Ranting About Racism on the Campaign Trail

Posted on 14. Oct, 2008 by Karen in Politics

OK. I know this is a blog about midlife. But part of my midlife is my identity as a Black woman in America. And right now, that part of me is outraged about the incendiary climate on race now swirling around the presidential campaign.

Yesterday I spoke on a panel at the BlogHer conference in D.C. about my blogging mojo. One thing I kept repeating during the panel and throughout the day is how blogging helped me to find my true voice — how I felt liberated to be able, at this point in life, to be able to say what I mean and mean what I say. So I wouldn’t be true to myself if I didn’t write this post.

Race-baiting is nothing to play with in this country. Beneath our current veneer of civility and diversity lies the ugly truth that racism is alive and well AND flourishing here. And make no mistake — at its core racism carries the heat of violence. All it takes is a soft and steady puff of hot air to ignite that tiny molten core into flames of violence.

I lived through that kind of violence when I was a teenager in Detroit during the 1967 race riots. I remember watching the great green tanks of the National Guard drive by 4 blocks from my house. Families I knew left town to escape the violence. Detroiters lost their businesses, their homes and yes, their lives. All this as I huddled in the den of our home with my father’s Smith and Wesson 38 in my lap–ready to protect my family at all costs while my parents were trying to get back to town from a vacation. No I didn’t know how to use the gun but I felt the need for the cold, hard presence of that weapon against the violence swirling around me from racism run amok.

Add to my experience, the stories I heard my dad tell about the earlier Detroit race riots in 1943. He was the first casualty as the result of being on a date when the riots started on Belle Isle, a recreation area in the Detroit River between Detroit and Windsor, Canada. Dad saw horrible violence that night. And because of his injury, he ultimately had to have his leg amputated a few years later.

So where are we today on the potential for violence. We are too close for comfort as this video shows:

Is this the end of my rant? Yes. Because now I’m moving into action. There’s a group called Color of Change.org that has formed to address the fear-mongering in the presidential campaign. If you’re as outraged as I am, you can voice your concerns in a letter to the McCain campaign asking the Senator to change his strategy before someone gets hurt. I wrote my letter and sent it this afternoon. You can read it below:

Dear Senator McCain–

As a Black woman in midlife, I’ve seen my share of racism and racial inequity. But it’s been a long time since I’ve seen the kind of blatant race-baiting that your campaign is engaging in and/or tolerating. Are you clueless to the fact that the groundswell of violent thought you’ve created can easily turn into violent action. You must take steps to stop this madness immediately.

Senator McCain, show the leadership you’ve been known for in the past. Call off Sarah Palin and anyone else acting on your behalf who’s fanning the fires of racism on the campaign trail. Check those in the crowds who hurl racial slurs by leaving the stage. Don’t condone conduct that could bring dangerous consequences to Senator Obama and to our country. If there was ever a time for you to take the high road, it’s right now. Can you do the right thing?

Karen Batchelor

This isn’t about party politics. This is about making sure that we don’t take giant steps back in history to times we should never want to visit again.

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7 Responses to “Ranting About Racism on the Campaign Trail”

Rhea

14. Oct, 2008

The people in the video are pathetically stupid. I can’t imagine how anyone could not support Obama. He’s brilliant, he’s got good ideas, and he’s married to a very cool woman. What is wrong with people? I can’t wait until Nov. 5, when we have a black president in the White House.
Rockin' Rod

14. Oct, 2008

Karen,
The undertones of recent McCain/Palin rallies also remind people of the early days of the Nazi party, or any rally where people’s ignorance and fear of “the other”, whether the other be black, gay, Jewish or any non-traditional person from that culture’s population, have been stoked to burst into flames. Think of Krystallnacht http://www.shoaheducation.com/krystallnacht.html
or this country’s horrible legacy of mob lynchings black and white men and women…From the Without Sanctuary projecthttp://www.withoutsanctuary.org/main.html (I DO NOT RECOMMEND EITHER SITE FOR THE CASUAL VIEWER). The point is that these things have happened and CAN HAPPEN AGAIN!
But I truly believe that the other side’s strategy is going to disgrace them in the end and that the American people are simply not buying it. McCain will retire after this Senate term and move back to Arizona where he can still be a big shot and Palin will get her own Fox TV show and go on the speaking circuit to milk her 15 minutes of fame for all it’s worth. But she doesn’t have the intelligence to run a sustainable program and she will also end up on the dust heap of history next to her soul mate.
The important take away in my opinion is that the majority of Americans are sickened by this strategy and desperate to move on beyond the wreckage of the Bush years.
Yes We Will!!!
Jane

14. Oct, 2008

Karen, thank you so much for your post.
I, too, am deeply disturbed by the dangerous, self-serving and specious attacks of the McCain-Palin campaign and believe that the more we talk about this and point out this egregious behavior, the more unacceptable their tactics become.
These people’s ignorant world view seems to be based on a very primitive US vs THEM mentality. When I think back to Obama’s eloquent and brilliant speech on race last spring, it gives me hope that as president he will be able to move our country further along in our collective ability of seeing one another’s humanity. No, I do not think he will move everyone, but look at what he’s already accomplished!
And, I too belong to colorofchange and will write a letter.
Tina

14. Oct, 2008

Karen, this is an excellent post. Thank you for pointing us to colorofchange.org. The tone of the McCain campaign is frightening, dangerous, and divisive. If there’s any good to come out of this, I hope it’s that his campaign has been damaged beyond repair by this and that we can look forward in January to an Obama inauguration.
Karen

14. Oct, 2008

Rhea–I can’t wait until November 5 either!! But between now and then we have to work to make sure that Barack is elected. You’ll see more on the campaign here–does it sound like I’ve become a political blogger?

Rod–I hope you’re right that most Americans are sickened by the smear campaign tactics from McCain’s camp. I’ve seen those lynching photos before–not going to look at them now. I’ll never get to sleep.

Jane–thanks for writing a letter about this dangerous campaign rhetoric. I hope McCain gets the message because I can’t say that I think his attack puppy will understand.

Tina–I already have an invite from dear friends to come to DC for the inauguration. I’m ready. I just hope America is.

Thanks for the thoughtful comments everyone.

Karen
Peggie

15. Oct, 2008

Karen
Thank you for being you. For sharing you and for taking action. Too many of us bury our heads in the sand and hope “it” will go away — whatever the “it” is, we all have one. This is one place to stand up and I love the way you do, in your own strong, even voice. I’m proud to know you and am joinging the group you recommend too.
Hugs,
Peggie
Karen

15. Oct, 2008

Peggy–thanks for the acknowledgement. I walked around my house for hours thinking I should write this, I should write this. Finally some inner voice said “cut the crap and get writing”. And so I did. Glad it resonated with you. Come back to visit soon!

Karen