Let's not take the RACE BAIT (another call for calm nerves & dignity)

[Essene]

Take a deeeeeep zen mindful breath with me first.... :D

• I know there is some nasty stuff going on at the Mccain/Palin rallies.
  
• I know there are some attempts to push eugenics crud into the headlines.
  
• I know there is all kinds of racialized nonsense. It's disturbing.
  
• I understand most people here feel compelled to "confront racism." The opposition is banking on it.

Let's stop and all look at this example: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/09/mccain-co-chair-calls-oba_n_133369.html

Former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, a McCain campaign co-chairman...

"He ought to admit," Keating said, "'You know, I've got to be honest with you. I was a guy of the street. I was way to the left. I used cocaine. I voted liberally, but I'm back at the center.'"

He's not saying this accidentally, folks. THIS IS RACE BAITING. They want the Democrats to start screaming "racism!" They want tensions to rise and people to get nasty on both sides. That's all the last few days have been about.

This is their attempt to drag the nation into racial tensions... into the mud. I don't think big blogs oughta even dignify some of this with attention. It's not news. It's no more national news than a KKK rally in some tiny town. That's not "ignoring racism." That's containing it's relevance. If folks MUST discuss it, then please calmly, objectively call it RACE BAITING rather than falling into the trap and screaming "racism!"

If this nation suddenly gets swept over by a "this is about race" discussion in the national media...

If this nation stops talking about the economy, foreign policy, and real domestic policy...

If this nation starts putting mics in the faces of reactionaries ON BOTH SIDES...

The ONLY candidate who will be harmed by a national "confrontation" over race is Obama.

These nuts want attention. They want confrontation.

They thrive on fear, hate and "the dark side." The GOP want to see hatred on our side bubble up. The SLIGHTEST sense of "whine" from Democrats and it will be deemed "playing the race card" and used to stir up MORE hatred. Sorry, but that's how this works (for now). Folks, the deck is stacked against blacks in ANY reactionary discussion of race. Being an "angry black man" is UNACCEPTABLE in America, however justified the anger may be. The slightest hint of claiming victimization and america gets nervous. I assume folks around here figured that out in the primary. Do not take the bait.

Imagine what happens if folks on the left start reciprocating the anger and the media picks up on it.

Imagine the media suddenly parachuting into poor black neighborhoods to "see how they feel" about the racism directed at Obama. The media would love to show anger on "both sides." See where this leads? You think they're gonna setup some intelligent discussion about race matters in america? You think Fox's obsession with ACORN is disturbing? Let this racism and nativist nonsense blow up even more around racial tensions.

Give it a week and they'll be pumping up news headlines: "Will there be race riots?"

Senator Obama is way ahead. The focus is on the economy. Obama got to this point by focusing on the issues...

*deep breath*

The opposition desperately wants to derail this campaign and to pull the nation into a filthy debate over race. Do not take the bait, folks. Remain calm. Much of this doesn't even deserve to be dignified with a response. Defeating racism has never been about freaking out over every KKK rally in america and trying to "confront it" in the national news. In fact, nobody even notices them anymore... for all the right reasons.

Take a minute and consider how... as a black candidate... Obama has avoided letting his candidacy become framed by race. Obama talks about race on his terms. His campaign had one exception in January, and nearly was derailed because of that mistake. That one little "MLK" sentence and the media obsessed about race for a month or two.

DO NOT... ALLOW.... THIS ELECTION... TO BECOME... ABOUT RACE.

Repeat after me, repeat it 3 times. Take some huge deep breaths with me. :)

Racism and nativist non-sense is out there. Bashing it over the head wont defeat it, folks. Those people are freaked out. What did we expect? The GOP is out of options and ideas. What did we expect from them?

• We will document what's going on. If we have videos/documentation, we share it and let it speak for itself.
  
  
• We keep a watchful eye.
  
  
• We call it "inciting" hatred or race baiting, if we must.

Let's maintain our dignity.

One "right" rabid crowd yelling at another "wrong" rabid crowd is still just one big rabid crowd. Don't take the bait.

[Pithlet]

1. My own call for calm nerves.

This is a message board. Thousands of topics get discussed here. I've been seeing more freaking about about the freaking out then the actual freaking out. It's a message board. We aren't going to hurt Obama. He's doing well. We can't be complacent, but there's no need for panic, from anyone.

FWIW, I'm 36 years old.

[Essene]

9. It's just getting warmed up...

[JBear]

2. I think you are right...

We (those of us who have lived any where near this sort of thing) all saw it for what it was. We all know what he said. We don't need to repeat it to make it stick in the minds of anyone else who saw it.

It did infuriate me when I saw someone on CNN try to tell us we were just imagining the racial overtone in McCain's statement. All I could come to on this was that she had lived such a sheltered life, she really had never been confronted with racism before. Lucky her!

When we can be calm and rational about it, we will have another national conversation about race - only this time we will have the best President in history to be using as a role model!!

Free Tracy Turnblad!!
:bounce:

[Raschel]

3. Yeah, let's be quiet and maintain our dignity. Like Rosa Parks

and Martin Luther King and..........

[Essene]

8. Funny, i dont remember Rosa Parks being ahead in the polls for President 3 weeks before election

[Raschel]

13. I don't think there's anything "funny" about it.

And your lame response isn't cutesy. By the way, why do you think you have the luxury of posting whatever you want to say, including stupid responses, but your trying to convince other people to keep their mouths shut? Are you in the "big house"? Am I suppose to shuffle back to the quarters silently? I don't think so. LOL.

[Essene]

19. Actually, it was your response that was "cutesy" and missing the point entirely

At least have the damned respect to READ what you reply to.

Feel free to show some sincerity enough to address what ive actually said, rather than this crud about how im suggesting to just sit down and do nothing.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[FrenchieCat]

5. I approve this message!

As you know. :thumbsup:

[Essene]

11. mais oui, mademoiselle cat

[stillcool]

6. That would be the intelligent thing to do..

and I expect that when people are no longer blinded by their emotions they will realize they are being used. Race-baiting is exactly what it is, and I have been reeled right into it. I'm taking the hook out of my mouth. We have an election to win.

[BlooInBloo]

7. To fucking hell with all those who advocate ignoring racism.

EDIT: Except effieblack, who is simply benignly mistaken. :P

[Essene]

10. Who said anything about "ignoring racism"? Read the OP before responding, plz

[BlooInBloo]

14. I did. Please learn the difference between *saying* and *saying that*.

[Essene]

22. If you think im saying "ignore racism" you're an insincere fool. How's that?

[Pithlet]

20. Your multiple posts and threads telling people to ignore it.

Because it was clear we needed yet another thread on this topic. Just the thing to get everyone to ignore what you want them to ignore. Way to go.

[Essene]

23. and the same people flaming and attacking strawmen rather than reading what they respond to?

The reason i started a new thread was because people turned the last one into indignant flame fest.

Way to go... except this time im gonna report those who get personal and troll.

[Pithlet]

26. I think it would be better to just let it go

Especially if you truly think that talking about racism on DU really does hurt Obama. Call me crazy, but when I don't want a subject discussed, I don't keep bringing it up over and over again.

[Essene]

32. Again... that's not what ive said... or what im saying *sigh*

You just keep insisting im saying stuff im not.

No point repeating it another 10 times.

[Pithlet]

I think maybe your communication skills need brushing up on.

You used the word ignore yourself. Don't take the bait, you say. Ignore, you say. If you don't mean that, why are you saying it? Hell, in another thread, you argued that The Bell Curve should have been ignored, because the discussion it generated was damaging. You and I went round and round on that, remember? You aren't conveying your meaning very well, if you actually mean to say that people should be paying attention to the racism and discussing it.

[Essene]

49. You're not reading the OP, again

Stop lecturing me on communication when you obviously just want to pick a fight based on what you THINK i said, rather than on what i actually said.

[Pithlet]

56. I'm reading it just fine.

Who are you to determine what is just race baiting, and what is genuine racism and fit for discussion per your standards? Hmm? Maybe if you could enlighten us, that might help. Seeing as you think The Bell Curve should have been off limits, I'm really genuinely interested in hearing what you actually think is good, Essene approved subject material. See my other response to you further downthread. I absolutely get that it's important the campaign stay on message, and I think most DUers would agree. I think the campaign will stay on message, because they've given me no indication otherwise. I just don't get what that has to do with what we talk about here on DU. Why you can't understand that, I don't get.

[Tatiana]

18. EffieBlack? Lawd have mercy, say it ain't so!

:cry:

[BlooInBloo]

21. Just a tactical error, imo...

Obviously she would disagree. :)

[Tatiana]

25. Did Rosa Parks refuse to give up her seat when it was safe to do so?

Or did she have perfect timing in a brewing tempest?

[Essene]

27. and you think this is analogous to Obama being ahead in the polls 3 weeks to election... how?

I understand some people think the issue is "ignoring racism," but it's about NOT BEING BAITED into racialized discourse.

Please stop and really think about what is being said... before oyu come back with this same point, as if anybody is arguing to "ignore racism."

[Tatiana]

28. Right is right. Wrong is wrong. Let's "say it to their face." n/t

[Essene]

29. Have fun going around america "saying it to their face." I'll pick my battles.

[BlooInBloo]

31. Let us know when you pick one.

[Essene]

33. Very unpretentious and dignified. Thanks.

[BlooInBloo]

35. You're welcome.

[Raschel]

37. What if she would have "documented" it, like we're being advised to do.

How stupid.

[Tatiana]

40. ********COFFEE SPEW********

***types furiously***

- 3 uses of the "N word"

- 1 "sit down, boy"

- 1 "kill him"

- 1 "off with his head"

- 6 variations of "he's a terrorist!"

- 12 suggestions that Obama is a Muslim

GOT IT! Boy, that solved the problem! Why didn't I document sooner?

[Essene]

48. Keep pretending that has anything to do with my point about race baiting.

Very sincere...

[Raschel]

65. Hey just wanted to come back and say, thanks to the few who stood up

in the government and media, McCain is saying he respects Obama today.

If nobody called him out on it he'd still be doing it. Looks like speaking out brings results!

[noiretextatique]

67. i agree...this is nonsense

even republicans are denouncing the RACIST ramblings of palin and mccain.

[nini]

12. How many times are you going to post about this?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=7379774

[chascarrillo]

15. As many as it takes the OP to convince him/herself that it's true.

Otherwise known as the McCain/Palin strategy.

[Essene]

16. twice.

[TexasObserver]

45. Hey! It's not really OCD if they only do it once.

Obsession is the answer to your question.

[ProSense]

17. Here

focus on reality

[Essene]

24. The OP isnt about "smears" in general. Nor is it about "ignoring racism"

it's about not taking the bait... not getting riled up and losing focus on the election.

[chascarrillo]

30. There's nothing dignified in not opposing racism.

[Essene]

34. welcome back. once again, nobody is saying to ignore racism.

[chascarrillo]

38. You're lecturing us to not respond to it.

That's being a Quisling.

You and that chickenshit moderator who deleted that thread are wholly contemptible in my eyes. You fucking disgust me.

[Essene]

47. (calling me a nazi conspirator) I'm confronting RACE BAITING and you're part of the problem

[chascarrillo]

64. You are being a Good German. Not making waves/ Not standing up to racism.

If you weren't so ignorant about history (see, whether Pslin self-imploded or if the attention that we gave to her helped), I'd ask if you knew where that got us.

[Bubbha Jo]

36. Ignore them and let them implode.

They are the meanies. We are the ones with hope. Keep your thoughts in the latter......!

[BlooInBloo]

42. Just like with Palin, the implosion will NEVER happen unless we make fucking noise about it....

It's funny because the IgnorePalinHandwringing crowd will never admit just how wrong they were.


EDIT: Implosions don't come from nowhere, folks.

[Bubbha Jo]

53. Who cares if their ego gets blown?

We have an election to win.

WWOD? ; )

[Essene]

55. you kidding? Palin imploded on her own and again... this isnt about ignoring everything.

It's explicitly about ignoring RACE baiting.

[BlooInBloo]

58. (facepalm)

[noiretextatique]

69. amazingly

i just has another conversation like this in another thread :nuke: talking point du jour, i suppose.

[Essene]

51. Hope indeed. We need to see the RACE BAIT for what it is.

I understand folks get kinda reactionary and upset when there are rallies spewing such nonsense, but the issue isn't about fighting racism right now.

It's about not getting baited into a completely poisoned discourse about race 3 weeks before the election.

[Demobrat]

39. Well based on what I've seen so far Obama certainly won't take the bait.

He's much too smart, and dealt with it much too long to let it get to him now. So I think we should just let him lead by example.

[Essene]

57. 100% agree, but apparently some folks here just want to rage

[Psyop Samurai]

63. Amen. /nt

[TexasObserver]

41. Good Lord! Two sermons on one day?! Same topic?

Thanks for the SPAM.

[Essene]

43. ATTENTION: for those who are replying without reading the OP...

It's getting silly, especially with the personal, pretentious insults.

1. The point isnt to "ignore racism" but to ignore being baited into a LOSING racialized national discourse. The goal right now is to win the election, not to feel better about ourselves for yelling at racists.

2. I'm not saying "not to talk about" what's going on. I'm saying not to push stories into the national media. Few of us have that power, so it doesn't really apply to us. Bloggers or journalists who might be reading need to reflect deeply on this.

3. I'm also saying not to tap into this hate mongering with indignant hate ourselves (ironically already shown on this thread... like the previous one). The same kinds of hatred and anger bubbling up on THIS thread... will bubble up all over america if we take the bait. It will spill out and can derail Obama's campaign.

4. This thread exists (like others) as an attempt to calm nerves and to help label the real thread: RACE BAITING. I am confronting RACE BAITING... how about you? :D

[TexasObserver]

46. Let me know when you've hired an editor.

[Pithlet]

52. That's the problem with your argument. Who determines which is which?

Are you going to tell us which topics are race baiting and which are genuine racism, according to you? And why wouldn't that discussion also be distracting from the economy, or what ever else subject we're supposed to be talking about? Do you now see why you're running into trouble, here? Yes, no doubt that much of what is going on is indeed intentional baiting by McCain's camp meant to change the subject. But that in itself is racist. Only a racist would do such a thing. So, that in itself merits some discussion, I would think. Discussion that matters not a whit in the grand scheme of things, because we're on a discussion board. This is why it never does any good to try to lay out what should and shouldn't be discussed. It really doesn't sound good, and people don't like being told what to do.

No doubt, the discussion changing solely over to race would be bad if it were to happen on a grand scale. But it isn't going to happen. Obama won't let that happen. The majority of voters aren't interested in that happening. McCain is getting toasted, and people aren't hearing his negative attacks. They don't care. A bunch of people discussing things the way you personally don't think they should be discussed on DU isn't changing anything.

[Essene]

54. The point is not to turn the NATIONAL debate towards race. You say that cant happen. I disagree.

Obviously... i dont have a problem with us discussion race or racism in general. lol

But when you insist now that the national dialog wont shift towards race, im sorry but i find that naive.

[Pithlet]

59. No. I'm not saying it couldn't happen. I'm saying a few threads on DU won't do it.

Don't get me wrong. I love DU, and I've been here almost since the beginning, and I've donated many hours of my time as well as some money for this site. So, it's not like I mean it as a diss. But you're giving it way too much power if you think a few threads by people dismayed at the racist tactics means a hill of beans in the big picture.

I saw what precipitated much of this. You went into a thread about a stupid racist article from the Nationa Review, and shouted at the OP to NOT TAKE THE BAIT!!! Inc caps lock no less. And you didn't even leave it at that, you kept on in that thread, and now you've started two other threads about NOT TAKING THE BAIT. If you don't have a problem with discussion of racism in general, then why would you do that? I'm not saying you do have a problem with it, but you're acting kind of like someone who does. Obviously, that article in the National Review did not pass whatever test you've got going on there. So, tell me. What is Essene approved? Maybe that might make it easier for me to see things from your point of view, who knows? If and when there's signs the the actual national debate IS changing solely to racism, and that it's effecting the polls, then maybe you, and others on the don't take the bait bus have a point.

[Essene]

60. I dont disagree... but as for the eugenics discussion...

Yes, i think the NR article about the "science" of white supremacy LITERALLY doesnt even need to be dignified by our discussion.

I think that's so out there it truly doesnt even deserve it.

FOlks are already freaking up and getting inflammatory as it is... and there is no "reasonable" dialog on that crud.

[Pithlet]

61. Well, it absolutely is ridiculous. That's fine if you don't even want to discuss it.

Perfectly understandable, even. But, there's nothing wrong with pointing out the bizarre. That was the spirit of the OP as I took it. I read it as "Can you believe those crackpots?" I don't think that was even dignifying it with a response, more like pointing out the absurd. Your reaction really did seem out of left field, and made no sense to me. In fact, I think you drew even more attention to it and turned it into the serious discussion you didn't want in the first place, and that certainly dignified it even more than if you had just left that OP alone. And you surely can see how it could be interpreted as just a little bit presumptuous to say that you think a topic just shouldn't even be discussed, period. No one should talk about the NR article, because Essene says so? You say it's dignifying it to respond to it, therefore that is so. Sorry, but what if I and others don't see it that way? Just don't join in the discussion if you don't want to talk about it.

I think the way to handle the attacks by McCain in general is to tell everyone not to let it get them down. I wouldn't say "Ignore it! Don't take the bait! " I would say "Let's keep doing what we're doing. It's working. Yes it's upsetting, and definitely call it what it is, and vent if you need to, but don't get demoralized". I wouldn't say "Don't talk about it! Ignore it!" That is what is whipping up the negative response you're getting, and it's getting interpreted as "Ignore racism". You have to admit that it's understandable why people are thinking that, don't you?

[progressivebydesign]

68. I think the term "race baiting" is over-used. People here are reacting to outright racism.

While the GOP may be using race to bait their crowds, the REACTIONS of the crowds is what most of us are talking about. There is no bait there... it's the real thing. And no one is saying any of those things in order to get a rise out of us.

[notaboutus]

44. I'm with you on this one

Obama and Michelle are not feeding off into it at all. They dismiss it like they are swatting away a fly. This is the republicans last dirty effort and the devil is a liar it will not work!

[Essene]

50. and we need to follow Obama's lead... not feed the hate (like 50% of the people on this thread)

[ProSense]

62. Your post is BS:

"The ONLY candidate who will be harmed by a national "confrontation" over race is Obama"

Stop trying to pin this nonsensical logic on Obama.

[progressivebydesign]

66. I disagree. You think people are watching us to see if racists upset us or something??

I honestly don't understand this line of thinking from some people on DU. What are we accomplishing by not calling these things out? That's what most of us are here for... for a sense of community with each other where we can say WTF????? And express our outrage for the attacks on Democrats, including racism.

Dignified? What is dignified about not calling this shit out? The media would have NEVER gone there in pushing this had people like us not spoken out so forcefully against it. If we do not react to this, doesn't that make us complicit?

I'm sorry, I've been here on DU since the beginning.. and I will not let anyone tell me what to write or how to express myself. I find nothing dignified in ignoring the abuse.. and find it quite troubling that people seem to be asking us to do that A LOT lately.

[noiretextatique]

70. right on!

exposing racism is NOT "race-baiting," and many on the rw side suggest. it's total bullshit.