After the NAACP condemned "elements" of the Tea Party movement as racist, a Tea Party activist named Mark Williams wrote a hilarious letter mocking the NAACP and black political views in general (read the text here). Predictably, the Tea Party leaders are upset about this and expelled his group from the National Tea Party Federation.
Despite his expulsion, liberals and blacks will continue to call the Tea Party racist. Anyone who disagrees with blacks and wants to take their goodies away will be labeled a racist. They do so because they understand that whites are afraid of being called a racist and will do everything they can to avoid being called one.
Until the Tea Party movement becomes unfazed when it is called racist, it will accomplish nothing. A Tea Party movement that panders to blacks makes about as much sense as a Sinn Fein that wants to establish the Anglican church or a Geert Wilders who supports Islamic immigration.
Yes I was extremely disappointed by this.
ReplyDeleteLook at this video where the Tea Party brags about how diverse they are:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMdPTpOyUk4
I still think though that the Tea Party has a lot of potential.
Yes, disappointing but hardly suprising, for the TP is made up mostly of white folks who can't bear being called racist.
ReplyDeleteGive em time.
The only correct response to a racism allegation is to go on the offensive, not the defensive. They should have condemned the NAACP for its racism. As long as you play by their rules, and accept their axiom that only Whites can be racist, you will lose.
ReplyDeleteAll it will take is one White political leader to openly and repeatedly mock and ridicule the racism charge, to show that the race card no longer has power, and suddenly, we will be free of it. As long as White political leaders continue to cower before it, they will use it.
"The only correct response to a racism allegation is to go on the offensive, not the defensive. They should have condemned the NAACP for its racism."
ReplyDeleteNo, they shouldn't have. That just keeps the game going. That's what James Edwards calls the "Bull Connor was a Democrat!" defense and it never works.
Besides, that's exactly what they DID do. It's what they do every time, and nothing ever comes of it, except even more accusations of racism.
The only way to respond when accused of racism is some variation of "So what?" "Big deal." "And? What's your point." Accompanied by a huge belly laugh.
That's how to put a stop to it. Show them that the word has lost its power to scare us. Not trying to scare THEM with the word. They just laugh at you.
I'm going to give the Tea Party one more election cycle before I pronounce on their effectiveness. (I gave the Libertarian Party like fifteen!)
ReplyDeleteMy response is to starting using the word "racist" incorrectly over everything. If your burger has too lettuce and not enough pickle: "My burger is racist!" If your computer isn't loading a browser window: "My compy is racist!" If it rains while you're jogging: "The sky is racist!" Always gives me a giggle.
One of the fallacies I see in regards to the tea party is that it is a movement, not a party. They do not have a hierarchical leadership, or any leadership at all. It is self-organizing along general principles. It has no platform, holds no elections, and has no nationally recognized central authority. It has no membership requirements or registration.
ReplyDeleteThat is not to say that there are not organizations trying to be that central authority, or politicians trying to become the tea party leader.
There are also Republicans trying to drag the tea party into being a republican offshoot as well as people trying to turn the tea party into a genuine political party, like the Libertarians.
The Tea Party cannot be racist because it is not anything at all. At most it is a flash mob gathering momentarily to proclaim that they are dissatisfied with the out of control government, no matter which political party is running it.
I would think the Tea Party would be right at home at a Republican convention.
ReplyDeleteThe tea party is worthless because they are a bunch of neocons.
ReplyDelete