Steele Yourself for Some Slum Love.
(The last of the drafts from my sick day. It's outdated now, but what the hell, it's a post.)
So, did you all catch Michael Steele, newly minted chairman of the Republican National Committee yukking it up with a white conservative talking head about giving Bobby Jindal some "slum love"?
Curtis Sliwa: Now, using a little bit of that street terminology, are you giving him any Slum love, Michael?
Michael Steele: (laughter)
Curtis Sliwa: Because he is -- when guys look at him and young women look at him -- they say oh, that's the slumdog millionaire, governor. So, give me some slum love.
Michael Steele: I love it. (inaudible)...some slum love out to my buddy, Gov. Bobby Jindal is doing a friggin' awesome job in his state. He's really turned around on some core principles -- like hey, government ought not be corrupt.
WTF, Michael? You think that's acceptable? You think that's funny? Why would you not call his ass on that? What kind of message is that to send out to a national audience?
Sadly, there's more. Click on the link up there to catch Steele's comments about Obama having bling-bling in the stimulus package, Sliwa imagining Mitt Romney high-fiving Ludacris, offering to play Jay-Z while Steele exits, and more condescending banter.
I find it hard to believe that Michael Steele didn't recognize what Sliwa was doing - almost every word out of Sliwa's mouth was that patronizing crap White folks do when they want to show they're Down With Diversity. Here's the thing, it's good to see Republican POCs in leadership positions within their party, but if the Republican party will only choose those who tout the far-right party line, people who are safe, who will laugh this kind of racist bullshit off -- who will participate in it rather than call it out -- I don't know. I mean, congrats on your new position and all, Mr. Steele, but I'm thinking that in some ways, you're doing more harm than good.
I've written before about the difference I've seen in my son since President Obama's election. I would like for my son to see POCs in leadership positions across party lines. It's healthy to hear differing opinions, apply those critical thinking skills. What's not healthy is for young people of color to see the results of internalized racial oppression played out on a national stage like it's comedy hour or something. What's not healthy is for young white kids to see the flip side of that and get a nice confirmation for their internalized racial superiority that they're probably not even aware of.
How many Indian kids in our high schools and middle schools are catching slumdog jokes this week? Do you feel OK perpetuating that, Michael Steele? Participating in it?
I've heard a lot of talk about how we're now in a post-racial society. Really? Because I'm having more conversations than ever with my son about all of these things. Seems like every time I turn on the news, something else needs to be addressed: the RNC's Magic Negro Christmas CD, the infamous Post cartoon, the backlash to AG Holder's "nation of cowards" speech, Miley Cyrus' I-wasn't-mocking-Asians bullshit, Michelle Bachman's "you be da man" gushing to Michael Steele, the slum love thing ... just to name a few.
Basically, that slum love situation sends a message to young people of color that you'd better step in line, ignore racism, even participate in racist jokes if you want to get anywhere, at least on the conservative side of the house. And you'd best suppress any pain or anger or resentment -- laugh that shit off, because hey, you know we're just joking, buddy. You know we don't mean you. Golly, we don't even think of you as Black! We don't even see color!
Well I'm sorry, but that interview was bullshit. And yes, I know it's easy for me to pontificate from my couch, to criticize, when I'll never have to live Steele's reality as a man of color. Fair enough. But when my son sees Michael Steele laughing with some White conservative hack about Bobby Jindal being a slumdog millionaire governor, my son needs to know that is not OK.
I've a feeling this is just the beginning of a long line of fucked up racist situations to be paraded across our nightly news, as the Repubs get Down With Diversity. Lately, I feel like it's all I can do to keep up, and honestly, you're making my job harder, Michael Steele.
I understand that arming my son with the knowledge to recognize and work against systemic racism is my responsiblity, not yours, but damn, I sure wish he could've seen YOU call it out, Mr. Steele. We expect that stuff from the Rush Limbaughs and the Curtis Sliwas out there, but having to battle against your example with my son ... that's something else altogether. It matters.
6 comments:
Do you think these types of occurrences will raise the conversation in the public square as AG Eric Holder indicated needs to happen? Yes, it's ugly, but it gets these ideas out in the open for an honest discussion on race. The ideas can then be handled and debunked with some lasting societal effect. Maybe that is the silver lining? (I know I say that from a white man's perspective and not as someone that has to explain it to my child that has a personal stake in the discussion.)
It's sickening. And I think we'll be facing more of this ugliness and stupidity coming out in the open as more people of color step into leadership positions. My great comfort is that the Obamas are such stellar role models - so strong, smart, gracious, and brave - that there's always an alternative role model, now, for out children to look to.
(Oh, and the other thing that comforts me is that John McCain and Sarah Pailin aren't in office! Yeah, still pretty f-ing sweet.....)
So many excellent points in your piece, but the one that stands out for me is.
"What's not healthy is for young white kids to see the flip side of that and get a nice confirmation for their internalized racial superiority that they're probably not even aware of"
Exactly! It's a central point to all of this.
All we have done with this nonsense of a "post racial society" is add in an element of comfort to the discussion, thereby removing context. It's similar to the "girls gone wild" style of feminism, in that shaking your naked boobs because it's "empowering" may be great fun, but it's not empowering if you are still shaking them at the patriarchal paradigm, is it? Since nothings changed.
Same here. We have a new language and inclusiveness to discuss racial issues that were difficult in the past, but it doesn't mean anythings changed. We have a black man President, yes, and in itself that is saying something, but it doesn't change the daily dynamic of how a largely unseeing white culture places itself in the role of gate keeper of inclusive practice. Because frankly, we suck at the position!
It seems having a president that isn't white has brought out even more ignorance in people than I thought was possible. Fox news and rush Limbaugh are just short of wearing white sheets. They make me sick...
Sadly stupidity will continue to run amok. After the right to choose comments and the uproar, I expect Mr. Steele will soon be retiring to "spend more time with his family".
Morons.
Y|O|Y: good question. I don't have a good answer. Yes and no, I guess. The "conversation on race" has definitely increased over the past year or so, that's true. And yes, it's led to some good conversations, articles, discussions - i've even seen race addressed in a different way on some TV shows of late. On the other hand, I also see a tendency to pick and choose what to ignore and what to hear, to fit preconceived ideas of race. Just using this latest Steele-Jindal commentary as an example, that's all some folks need to hear to back up racist thoughts. They may never listen to a person of color on any other subject, but you can bet they'll be the first one to quote Steele on this: "Well Michael Steele thought it was funny to throw Jindal some slum love, and he's Black, so what do you know? Stop being so sensitive!" I guess I think this election is a huge step in the big picture, but in reality, racism will get worse for a time while people "adjust".
E: Yep, it will get worse before it gets better, IMHO. Agreed, I think people just seeing the Obamas in the White House, day in, day out, will normalize the idea of a Black family being the first family. And yes, what a family -- they are truly a first family to be proud of.
Al: Yes! That's the hard part for white people to see, is that if there is a negative impact to racism, if there are people who are disadvantaged, then there has to be a flip side - there have to be people who benefit from racism, which on a systemic level, is white people. But that's usually the point where the conversation goes south...
Sage: A friend of mine called it months and months before the election, saying things were going to get a whole lot worse for Black folks in some ways, if Obama won. I think she was right. On a big scale, huge step, but we're going to have to deal with a lot of crap coming to the surface first.
DL: Actually, I don't want to see that happen. As much as I'm griping about Steele's slum love and bling bling comments, I also think that his own party is using him, and can't wait to see him fail. And if that happens, guess what, Mr. Steele gets to play representative for Black people as a whole, not just himself as an individual. The Repubs would love to give him the boot, and get back to their normal white leadership.
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