“Be Careful What You Wish For” by NETI
I met a guy today; he’d just moved to South Carolina from Lansing and saw my Detroit tee shirt. I was waiting for service at a small engine repair shop in Charleston. He decided to strike up a conversation. He said, “I left my job in Michigan because my ex-boss’s wife was smokin’ hot. Too bad she was a nigger. But I’m not a racist.”
I looked away, hoping he’d get the message that I wasn’t interested in listening any further. He followed me, saying, “I just think the races should be separate. I’m for purity, but I’m not a racist.” I looked away again; I was speechless. He kept talking. “I once had a dog who was real smart even though I didn’t train her at all. Where we come from means somethin.’ ‘Course that’s just my opinion. But I’m not a racist.” I began to feel sick, violated. I just wanted to get away.
He kept going. “And we got them on welfare with Obama phones. But I’m not racist.”
Finally I said, “if you’re not a racist, who is?”
He looked at me square in the eye and said, “niggers and Liberals.” And he meant it. Finally, I managed to get away from this scumbag, climbing into the comfort of my own car, safe in my little cocoon, putting as much distance between us as possible.
As I drove I began to ponder. I have spoken with many conservatives who would never admit to agreeing with this man. Yet they believe it is the blacks who are the problem and the Liberals who are racists for wanting to spend their hard-earned tax dollars enabling black people’s laziness by keeping them on welfare, and other similar conservative talking points, supported not by facts but by fear. But they are never racists. Liberals are.
And you know, maybe they have a point. After all, I walked away from this man, hoping and trusting that he and his kind might one day drown in the vitriol of their own hatred. I felt anger, disgust, judgment, but I did not speak out. Now I am shaken and physically sick from the encounter.
So am I a racist? Perhaps the question really should be, “how and when did being race conscious, fighting for equal opportunity for all beings, become racism?” And, more to the point, “how can we stand by and let this Orwellian doublethink continue?”
Today I was silent in the face of hatred. Then I realized it was the ideas expressed by this individual that are the real enemy. He is only a mindless cog, being manipulated by much more powerful forces; he is being systematically programmed to elicit hate and generate fear. My fight is not with him, but with those who would inspire him, who would raise his banner. Ours is a mighty, difficult quest, because it is a war of ideas that cannot be won with guns or money. It is a righteous cause and the consequences of losing are too dire to ignore. So fight we must.
Yes, I am an angry Liberal, but I am not a racist.
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“But I’m Not a Racist” I met a guy today; he’d just moved to South Carolina from Lansing and saw my Detroit tee… http://t.co/BfE2XlnRWd
Wow…just wow..
Mercedes Da Silva liked this on Facebook.
Janet Bowler liked this on Facebook.
Thanks Rob. Great post. You did the right thing. You cannot reason with these people.
what a maroon… btdt with a similar conversation.
Racist defined.
Cisco Lindsey liked this on Facebook.
Fear, ignorance, and the subsequent need to be superior and scapegoat, are enemies as old as time. It always seems to come back to one solution; enlightenment. No, that’s not an easier solution, but at least we are solving the root cause problem.
Marty Eddy liked this on Facebook.
Cate Maniscalco liked this on Facebook.
“I’m not racist” is the new thing for racist people to say to make themselves feel better. If you’ve got to say it then you probably are.
What an ass…sorry you got him in your state.
Colin Duerr liked this on Facebook.
A racist’s definition of a racist. It is someone else.
It is unbelievable that this sort of ideology exists. I find I am naive and am utterly shocked when presented with such a lingering residual of tragic events and programming. I can understand a reaction of speechlessness.
I will say this to be fair. Although I may not always agree with their political positions, the conservative friends and aquaintences I know do not agree with the man you met.
They don’t place a color on their values. I think often there can be a misunderstanding of the motives behind someone who doesnt agree with me. At least that’s been my experience.
I’ve seen racism pop up in the most unexpected places. Yet it isn’t exclusive to one party. I grew up in the south and was raised knowing the deep pain racism created.
I find this man is an ignorant exception and that most people chose their values based on love and what they truly perceive to be most constructive. I have faith that most people have good intensions in their politics and are not like this very blind man. I often fail to do so, but I find listening and questioning each individual who is willing that I meet, to gain better understanding is critical. That is so I don’t wind up painting a another particular group with another broad brush.
Here again, we continue to move backwards as Conservatives move to roll back civil rights, reducing efforts to even the playing field, all in the name of “equality” which is anything but equal. http://democrats.judiciary.house.gov/press-release/conyers-supreme-court-ruling-poses-another-obstacle-racial-progress-diversity
Pamela McAllister liked this on Facebook.
Pam, I beg to differ. Conservative policies, as enacted by Conservative legislators and court rulings are racist, sexist and classist. From curtailing voting rights, affirmative action, equal pay for women to opposing gay rights, minimum wage, supporting corporate welfare, campagn finance reform, deregulation. These are fundamental conservative values, which are reflected in their policies. The Ryan budget rewards the super rich and adds tax to the middle class, reduces the safety net for the poor.
Gretchen Morris Archinal liked this on Facebook.
I’m not that well versed on the conservative platform, as the argumentative nature of politics, rattles my peace and I avoid the arena as a result.
I was speaking of the individuals I’ve met who hold, what is labeled, more conservative values. So maybe we aren’t talking about the same thing. I certainly don’t deny that certain platforms may result in causing more disadvantage for the already disadvantaged. I, myself, know that there would not be a cry for government help if neighbor helping neighbor or churches were effective in helping. So I don’t care HOW peopke are helped. I believe there should be EFFECTIVE help. when children are hungry and people are traped by the emotional damage and cultural ramifications of generational poverty.
What I’m not convinced of is that individuals form their beliefs about not raising minimum wage due to their being racist or believing less government protects individual freedom is a result of being sexist. They have certain values they hold which are underneath beliefs that have more to do with each individual being responsible for themself and a fear of the results when government gets involved. From what I’ve heard, they fear the government coming in will mean a devastating lose of freedom for all.
In reality, the other reality is that often, in regard to ither aspects of policy, conservatives just want government involved in different ways (corp welfare for ex). So there are blind spots. Yet this is true for both sides. (I, myself, tend to lean more towards people being effectively helped and and the landscape of opportunity being as close to the same for all as is possible. Yet Im not always comfortable giving up my freedom to chose for myself for more government control. So I can see both sides.)
I also have no doubt that slavery and its generational social effects still linger in potent and harmful disadvantages. It disturbs me to my core when others don’t see this. Yet I don’t believe they cannot see it because they are racist, but because they have not lived it.
I can’t say conservatives are blatantly racist, I CAN go as far as saying that what concerns them and what doesn’t results in those particular groups not getting relief.
Are their some who are racist? Unfortunately, yes. However, most are not. They’ve simply been persuaded that the conservative way is the individually responsible way and they don’t see or have not experienced the obstacles and so truly do not have an understanding of how impossible and life thwarting some of them are. I do and as I talk and seek greater understanding, I attempt to convey to make it an exchange.
If someone’s life experiences don’t allow a knowing, I don’t want to add to the emotionality (which often diminishes thinking to understanding) by placing a radical label on that that creates more divisiin and discord. My best opportunity to bring greater understanding is when I also seek greater understanding and I respect that human misunderstanding doesn’t come from my opponents being evil or bad, but instead ignorant due to lack of another sort of opportunity: experience.
We all lack certain experience and so some understanding.
I’ve tried to stay out of the arena because I know myself. If I go in I will become so involved and emotional I won’t be able to see the broader scope of things. People like you, Rob, and others are much more suited than I. So for me, the seats with the best vantage are in the nose bleed section, in my opinion….in some ways. Yet listening to how much you know, not in all ways.
It’s remarkable and admirable how passionate and involved you are.
I consider myself a conservative. I don’t really care what someone’s skin color is. I don’t want to control what 2 people do behind closed doors even if I think it is wrong. What is the point of your account with the racist? Why do you label conservatives with him? I know a man who says he is a liberal but because of certain things that he has experienced hates African Americans. Should I post my conversation with him & attack liberals? Basically I see liberals as people who like to attack people who don’t agree with them and completely discount them by labelling them. I do believe a marriage is between a man and a woman, that there are far too many government regulations, that race should not be the basis of deciding anything. Further, we are over taxes, over regulated and that this administration is the opposite of what we were told it would be: transparent and unifying. We have been lied to and are being lied to by this administration and the liberals in charge. Pass a law before you read it? If that was proposed by a conservative, the liberals would have screamed! I have seen the divisive vitriol between the races dramatically increase during the last 6 years, BOTH WAYS! The only promise this administration has kept is “change” and toward the extreme left. I personally can’t wait for the term to be up. And just to show you whether race or sexism is involved, I would be very happy to vote for Condoleezza Rice. Going back to my initial question, what is the point of your story? Love your work, disagree with your politics, as far as I understand them. In my business I don’t press or even express my politics unless someone asks me.
Liberal is the new Conservative.
This piece deserves wider coverage. Very thought provoking.
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