When many Americans became justifiably upset and worried about annual TRILLION dollar deficits and unbridled and wasteful government spending, that could bring down our democracy, but were labeled terrorists by the Vice President and other Democratic Congressmen, President Obama remained silent in the face of this horrendous language.
When those same Americans were labeled as racists by a NYC Democratic Congressman for honestly opposing Obama Care, President Obama remained silent in the face of this inflammatory language.
When those same Americans were labeled as having once belonged to the Ku Klux Klan for honestly opposing Obama Care by a Texas Democratic Congresswoman, President Obama remained silent in the face of this hideous language.
When Republican women politicians and other Republican women public figures were labeled as whores, sluts, and other terms too graphic to print here and were designated for hate rape and other gruesome deeds by Democratic allies, President Obama remained silent in the face of such oppressive language.
The bottom line is that language matters. Language has meaning, language stokes emotions. And thus, language has to be used carefully. When Pelosi questions patriotism of the nonviolent, logical conclusions of citizens she crosses the line of civility in a democracy. Her language insults the millions of citizen soldiers who fought, were wounded, and died protecting that freedom. Throwing that freedom of speech aside because of a difference of opinion is a disgrace.
When the Vice President and Democrats in Congress lump American citizens with a different opinion into the same category of people that murder, torture, propagate terrorism, and deny freedom to human beings all over the world, they cross the line of civility in a democracy. Their language insults those citizens who NEVER wished death, torture, terrorism, or denial of freedom on any human being. Throwing that freedom of speech aside because of a difference of opinion is a disgrace.
When Democrats in Congress lump today's citizens with a different opinion into the same category of people from the past who spit on, set dogs on, discriminated against, denied voting rights, lynched, and abused people of color simply because of their skin color, they cross the line of civility in a democracy. Their language insults those who NEVER spit, attacked, discriminated against, lynched or abused people of color. Throwing that freedom of speech aside because of a difference of opinion is a disgrace.
When Democratic allies belittle, slander, and insult women just because they are supporters or members of the Republican party or philosophy, they cross the line. Their language insults those American women who are simply exercising their rights as Americans and their right to free speech. Throwing that freedom of speech aside in such a sexist and offensive manner is exactly that, offensive.
Which gets us to today's main focus. Apparently, some talking head on MSNBC recently accused the Romney campaign of "niggerization." I have no idea what that means. Maybe that makes me a racist although I highly doubt it. I have seen no indication that the Romney campaign is anything close to the negative aspects of what might be considered niggerization.
But I do know that language matters and since the talking head did not explain what he meant, I have to assume the comment and fabricated word was for ratings and attention, not a viable and civil political dialog. And much like questioning someone's patriotism for no good reason, or calling them a terrorist for no good reason, or calling them racists for no good reason, it is unacceptable, it truly belittles and mutes the true evil in the world. If everyone is unpatriotic just for having a difference opinion, if everyone is a terrorist just for having a different opinion, if everyone is a racist just for having a difference of opinion, than the evil and atrocities of true false patriots, true terrorists, and true racists become more acceptable.
When language is used to shock and draw selfish attention to one's self rather than used a tool for discussion, exploration, constructive communication, and understanding, problems never get resolved and the trenches of differences are dug deeper. And rather than filling in those trenches, it is the institutions in this country, the disgraceful press like MSNBC and most of our political leadership, that are providing the shovels.
But there is hope. Consider the following letter that a young African-American woman sent to the talking head at MSNBC. She brings into focus what it means to actually confront real hate in life when the work nigger is thrown around vs. using that same word for TV ratings, political sensationalism, and personal gratification. She is wise beyond her years, and certainly wiser than myself, the political hacks at MSNBC and in Washington.
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Dear Toure [the MSNBC talking head]:
I’d like to tell you a story.
I was six years old the first time I heard the word ‘nigger’. Jamie Haney called me that on the first day of school, matter-of-factly. He wasn’t being mean. He was just expressing his amazement at the fact that he was actually looking at a black person, and he thought that’s what we were called. Jamie and I came up through school together as friends, but unfortunately he wasn’t even close to the last person to use that word in reference to me.
I grew up in a place where there were no black people. In the ’80′s. I was different. An anomaly. And kids are cruel. And some adults too. I was called a nigger nearly every school day of my life until I was 16 years old. Once, my best friends and I were handing out church flyers at a local diner. An older gentleman (well, maybe 30 but that was OLD to me at the time) who was clearly intoxicated took the flyer from my hand, looked up at me and suddenly shouted “Holy Shit! What are you doing here? I thought your kind was supposed to be out picking cotton or something!” and then proceeded to crack up at his own hilarity.
My friends and I clearly had no clue how to handle this (we were maybe 14 at the time); and no one came to my defense or rescue. People stared, but most just looked away in embarrassment and continued with their meals. My friends and I left. We looked at each other, wide-eyed. We were scared, but none of us said a thing. What could we say? They didn’t understand the depth of my pain and I didn’t understand their confusion or helplessness. So we went on with our day, on with our lives.
And that was pretty much every day of my life in Prince Edward Island, Canada. I faced names and beat-downs each day. Sometimes I took it. Sometimes I fought back. In a school system that had no experience with minorities in the 1980′s, there was no help to be found. Teacher after teacher and principle after principle said the same thing….if it happens away from the watchful eyes of staff, there is nothing we can do. I had no choice. I endured, until I was old enough to leave; and then I left. I now live in California. Pretty much as far away as you can get from P.E.I. without leaving the comfort of the United States/Canada.
I tell you all this not to illicit sympathy. I don’t need that. It’s been a long time since I was that scared but tough little girl. I’ve been blessed many times over since then, and I’ve learned the power of forgiveness. No, I tell you this because I read your comments about Mitt Romney today and they made me sick to my stomach, and very angry. You accuse Romney of “niggerizing” Obama. There is so much wrong with that statement, I hardly know where to begin.
You see, that word…nigger….it means something. It means something very real to people like me who actually have intimate, firsthand knowledge of how it can be applied. I resent that you would use that so easily (though you claim it wasn’t ‘easy’, I don’t believe you). You used that term to get some press. Great. Mission accomplished. But in the process you have watered down a term of hate with deep historical significance by applying it where it most certainly does not fit.
Toure, I’ve seen hate up close. I know what it looks like. I’ve felt it’s hands on my skin, seen the look in its eyes, felt the burn of its words. It is deliberate and it is real. Racism is not disliking our black President because of his socialist leanings. Racism is the scar I carried near my lip for decades after one particularly harsh punch in the mouth from a kid screaming “NIGGER!” at me while swinging away.
Racism is that guy in the diner, the hoses and dogs turned on folks from my grandparent’s generation just looking to drink at a decent water fountain. When you accuse a person of racism, THAT is the legacy of hate you are laying at their feet. It’s every bit as heinous as accusing someone of being a child molester arbitrarily. When you accuse Mitt Romney and other conservatives like me of being racist based on no other proof besides the fact that we vehemently disagree with this President and his policies, you dilute the history and experiences of people like me.
You cheapen that word – nigger. You rob it of it’s true horror – a horror we should never forget or take for granted. Not only that, Toure; but you cheapen yourself. You make it clear to blacks like me that you, indeed have no clue in hell what real racism is or where it can be found.
Accusing Mitt Romney of the “niggerization” of Obama is ugly, base, cheap and just plain wrong. You owe him and people like him an apology. You seem like an intelligent guy. If you disagree with Mitt Romney and me, do so on the merits of the issues at hand. Don’t prostitute yourself on a network that is more way more white (percentage-wise) than the Republican party.
It’s a song and dance eerily similar the minstrel shows of the past. You and I know full well the execs at MSNBC laugh and applaud and sign your paycheck every time you put on your tap shoes. Don’t like that reference? Hey, as you said so yourself, I'm just using the same old race-baiting playbook you and the Democrats have been using for decades.
You should be embarrassed.
Kira Davis
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Much better said than I could ever say it. Language matters. Leadership matters. Silence is not golden when the language inhibits the dialog and appreciation of diversity that is needed if we are ever to resolve the major issues facing Americans today.
In this area, President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Vice President Joe Biden and the numerous Democrats in Congress, that have remained silent while Americans were verbally abused for being Americans, and not racists, terrorists, etc., should be ashamed of themselves. They should also not be allowed into a kind of leadership position.
Note: I may have come off as not a big fan of MSNBC above and that would be a true conclusion. One of the main reasons why I consider MSNBC more of an entertainment option, and not a good one at that, rather than a serious news and journalistic organization. Please click through to a previous, hate-filled post from our blog:
http://loathemygovernment.blogspot.com/2012/06/hated-and-vile-polticial-dialog.html
Please visit our Presidential website, "The United States Of Purple," at:
http://www.unitedstatesofpurple.com/
The United States of Purple is a new grass roots approach to filling the office of President of The United States by focusing on the restoration of freedom in the United States, focusing on problem solving skills and results vs. personal political enrichment, and imposing term limits on all future Federal politicians. No more red states, no more blue states, just one United States Of America under the banner of Purple.
The United States Of Purple's website also provides you the formal opportunity to sign a petition to begin the process of implementing a Constitutional amendment to impose fixed term limits on all Federally elected politicians. Only by turning out the existing political class can we have a chance of addressing and finally resolving the major issues of or times.
Our book, "Love My Country, Loathe My Government - Fifty First Steps To Restoring Our Freedom And Destroying The American Political Class" is now available at http://www.loathemygovernment.com/. It is also available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Please pass our message of freedom onward. Let your friends and family know about our websites and blogs, ask your library to carry the book, and respect freedom for both yourselves and others everyday.
Please visit the following sites for freedom:
http://www.cato.org/
http://www.robertringer.com/
http://realpolichick.blogspot.com/
http://www.flipcongress2010.com/
http://www.reason.com/
http://www.repealamendment/
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