“That Conversation about Race” category archive
Gamergate Goes to Harvard 0
Writing at The Philadelphia Inquirer, Will Bunch thinks there’s more than meets the eye in the who-shot-john over ex-Harvard president Claudine Gay. A snippet (emphasis added; follow the link for his reasoning.
But the conservatives who drove the frenzy over Gay care about proper citations in obscure dissertations as much as the misogynistic dudes behind Gamergate pretended their orgy of harassment was actually about ethics in video-game journalism. This was a proxy war over something much, much bigger: Who controls the narrow pipelines into America’s elites, and how to preserve ancient hierarchies around race, gender, economic class, and social status.
Still Rising Again after All These Years 0
Historian Charles B. Dew responds to those who would preserve, even celebrate, Confederate monuments because they are “part of history” by reminding them of just what part of history they would cherish. Here’s a bit:
Follow the link for more from the historical record.
The Hollow Man 0
As you may have heard, Donald Trump, a second-generation American, recently said that immigrants were “poisoning the blood” of America. (One descendant of immigrants certainly is, but I digress.)
In the midst of a longer article discussing this remark, Ned Seaton notes, methinks quite accurately:
Follow the link for context,
The Privatization Scam, Medicare Disadvantage Dept. 0
Thom and Congressman Mark Pocan responds to a caller’s question about “Medigap” coverage. Thom also discusses the racist origins of the “Medigap” itself.
A Notion of Immigrants 0
Grung_e_Gene tries to figure out why one of the two major political parties in a country that has boasted of itself as a “nation of immigrants” is so all-fired frightened of immigrants.
Methinks he makes some points worth consideration.
Still Rising Again after All These Years 0
Field tries to understand Nikki Haley’s attempt white-wash history in ignoring the uncomfortable fact of America’s Original Sin.
Here’s a bit of his article (emphasis in the original); follow the link for the entire post.
(Broken link fixed.)
The Dog Whistler 0
At the Kansas City Star, Melinda Henneberger decodes de code. Here’s a bit:
The somewhat surging Republican presidential candidate’ supposed “blunder” was her response to a man who asked her . . . what had caused the Civil War. Only she answered the question pretty much as she has before, with some blah blah about the role of government. Missing from her answer, once again, was this word: Slavery.
A blunder is a stupid or careless mistake. Nad Haley’s answer was not careless, but calculated.
(snip)
Instead, they were the broadest possible wink to MAGA nation that she sees them, as she always has, and is with them, still.
See Foot, Shoot Foot, Nikki Foot 0
I linked earlier to PoliticalProf’s post regarding Nikki Halley’s white-washing the reason for the American Civil War.
Halley has since conceded that, yeah, maybe slavery did have a little bit to do with it.
Over at No More Mister Nice Blog, Steve M argues that said concession is not likely to help Halley with the Republican Party’s secessionist base. A snippet:
But Haley can’t do any of that, because her brand is “reasonable-seeming Republican.” She’s polling best in New Hampshire, where members of any party (or no party) can vote in the Republican primary, and where the Republicans are, on average, more moderate than they are in most of the country. Angry wingnuttery might alienate these voters, so she’s ruled it out.
A Notion of Immigrants 0
Aside:
Natch, Donald Trump is descended from immigrants. If I remember correctly, he’s second-generation.
For that matter, so are all of us descended from immigrants whose families arrived after, say, just to pick a date, 1492.
Still Rising Again after All These Years 0
Farron comments on the irrationality of Marjorie Taylor Greene’s most recent call for secession. (Of course, he’s wasting his breath; irrational persons can’t deal with rationality.)
Republican Culture War Coffers 0
Michael in Norfolk follow the money.
Know Them by the Company They Keep 0
The Rude One pulls nary a punch.
Methinks, though, that he could just as easily–perhaps even more accurately–have used the term “Secesh.”