It's been widely reported that poor whites are having difficulty swallowing the Obama candidacy, and that race is a major factor.
Naturally the media is having a field day. If it has boobs or a dead body or reeks of some sort of -ism, it leads the news. Never mind that the way the campaign or candidates are covered feeds into that perception. "Exit polls show whites don't trust Obama!" "Exit polls show Latinos hate blacks!" And similar drivel.
I have been reading David Pietrusza's book 1960: LBJvs.JFKvs.Nixon. It's a good read, if a bit fluffy. There's lots of fun about the 1960 LA Democratic convention and primary season. Anyway, I saw an LBJ quote that rings true here: "If you can convince the lowest white man that he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you picking his pocket. Give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you." He was referring to the southern disdain for civil rights enforcement, and how it endangered the ticket's chances in Dixie. It is sad to note that almost 50 years later the same Republicans are practicing the same politics of racial division and selling it in lieu of any real ideas. Racial bias, reinforced by the Reagan myths of welfare queens and Bush Sr.'s Willie Horton ad blitz, distracts poor whites from the corporate hand in their pocket. So much so that even when a black man runs for President on a platform sure to improve their economic condition, they prefer to rest on tired stereotypes and the racial fears sold by conservatives for generations.
No comments:
Post a Comment