RACISM IS STILL HERE, WHITE PEOPLE

Ruth A. Sheets

So, racism is no longer a problem in the United States of America.  John Roberts told us so back in 2013 when he and the conservatives on the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act that had been passed again in 2006 by a vast majority of Congress.  Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina  repeated the lie in his response to President Biden’s speech ON the 100th day of his presidency.  Roberts is a privileged white guy who can’t seem to connect with ordinary Americans from his Supreme Court position.  Scott is a Black Republican from South Carolina.  They have an understanding of racism in common.

Republicans right now are mostly white people and either are or wannabe rich.  White folks have had so many privileges for so long it is hard for them to even imagine that these are privileges only white people have.  When a plan comes forward to give some assistance to anyone else, white people are encouraged to believe they will lose something in the process.  Republicans have bought into the lie that if someone gets something others lose something.  That is not the way the world has to work, but it is a POWERFUL device for keeping people in fear and getting working people to believe Republicans have their interests at heart.  In reality, most of the Republicans who really cared about working people's welfare died before most living Americans were born. 

The lie works, though because if things are said loud enough and repeated often enough and by men, people who are vulnerable may believe.  This pumping out of the zero sum game theory of life is racist, particularly when those who profess it are white, rich, and Republican.  Even Black Republicans like Sen. Scott and fellow Republican Clarence Thomas of Supreme Court fame bow to white supremacy because it allows them to be big fish in a little pool.  They have manage to be successful and can both claim this is due to their own efforts and therefore, this is not a racist nation.  The country is  racist, of course, but these men have been rewarded handsomely for their lies and submission, so why should they change.  

We as a nation should be able to do better.  Racism is at the center of nearly everything we do, however, so pretending it is no longer a problem will not work to heal our nation.  This is why I am pretty sure Republicans don't want to heal anything.  They benefit more from disunion, blaming, fearmongering, racism, and all the rest.  Their lies get broadcast all over right-wing media and the other media feel compelled to pick it up and keep covering it too, far beyond what any particular person’s or group’s actions deserve. 

It is even better if white Republicans/conservatives can show Black people and other people of color protesting because it fits the Republican mantra that only they care about this nation, only they love this country and are patriotic.  Those protesters aren’t really Americans, so protesters’ honest concerns can easily be dismissed as irrelevant and destructive.  Abuse by police, poorly resourced education, limited political representation, voter suppression, inadequate housing availability, etc., are not real problems. 

The Democratic Party needs to do better in messaging.  The party must show that Dems actually do care about working people and always have, perhaps not as much lately as they should, but far more than Republicans have in decades.  Republicans don't want workers of color to have unions or hold out for higher wages, living wages because it is easier to control people when they are suffering, in massive debt, and desperate.  White supremacy informs white people that others don’t deserve anything through the voting booth or on the job.  We learn that the vote must be kept “pure” from a Texas legislator, code for “white.”  Republicans don’t even cringe anymore when clearly racist statements are made and racist bills proposed.  It’s just another day at the office for them. 

Republican defense of such statements and proposed laws  are that these are really to protect the votes of Black and other voters.  They have created elaborate lies, explanations for their “base” to show their immense altruism, not racism.  Of course it’s racism, but for white people who don’t want to believe they and their party are racist, the deception works.

Congress, without any Republican support threw a monetary lifeline to Americans trying to survive the pandemic physically and economically.  Republican governors and legislators noticed that people aren’t rushing back to the low-paying jobs as businesses start to reopen and demand their return.  Instead of looking at why people aren’t returning in droves, Republican governors and legislators have decided it’s because the financial assistance is too much so people don’t want to work.  They are forcing people back into those crappy jobs by cutting support funding.  People must be forced back to work even if the wages are insufficient to cover expenses, let alone child care.  White privilege tells these governors and legislators (Mississippi being one), that people don't want to work and would rather be on the dole.  More lies, but their white privilege keeps the lies coming and feeds their supporters’ anger at those people.  It also feeds the politicians’ desire for more prestige among scared white voters.  Gotta MAKE those lazy people work for the  companies that will bring the economy back, mostly rich, white men who won't pay workers a living wage.  Yep, that’s racism.  Poor white workers are caught up in this too which is where classism and racism intersect.

Republicans are so busy defending election lies, bad-mouthing the 1619 Project (which tries to honestly look at American racism), and dismissing any curricula that propose teaching about race in America that they don’t see just how racist their words and actions are.  I suspect they feel that if they keep the smoke screen up, their followers will continue to console themselves that they aren’t racist while they support a political party that promotes all kinds of racist actions, the most critical now, voter suppression specifically targeted at Black voters, claiming they are not racist, you know. 

The racism is clear to everyone who takes time to notice and consider the impact of the new laws in Florida and Georgia, for example.  It would be a mistake to think that initiating more than 360 bills in 47 states to restrict voting, all by Republican legislators is not racist.  Of course, it is racist and was intended to limit participation in elections by people of color in particular and non-Republicans in general.  I just heard a journalist claim Republicans are suggesting these laws because of their focus on voter integrity and security.  That is another Big Lie, their smoke and mirrors explanation for their racist acts, but none of it is true.  There is so little voter fraud in the many cases Republicans brought to challenge the 2020 election, they couldn’t produce any instances. 

The voter suppression push is about keeping non-white groups from gaining power.  If we care about diversity and our democracy, we need to stand up to this encroachment on our rights and democratic values. 

Republicans corralled by Mitch McConnell in the Senate have declared they will vote for nothing that will  help standardize voting or insure the right to vote to all citizens.  Republicans will continue to lean on jerrymandering, voter suppression laws, and challenges to election results to maintain power they don’t deserve and keep the lies and racism coming.  They can’t even support one of their own, an anti-almost everything that would help people kind of Republican, but who speaks the truth about the 2020 election.  Liz Cheyney was ousted from her nothing job today.  All the media just had to over-cover it even though it is as Republican as things get.  When a party thrives on lies, truth can’t survive even in the mouth of someone who parrots every other regressive idea recent Republicans have championed. 

Be prepared.  Republicans have nothing positive to offer.  They have no ideas,  lies rule, and their racism is on display everywhere and is pretty potent. 

Don’t lose heart, though because Republicans are the minority even if they don’t think so.  Democrats will need to use their current majority position to make essential changes.  It will be really bad if Dems blow this opportunity.  Manchin and Sinema, you had better get on board.  If you don’t, Republicans will serve you up for lunch and laugh through the entire meal, while they somehow make you look racist.  That’s how Republicans operate these days in their efforts to take our democracy down.