Scott Walker Wishes Blacks Would Be Nicer About All This Racism Stuff
Racial transcendence, how does IT work? Republican candidate and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker attempted to explain it while campaigning in Spartanburg, South Carolina , but he is a Republican, so he did a real bad job. You see, according to Walker, we're never going to have racial unity if we acknowledge that racial discord exists, and also, it would be nice if blacks would just be sweet and nice and forgiving when their folks get murdered, like they did in Charleston. Unlike those mean Ferguson people, who are probably playing the race card and reverse-racisting America right now. Did Walker say those exact words? Oh heavens no, but yr Wonkette is a very good Wingnut-To-English translator. Here is what exactly he said:
Walker was campaigning outside a restaurant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, when a reporter asked him about the anniversary of the death of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and what it portends for race relations in South Carolina. The governor answered that Americans should emulate the families of the victims of the Charleston church shooting.
"One, I think in general if anyone focuses on racial discord we’re going to get more. ... If we focus on unity we’re going to get more of that. The families of the massacre in Charleston showed us the way."
"Even days after the horrific shooting, the emotion they showed, the willingness to try and bring Charleston, this state, this country together. I think it’s a prime example if we focus on things that unite us, ways to share the American dream," he said.
Because remember how the Charleston victims' families immediately outdid everyone in America by offering forgiveness to a murderer who did not deserve it? Yeah, so here is the thing. That was beautiful and heartbreaking and something that made all good Americans say, "Wow, these people are true saints, and I cannot imagine whether I'd be able to show such grace in the same situation." SOME black Americans pointed out that, as beautiful as it was, there is a long history in the black community of graciously forgiving whatever violent, murderous bullshit white America has heaped upon them for hundreds of years, and as Killer Mike ( whom we LOVE ) pointed out, maybe it's time for black folks to actually demand something in return for all their "forgiveness."
Here, Killer Mike, explain on Tavis Smiley's show why Scott Walker's above statement is something a fucking tone-deaf moron would say, using the fall of apartheid in South Africa for context:
"With all the 'truth and reconciliation,' everybody saying 'I'm sorry,' they cried, they hugged, some people still went to jail. And the problem with that ... after we reconciled, why don't I own any of the land? Why does De Beers still dominate the diamond market?"
At this point, host Tavis Smiley asks why it has to be an either/or situation (forgiveness AND doing something to address inequality, racism, historical sins, et cetera) and not both/and, and Mike responds:
"What I'm saying is we done did the 'and'! When we gonna get the 'both'? When do both people get something out of the deal? ... For the last 51 years in this country, we've done the 'and.' ... What do we own? What have you acquired in exchange for your blood, in exchange for your sacrifice, in exchange for accepting the 'I'm sorry'?"
Mike also notes that after WWII, after the atrocities heaped on Jews in Europe and on the Japanese after the atomic bombs, those people GOT something from the world, in order that they might go on to prosper. And if you never deal with any of the longstanding wounds that exist -- any of the (SORRY, WHITE PEOPLE) reparations that need to be made to the black community -- and your response to the anniversary of Ferguson is that we just need to focus on some dumbass Pollyanna bullshit about how we're all united US Americans, and weren't those black folks in Charleston just so goddamned GRACIOUS about all the murder, then you need to get fucked, in both of your dumb Wisconsin earholes.
[ Huffington Post via RawStory ]
And this is why, even though the forgiving actions of the Charleston families probably saved a lot of lives, I hated seeing them do it. Respected them, but cringed.
"maybe it’s time for black folks to actually demand something in return for all their 'forgiveness.'”
Or maybe just don't forgive people like Dylan Roof who obviously could give a beep about your forgiveness. That would work too. P.S. Racists don't need forgiveness. They need to be shunned from polite society.