Distraction from the big thing: How responses to Bundy and Sterling undermine anti-racism in the US

Heading into the weekend, media across the political spectrum were full of outrage at the outright racist comments made by a rancher who objects to being billed for grazing his cattle on land he does not own. Stephen Colbert lampooned him and Tea Partier Allen West objected to claims that federal assistance is worse than slavery. It seemed the whole country was united against the blatant racism of this bigot's remarks. As the weekend ended, the rally against racism continued, as another wealthy man was singled out for his ire at his girlfriend's black friends, who she brought with her to basketball games played by the team he owns. The words of both men were taken to be indicative of their deeply-held views, and isolated from the rest of the country. 

Focusing on such objectionable comments or their speakers' individual histories of racism, however, does nothing to shine a light on actions they have taken to disadvantage non-white individuals. Moreover, the isolation of a few privileged people as fools and worse does nothing to address the deeper pervasive problems of racism in our country. Too many people continue to believe that racism does not exist, or that it is only found in a few dark corners in our country. Taking action by repudiating their words does not address the question of why "race" is the one factor universities may not address in shaping their incoming classes, or the simple daily realities of being arrested for walking/driving/shopping while black. Looking only at the simple surface level offensive statements of a few men wealthy enough not to care gives all of us license not to look at the more pervasive patterns in our society that perpetuate racial income disparities, school segregation, and high minority infant mortality rates. Too many people continue to believe that racism does not exist in the US today, despite strong evidence to the contrary. Spotlighting and isolating these mens' words only allows the persistent, systemic racism to continue unabated. 

Watching West

Allen West frequently speaks and posts Facebook comments against affirmative action, supporting the military, against spending on social welfare, in favor of military spending, against Islam and in favor of Christianity in government. His extreme views put him at odds with the majority of black voters and politicians in this country, and he often refers to policies aimed at re-balancing power as "racist". It is easy to wonder whether he recognizes racism at work in our society today at all.
 
Last week, West took exception to comments about "Negros" made by a rancher whose armed accomplices prevented law enforcement from removing his cattle from public lands after he had neglected to pay grazing fees for over two decades. West's original post  was:

Just boarded the plane heading home after speaking at the superb Values Aligned Leadership Seminar. I heard the comments made by Cliven Bundy. Sir, your words were offensive to me and the proud legacy of my family. There is no dignity in purposeful dependence on the government for sustenance, but there is also no INdignity comparable to slavery.

Over 700 comments have been made thus far, and they're about what you'd predict from the Tea Partiers West has gathered together:

You all know the media was trying to trap him and Allen West you of all people should know this!!! Don't be going racist on US.

Here we go again. No one should have to hold back on what they have to say. Blacks can anything they want and it is ok but let a white man say something and blacks are on your butt. This just makes me say more.

Allen, Mr. Bundy words were taken out of context. He didn't say what you said. As far as your families legacy goes, your own kind are the ones that sold your your ancestors into slavery hundreds of years ago. Stop with your race baiting.

And so on. None of that is new or different; much of it repeats back phrases and concept that West himself frequently uses in his own posts. For him to be on the receiving end, however, is quite new. I am curious to see how West responds.

Preface to my 2014 AAG paper

I heard the news the afternoon of April 3; a shooter rampaging at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas. No details were available yet, but it seemed there would be multiple injuries and deaths. “Not again” the announcer said.  I also thought “not again” and I remembered spring of 1995, when I lived in Lexington, Kentucky and my friends there reported things they heard from their friends across the country: a nasty word here, a hijab pull there, some spitting. It took a few days for the announcement that it was a Christian veteran of the US military—not acting in the name of any international movement or with assistance from anyone– to take effect and for my friends to feel safe again. At the time, I was preparing to go to the archives to research a dissertation on German colonialism in Africa, and how it was guided by an “anti-Islamic animus” that was laid out clearly in the documents, but that did not have a name. That was before September 11, 2001, of course, and in the intervening years, that animus has come to be known as Islamophobia. The news on Ft Hood reports “no connection to terrorism” and we know what that means; the person was not a Muslim, and did not claim to act in the name of Islam. By now there is nothing new in that term, in the connection of a religion to the extremists who have hijacked it, nor to the casual threats to Muslims whenever there are mass killings in our country. The common refrain is “Muslim, go home!”. It ignores the fact that many Muslims are at home across the USA. My friends tell me that Lexington was a good place to grow up. In this article, I survey the history of Americans who are Muslim at three nested scales: national, state (Florida) and local (the Tampa Bay region).

Who is Willy Philly?

Shortly before my birth, my parents moved to a posh neighborhood in suburban Detroit, where my father had a medical residency. Prior to that, they had lived at the small Air Force base where he was chief surgeon. In other words, he went from being one of the bigwigs who all but about a dozen people on base saluted to literally renting a small house behind some of the grandest mansions in the country. I assume it was initially intended as servants' quarters, or perhaps a guest house. Given his work schedule and the fact that my sister was a toddler, the person who felt this shift in status most strongly was probably my mother. She recalls the baby naming game with women in the "village" who felt it necessary to include their childrens' lineage in their names, not simply Thurston Howell III, but first names and multiple middle names chosen to honor prestigious members of the families united in their marriages. Eventually, my parents came up with a name for me that would honor his great aunt and her cousin: Wilhelmina Philomena. They'd call me Willy Philly for short. 

I don't know as that name was ever mentioned outside the family, but its purpose of disrupting narratives of wealth and power with humor and the happenstance of two rhyming ancestors is one that resonates with me. I plan to use this blog to think through resistance to race, religion, gender and other markers. Context and contingency, as well as shifting balance can be expected to make regular appearances. Eventually, some of it will get outside the "family", as I seek broader publication, but for now it is my sandbox where I can think about these ideas freely. I welcome comments, including critiques, from you, my readers, and thank you for following along.