The election is over and the Republicans in the House of Representatives are talking out of both sides of their mouth. In one breath the Republican are expressing a desire to work with the president, and in the next breath they are threatening gridlock.
Representative Darrell Issa, a Republican from California has stated on Rush Limbaugh’s radio show, “That President Obama was one of the most corrupt presidents of modern times.” He stepped back a little from his remarks when he was on “the Situation Room with Wolfe Blitzer.” On the “the Situation Room,” he said his statement was said during a political campaign and he was sorry about that statement.
But a scholar from Texas, who now lives in Rome, believes that America’s resistance to President Obama policies is an expression of racism. Carlos Dews is an author, a professor of English literature, and chairman of the Department of English Language and Literature at John Cabot University in Rome and has been raised around bigotry all his life.
“Many want to believe that the hatred of Obama presidency is based on policy, but it is important to dig deeper and don’t let the outside layer fool you.” Carlos Dews said on a visit to his hometown in East Texas during the summer of 2009. Many of his friends were calling President Obama’s administration, “The nigger show.”
It is obvious that there is an overt disrespect when a group of individuals are using that statement to identify the president’s administration. On the surface many of the differences in Congress appear to be legitimate policy differences, but this professor believes that racism is fueling the ugly public conversation and discourse in Congress, and around the country.
When there are negative and derogatory pictures at rallies and different organizations continue to embrace these depictions of the President, these groups have to be acknowledged as racist. Professor Dews believes it is time to recognize when there is racist intent and expose it, and point it out. “Racism is a chronic virus that has historical roots and institutional and systematic realities.”
Professor Dews grew up in the 1960’s and many of the outward manifestations of racism have disappeared, but racial hatred remained. Many thought when President Obama won the election that America was turning the corner and racism was disappearing. But the reality of 2010 is that direct confrontation is difficult because, anyone pointing out racism runs the risk of unfairly playing “the race card.”
As the president, progressives, and members of the Congressional Black Caucus operate in this unfriendly political environment, strategically it will become imperative to acknowledge racism. Professor Dews believes we must have the courage to resist racism.
It is ridiculous for Congressman Darrell Issa to accuse President Obama with corruption without any credible evidence. Nevertheless, he was able to get an interview, and put an unfair story in the minds of the citizens.
During the town hall meetings and Tea Party rallies there was a unifying slogan and statement that they wanted their country back. In actuality this really meant that white folks wanted things they way they were before, when someone like them was in power.
At the end of the day going backward will not solve the economic, jobs, housing, transportation and infrastructure problems. Trying to hold on to the past will not move forward diversity and eliminate racism.
Learning to live in a multi-cultural society where character, intelligence, and respect are the foundations will help our country to grow. Acknowledging when there is racism is essential, if as a country we are moving toward oneness and harmony.
