Tea baggers and race
Is America Now A Post-Racial Society?
Many believed that the election of Barack Obama brought to a close the long, painful, and ugly history of race and racism in the United States. But as the incident with Henry Louis Gates last summer, and the more recent outbursts of the Tea Party activists suggest, racial divisions remain. Which is closer to the truth? A recent survey directed by University of Washington political scientist, Christopher Parker, finds that America is definitely not beyond race. For instance, the Tea Party, the incipient movement that claims to be committed to reigning in what they perceive as big government, appears to be motivated by more than partisanship and ideology. Approximately 45 % whites either strongly or somewhat approve of the movement. Of those, only 35% believe blacks to be hardworking, only 45 % believe blacks are intelligent, and only 41% think that blacks are trustworthy. Perceptions of Latinos aren’t much different. While 50% of white tea party supporters believe Latinos to be hardworking, only 39% think them intelligent, and at 37%, fewer tea party supporters believe Latinos to be trustworthy.
Let’s see. On one hand, you have people who voted for Obama because of what he claimed he would do…and those people are now pissed at him due to the fact that he hasn’t been the progressive poster child they thought they were electing.
On the other hand, you have a bunch of white Americans who hate him for…what, exactly?
Bailouts? Started by Bush.
“Takeover” of health care? Costs less than Bush’s Medicare drug plan.
Not to mention his pumping up of the wars, the increased presence in Pakistan, etc, all the same shit Bush did.
So, what’s the big difference? Gee, couldn’t be that to a far too large amount of Americans the notion that a well-educated, hip black guy is running “their” country enrages them to babbling nonsense? Egged on by benumbingly simplistic prattle on cable news?
This country is in a world of hurt, and it ain’t all Barry’s fault. But the tea baggers see a chance to show their shiney white hinies to world, blissful in their ignorance. All the while the real power never changed hands at all.
