Ta Nehisi Coates: Racism, socialism, Ashley the Todd, Joe Plumber blahblahblah | Stop Dog Whistle Racism!

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Ta Nehisi Coates: Racism, socialism, Ashley the Todd, Joe Plumber blahblahblah

Posted on October 31, 2008 by ludovic blain

Ta Nehisi Coates

Racism, socialism, Ashley the Todd, Joe Plumber blahblahblah

Thanks to everyone who sent me clips of McCain folks acting a fool at rallies and evidence of McCain campaign race-baiting. I know I haven’t talking much about Ashley Tood, and Sammy Davis and welfare lately. I was outraged for awhile and now I’m just kinda “meh” about the whole thing. Part of it is because I think Obama is going to win. But the other part is that something about it just feels petty. There are white racists among the American electorate, and the lionshare of them are supporting McCain. OK, now what?

Anyway, there’s been a pretty lively debate raging between Yglesias, Douthat, Judis and Feeny. It’ll probably come as no surprise that I mostly agree with Douthat, if with a significant twist. It’s not that I put it past McCain’s people to race-bait, it’s that I really don’t care. I basically think it’s to our disadvantage to ascribe mystical powers to words like “welfare” and “socialism.” True, I’ve done my share of indicting. But, I really believe that the first step in garnering the votes of any group of people, is to see them human beings with all the complexities and myriad emotions weighing on them that actual people have.

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: 2008 election cycle, race card, symbolic racism, violence |

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