This tidbit of racism being alive and well comes from Trail Blazer’s Blog, of the Dallas Morning News, where a vender at the Republican state convention in Texas was selling this dandy of a pin.
You might think that racism is relegated to the quiet jokes when the coloreds and the commie liberals aren’t around. Then you’ve never been to a motorcycle rally in Kentucky. They had entire vendors dedicated to racism, nazi, KKK, and other white supremacy rallygoers. I should have taken pictures. I was stunned at the outright hatred, and I do mean hatred.
“The only good nigger is a dead nigger” slogans on shirts. Swastikas, KKK, it was all there. I kid you not.
These vendors did not make up the bulk of the salespersons. Oh no, there were just two of many, but they were there and selling crap like hotcakes. It should be noted that not all bikers, not all the people who attend this biker rally, not all Kentuckians, feel this way. But enough do to make the trip worthwhile for these racist venders. I did find an inordinate number of rebel flags being flown in Kentucky.
And so it is no surprise to this blogger to see this pin at a Republican rally in Texas or any other southern state for that matter. The sentiment is rich and deep-rooted in cultures. We’ve seen it first hand. I do think that we who find such sentiments disgusting should be reminded that not all of the convention attendees would agree with such sentiment. Certainly, not all Republicans (Texans, southerners, or otherwise) would agree. But it is fair to say that there is a strong racist thread running through the Republican party, especially in the South. Could be that the thread is prevalent in both parties in the South.
It says a lot about how deep, how rich, how prevalent that sentiment is when a political party allows such pins to be sold at their state convention. That is unsettling.
CNN and the AP reported the Texas GOP banned the vendor after the event (and presumably once the story hit the news) and donated his $1,500 vendor fee to Midwest flood victims. Good for them, but I suspect it is more spin than anything. I wonder how many buttons he sold? Seems a reported might have thought to ask that question.
I wonder how many of those who bought the pin are also part of the "America is a Christian nation" members? I digress.
You might think that racism is relegated to the quiet jokes when the coloreds and the commie liberals aren’t around. Then you’ve never been to a motorcycle rally in Kentucky. They had entire vendors dedicated to racism, nazi, KKK, and other white supremacy rallygoers. I should have taken pictures. I was stunned at the outright hatred, and I do mean hatred.
“The only good nigger is a dead nigger” slogans on shirts. Swastikas, KKK, it was all there. I kid you not.
These vendors did not make up the bulk of the salespersons. Oh no, there were just two of many, but they were there and selling crap like hotcakes. It should be noted that not all bikers, not all the people who attend this biker rally, not all Kentuckians, feel this way. But enough do to make the trip worthwhile for these racist venders. I did find an inordinate number of rebel flags being flown in Kentucky.
And so it is no surprise to this blogger to see this pin at a Republican rally in Texas or any other southern state for that matter. The sentiment is rich and deep-rooted in cultures. We’ve seen it first hand. I do think that we who find such sentiments disgusting should be reminded that not all of the convention attendees would agree with such sentiment. Certainly, not all Republicans (Texans, southerners, or otherwise) would agree. But it is fair to say that there is a strong racist thread running through the Republican party, especially in the South. Could be that the thread is prevalent in both parties in the South.
It says a lot about how deep, how rich, how prevalent that sentiment is when a political party allows such pins to be sold at their state convention. That is unsettling.
CNN and the AP reported the Texas GOP banned the vendor after the event (and presumably once the story hit the news) and donated his $1,500 vendor fee to Midwest flood victims. Good for them, but I suspect it is more spin than anything. I wonder how many buttons he sold? Seems a reported might have thought to ask that question.
I wonder how many of those who bought the pin are also part of the "America is a Christian nation" members? I digress.
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4 comments:
I wonder how many of those who bought the pin are also part of the "America is a Christian nation" members?"
I must have missed it...where in any of those stories was Christianity mentioned that caused you to bring it up in an attack on racism?
Jason,
You know it was not. You also know that there is a strong argument that floats around in the Republican party, about the US being a Christian nation.
Therefore, I wondered, how many of the people who bought the buttons also subscribe to that theory? It's simply a question and it is valid.
How many people in the Republican party are Christians, Jason? Would you say that it is a significant number? I would say that it is. So the question stands. I'm sorry if you don't like the question, but I think you and I both might be more offended by the answer.
That is not to imply that all Christians are racist, as that is not true. Just like all Repugs or bikers are not racist, which I clearly addressed in the article.
Racism and discrimination is (and has been) quite unfortunately, been a part of most religions, including Christianity. It's too bad, as it gives you and I (both being Christians) a bad name.
(Deleted the old and reposted to correct typo.)
While it may be valid for you to think about that I just didn't see any reason to be bringing it up in what was an otherwise solid piece about racism still being alive and well. In some places, it's not even sick.
The way I read your entry, it would be like me doing a piece critical of Democrats who were supporting the banning of military recruiters from schools because they hated the war and then throwing in at the end "and I wonder how many of those folks who hate the killing in Iraq have no problem killing babies via abortion?" It can be a corollary to the main topic but it just seems out of place or extemporaneous.
If the post's main thrust...or really even a minor thrust...showing how that incident reflected racism in religion I wouldn't have said anything about it. Yet there was nothing in that report you linked to nor your piece until the end that mentioned Christians.
You disagree, obviously (because you posted it) but I just don't see any need to have brought our faith into this issue in this particular blog entry.
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