“That Conversation about Race” category archive
“The Godfather” 0
Chauncey de Vega argues that Donald Trump is analogous to the boss of a crime organization whose followers are loyal to him and him only. Here’s just a tiny little from his essay.
Furthermore, there is large base of support for authoritarian and fascist politics in the United States. Many Americans are strongly attracted to political strongmen autocrats willing to “bend the rules” in order to “get things done” for “people like them.”
Negative and affective partisanship — meaning a situation when a political party or movement becomes someone’s primary identity, creating an us-versus-them worldview in which the other side is not just wrong but evil — along with asymmetrical polarization, white identity politics and racism, misogyny, and hostility toward sexual or gender minorities also contribute greatly to Trump’s persistent levels of support.
The whole thing is a relatively long read, but it is worth it.
Still Rising Again after All These Years. 0
Michael Paul Williams visits a museum and explores America’s first and arguably biggest “big lie.”
(Broken link fixed.)
A Notion of Immigrants 0
LZ Granderson tries to understand the appeal of Texas Governor Abbott’s pursuit mean for the sake of mean to the Texas electorate which keeps him in office.
The short answer is: most Texas voters, because he’s been in office since 2015. The economy is strong, and the cost of living is relatively low. Most important, the same traits that make him notorious across blue America keep him in power here in the Lone Star State.
Now, if “racism” popped in your head, you’re not all wrong.
But it’s not the full story. And that’s where progressives tend to go wrong.
Follow the link for Granderson’s take on the “full story.”
A Notion of Immigrants 0
Methinks Atrios makes an excellent point or two.
A Notion of Immigrants 0
The Majority Report crew points out that refugees fleeing for their lives and safety are not “invaders” and call out Texas’s attempt to secede, if not de jure, at least de facto to violate the Constitution.
Still Rising Again after All These Years 0
Michael in Norfolk minces no words.
A Notion of Immigrants 0
Yet more mean for the sake of mean.
Twits Own Twitter X Offenders
0
At The Philadelphia Inquirer, Will Bunch calls out Elon Musk’s racist misdirection play, in which Musk somehow manages to blame DEI for doors blowing off Boeing planes. Here’s a little bit, but you really need to read the whole thing for context.
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(snip)
Musk gleefully joined in an X/Twitter discussion railing against stepped-up corporate initiatives for racial and gender diversity, equity, and inclusion, commonly known as DEI. The electric car guru responded favorably to a fact-free post — suggesting that pilots hired by United Airlines out of historically Black colleges have lower IQs than Air Force-trained pilots — that sounded like a eugenics rant from the 1920s, then added: “It will take an airplane crashing and killing hundreds of people for them to change this crazy policy of DIE.”
It’s not clear whether Musk misspelled DEI on purpose . . . .
Dis Coarse Discourse 0
No surprises here:
In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump repeatedly referred to Haley, the daughter of immigrants from India, as “Nimbra.” Haley, the former South Carolina governor, was born in Bamberg, South Carolina, as Nimarata Nikki Randhawa. She has always gone by her middle name, “Nikki.” She took the surname “Haley” upon her marriage in 1996.
Trump, himself the son, grandson and twice the husband of immigrants, called Haley “Nimbra” three times in the post and said she “doesn’t have what it takes.”
Much more at the link.
Afterthought:
Ii seems relevant to note that, when Donald Trump’s ancestors arrived in the U. S., the family’s name was “Drumpf.”
Suffer the Children 0
We are again reminded that that is not a quotation from scripture. This is a Republican Family Value.
Today’s Republican Party has become the party of mean for the sake of mean.
“A God among Men” 0
Afterthought:
If Elon Musk, just to pick one rather obvious example, has demonstrated anything, it’s that our society really needs to stop equating bank balances to IQ points.
Still Rising Again after All These Years 0
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
Establishmentarians 0
At the Kansas City Star, professors Victoria Johnson and Karen Piper take a look at the unholy alliance between right-wing evangelical they-call-themselves Christians and today’s Republican Party. Here’s a brief bit of their piece:
Fundamentalists within many religions believe their interpretations are the absolute truth, and that those who oppose their claims to speak for God are characterized as evil and must be converted or destroyed. Such religious beliefs are used to maintain authoritarian political control today in theocracies such as Iran and Afghanistan, and supported the legitimacy of past monarchies in France and Great Britain through the “divine right of kings” — which is one reason America’s Founding Fathers were adamant about the separation of church and state.