UPDATE: Eddie Griffin provides a great response to Pat Buchanan. Check it out!
A villager recently wondered what the conversation about race looks like when only white people are talking about it. Pat Buchanan decided to let us peek behind the curtain in his column entitled, 'A Brief for Whitey'. Buchanan's response to Barack Obama's historic speech on race: "We hear the grievances. Where is the gratitude?"
Discussing Sen. Barack Obama's speech addressing race and controversial comments by his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, Pat Buchanan wrote in his syndicated column: "Wright ought to go down on his knees and thank God he is an American." Buchanan then asserted that "no people anywhere has done more to lift up blacks than white Americans,"
Buchanan asserts, "America has been the best country on earth for Black folks. It was here that 600,000 Black people, brought from Africa in slave ships, grew into a community of 40 million, were introduced to Christian salvation, and reached the greatest levels of freedom and prosperity Blacks have ever known." Buchanan continued, "Wright ought to go down on his knees and thank God he is an American." Buchanan then asserted that "no people anywhere has done more to lift up Blacks than white Americans."
Buchanan lets us know how right-wing white folks feel about race relations. There doesn't appear any room for an open discussion. Rather, Buchanan informs us that "...no people anywhere has done more to lift up Blacks than white Americans. Untold trillions have been spent since the '60s on welfare, food stamps, rent supplements, Section 8 housing, Pell grants, student loans, legal services, Medicaid, Earned Income Tax Credits and poverty programs designed to bring the African American community into the mainstream. Governments, businesses and colleges have engaged in discrimination against white folks - with affirmative action, contract set-asides and quotas -- to advance black applicants over white applicants. Churches, foundations, civic groups, schools and individuals all over America have donated time and money to support soup kitchens, adult education, day care, retirement and nursing homes for blacks".
You think that I'm lying about Pat Buchanan's representation of the white response to Barack Obama's speech? Click here to see the full Buchanan column.
I guess this is where African Americans are supposed to bow our heads, get down on both knees and say 'Thank you Mr. Charlie ... Thank you sir for all the good things you done did for our p
eoples'. Is it just me, or do you get the feeling that Patrick Buchanan and his supporters would just assume see Black folks back in chains?As for presidential politics, I wonder if this is what John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton think about race relations as well? Maybe that is why Team Clinton continues on in the race. Hillary and Bill must not feel the gratitude from Barack Obama for just being allowed to live in America in the first place.
Pat Buchanan appears to be pulling out every racist stereotype about African Americans that were ever uttered as part of the thesis in his column. But, perhaps I'm over-reacting. What is your take on Pat Buchanan's race relations column?
33 comments:
I am sitting here with my mouth wide open!!!! WOW!
www.myquarter-life-crisis.blogspot.com
Great post Villager, One has to wonder where is the movement of left, progressives and black bloggers to get this idiot off of MSNBC and other news outlets.
It's interesting that he is allowed to broadcast his Devil's Pen towards black folk and yet few bloggers appear to give a damn about his bigoted, color aroused comments. We know where the traditional media is on this one.
One also has to wonder why other black folk would want to sit on the same platform with this bigot. I watched as he yelled and screamed at a black pundit recently, teling her to shut up!
The afrospear and progressive bloggers need to come together to get rid of this guy off of America's airwaves.
AAPP
PS. Media Matters and of course Electronic Village are always on the case. Keep on doing what you do! I will be beating the drum about this shortly.
AAPP
Pat is a prime example of 'the typical White person' who is so ignorant in their knowledge of race and history that they think though they spout ridiculous and bigoted comments that they are different, they aren't racist, they are just telling the truth.
QLC - I was shocked to see this column from Pat Buchanan. I've watched him struggle with the speech and with the Obama campaign over the past days and weeks. I guess it all was too much for him to handle and he let it out with this column. Difficult for me to imagine any Black commentator giving him any respect on the air in the future...
AAPP - I agree that it is time for Buchanan to be asked to sit the rest of the presidential campaign out on the various talk shows...
Symphony - Good thought about the typical white person...
A lot of whites simply don't get it, people. The perspective of some is that there must not be any issues simply because money has been thrown at them for a few decades. I remember being in a cultural awareness workshop at my old company a few years ago and that was one of the eye openers for me. Most white people don't believe racial problems exist simply because the problems don't exist in their lives.
For people like Pat Buchanan in particular any discussion of issues comes off as whining and complaining and they resort to the "love it or leave it" argument. He's just an old idiot. No, lets not take him off the air yet. He's the type that guarantees the continuing conversation. And he didn't use any curse words or racial epithets. He's just ignorant as hell. We need the ignorance to point out the fallacies of the ignorant argument.
You know what one of you guys - AAPP or Villager- would really be good at posting about is the true historical root of of modern day American life. The Reconstruction Period and the repeal and destruction of every political and social advance made for and by Blacks after the civil war. Let's see if the Confederate Heritage crowd really knows some history that actually means something.
I'll throw something else out there. You know a panel discussion on race I'd like to see? Pat Buchanan, Rush Limbaugh and George Will having a serious sit down with Al Sharpton, Tavis Smiley and Dick Gregory. Think either side would accept the invitation if the other made the first move?
If they could keep it civil, I bet some useful dialogue might actually come of it. This is more of a post itself than a comment but what do you guys think?
Deplorable, but thankfully, he doesn't speak for all of us or even most of us otherwise Senator Obama would not be in the lead for this democratic nomination....re aapp's comment on Media Matters, proud to say my son (a soon to graduate GWU student has worked there part time while attending university since last summer...go, my son, go...bring the truth to light!
Senator Obama started something that will be very big,I think...and what we need so much...dialogue on the racial ghosts hiding in this great country's attic.
And IF the super delegates throw this primary race to Clinton against the wishes of the people (black, white, brown, and all others in the USA) I will personally take the fight to the streets....AND I am a middle aged white female....so there!
Peace, Kat
PS. Uhmmmmm, does that make me a typical white person? What the heck is a typical person, anyway?
My mouth literally has just dropped to the floor...
I shouldn't be surprised but...is that all we are represent, rent supplements, welfare, section 8?
Damn, damn, damn...
I can't believe him. Does he think that those governemnt programs only help black people. Does he not know the America was built on the back of free slave labor, that we have worked for everthing we have and have hardly prospered any. We are still consider by many to be second class citizens in a country where our ancestors made the ultimate sacrifice ?
This is exactly what Obama was talking about in his speech, we have these people who believe these stereotypes and it is time that we sart looking forward and trying to come up with ways to overcome the ugly and get past it. Stop bringing up the past start judging people as individuals.
Instead of Wright getting down on his knees and thanking God he is an American, Bchanan need to get on his knees and ask God to help him to se the error of his judgement. To help him to love everyone and not prejudge people acording to race.
A typical White person doesn't believe race is an issue. And for those who make it an issue, they are a fringe, extreme group who don't represent White people overall.
A typical White person believes those few are rare and they themselves are nothing like those racists and bigots and don't harbor any of the same thoughts.
A typical White person only sees racism when a white cap is present or hears it when the n-word is used.
I could go on but why bother.
I can't even write right now, I know that's the plan from the right, to scare whites into not voting for Barack by any means necessary, but this is just...[speechless]
villager,
I couldn't even finish reading your post. I swear to Christ it's hard enough to keep a holy attitude this Easter, without fools like him trying to set me off. grrrr
Martin - I don't think that those six people are representative of our country. It would be good entertainment, however I don't think it would move the mark forward at all. Rather it will take discussions between you, me and the readers of our blogs to make the difference ... one person at a time. Pat Buchanan isn't alone in his misguided thoughts. Hopefully, Jesus will look into his heart and make some changes on this Easter Sunday...
Kat - Congrats on your son's experience-building effort with Media Matters! I'm also grateful to you for your support of my blog. Have you considered creating one yourself?
In terms of the election ... I'm more and more convinced that Hillary will concede shortly...
Ms. Marvalus and Mrs. Grapevine - I'm not use to seeing either of you speechless. I encourage you to share this post with your blog readers. We need to know how some white folks are thinking about race relations in America...
Symphony - It is worth the bother of our discussions because we need to learn from the inner workings of confused minds like Pat Buchanan. We need to take Obama up on his challenge of engaging in this dialgue on race...
Traci - Thank you for sharing your village voice with us. I was blown away when I saw these comments from Pat Buchanan. It astounds me that any educated white person ... especially one as prominent in the mainstream media as Pat Buchanan ... can harbor such back-asswards thoughts as these. Improving race relations will be hard when one side has such a feeling of white superiority...
I try to steer away from racist views and just found myself reading that crap by Buchanan. "This is the best country for black person?"
I doubt that this guy has travelled beyond the American continent. Seriously, this guy gives a very bad name to white people.
What exactly does this fellow do? I hope he is not in the business of information.
Grata - Pat Buchanan ran for president of the United States twice and won a number of state primaries. He currently is best known as a television commentator for MSNBC...
My mother used to have an ironic retort for statements like those of Buchanan: "That's mighty white of you!" Of course, she was referring to the attitude that whites' most hideous behavior is actually kind when directed toward Black people.
Why would you think any self identified white person would feel any differently from Buchanan? Unless they specifically and publicly state otherwise, you should go into the conversation understanding that the typical self identified white person predisposed to the exact same feelings that Buchanan gets paid to espouse. Just read your history books, or wait until the Columbus Day celebration, and you should understand that white people really feel like this country was "DISCOVERED" and that manifest destiny gives them the right to commit a virtual genocide on the native americans and claim this land. They send their kids and your kids to be indoctrinated (I mean educated) with this white supremacist propaganda every day. How can you possibly be surprised that many, if not most, white people harbor very similar feelings to those vented by Buchanan?
This kind of stuff should not even give brief pause to a critical thinking Black person in America who understands that virtually nothing has changed with regards to the white supremacist thinking and attitudes that founded and continue to sustain this country.
So please for the love of all that is logical, do not start a campaign to remove yet another white person who has divulged their true colors. all you will accomplish is replacing the psycho you know with one who is significantly better at concealing his or her racist tendencies. Concealing is not a valid way of dealing with racism.
Francis - Your mom seems like a well-grounded woman!
Exodus Mentality - His brazen willingness to publish such hateful comments in the public domain is what surprised me...
AAPP thank you for the clarification. Doesn't change anything. You may not understand that my point is that to them, these statements aren't brazen. The ideology reflected here is as engraved on the white psyche as the emotional and social legacy of slavery and Jim Crow and de facto segregation is engraved on African Americans.
It shouldn't surprise you that they really believe this way; they are indoctrinated and trained to believe it; it is part of what serves to maintain the GSWS that too many of us refuse to acknowledge. Neely Fuller put it best. To paraphrase, "All 'white' people hate Black people. If you understand this about white people, you need know little else. If you do not understand this, then everything else you think you know is of little value."
Now before you dismiss this as the ravings of another lunatic black separatist or a racist screed, you have to understand the theory of the Global System of White Supremacy, you have to understand the origin and meaning of "white" and black, and how all self identified white people fit the profile. Start with "The Cress Theory of Color Confrontation" and work back from there if you don't understand where I'm coming from.
Buchanan is so sick that he cannot even see himself in his own mirror. Yeah, he need to be hounded off the air.
I am not shocked by Pat's repsonse to Obama's speach. It's actually funny, if you go to his web site it doesn't even let you post a comment to his rants about us needing to be grateful for what America has done. Let me remind those white folks that do THINK that way; the constitution was not written for blacks. It was written for those that were free, and we were brought here on slave ships we were not FREE. All of those aids that were so called provided for Blacks wouldn't have been needed if we were seen as equals from the jump. I am BLACK and not surprised by an old white conservative's thoughts about black Americans. I feel that those white people should be grateful to the Blacks that provided proper working gas masks, the street lights, the cotton gin, the componant to keep food cold. Should I go on? Why can't it just be what is? And that's a change for the better for all walks of life.
Hey Villager.
Bottom line on this? Buchanan is a paid circus clown. His purpose is not to inform or enlighten, but to create heat without light. Thoughtful analysis is not his job. Making stupid remarks IS his job. It's understandable for us to get ticked off by what this guy says, but always keep in mind that he's not expressing opinion, he's producing bought-and-paid-for product.
WOW!
I want to see how many talk show hosts denounce, repudiate, and reject Buchanan's statement.
All - I haven't seen his comments discussed in the MSM at all. As many of you suggest ... this should not surprise me. I 'spose it re-enforces the importance of our blogs...
I think Pat Buchanan's great for us. He's a constant reminder of the oppressors we've faced over the last centuries. And as long as he's there, he'll make people like us keep fighting for what we want.
Keith - Is that Bro. Keith from Detroit? Man, it is great to see you back in the afrosphere! Will you be back up & rolling with your blog?
Jose - The sad thing is that many people have not read his words yet. It is not something that I've seen reported on the MSM. As such, it is up to us to ensure that our blog readers are aware of his deep-seated racially- biased remarks and thoughts...
He basically said that slavery was good for black people. It is very interesting that there would not have ever been a need for "affirmative action, contract set-asides and quotas" if black people were not enslaved and then systematically discriminated against in the first place.
The litany of programs that he claims are designed for African Americans (welfare, food stamps, rent supplements, Section 8 housing, Pell grants, student loans, legal services, Medicaid, Earned Income Tax Credits and poverty programs) were designed for poor people not just poor black people. I get tired of people talking without any kind of factual information whatsoever as a basis for these ridiculous comments. I'm sure that it is not that hard to find out that black people represent a small percentage overall of people utilizing such services.
Someone like him is never going to change and never going to open his eyes to see past this B.S. that he spews.
Gibbler says; For all their whining about how bad they have it the black special interest group masquerading as a race has yet to try to leave the country en masse. Some black I'm sure your all proud of wanted too. Was it Marcus Garvey or Stokely Carmichael? To bad it didn't happen. It really almost did.
Wowwwww, this is one of those occasions where a pimp slap is necessary.
Shelia - Yeah, I watch MSNBC quite abit ... however, I find myself still seething whenever they let Pat Buchanan on the show to share his rants...
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