Oh, the lengths people will go to excuse outright racism.
A Virginia GOP affiliate thought it would be hilarious to post photos of President Obama as a witch doctor, a caveman, and a thug on the official Mecklenburg County GOP Facebook page. When Virginia Republican Party officials asked the chairman of the committee, a dude named Wallace “Wally” Hudson, to remove the images, Wally laughed and refused.
Why?
Because racism is always hilarious, and if you don’t think so, you should shut up and quit being so goddamn sensitive, that’s why:
RICHMOND — Virginia Republican Party officials on Tuesday ordered their Mecklenburg County affiliate to remove photos portraying President Obama as a witch doctor, a caveman and a thug from its Facebook page.
~snip~
R. Wallace “Wally” Hudson, chairman of the committee, was surprised to hear from a reporter that anyone had taken offense.“If that group is that sensitive, I’m sorry, they’re just not human,” he said, chuckling. “It’s not American. If they’ve got a problem with it, we’re not going to change what we do.”
He didn’t seem any more inclined to take the state party’s feelings into account when told in a subsequent interview what Mullins had said.“They can do what they want,” he said, chuckling again. “I’m waiting for the phone call.”
Note the classic defense against patently racist behavior — “They’re too sensitive.” Such nonsense is always the first refuge of a racist or an asshole defending racist behavior.
The “they’re not human because they’re so sensitive” angle is one that I have not encountered before. Usually we’re not human because we’re black, not because we’re “sensitive.”
But whatever. No one ever said that racism, the behavior of racists, and the behavior of those who defend patently racist behavior was the stuff of intelligent people.
Also note that the perpetrator of this racist bullshit was “surprised” that anyone would take offense. “Whaaa? Whaddya mean it’s offensive? It’s hilaaaaaaarious!”
No. No, it’s not.
[read full post at ABLC]
arguingwithsignposts
Wow. Um. Wow.
What does that even mean? That doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.
Another Halocene Human
The “human” comment was either a flub of the old “they have no sense of humor” line, or it was a fabulous case of projection.
What’s hilarious is now he’s accusing the state GOP of being a bunch of milquetoasts with no sense of humor.
GOP in disarray!
ETA: Maybe it was a sloppy attempt to paint them as cheap Romneytron 3000 knockoff models.
LD50
I can’t even imagine what kind of brain you have to have to think up a remark like that.
Keep in mind, this is the state where Senator Macaca is “within striking range” of becoming a US senator.
Violet
Let them let their freak flags fly! Let racists be racists. And let the voters decide. Edit: To be clear, I’m not supporting the racism. Just saying that if people get to see what the GOP really is, it might actually change some minds.
In related racist news, the Chief of the Cherokee Nation said Scott Brown’s staff and supporters’ war whoops and tomahawk chops were racist. Link to story from GOS: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/09/26/1136643/-Cherokee-Nation-Chief-condemns-Scott-Brown-staff-for-downright-racist-nbsp-actions
Ash Can
So people who reject dehumanizing behavior aren’t human. …Wait, what?
japa21
Sorry to say this, but for the next 41 days and probably for months thereafter, this is going to become even more commonplace. In fact, this might be mild compared to what we will see.
some guy
political opponents depicted as savages? hmmmm, where did I see that recently in the news?
Violet
Any bets on who will be the first current or former national or prominent state GOP politician to unleash the N-word?
MattF
@Violet: Particularly in Virginia. Make sure that all those sensitive souls in Northern Virginia know what this election is really all about. Also, too, go publicize it in North Carolina, where there’s also a significant population of humor-impaired voters. Just do it.
the Conster
Tweety spent the first segment of his show last night calling out all this bullshit – not this thing in particular, but the racism on display up and down in Gooperville. Howard Fineman was right there with him, agreeing and psychoanalyzing the mentality on the right. There seems to have been a noticeable change in the way that Republicans are being treated now by respectable media members because none of the leadership in the party will do anything about this shit, and they’re making it impossible for the media to defend them. I think I detected relief from Fineman that he was able to say what he’s been thinking.
kathy a.
“too sensitive” or “too thin-skinned” is a classic, time-tested response to those bitch women who complain about being treated unfairly just because, umm, they have been treated unfairly. at least in my experience, when i complained about having to train inexperienced men who were being paid more than me. (this was in the 1980’s. it happened twice. the response was in line with what other women heard in similar circumstances.)
the “they are not human” remark breaks new ground, though.
MTiffany
I clicked on the link and landed on their album. I think one of the pictures is of Ambassador Stevens’ dead body.
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/402816_10151163337628909_685189970_n.jpg
Amir Khalid
If and when the national political media makes a big enough stink out of this, I suppose, Mr Hudson might learn the error of his ways. In the meantime, can the state party remove him from the county chairmanship? I presume he was elected to the post.
Chris
@arguingwithsignposts:
What, that black people and ni[CLANG!] lovers aren’t human?
No, I think that makes plenty of sense. To him.
Violet
@the Conster: I heard Tweety did something like this last week too. Something about saying black folks had been hearing the dog whistles for ages and white reporters needed to get with the program. Or something. I didn’t see it, just read about it, so can’t remember exactly.
? Martin
@arguingwithsignposts:
Niggers aren’t human. Different species. Ok to use as slaves as one would a mule. Undeserving of a vote because they’re too stupid to use it properly.
That’s what it means, and nothing less.
the Conster
@Violet:
He also beat the same drum on Maher’s show last week, with the moron mayor of San Diego. He’s pissed off, and righteous. He’s been eating his wheaties.
some guy
Egyptian-American journalist and blogger Mona Eltahawy was taken into custody by NYPD officers yesterday as she was attempting to cover one of Pamela Geller’s anti-Islam subway posters with purple spray paint.
During her protest, Eltahawy was accosted by Geller supporter Pamela Hall, who attempted to physically block her from defacing the poster. After a scuffle ensued, two police officers arrived and arrested Eltahawy.
She was booked on charges of criminal mischief and graffiti.
http://gawker.com/5946535/journalist-mona-eltahawy-arrested-in-new-york-for-spray-painting-over-pamela-gellers-racist-subway-poster
The Red Pen
Speaking of racism, I was just reading the Freeper response to the Cherokee nation calling for Scott Brown to apologize for it’s staffers mocking native Americans. Money quote:
And these people can’t understand why a majority of Americans won’t rally behind their ideology.
Svensker
@MTiffany:
Yes, it’s a picture of the dying Ambassador being carried by Libyans — apparently taking him to the hospital, although I don’t know for sure. But the righties have all been plastering that picture all over to show what savages Mooslims are. Nice, huh?
I believe the racist pics have been taken down from the site now, though. Earlier today I could see the witch doctor one, but it appears to be gone now.
Fear and loathing, I tells ya.
Felinious Wench
1. Encourage them to speak freely and proudly. First Amendment rights and all, excellent hook to get them talking.
2. Make sure as many people as possible hear it.
This election has been rich with the Akins and Romneys of the world. Keep ’em talking!
Schlemizel
He got rope burns on his neck? Well maybe hes too sensitive!
Strange fruit indeed.
Forum Transmitted Disease
@arguingwithsignposts: You haven’t gone far enough down the racism rabbit hole.
The hardcores truly believe that blacks aren’t human. I refer to you the seminal work of the genre, Erectus Walks Among Us. Read that, or even just the title page, and you’ll see just how ugly his comment is. He meant “blacks aren’t human”, and he seems to really mean it.
Ash Can
@Svensker:
Sounds like the party leadership managed to get through to these imbeciles, then. (I’d wager that talk of funding cutoffs and demotions/ejections was involved.)
The Bobs
I think the lesson here is that black people are the real racists for not voting for Republicans.
scav
Is there a bit of overlap with accusations of the sub-human behavior of Muslims getting upset about representations of the prophet too? In any case, it’s shaping up to a fine war on Christmas this season if we can bring out the It’s free-speech you laughter-impaired not-human bazooka after the Holiday Greetings rebuff.
Anoniminous
What we’re seeing in this election is the various strands of the GOP saying publicly what they’ve always been saying in private.
cmorenc
Hudson’s wilful obliviousness is like that of my maternal grandmother (who lived in a small town in eastern North Carolina) would never have fathomed why blacks would take offense from being referred to as “nigrahs”. To her, “nigrahs” was just the way “negros” came out when spoken with a drawling southern accent by those within polite upper-middle class southern society, and she considered use of the naked N-word the domain of cruder elements of white society. Nevertheless, what was quite clear was that her concept of the typical characteristics and proper station of “nigrahs” was nearly indistinguishable from that of folks using the naked N-word.
To be fair to my grandmother in the context of the larger gross unfairness of segregated Jim-Crow southern society that existed from the end of Reconstruction through the mid-1960s, that world of racial distinctions and hierarchical segregated social order seemed as natural to most whites as swimming through water does to fish. There was precious little evidence in their everyday world that seemingly challenged their racial concepts, and seemingly much to confirm it, though the enormous built-in unfair biases seem monstrously obvious to us now. She died in 1982, still unreconstructed in her attitudes.
The irony is that like my grandmother, I’ll bet there’s a good chance that if you mixed with Mr. Hudson day-to-day as a neighbor and avoided discussing politics or race, he’d otherwise be a peach of a neighbor, have you over every now and then for dinner, bring you some vegetables from his garden sort of guy. And that is indeed part of the problem with Mr. Hudson coming to terms with his ingrained residual racism: in most of his social interactions with other folks he is indeed a good, well-thought-of fellow. It’s that much harder to see the part of yourself that’s a monster when most of the people you deal with face to face everyday reflect the image of a good-guy back at you in the mirror.
Ben Cisco
@Violet: You shall know them by their deeds. I agree with you and say let’s see them for who they are, and to those rolling with them, no more excuses. THIS IS WHO THEY ARE.
@japa21: Also correct; this is completely expected. To paraphrase one of my favorite captains, their ability to show their racism is definitely coming to a middle.
El Cid
Oh you people see racism everywhere.
What? What? No, I didn’t mean you people, I meant you people.
And anyway, it’s whites who are the real victims — after all, blacks get to use the N-word and we don’t, and how are white people supposed to thrive if they can’t use that word enough?
Anoniminous
@cmorenc:
Good comment.
Violet
Maybe Mitt will join in and his blood sugar will be all out of whack at the debates:
Villago Delenda Est
It’s pretty obvious, at this point, that they know they stand no chance at all of taking the White House. So now, it’s all about “principle”, of the glorious defeat in the name of the moral correctness of their racism.
They’re basically saying fuck this, we’re assholes, and we’re proud.
Villago Delenda Est
@Violet:
FSM does not hear their pathetic bleatings.
Drown them in marinara. Pelt them with meatballs. String them up with fettuccine.
hueyplong
I agree that this stuff will become more overt as the election nears and the desperation becomes more acute. No doubt they think they’re currently fighting with one hand tied behind their backs because the “PC” world won’t let them call a spade a spade, and much of the post-mortem after they lose will be based on a late closing of the polls, which “proves” that a more aggressively racist campaign would have worked against Mr. Affirmative Action, whom the media treated with kid gloves because he’s black.
I wish I were kidding.
Mnemosyne
@Violet:
If Brown isn’t careful, the Oklahoma Cherokee nation might adopt Elizabeth Warren just to make Brown STFU.
That would be so full of awesome I can hardly stand it.
scav
@Violet: No no no! Then he will not have built it himself! Don’t unleash the community-based enablers!
22over7
@Villago Delenda Est:
That sounds like a terrible waste of meatballs.
Less Popular Tim
@Villago Delenda Est:
Interesting… You could almost call it a “Lost Cause” Mythology.
JWL
“..I heard old Neil put us down.
I hope Neil Young will remember
A southern man don’t need him around anyhow”.
gelfling545
@? Martin:
I’m very much afraid you are probably right. It may, however, be the ugly place we must pass through to get to a better one. Having said that and other things like it and getting firmly smacked down by respectable people for it may be preferable to them just going on assuming that “everybody” thinks like this.
Randy P
This brings up kind of a sociological mystery: Why isn’t right-wing “humor” funny? You would think some of would be, sometimes. But it never is. Is it just because the left is the target? I don’t think so. There’s been plenty of left-wing humor satirizing left-wing targets, successfully.
But right-wing humor is something different. Their jokes don’t have punchlines. Example: a T-shirt from a few years back that showed a journalist and, I think, a noose, and said “some assembly required”. I get that it’s saying “I want to kill journalists, hur, hur, hur.” But is there an actual joke there?
Has anyone ever laughed at Dennis Miller? Or Mallard Fillmore?
Darkrose
@Violet:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Laughing to keep from screaming with rage.
Applejinx
@Darkrose: I know, right?
LanceThruster
I felt this was a fitting place to reference something I learned just recently watching “This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War” on PBS. I’ve been sharing it with everyone including my African-American co-workers. I was so moved by this that I tell them that I want to give them all a hug (funny looks notwithstanding).
See page 227 in the following – http://www.scribd.com/doc/103611290/This-Republic-of-Suffering-Death-and-the-American-Civil-War
I get so frustrated with the haters who do not realize the love and respect these communities showed our forebears, and the respect and gratitude they earned and deserve themselves, as they were, and continue to be, an integral and valued part of the tapestry of our nation.
Hugs galore, Imani.
? Martin
@Randy P:
I put it down to the broader nature of each party. The GOP assigns blame to those out of power. The housing bubble is due to black people. The jobs problem is due to immigrants. Hurricane Katrina was the fault of gay people, and the reason people died is because they’re poor and black. Nothing is ever the fault of people in power – of whites, of men, of Christians, of our leaders.
Dems do the opposite – they blame up. They blame the people with the power to do things differently.
That distinction is pretty broadly felt in how each group communicates and also in how their jokes play. You cannot blame downward without looking at least a little mean – even if that is taken as well intentioned. You cannot blame upward without looking at least a little powerless – even if that is also taken as well intentioned.
Comedy is inherently damaging – you’re poking fun at people. You can do that from a superior position where people assume that you’re generally mean, or you can do that from a subservient position where people assume that you’re generally powerless. The latter is funny. The former is still just mean. Its why comedians spend a lot of energy being self-deprecating – they need to keep bringing the audience to see them as not powerful. It’s probably also why minorities tend to have a bit of an easier time being comedians.
LanceThruster
@? Martin:
There’s also the limited appeal of smug cluelessness. If you ever had the misfortune to watch “The Half-Hour News Hour” which was meant to be the conservative “Daily Show,” it was a painful trainwreck to watch and died an early and merciful death.
Each telegraphed ‘punchlin’e based on questionable presumptions might as well have ended with a call to the faithful of “Amirite?”
LanceThruster
@Violet:
Where’s the email to get all like-minded Mormons to fast and pray for President Obama as they’re not all Rethuglicurs.
Is it merely because it would mean having a Mo’ holding the reins of power which is good for Mo’ PR?
WereBear
@LanceThruster: I would have assumed the Mormons were already praying for Romney.
newtons.third
Seems strange that a white guy is saying that other races are thin skinned when the entire R campaign is based on telling white men that they are being put down. Irony? We don’t get that much here.
LanceThruster
@WereBear:
There is a bit of a hive mentality dynamic going on it seems.
WereBear
@LanceThruster: Wow. I wish them luck with “remaking” anything. The average Mormon lives to be told what to do; which suits the leaders just fine.
Brachiator
@LanceThruster:
Very interesting stuff. Thanks for the reference and the link.
LanceThruster
@Brachiator:
Glad you found it worthwhile. The PBS program was completely enthralling to me. The passages referenced were wonderfully life affirming and gave me further insight into the character of many of the players of the period.
I had started viewing thinking Ken Burns had pretty much covered everything re: the Civil War and was quite pleasantly surprised.
J R in WV
Back in the early 1970s I was in the USN and my ship was in Pascagoula, MS for a shipyard overhaul. My spouse got a job working as a reference librarian at the county library. Very homesick she was. I was working 6 12s of physical labor and was too tired to be homesick.
One day a guy from our hometown came in the library. He was in town to visit his very elderly mother. He was the age of our parents, and lived near my wife’s Grandma. Wife ran up to him and hugged him, and asked how was his wife, how was wife’s Grandma. A great relief for her homesick depression!
When the visitor left, wife was called into head librarian and told to explain the unbelievable display of affection for a nigra in public! “And why shouldn’t we fire you for that disgusting and unbelievable display of public affection for a Nigger?”
Wife explained that visitor was her Grandma’s neighbor, and worked for her husband’s family business. He was an engineer there! All of which made things even worse. “You mean they are allowed to live hear white folks? Or are you White?” Downhill from there.
When my brother married a Georgia girl (20-25 years later at least, in Decatur) we were down there visiting normally. A Methodist church was the scene of the wedding. Various nice restaurants for the associated parties – at one of them, one of the GA almost in-laws asked the best man “So, how do you keep them out of your church up North?” Unmistakably meaning those African monkeys[sic, and I do mean sick!]…
We were speechless, enough so that he realized that his question was almost unbelievable to us. Even tho we were from the backwards state of West Virginia.
So these Republicans in Virginia really do mean that African-Americans, like our superb President Obama, are NOT human at all. Closer to the mules, but harder to manage. Some things never change, or at least only change by degrees, by generations.
I had a uncle, who was fond of telling his liberal relative Ni-Clang! jokes, kind of to get our goat. Usually we would put up with a couple, and he would relent, so we could actually visit. He was actually a pretty good guy as you will see. War hero in the Pacific in WW II, never talked about it as he saw unspeakable things.
Eventually a niece of his, his older sister’s child, came to visit him with her friend, Theresa. T was a teacher, and sang (very well) for her church choir. She was also black, and Uncle never told another racist joke, ever, the rest of his life. He learned that his family was stronger than his learned prejudices.
And I learned that my uncle was more than a war hero, he was a really good man, able to handle new things he never suspected he would learn.
T sang at our Grandma’s funeral, and we all cried together. My Uncle had already died, but I know he would have been there with us, and he would have cried as T sang those beautiful songs for her mate’s Grandma.
But Virginia Republicans are no kind of hero, barely even human, as being human means being able to learn new things. Virginia Republicans appear to be self-identified monsters, incapable of learning new humanity, and still capable of inhuman monstrosity.
There is almost nothing I hate more than calculated and inhuman bigotry, and Republicans appear to have a near monopoly on that subject this election year. How much we learn about how far we have to go, even after all the progress we have made.
Bastards. I sure hope they don’t manage to Fuck up our country even more than they already have in the next 2 months! So scary, all that lizard-brain hate!
gelfling545
@WereBear: Probably not all – there’s Harry Reid, for instance.
Thoroughly Pizzled
@Randy P: The only funny conservative humor is Aristophanes.
Anatoliĭ Lъudьvigovich Bzyp (formerly Horrendo Slapp, Jimperson Zibb, Duncan Dönitz, Otto Graf von Pfmidtnöchtler-Pízsmőgy, Mumphrey, et al.)
And you didn’t even bring up the part when he told people who thought that he’s a racist asshole (because he is a racist asshole) that they should stop playing the “race card”. I know I often channel these douchebags in the comments, but it still kind of takes me aback when one of these losers actually claims that the people they’re slurring aren’t playing fairly when they call them on their racist bullshit.
Patricia Kayden
Hmmmm. It’s such a mystery why Blacks aren’t attracted to the Republican party, no? Just can’t put my finger on what they find so distasteful.