Today, The Washington Post ran a story on black Americans who defend the Confederate flag. The Treason Flag and American Swastika are symbols of white supremacy and anti-black violence. Yet, it has confused and wayward and bigoted defenders--apparently on both sides of the colorline if The Washington Post's story "Why this black defender of the Confederate flag says slavery was ‘a choice’" is to be believed.
Black folks who defend the Confederate flag belong in a human zoo; nevertheless they still have the ability to shape public perception and opinion.
Yes, and granting that it does feature racist writers such as Richard Cohen, The Washington Post is supposed to be a "journal of record". And yes, we do live in a twisted moment that is the bastard child of postmodernity where delusions and unfounded opinions are elevated to the same standing as established facts.
With those observations having been noted, would The Washington Post feature a story about Jewish people who are Holocaust deniers?
7 comments:
It's disappointing that in the name of being balanced the WP would allot space for such a bizarre point of view. A more valuable article could focus on the history of the flag. Where it came from and who has used it. Etc.
Frankly all I can offer is sympathy to the black folks who embrace this symbol .
I can suppose the feelings of frustratio, anger and powerlessness at being Black in America must be so overwhelming they would rather identify with an anti black symbol, which does have power, rather than deal with these feelings. Its called Stockholm syndrome. The woman who says she would rather have been dead than be a slave reveals her hopelessness and inability to identify with people who at the bottom of the pecking order. Lucky for her the slaves didn't kill themselves en mass or she wouldn't be here.
Rather than admire and celebrate the strength and fortitude of the slaves she wants to identify with the owners.
Likewise a lot are black people are ashamed of the status of blacks in today's society. No one, in this society where wealth and power are the Gods, wants to be on the bottom. See how quickly black families of police violence want to say it has nothing to do with race.
In order to feel valued they take on the narrative of the dominant Culture which says we are a post racial society and anyone who points out racism is the problem. It's part of respectability politics.
While I can relate to the overwhelming frustration of swimming against the tide and feel ingrained racism in this society will probably never end it is sad to see people take on the mantle of the authors of their destrutction rather than deal with their own feelings of inadequacy.
Reminds me Mind of the Master Class, a book that CD referenced in a podcast a few months ago.
There were actually slaves that bragged about belonging to wealthier masters, and took pride in being seen on the largest and wealthiest plantations. They saw it as a status symbol and looked down on slaves that belonged to less wealthy masters.
As Abw01 points out. It's a bizarre twist of logic.
As an aside, the picture that WaPo used is very suggestive. To whom is this black woman supposed to be looking up to? Her body language is very subservient, and almost child-like. None of which is an accident.
I've seen a lot of boot-licking Toms in my day, but this fool really takes the cake. Then again, she's already an oddball as a black tea party member. What better way to prove her bonafides as such than to embrace the American swastika?
Mainstream media response to Charleston and the confederate flag has been to downplay and minimize these as issues. The racism inherent in that is that the lived experiences and history of black folk in America are made to be made trivial and inconsequential. Thus, nine black people in a historic black church were killed by a gunman who, virtually wrapped in the flag, said he was doing so because they were black. And yet, this is about "guns." That's like saying for those who burned crosses, the issue is the price of gasoline.
This woman, with her twisted logic is certainly a purple squirrel of sorts, and hardly representative of black opinion. And yet, there she is being highlighted by the Post in their typical, "both sides" another opinion approach to journalism. Fits right in support of a media narrative on the racist, white supremacist aspect of recent events that's dependent on a willfull ignorance of history. Hence, this Tom.
Disgusting.
The Samuel L. Jackson character in Django Unchained being exhibit A.
Karen Cooper is in need of a de-programmer. The fact that the WP featured such a "right wing terrorism denier" indicates that the White Right is having a serious identity crisis due to the retiring of the Confederate flag. Sensing this crisis of confidence the WP reflexively attempts to shore up the rightist base, thereby demonstrating the stake that liberalism has in maintaining white supremacy. Gotcha!
The JEWS are at it again? Don't they ever LEARN? Flirting with RACISM & RIGHT WING FACIST! this WILL all END In TEARS, HISTORY has a NASTY HABIT of REPEATING ITSELF!
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