It’s off our mission statement here, but I had to take a look at this morning’s story about Rep. William Jefferson, the Louisiana Democrat who has been accused of taking bribes, and whose congressional office was searched by the FBI.I suppose I could stretch it to fit Gates of Vienna, since Rep. Jefferson allegedly took bribes from a Muslim official in Nigeria, a country whose northern provinces have instituted the Shari’ah.
But I really just want to look at the sheer American political perversity of it.
As reported in the CNN account, the House Democratic Caucus has voted to suspend Rep. Jefferson from his seat on the House Ways and Means Committee. The full House will have to vote on it now, which should make for some excellent political entertainment.
The usual charge of racism is being thrown around. You would think that its currency had been so debased of late as to be worthless, but people can’t stop themselves from using it.
It seems that all the pandering and affirmative action and prostrating themselves before the likes of Al Sharpton hasn’t gained the Democrats very much. So now even Nancy Pelosi is a racist — she must be wondering how much bang the Democrats are really getting for their pandering buck.
But here are the paragraphs that really caught my eye:
But after the vote, the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Mel Watt of North Carolina, said the suspension was based on “political expediency” rather than House rules, warning that it “could have consequences” for Democrats among black voters.
“We believe our constituents will import their own interpretation into this, and a number of them will import that there’s a different standard in our caucus based on race,” Watt said, though he added, “None of us are saying that. I’m not saying that.”
He’s right about one thing: There is a different standard based on race.
It’s just not the difference he thinks.
Tom DeLay was hounded into retirement based on negligible evidence compared to that which is on the public record against William Jefferson. But because the man is black, he could be photographed standing on the Capitol steps receiving a laundry basket full of $100 bills from Atiku Abubakar, and any question of the propriety of the transaction would be denounced as “racism”.
I’m a racist. I know I’m a racist; it’s obvious.
Because I’m deluded into thinking that any black politician or celebrity who engages in wrongdoing, no matter how blatant, gets a pocketful of “Get Out of Jail Free” cards because of his race.
When he is investigated for wrongdoing, it is evidence of white racism. Being charged with a crime is evidence of white racism. Not to be given a free pass for any behavior is evidence of white racism.
I must be a very bigoted person to think such things.
I guess I need a little more Diversity Training.
7 comments:
I don't think you're that much off the target for GoV... It's all about victimology whether it is wrt. to muslims or blacks. As long as you can claim victimhood, your opposition will have to excuse themselves or seemingly prove the aligation of racism true!
And as long as we accept the premises, we're going to be on the losing side, not because the opposition is strong but because we let ourselves be weak!
Right on, Zonka!
hey whitey,
i think white people get a raw deal these days. everyone makes fun of them and they can't make fun back. (i'm talking about the states). the best white folk can do is support guys like mencia who at least make fun of everyone.
sorry, baron dont know what to tell ya, blame slavery
-- sand nigger
Your comments are doubleplusungood! a symptom of the institutionalized racism and white supremacy upon which all of Amerikan kultur is founded - report at once for self-criticism and re-education (see your local university for details)
When he is investigated for wrongdoing, it is evidence of white racism. Being charged with a crime is evidence of white racism. Not to be given a free pass for any behavior is evidence of white racism.
I must be a very bigoted person to think such things.
Baron,
[sarcasm follows]
You have it all wrong. You are bigoted to think that he does not deserve the get out of jail free cards, when the african american has been the victims of 500 years of slavery by white devils such as yourself. You have made NO attempt to apologise to Mr Jefferson for the actions of your slave owning ancestors for forcing him to take that money. Therefore it is obvious, being a ice person with a autocratic patriarchal authoritarian personality (see below), you do not feel or display the sympathy the situation demands of you.
Furthermore, noticing that Mr Jefferson is black is prima facie evidence of at least latent racism, and quite possibly unadmitted overt racism.
Furthermore, you appear to have made the assumption that the investigation and criminal charges could be warranted, rather than the much more reasonable assumption that "The Man" is out to "get" Mr Jefferson, thereby jumping over Occam's Razor and again evidence of latent racism.
Furthermore, passing judgements on the behaviour of others is oppresion in any case
Furthermore, as a white oppressor, passing judgements on the behaviour of a protected person, while making no attempt to empathise, understand or excuse that behaviour, is indicative of bigotry, racism and an authoritarian personality.
Furthermore, you are white, and live in the rural South. It is therefore a reasonable probability that you are really a baccy chewing redneck who either is a KKK member, or would like to be. In either case, it is necessary that you prove this is not so before any more comments are passed on Mr Jeffersons character.
Furthermore, you choose to hide under a screen alias of a "Baron", illustrated by a Victorian style photograph. This again indicates an authoritian personality and fantasies of power over others. It also indicates witting or unwitting identification with the imperialist agressors and opressors of the Victorian era British, the most blatantly evil expression of white hegemony after the Nazis and the USA.
So, in conclusion, I belive it has been adequately proved that you are not merely bigoted - You are a little Eichmann.
[/sarcasm ends]
Diversity training? Hah! Heads up. The Thought Police are already on their way.
:)
Some of the above comments would be funnier if I had not been through several of these 'training' courses. (They are part of the corporate experience nowadays.) In the latest one I was informed explicitly that only white people could be racist, because they represent the power structure, and that white folks could NEVER be the victim of racism, for the same reason.
I thought about pointing out the obvious 'real world' racism to my instructors, and then decided that I needed my job. I will post about it someday on my blog, but am glad that you spoke and gave me a chance to chime in.
This is the quiet shame of the modern working world -- imposition upon us of those classes which we escaped in college, or which we zombied our way through. And in this maze of funhouse mirrors, we view ourselves as the carictures that those who do not understand create for us. We must understand them, but they do not understand us. So much for living in a color-blind world, huh?
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