Jackie Mason: Obama's a "Schwartza"

[bychance]

Has anybody else noticed that since Obama's elected there seem to be MORE instances of public unapologetically overt racist douchebaggery? This is what a "post-racial" utopia must look like.

YES.

omg yes. I've ran into so far at least 3 people who think "the blacks" should stop complaining.

[A*O]

I'm not surprised at all. People like to think that overt racism doesn't exist any more but it's still out there, especially now there's an uppity N in the White House. Sorry if that's too blunt but I know people who seriously think that way in 2009. It's scary.

[bychance]

Yeah, dare anyone speak about racism and you're "playing the race card". So we call topics "cards" now? Or controversial issues we just don't want to talk about as cards, to give an excuse as why not to discuss it...

[A*O]

I think the debate is stifled by people's terror of being branded "racist" when they state some unpleasant truths about the problem. For example, I believe that racism is a two-way street and it's not always about white bigots discriminating against victimised black people. There are a lot of black racists out there too but we aren't allowed to mention that because daring to say so is "racist". You can't have a meaningful debate about this without both sides acknowledging their own role in creating the problem. It's no good pulling the race card when the discussion starts to get awkward or forces people to look at themselves.

[witchcurlgirl]

^^ Good points.

I don't think talking about race relations is playing the race card.

Making false or exaggerated claims of bias that piggyback onto real instances of victimization (think Tawana Brawley, or Clarence Thomas' accuasation of 'high tech lynching') is playing the race card.

I recently read a book on this topic by Richard Thompson Ford, it was a great read about how discourse on race needs to be shaken up.