Racism isn't just "a card" some people "play"

[bcholmes]

Blaming people of color for Prop. 8 passing in California is racist. So cut it the fuck out. Ditto for veiling your racism with "this is because of turnout for Obama" or "you know how conservative those immigrants can be."

sparkymonster states one of those things that I wanted to believe was obvious, but which apparently is not.

Edit: Here's another good response to the "let's blame the brown people" phenomenon.

Edit the second: Here's a statistical analysis of a white election.

Edit the third: Daily Kos has a good analysis, too!

Comments

[cigfran-lwyd.livejournal.com]

yes, i got that. a QWOC, if i'm not mistaken? (we all seem to be acronym-happy now.)

i live in the DC area. i have seen first-hand the marginalization of black queerness by the local gay institution. i have also watched local black transwomen struggle with the issues that are specific to their communities, and the conflicts between them. we are, quite frankly, a very clannish town. (it may be the same elsewhere... i don't have that broad a frame of reference.)

if you are able to marshall your rage in such a way as to scrupulously avoid -ist generalizations, than you are a truly remarkable and extremely disciplined person.

[bcholmes.livejournal.com]

if you are able to marshall your rage in such a way as to scrupulously avoid -ist generalizations, than you are a truly remarkable and extremely disciplined person.

I think this response surprises me. My worldview is that, living in a racist/sexist/whatever culture, leftist activist-type people will slip up and do or say stuff that is problematic, but that it is remarkable (with a negative connotation) when people do so. And should be rare.

You comment sounds like you can easily excuse bad behaviour when the speaker is very angry. I *get* bad behaviour, but I don't find it easy to excuse.

[cigfran-lwyd.livejournal.com]

excuse? no. that was not at all my intent. i think everyone is responsible for their behavior, and for its consequences.

it may be the case that left-activist type people are better at self-policing. it's part of the basic indoctrination. "words matter." but i was speaking more generally.

i hope you give the comment thread on that dailykos article a good scan. it's really interesting.