Salon writer David Sirota penned an op-ed today decrying the supposed pervasiveness of racism in conservatives’ attitudes toward Obama. Sirota is careful to point out that some conservatives have legitimate, non-racially-based gripes with the president — before going on to suggest that pretty much all conservatives are racist.
According to his argument, the world of politics is rife with double standards. Naturally, all those double standards stem from the conservative side:
As I showed a few weeks back, other parts of the conservative movement are running an explicitly bigoted campaign against President Obama. Just as troubling – and arguably, even more pervasive – is the racist double standards that continue to stealthily define our politics in ways that are difficult to see in the day-to-day grind of election campaigns. For those who pretend otherwise, here are five ways to know those double standards persist.
https://twitter.com/davidsirota/status/261154306948997120
https://twitter.com/davidsirota/status/261157337463676929
https://twitter.com/davidsirota/status/261158857638821888
https://twitter.com/davidsirota/status/261161525702713344
https://twitter.com/davidsirota/status/261177671902437376
Sirota also referred to Tagg Romney’s remark about wanting to “take a swing” at President Obama (a remark for which Romney has apologized).
Though he insists that his criticisms aren’t necessarily directed at conservatives, but rather at racist white people, for each of his “five ways racism still rules politics,” Sirota uses examples of conservative criticisms of Obama. His arguments consist of pointing out all the ways in which Obama is a victim of meanypants, aka conservative, white people.
Sirota wrapped up the article with this, once again trying to cover his blatant anti-conservative bias:
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To reiterate: this persistent double standard of racism and White Privilege doesn’t mean all criticism of Obama is rooted in bigotry. It simply means that A) at least some of that criticism is and B) that over the long haul, that double standard distorts our politics in ways that run counter to the American ideals of equal opportunity. If the first step to recovery is to stop denying a problem, then Acknowledging this bigotry is the first step to finally ending it.
Actually, David, perhaps one of the most powerful ways to combat bigotry is to stop manufacturing it. This Twitterer, who admitted that he is a fan of Sirota’s work, brought up that very point:
https://twitter.com/MattSaccaro/status/261152133922058240
https://twitter.com/MattSaccaro/status/261152204910641152
Right on cue, Sirota played the trusty white privilege card:
https://twitter.com/davidsirota/status/261152491440312320
Another man, frustrated with Sirota’s race-baiting, attempted to engage the writer in a discussion:
@davidsirota I was hoping your article would have some substance, but it was nothing more than double-standards, Sir. https://t.co/sIkrPCo6
— Sampson (@jonathansampson) October 24, 2012
To no avail:
https://twitter.com/davidsirota/status/261167935295471616
@davidsirota Did I deny that it exists? Nope. I'm doing my part to kill it. I denied your argument that political attacks on O are racism.
— Sampson (@jonathansampson) October 24, 2012
@davidsirota Racism exists, ergo any attack on a black President is racism. That is your reasoning, and that is what I take issue with, Sir.
— Sampson (@jonathansampson) October 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/davidsirota/status/261168736994750464
https://twitter.com/davidsirota/status/261168816426475521
@davidsirota Actually, I read it. Doesn't change the fact that your "legitimate" examples are wrong, Sir.
— Sampson (@jonathansampson) October 24, 2012
@davidsirota I'm actually a Yankee, married to a Brazilian, father of a mixed child. Racism exists; seen it. Don't confuse it and politics.
— Sampson (@jonathansampson) October 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/davidsirota/status/261170512993079296
Has David looked in a mirror lately?
@davidsirota You've yet to show any, Sir. Again, Bush was treated as bad, if not worse, than Obama. Politics is inherently hateful.
— Sampson (@jonathansampson) October 24, 2012
Politics certainly can be. Unfortunately, with race-baiters like Sirota desperately working to keep racism alive and on the front burner of everyone’s minds, the pursuit of post-racial politics is a lost cause.
(Hat tip: Jonathan Sampson)
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