Harry Reid Left Unbothered
Recently, I decided to turn on the television Sunday morning and see what was going on in the world of the media. Upon watching the usual Sunday political shows, one headline (besides the fact that Jay Leno is switching back to the 11:35 time slot [yawwwwn..]) was about Harry Reid’s racial comment about Barack Obama. In a quote from the book Game Change,
“He was wowed by Obama’s oratorical gifts and believed that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama — a “light-skinned” African American “with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one,” as he later put it privately.”
It seems other folks have also made comments about Barack Obama due to his race. Reporters on the television (mostly conservative) said they would keep their nose out of the liberals business and not get involved with this situation. However, the majority of liberals agreed that he apologized, Obama accepted the apology, let’s move on.
Or should we?
Should we allow folks to continue to make racial comments and receive a slap on the wrist for it? Other political figures have quit their jobs because such a comment involving race was made. Personally, I believe this issue should not be filed away in the “problem solved” cabinet. Comments such as these prove that racism and stereotypes still exist in todays society. There should be continuous education and organizing towards ending racism in America. Allowing the Majority Leader to run off scott-free without proving a point that these sort of encounters commonly occur off the radar and should be fixed immediately allows other folks to make comments and continue a circle of prejudice. Hopefully folks can use this as an example of how the struggle for freedom from oppression is a battle not yet won.
Great piece!
I think we should be definitely bringing up events like this because they highlight important contradictions in the “logic” of the system. The Left should definitely raise the issue that “public servants” – as the mainstream narrative loves to call them – should embody the most just ideals. The cultural progress that subsequent generations have made to get this type of white supremacist language out of our culture needs to be followed with a second wave of progress which brings our institutions – and their individual representatives (i.e. Reid) up to par.
I think Tim Wise’s facebook status said it well: “it’s absurd to equate Harry Reid’s boneheaded comment about “Negro dialect” with Trent Lott’s praise for segregationist Strom Thurmond. That’s like the difference between saying, on the one hand, “gee Tim, you don’t look Jewish,” and “Wow, those Nazis were really on to something.” One is insensitive and stupid, …while the other is monstrous.”
I find it troubling that Reid meant his statements as positive or complimentary, and I think that chauvinistic attitude is as big a problem as the language itself.