican leaders going to condemn that kind of rhetoric because that is where race is being interjected. It is interjected by us, it's interested by the leading talk show hosts in this country.
LEMON: I mean, but is it knowingly or is it maybe unwittingly they're doing it and maybe they don't realize they are doing it.
WISE: Well, two things, it may be either or but it doesn't matter. I mean, racism needs to be evaluated based on outcome. If you do something which has a predictable consequence, you have to be accountable for that consequence. So for example, when Glen Beck lied and said that Van Jones was involved in the Los Angeles riots which was not true. That is a very clear, as David said, dog whistle politic moment.
You're saying that because you know that the L.A. riots are viewed as this racialized rebellion and it scares white folks to death. So you say that about this man. It isn't true. Glenn Beck had to know that wasn't true. That is a way to scare white folks. Where race comes in, it is old fashion but it's white racial resentment that they are trying to whip up.
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Reader Comments (17)
To answer the question in your post, yep!
I'm black. They just know if they mention anything about race Obama's going to back down. Obama's more afraid to be associated with black people than doing his job. White America found his achillies heel with Rev. Wright and I don't blame them. It ain't about them being racist, its about them realizing that Obama's a "punk". He's a "Chicken George" and they know it. They are exploiting his weakness - his black side. i'm not goingto call white people racist because they don't like the punk. I'm black, where I'm from no one respects nor likes a punk - the "Chicken George".
Somebody tell Michelle Obama that they calling her man a "Chicken George" and "the dude with the Black wife and two kids" maybe she give him some heart. Now one respects a "coward", it doesn't matter what color you are. Funny how white people are using the race issue to defend this "chicken george" for "their" agenda. There are white Americans like the Becks and Limbaughs and then there's the Wise, Axelrods, and them. You're not a racist if you figure out how to exploit a punk, I'm sorry!
The above posts are sad, if I'm understanding them correctly. Sometimes they're a little hard to figure out. On another point, Wise is terrific in analyzing the racial politics. He's right, if Obama's name were O'Mallley, no one would be searching for his birth certificate in Ireland. That's too funny. Hee, hee
Wise is just another jewish guy with a book to sell. I'd reather fight against Beck and Limbaugh than to be hoodwinked by the Wise's, Axelrods, and them. Atleast I know where they generally stand. They are not trying to "covertly" take over America, they just sticking to what they've always been sticking to. I can fight a racist because I know him when I hear and see him, what I can't fight is the guy who hides behind the raciist and then the black people to accomplish his agenda.
David:
Not true. There was a very heated controversy over the birthplace and citizenship of Pres Chester Arther. So maybe once again not everything is about. Hard to believe isn't it?
Not true. There was a very heated controversy over the birthplace and citizenship of Pres Chester Arther. So maybe once again not everything is about. Hard to believe isn't it?
Scott do you spend your time trying to find the most obscure references to prove your point how nothing is about race?
Really?
Sigh.
JJ:
Not at all. I didn't have to any research to find this, as this interesting bit of trivia was in the news earlier this year when the Obama birth certificate was the story du jour. Also, I have never claimed that nothing is about race. I just don't think that everything is about race, a proposition which is much different. Let's also be honest, many have painted the birthers as nothing more than bigots in order to deletgitimize their concerns but maybe some are more principled than that.
Scott: please explain then why there has been no other argument about place of birth for all the other Presidents of the United States.
Sandra:
I can't explain past events but my guess would be that there haven't been any other presidential candidates about whom there was was any real question about their citizenship status.
Scott,
"...no other presidential candidates about whom here was any real question about their citizenship status?" I wonder why? Why no questioning of George W. Romney, when he ran in 1968? He was born in Mexico. What about Barry Goldwater, who was born in the Arizona Territory, before it became a state? No complaints about his eligibility. And you omit the fact that the controversy about Arthur came from the fact that he was born with British citizenship and was purportedly born on foreign soil, both making his status as a "natural-born citizen" questionable. Despite the fact that Obama has produced his birth certificate, and contemporaneous accounts of his birth printed in Honolulu newspapers have been widely circulated, it doesn't appear to matter. What motivated the questioning of Obama's citizenship status in the first place? Why not the same level of scrutiny about John McCain, who was born in the Panama Canal Zone? Sorry, but I think a naval air station in the middle of the Panama Canal should trump the damn state of Hawaii in terms of raising red flags! Especially since even a cursory examination of citizenship laws would have put this stupidity to bed a long time ago, if all it was about was ignorance and lack of knowledge. The tomfoolery of that fake-ass "Kenyan birth certificate" making the Internet rounds isn't even pertinent, other than demonstrating the depths of the crazy juice from which the birthers are drinking. But only oblivious naivete or willful denial would allow someone to continue to ignore the true motivation behind the "birthers" (along with their tea-bagging, townhall-yelling brethen). Scott, I just can't figure you out. Do you have nothing better to do than to troll websites that are ostensibly safe spaces for people of color to discuss issues of relevance to their lives, and trot out lame white victimology complaints about how life is just so hard for you because blacks just won't let go of race, all the while rubbing your hands together and giggling maniacally at how you've riled up those blacks again? Or are you really just as clueless as you present?
@ Winn
Thank you very much for your post....I find it so amazing that the birthers were complaining about Obama and they never said anything about John McCain. I found it also amazing that Obama not once used the John McCain info about his being born in the Panama Canal Zone... against the so called birthers!
If there was a Helter Skelter race war between white people and black Obama supporters in America tomorrow, "who" would still end up with all the resources and continue to make all of the policies for America? Obama does not represent "Black America", but Black America is going to have to go to war for this coward, watch! Some real ignorant Rodney King stuff is brewing for a "punk" - "Ca Ca Can we just get a long?" White people will use whatever that sticks that will make the coward back down, you can't blame them. If you can't stand up for "yourself", you are not worhty to represent your race nor your counrty.
Winn:
I appreciate you pointing out these other examples to prove the point that the controversy about Obama isn't just about race as many might claim.
Once again they used "Hip-hop" (helping ignorant people - hurt our people) to accomplish their objective. Keep the whites and blacks fighting while we rakei in all the money and continue with our policies. Who owns Time Magazine? Who owns "hip-hop"? Who owns the Video Music Award show? Who owns Obama? "Helter Skelter" - white people are so stupid and black people are just as dumb, you've all been hoodwinked - yes, even you "Harry Allen".
Scott,
Once again, you prove that reading comprehension is not your strong suit.
look at all these hateful whites trying to cause more disunity in the black commuinty. "I'm black" ahahahahahaha you fools go back under your rock.
we have love and faith in Obama