As you may know the members of the Watcher’s Council each nominate one of his or her own posts and one non-Council post for consideration by the whole Council. The complete list of this week’s Council nominations is here.
With the sad departure of Done With Mirrors from the Watcher’s Council there’s a spot available. If you have a blog of your own, please consider applying for a position. If you’ve applied before try again. The rules and responsibilities are here.
Racial politics was the topic of three of the Council members’ submissions this week.
The Glittering Eye, “Don’t Just Do Something, Stand There”
My submission this week is on what is undoubtedly the biggest story of the year: the financial crisis and what looks to be the impending “rescue plan”.
Hillbilly White Trash, “Knowing the Left”
Lemuel Calhoon is upset about the ongoing attacks on Sen. Palin.
The Colossus of Rhodey, “Surprise from Philly Daily News: White voters “discomfitted†by Obama”
Hube critiques a story from the Philadelphia Daily News that tries to make the case that there’s a pervasive racist opposition to Sen. Barack Obama’s candidacy. Unfortunately, the reporter wasn’t willing to do much in the way of investigation. I think it’s probably true but we’ll see on election day, won’t we?
Soccer Dad, “The connection betweeen J-street and the Obama campaign”
Soccer Dad comments on the relationship between Jewish organizations and the Obama campaign.
Cheat-Seeking Missiles, “Obama’s Bizarre List Of 40 “Probing†NYT Stories”
Laer reviews the NYT’s stories on Barack Obama and reaches the unsurprising conclusion that the paper supports his candidacy.
The Razor, “A Lack of Clarity”
Scott relates a story that will undoubtedly become increasingly familiar to Baby Boomers and wonders how much medical treatment is enough.
Bookworm Room, “Are Americans Really Racists?”
Racial politics is on Bookworm’s mind, too, as she considers a poll that suggests that “one third of white Democrats harbor racist views towards blacks”, identifying the premise of the poll as the notion that Barack Obama really should have more support than he does. I agree with that premise: I think the fundamentals favor the Democratic candidate this cycle. We’ve got an unpopular ongoing war in Iraq, an economy on the brink of catastrophe, an inarticulate administration, and eight years of a Republican in the White House. However, my explanation for why Sen. Obama isn’t twenty points or more ahead in the polls is that he’s a weaker candidate than the Democrats needed to field. He’s inexperienced, his resume wouldn’t lead you to conclude he’s presidential material, he’s been unable to give compelling policy answers to the big questions and his airy generalities are wearing a bit thin, yes, he’s black but more importantly he’s exotic. His life experiences are very unfamiliar to most Americans whether black or white.
Bookworm continues her post with a more general consideration of whether Americans are racists. I think the answer is “Yes” but somewhat less so than most people. As various programs put it, the first step to recovery is recognizing you have a problem and we began that process decades ago.
Wolf Howling, “Palin’sanity”
GW mocks some of the more over-the-top reactions from women opposed to Gov. Palin’s candidacy in an illustrated post.
Joshuapundit, “Doin’ The Race Based Politickin’ Shuffle”
Freedom Fighter posts on racial politics, too. I think there’s something I really owe it to my fellow Council members to explain. In the thinking of many progressives qualities like power, guilt, and so on inhere in groups rather than individuals. If I’m a member of a powerful group (white, male, etc.), I’m powerful. If I’m a member of a guilty group, I’m guilty. And so on. And racism isn’t just a feeling that one race is inferior to others or superior to others on the part of an individual. It’s the ability to act on that feeling on the part of a group. You’ve got to have power to be a racist. Since black folk don’t have power, they can’t be racists. Note that I’m not condoning this view only explaining it.
Well, I’ve decided which posts I’ll vote for this week. Which posts would get your votes?
You have to be kidding!!!!!????
Interesting response, Dave. As always, you illuminate the hidden corners of things.
In the thinking of many progressives qualities like power, guilt, and so on inhere in groups rather than individuals.
This was exactly my point..or to put it another way, you’re essentially saying that many progressives are inherently racist in their thinking, in that they impute qualities to groups instead of individuals. I couldn’t agree more, having seen that mentality first hand for a long time.
What many progressives of course won’t admit ( because it spoils the victimhood and class warfare narrative necessary to their existence) is that it was those selfish, neaderthal, power hungry white males that not only freed the slaves but volutarily gave up part of their power to include blacks and women in the body politic.
One would have hoped , given the challenges we face as a nation that progressives mighthave put country first ahead of their essentially racist beliefs and nominated someone other than what amounts to an unqualified affirmative action candidate. The fact that they didn’t says a great deal about how progressives actually feel, deep inside, about black people.
PS: Spiffy lookin’ addition, Dave! Enjoy!
All Best.
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