Archive for "Jun, 03 2009"

Sorry white men (and Ann Coulter), Sotomayor is not a racist. You are.

Why does this damn “reverse discrimination” meme continue?

Oh right, FOX News.

I’m just going to put it out there: “reverse discrimination” is bullshit.  It’s a weak claim made by powerful white people who don’t want their privilege challenged in the slightest.

Let’s look at Sotomayor’s infamous quote again:

I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.

I’m going to put it out there: even without additional context, it’s not a racist statement.

The key words to think about are “who hasn’t lived that life.”  The context we need is already there.  She’s talking about being able to relate to the experiences of women and people of color.  She is saying that a Latina woman who has endured the trials of sexism and racism in America will have a much more personal context from which to relate to someone else struggling with sexism and racism.

If there is a white man out there who claims to know more about the experiences of people of color and women than people of color and women, let him say so.  None of the people that have called Sotomayor a racist or reverse racist will actually claim that, but please, we know it’s what they’re implying.  You don’t get to say you know more about racism.  We’re white and have power and that’s the way it’s going to stay.

Pat Buchanon:

The question is: does she believe in reverse discrimination against white males?  And it appears she does.

Please, tell me, what would that look like?  How would she discriminate against a white male?

I thought I was done addressing this in the Farce File last week, but it just has me so damn irritated.

If the words “reverse discrimination” come out of your mouth, you are the racist.  You are the one trying to maintain your racial privilege.  You are the one trying to defame a person of color.  You are the ignorant one.

If anyone knows this, it’s Newt Gingrich.  Look at how frantically he’s trying to backpedal:

My initial reaction was strong and direct — perhaps too strong and too direct. The sentiment struck me as racist and I said so. Since then, some who want to have an open and honest consideration of Judge Sotomayor’s fitness to serve on the nation’s highest court have been critical of my word choice.

With these critics who want to have an honest conversation, I agree. The word ‘racist’ should not have been applied to Judge Sotomayor as a person, even if her words themselves are unacceptable (a fact which both President Obama and his Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, have since admitted).

Again I say: bullshit.  Notice what he didn’t say?  “I’m sorry.”  Notice what else he didn’t say? “I was wrong.”  Notice what else he didn’t say? “Sotomayor is not a racist.”

It’s clear from the statement that all he cares about is saving face.  All he is acknowledging is that he shouldn’t have said “racist.”  When I read the statement, it sure seems to me that he still thinks she is a racist.  He certainly thinks her words were racist.  And he has no intention of backing down from that.

It’s time to call out the racists for who they really are.  Go watch that video again.

If I can help it, I’m not going to bring this issue up again.  These people are pathetic and I find it sickening that such obvious racism is still a part of mainstream dialogue and isn’t being properly checked.

Understanding the privilege I have as a white man, myself, is a challenging lifelong process, but I’m so glad that I have made enough progress that I can call out these bigots when I see them.

If people start having legitimate conversations about Sotomayor’s competence as a judge and her capacity to sit on SCOTUS, let me know.  Until then, I’m not humoring any more dialogue about whether or not she might be a “reverse racist.”  What a crock.