It was in my Yahoo! News stream this morning …
Fox News Host Makes Disgustingly Racist Comments about African Americans
OK, I’m game. Who was this host and what did he say?
Well, it was Bill O’Reilly and here’s what he said in regards to how the GOP views black voters …
I think they’re afraid of black people
The white republican power structure is afraid of black Americans
They don’t know how to treat them, they don’t know how to speak to them, they don’t know anything about the culture, and they don’t want to be called a racist bigot so they stay away.
My friend, there isn’t one thing about this that’s racist.
While I don’t typically watch O’Reilly (although I do enjoy his banter with Jon Stewart), I have to defend him on this one.
The truth is, the very fact that some folks find this racist is one of the reasons racism continues to breed in America. We’re so afraid of offending others, we don’t facilitate honest debate.
The truth is, in many cases, white republican lawmakers are terrified of black people. If you don’t believe it, watch how many of them act when in the presence of black voters. They’re like deer in the headlights.
That’s not to say the democrats are the great saviors of black people. They’re not. They just know how to act like they give a shit. And that’s pretty easy to do when the only noticeable politician trying to reach out to black voters is Rand Paul. And one of his first attempts is a perfect example of just how far removed most white republicans are from black Americans.
A Sad Reality
Back in August I wrote about the Ferguson riots in a piece called, Ferguson is a Libertarian Moment.
In it, I wrote about how the Missouri Republican Party executive director Matt Wills was getting all up in arms over the fact that activists were setting up voter registration tables near a makeshift memorial for Michael Brown. Apparently he told Breitbart news that the actions were disgusting and were fanning the political flames.
But the truth is, he was all fired up because once again, republicans missed an opportunity to constructively engage with minority voters. That’s why charlatans like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson continue to control the narrative on race.
To be perfectly honest, I thought it made complete sense to set up voter registration booths in those areas. After all, if you believe that voting can make a difference, then what better time to register folks than after that kind of tragedy?
Of course, if any group should’ve been registering people to vote in Ferguson, it should’ve been the libertarians. I can think of no better ally for minorities than libertarians.
The libertarian alternative to the jackass and the elephant can serve as a catalyst for economic and personal freedom within the black community. It can enable the development of safer communities and more opportunities for quality education, job training and business development.
Generally speaking, I don’t believe that democrats and republicans have any desire to champion and fight for the principles of individual liberty and personal responsibility, which maintain the foundation for a just society. And if that’s the case, clearly the two-party system is failing all of us – particularly minorities.
Bill O’Reilly just hammered that point home a bit by pointing out that most republican lawmakers don’t really see the point in courting voters that they don’t know how to talk to. It’s a sad reality, but a reality nonetheless. And vocalizing that reality does NOT make one a racist.
