A friend posted a link to a story about the amazingly abhorrent and ignorant actions of certain tea party protesters on Facebook today. There are many, many similar stories throughout the news media yesterday and today. I read the story and was absolutely amazed that people could be so idiotic...except that I know there are such people.
I haven't heard the word "nigger" used in a long time, but I have witnessed drive-by shoutings of "faggot!" now and then, usually by teenage or college-age asses who obviously have lives so uninteresting that yelling at strangers gives them a boost. I keep hoping one of them will get so distracted by their yelling that they'll hit something large and unyielding with their toolish sports car or pick-up truck and save the world from the proliferation of their genetic code and social upbringing. But so far that hasn't happened, so I just join most others on the street in regarding them as pathetic little boys and hope they have some redeeming qualities and will one day learn how ridiculous and extraordinarily stupid they'd been, and I move on with my life. We've all been stupid, we've all been jerks, and fortunately, most of us grow out of most of it. OK, so I'd rather they grow out of it and have a chance to learn the error of their thinking and behavior than smash into something.
So anyway, I know the reaction I have about that kind of behavior, and from the article above, it's clear many in the media and in the democratic party are similarly expressing disgust. It's also become a punching bag for decrying the supposed redneck bigotry of the Tea Party movement. I'm pretty sure most of the Tea Party folks are not racist, homophobic haters, but I must admit I cringed as I thought of the probable response to this from the right: cries of media bias and speculation that it was only one or two people shouting the slurs. As I searched for news results, I found an article I expected would be exactly that. It mostly was. But it's more firm in its denunciation of the slurs than I thought it would be, and the author points out that the coverage of the protests has focused almost exclusively on those shouts rather than the substance of what the majority of protesters were really there for: political demonstration and strength in (large) numbers. But I still have a problem with the title and with the fact that the article clearly deliberately attempts to steer attention from the bigoted shouts to media bias and to another random, isolated slur against the Tea Party folks.
Fortunately, other articles have surfaced today regarding Republican and Tea Party leader denunciation of the racial slurs. They're unequivocally stating their opposition to it. I don't have a TV at home, so I don't know if Fox News is whining about media bias and insisting the whole thing is being blown out of proportion, afraid to alienate their more bigoted watchers, but I hope they're not. Hopefully, they're reporting responsibly and not slapping wrists for gross bigotry while giving quiet, good-ol'-boy pats on the back for political ballsiness.
Think I'm completely out of line in supposing that happens, let alone among those who matter? What about Rep. Steve King's response in which he likens it to "a lot of places in this country that I couldn't walk through," as if two wrongs (assuming he's even right about his statement) make "I just don't think it's anything," or the justification offered by Rep. Devin Nunes? I think many liberals are taking his comments out of context and ranting overzealously, but really, Nunes? Even beginning to excuse those comments or blame the government for their behavior? I suppose you would, then, proclaim that U.S. foreign policy is to blame for the 9-11 attacks? I know you said the word "crazy" but not directly referring to these specific people. You then went on to say "smearing" (in no specific reference) is "not appropriate", then going right into a "but" about the left wing? Classy. I can see why you're in office.
I don't think for a moment racism is finished in this country. I happen to live in a place where it is, I believe, relatively rare, but I've heard some really ignorant and even vitriolic comments, around work and social events, about a prominent ethnic minority here. And I'm pretty sure it's nothing compared to some regions of the country where history and culture wars keep tensions high. I don't think, for a moment, homophobic bigotry and discrimination based on sexual orientation is finished in this country. With recent and upcoming political wars, understanding is sacrificed to battle cries and vilification. Of course, I also don't think religious discrimination is a thing of the past. Discrimination in all its forms is alive, probably kept in check both by law and by the decency of people who make the difficult effort to challenge their own paradigms and open their ears and hearts and minds.
We act shocked when someone yells "nigger" or "faggot", but I've witnessed people yelling those things not in those words but in their actions and attitudes. Some idiots in the Tea Party protests have yelled nasty words, and that cannot be excused and should be vehemently denounced. But they were, as far as I can tell, a small minority of the group, denounced by the party's leadership. And yes, there's been bigger news to focus on than that, with sweeping reform immediately underway, but I want to remember that acting incidentally indignant over these relatively few people who shouted nasty words is fine and well and might make me look good for a moment, but I'll try to remember my feelings about them the next time I'm talking about minority groups in my community or the politics around immigration or marriage or civil rights and try to make sure I'm not doing the same thing as those idiots in my speech and demeanor, just without using those particular words.
2 comments:
It's very evident that many on the Left are taking advantage of the actions of a few errant Tea Party participants to discredit the entire Tea Party movement, which has nothing to do with bigotry, in order to turn people against the Right. Using bigotry on the part of others to advance your own agenda is just as bad as the bigotry itself, since it fuels the fires of bigotry on both sides. However, the same self-serving behavior is exercised by the Right when their agendas are at stake. When will this country wake up and reject this behavior on the part of both Left and Right in a really meaningful way? Continue to vote all unethical, ill-motivated politicians on both sides out of office until those running for office get the message and develop some integrity.
Great post. I especially appreciate that, in summation, you made personal commitments regarding your personal behavior. I remember feeling so hopeless the morning the twin towers were attacked. I thought about the very different world my children would grow up in than I did. I wondered what I could do to make a difference. It has already been suggested that I can vote for people of character and integrity, but often even the best seem to become slimed walking the halls of power.
One thing I can do is control MY personal behavior. I can exhibit the compassion, integrity, and values I espouse, and hopefully my example will have some influence on those within my sphere of influence.
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