Politics: Seriously.
Cass Ballenger, the North Carolina Republican Congressman who earlier this month called outgoing Georgia Democrat Cynthia McKinney "a bitch," has apologized for the comment. Unfortunately, Ballenger also just had an aide paint his lawn jockey white. According to the Raleigh News and Observer, Ballenger has had a black jockey lawn ornament in front of his house for years, and he decided last week, after issuing an apology for his comments (building up to calling her a bitch, Ballenger said that working with McKinney triggered "segregationalist feelings"), that he would paint the jockey white.
So, there's probably a lesson here. Something about how racism in America is now underground, perpetuated by a million small acts that degrade, insult and demoralize minorities all while flying below the radar screen of actual outrage. Subtle touches that carefully hint that America is a white, christian place. Things like lawn jockeys, nostalgia for segregation, confederate flags (which weren't prevalent until integration), English-as-official-language resolutions, ten commandment sculptures, members of Congress calling for anyone "with a diaper on their head" to be checked out, and more all figure into this subtle, sweeping ethnocentricity.
Yeah, I'm sure there is a lesson there somewhere. I mean, shouldn't we just not have members of Congress with lawn jockeys? Isn't that a good place to start?
Cass Ballenger, the North Carolina Republican Congressman who earlier this month called outgoing Georgia Democrat Cynthia McKinney "a bitch," has apologized for the comment. Unfortunately, Ballenger also just had an aide paint his lawn jockey white. According to the Raleigh News and Observer, Ballenger has had a black jockey lawn ornament in front of his house for years, and he decided last week, after issuing an apology for his comments (building up to calling her a bitch, Ballenger said that working with McKinney triggered "segregationalist feelings"), that he would paint the jockey white.
So, there's probably a lesson here. Something about how racism in America is now underground, perpetuated by a million small acts that degrade, insult and demoralize minorities all while flying below the radar screen of actual outrage. Subtle touches that carefully hint that America is a white, christian place. Things like lawn jockeys, nostalgia for segregation, confederate flags (which weren't prevalent until integration), English-as-official-language resolutions, ten commandment sculptures, members of Congress calling for anyone "with a diaper on their head" to be checked out, and more all figure into this subtle, sweeping ethnocentricity.
Yeah, I'm sure there is a lesson there somewhere. I mean, shouldn't we just not have members of Congress with lawn jockeys? Isn't that a good place to start?
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