Monday, September 25, 2017

The politics of hate

Here's the thing about dog whistles: Only those you want to hear their call can discern the true tone. So when the president of these divided states calls on NFL owners to fire the "sons of bitches" who protest racial injustice by taking a knee during the national anthem, you know he's talking about the black players, because in his bigoted mind, constitutional free-speech protections don't apply to them. But when the narcissistic sociopath who currently occupies the White House is called to account, he can disingenuously say, "I said nothing about race, this is about respect for the flag and the armed forces, respect for the country. They're disrespecting our heritage." Whose heritage do you mean, though? Another dog whistle. And by the way, the armed forces respect the players' first amendment freedoms, for which they fought, so let's get real, this is just about the bloviator-in-chief throwing red meat to his base. Tellingly, he had nothing to say when Tom Brady declined to visit the White House, but he's all over Steph Curry's decision not to attend any victory celebration there. Guess which one is white and which one black? But beware, all this is a distraction from the real dangers at hand, the umpteenth effort to gut healthcare, give huge tax breaks to the wealthy, ban immigration from Muslim countries, racially gerrymander voting districts, and round up and deport the undocumented in the most heartless manner possible. And so much more. Every Republican who stands by this president is complicit in the stream of dog whistles and everything else. This is the politics of hate. And it is toxic to the very air.

14 comments:

  1. The 45th president of the United States and the 45th governor of Alabama have much in common. These are sobering times. Déjà vu. And again, visions of courage in the face of hate and ignorance.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Damn, girl. You sure can write!

    I am getting to a point where I am no longer surprised at DT's words and actions. I am however flabbergasted that those who voted for him are seemingly okay with it. Are many Rebublicans that actually voted for DT feeling regret? Are they voicing it? How can America do 180 in such a short amount of time?

    " Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I honestly cannot comprehend how he became, and is still the president.....

    ReplyDelete
  4. It's simply flabbergasting to see how far DT has pushed the racism and gotten away with it. Indeed, as you say- his base loves it.
    Seems like there's a lot of blow-back on this one, though.
    When do we get to say to him, "YOU'RE FIRED!"?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you for putting my feelings to words. This is so overwhelming, though it's also a little rewarding, to have things put out to light. Now we can identify the bigots and figure out how to handle them.

    I heard Kimberle' Crenshaw speak yesterday and she gave me some power. There are some smart people, some people of integrity, who speak truth.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautifully written and I couldnt agree more.

    ReplyDelete
  7. These are truly unbearable times in our country. I didn't think I'd live to see such outright ignorance on display. It is the opposite of every dream I've ever held in my heart. Thank you for writing down these words. We need to read them and never forget.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Definitely a distraction from other issues but shows his outlook. The man needs his comeuppance and eventually he will get it, if not while he's in the President's chair then at some point.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Well said! And not going to Puerto Rico and the virgin islands as soon as possible is inexcusable. Oh yeah, they are not allowed to vote. Just when you thought it couldn't get worse he makes it so.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

    ReplyDelete
  10. Beautifully said! I'm in total agreement!

    ReplyDelete
  11. As a Brit I see it a dignified protest. Carry on......Trump be dammed

    ReplyDelete
  12. Amen! I want to think that the world has lost its mind, but actually this evil hive mind has been festering all along & our president has allowed it to come into the light. We recently moved back home to NC after living in Ohio for 20 years. Man, it's rough!

    ReplyDelete
  13. This is one of those posts I would like to print out and put up on my wall. :-)

    Thanks,

    Greetings from London.

    ReplyDelete