Why We Can’t Have Nice Things: Shirley Sherrod, Journolist, the NAACP, and the Tea Party

But I’ll make another point in three words: Free Eric Holder!

Seriously, what the hell is this steaming pile of racial injustice? The administration is trying to put it all on the director of Agriculture, but has not yet made a statement about their feelings on the situation, letting the silence speak volumes.

And don’t get me started on the NAACP right now. For real y’all? Did we really just throw a black woman under the bus? Is this a part of this new strategy change? Clearly, it’s time to start pushing back on some of these PR emails I received.

On the Tea Party

The Tea Party may not be an inherently racist organization, but they sure are quick to look the other way when some racist shit happens. Feigning innocence is not the way to go, particularly not in organizations that value diversity. Having black participants in the tea party does not absolve the entire group from racist actions. Also, the definition of racism appears to be way off. Sarah Palin wrote on her facebook page:

His words rang especially true in the immediate aftermath of the 2008 presidential election. It seemed that with the election of our first black president, our country had become a new “post-racial” society. As one writer in the Washington Post stated: “[Barack Obama’s] election isn’t just about a black president. It’s about a new America. The days of confrontational identity politics have come to an end.” [...]

The only purpose of such an unfair accusation of racism is to dissuade good Americans from joining the Tea Party movement or listening to the common sense message of Tea Party Americans who simply want government to abide by our Constitution, live within its means, and not borrow and spend away our children’s futures. Red and yellow, black and white, this message is precious in all our sights. All decent Americans abhor racism. No one wants to be associated with any organization that is in any way racist in sentiment or origin. I certainly don’t want to be. Thankfully, the Tea Party movement is not racist or motivated by racism. It is motivated by love of country and all that is good and honest about our proud and diverse nation.

Like President Reagan, Tea Party Americans believe that “the glory of this land has been its capacity for transcending the moral evils of our past.” Isn’t it time we put aside the divisive politics of the past once and for all and celebrate the fact that neither race nor gender is any longer a barrier to achieving success in America – even in achieving the highest office in the land?

I just spent a few beautiful Alaskan days with some beautiful Americans in my husband’s birthplace – they are Todd’s family and they are Yupik Eskimo. In the decades that our families have blended, I have never heard one proud, patriotic member judge another member based on skin color. Both Todd and I were raised to measure a person according to their capacity and willingness to love, work, forgive, contribute, and show good character. We’re joined by the vast majority of Americans in this belief whereby we measure a man by his character, not his color. Because of amazing efforts and accomplishments by those who came before my generation, it is foreign to us to consider condemning or condoning anyone’s actions based on race or gender. Being with our diverse family in a melting pot that is a Native village just days ago reminded me of that.

So to leave that remote village and return back to “modern civilization” only to hear of the NAACP’s resolution today suggesting that we Tea Party Americans don’t respect equality makes me sad for those who choose to divide these great United States. It is time to end the divisive politics.

If only people who took the time to learn all the proper words to sound like they were interested in combating racism were actually interested in solving the problem rather than avoiding blame…

On Journolist

This one doesn’t seem like it fits with the other, more overt examples, but it is important to highlight how conversations about race and framed and presented. I’ve been frustrated for a while about how the media handles race related issues. Basically, all the articles and TV segments are a variation on: is this racist? check yes or no…

However, it really, really sucks to see people who are supposedly on your team defending or upholding that stance.

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