Coded racism: get off the basketball court!
Racism is so hard to find these days that it must be embedded, hidden, covert, indirect—that is, “coded.”
So of course Donald Trump—who is many things, including a self-serving, narcissistic, publicity-hound—is of course a coded racist for questioning Barack Obama’s credentials and asking whether his entry into Columbia or Harvard Law was due to affirmative action.
Well, affirmative action was and is a reality. And Obama’s failure to reveal his transcripts feed the question and make it a valid one.
This accusation that Trump is a racist is actually sort of funny, though—that another coded racist remark of Trump’s was his request that Obama “gets off his basketball court or whatever he is doing at the time” and work on dealing with the high gasoline prices at the pump.
It’s sad that we continue to see this from so called “respectable” journalists. I have a gneral rule when debating or discussing things on message boards. As soon as racism is introduced as part of an argument I instantly leave the discussion. But in my parting shot I usually inform them why. And when possible, I usually block the user as I’m not interested in further conversation with someone so superficial and shallow.
Accusations of racism in a debate are among the least interesting and most pointless tactics imaginable. It gives no support whatsoever for the persons principals. It’s merely name calling. It SHOULD be considered tantamount to the old rule of calling someone a Nazi. Once it happens it’s proof that the other side is out of argument and the intelligent conversation is essentially over so what’s the point.
Sadly, too many people continue to rise to the bait. I’m no fan of Trump but I certainly hope he’s smarter than that.
Am the only one who wishes the CPUSA would come up with a new marketing approach?
Or even go retro, and call everyone “imperialists” again, or “oppressors of the working class.” Anything, just something else besides “racist.” It’s so shopworn at this point, my eyes glaze over at hearing it for the zillionth time.
The former Air America host who heckled Allen West – is she a racist too? Or is “racist” code word for “questioning Obama”?
PBS’s Tavis Smiley claims it’s going to be the most racist, hate-filled election ever… is that because Herman Cain and Allen West are possible contenders?
I’m thinking the left is once again telegraphing their intentions – and as usual trying to pretend that someone else is doing what they themselves, in fact, are doing, are planning to do, and have set in motion with many subgroups set up to do the deeds.
Ooooops, my bad, I know it is ‘raaaaacist.’ Have to have at least 5 a’s.
If I weren’t before, calling me a “racist” might tip me over the edge. You know, repeating a lie long enough just might make it the truth…
The left can’t afford to have these questions asked, so they are trying to crush them the only way they know how. Only one problem, Trump is one of just a few people in the US who can withstand these attacks and come out on top.
I can’t call any person “rasist” unless he/she openly admits that he/she, indeed, is. To do otherwise means to ascribe to myself ability to read other persons minds, which, of course, I can’t do.
So now, desperate to paint Trump as a racist — as though he’d care — they point to him mentioning the President in the same sentence as basketball.
As an ex-girlfriend of mine used to say, there’s subtlety here, but you really have to look for it.
More cries of birther racism, from the editor of the paper that picked up Helen Thomas’ column:
http://www.fcnp.com/commentary/national/9084-birthers-are-racists.html
From the article cited by George:
“The whole “birther” controversy is a radical attack on his very legitimacy not only as president, but as a U.S. citizen, as someone who “belongs” to the American family.”
Except for the word “radical,” I couldn’t agree more.
I recognized it as racist as soon as I heard Trump say it this morning.
I’m just glad it’s coming from a “Democrat” 🙂
As Trump truly isn’t a conservative.
There was also an inaudible “boy” at the end of the sentence. Don’t forget that. The fact that you didn’t hear it doesn’t mean it wasn’t said. /sarcotagus
I keep thinking, what if a right-wing political forum were to be set up with the comments rules page saying, “Left-wingers are welcome to post here, but any and all use of the Race Card in debate is strictly prohibited and will result in penalties up to and including banning.” On the one hand, I’d like to think that would finally make for fruitful debate, forcing lefties to argue on the merits for once; on the other, my more realistic self knows it would mean a total absence of lefties on that forum, for being robbed of the only argument (I use the word loosely) they have.
The accusation of “Racist” is designed to make the accused stop making a solid point and begin defending himself.
It works because so many people think they need to defend themselves against such an accusation, as if there is anybody who believes it.
There are many who pretend to believe it, as a tactical matter, but nobody actually believes it.
So, snorting in amusement and continuing with the point is the best technique.
Neo – Off topic stuff from Mass:
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2011/04/27/house_votes_to_limit_bargaining_on_health_care/
http://www.telegram.com/article/20110427/NEWS/110429728/-1/NEWS04
Stunning
Dear Union Members who believe they have a RIGHT to never be subject to market forces,
Surprise !
Your union dues you’ve been paying all these years went to nothing.
You could’ve had a Mercedes or Lexus instead…
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
You were stone cold punked.
Cash for clunker.
Democrats did you wrong.
They are for the rich – not the working man.
They play you like a fiddle.
/stepping off of my soabox.
What’s funny about the accusation of racism is that it would appear that Obama plays basketball a lot more than the average POTUS.
Several weeks ago I read that Obama’s high school basketball coach said that Obama was a benchwarmer who was continually whining to get put into the game. He was one of those basketball players that had an inflated opinion of his abilities. Sound familiar?
Did I read that here?
“”He was one of those basketball players that had an inflated opinion of his abilities. Sound familiar?””
I’d say it’s nearly impossible that a good basketball player just happens to throw a baseball like a girl. I just can’t picture it.
Birds of a feather flock together, that doesn’t make them racist. Of course, there are some honkies who are racist, but they are a small minority. And there are black racists (a majority of their race?) and chicano racists (a majority of their race?). There is no rational response to those who slap down the race card face up whenever BHO or Maxine Waters are criticized or questioned. You just have to slough their race baiting off like dead skin cells.
Coming from East Texas, which is very much a part of the South, I heard a great deal of racism expressed in my youth, one of the reasons that I live in Austin. Having seen the real thing, I am way beyond skeptical when I hear “raaaacism” thrown around so casually.
I understand that most people don’t know it, but ethnic prejudice is a phenomenon that is fairly common around the world. It’s nearly always associated with some sense of economic threat. e.g. Anti-semitism had a different provenance in different parts of Europe. In Poland, Jews had a long history of taking jobs managing large estates, so they were known, and therefore hated/feared, as the rent man. In at least some parts of Germany, they were the Capitalists. In fact, in Marx’s , he refers not to “Capitalists” but simply “Jews.” In Nigeria and parts of Cameroon, Ibo people are described as clever businessmen, and also “cunning.” Sound familiar? Chinese immigrants to America, and before them, Irish ones, are lazy and work too cheap, undercutting natives’ wages. We also breed like rabbits, of course.(I’m mostly Irish, but that sort of thing was forgotten long before I was born. )
Having seen sixty years of this, I am beyond perplexed when I hear people too young to have seen much real raaaacism, throw the term around, with so little understanding. What threat is any Black man or woman to D. Trump? (Except. of course, for the one who, or should that be the One Who?) threatens to destroy the whole country. It seems so illogical. Yes, raaaacism is illogical, too, like conversion reaction, phobias, other mental conditions. However, although they are illogical, they have causes. Seriously, what could cause raaaacism in George W Bush, or Trump, or a whole host of people whose chief sin seems to be that they are too rich? (And, therefore, insulated from any possible competition with persons of African descent)
Excuse me, I’m new in town. Can you tell me where to find some good racism? It’s so hard to find these days.
Herit sumit:
From the cite that Neo got the Donald quote from: the following are comments which show an indulgence in the same type of racism:
shamsky24 Today 11:57 AM
Cute. I suppose the next thing we can expect from Mr. Trump is an admonition for Obama to “stop tap dancing around the issues.”
Cletis Today 11:57 AM in reply to shamsky24
Heh Heh Heh
gallbladder Today 11:58 AM in reply to shamsky24
Ooh, that was good!
as an aside..
a long while i said to look at lyrics of songs to see how we have changed… even pointed..
and this came out
so i guess someone who could publish did…
A Generation’s Vanity, Heard Through Lyrics
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/science/26tier.html?_r=1&ref=science
after a computer analysis of three decades of hit songs, Dr. DeWall and other psychologists report finding what they were looking for: a statistically significant trend toward narcissism and hostility in popular music. As they hypothesized, the words “I” and “me” appear more frequently along with anger-related words, while there’s been a corresponding decline in “we” and “us” and the expression of positive emotions.
That race cart is getting pretty frayed around the edges. Trump’s response if questioned about this should be a hearty guffaw.
Maybe Trump should have said “…get off the golf course…..”
Also on another note…
the academics the teachers the others have just found out as to the loyalty of the side they supported. ie. they are finding out that they were used…
remember, large social disorder that is coming already ahs the laws necessary to cahgne us and lock uis down, end the constitition and all taht sort of stuff..
we let them do that..
and we negated anyones fear that maybe having a button that destroys everthing, and ahving it substantiated is a bad idea..
House votes to restrict unions
Measure would curb bargaining on health care
articles.boston.com/2011-04-27/news/29479557_1_unions-object-labor-unions-health-care
House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly last night to strip police officers, teachers, and other municipal employees of most of their rights to bargain over health care, saying the change would save millions of dollars for financially strapped cities and towns.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
“It’s pretty stunning,’’ said Robert J. Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. “These are the same Democrats that all these labor unions elected. The same Democrats who we contributed to in their campaigns. The same Democrats who tell us over and over again that they’re with us, that they believe in collective bargaining, that they believe in unions… . It’s a done deal for our relationship with the people inside that chamber.’’
such is what happens..
they find out they were used to make what hey abhore, and once there is no way to go back, there is no reason to hide it. in fact quite teh opposite.
the irate will finish the job and make it happen as they will not refuse to protest.
watch what happens to the rutgers students…
they are not in a world evne half as free as when they were hippies and yipplies…
Well, when you can’t find real racism, or a legitimately offensive comment from your opponent that you can use to smear them, you have to resort to hearing “coded racism” and “dog whistles”.
Charges of racism – the gift that keeps giving. They just don’t get that that smear has lost almost all meaning.
Interesting reasoning in this post – giving the “sideshow” continued relevance by tying it to a real issue (affirmative action). Especially when the (coincidentally Black) “smartest guy in the room” has turned out to be the biggest train wreck of a President.
d(^_^)b
http://libertyatstake.blogspot.com/
“Because the Only Good Progressive is a Failed Progressive”
When I hear the “racism” card being played I know my side is winning. A sign of real desperation.
One would think that the Left would figure out that the card has lost its credibility and almost everyone sees it as a “STFU , I have not the intellectl or ability to present a reasoned response.” ploy
Lessee: Donald Trump = Coded Racism?
Nope; doesn’t compute. I see him as saying what he wants to when he wants to, and not pussyfooting or beating around the bush. Straight-forward. If he were to say something raaaaacist, he wouldn’t say it in code.