By: Todd Smekens
Politicians Manipulate Instead of Truth Telling
Hate and racism aren’t separate issues from politics. I’ve written about this often and yet, even today, I’m still dismissed as “too political”. That’s funny when you consider how much Indiana loves its hate and also loves electing Republican lawmakers. Are they really connected? Inextricably.
The Chicago Tribune recently ran an article showing Indiana is one of only five states which haven’t passed a “hate crime law”. The Democratic lawmaker who has tried repeatedly to pass the law said:
Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, said a hate crime bill is “way overdue.” After trying unsuccessfully to push hate-crime legislation through the legislature for the past six years, Taylor said he is confused as to what took so long.
“Does it take someone to die for us to pass good public policy?” he asked. “I don’t know. I’m confused.”
I’m sorry folks, but that is the dumbest statement ever recorded. He’s playing the “game of politics” where you don’t point out the obvious when looking around the halls of our 90%+ white statehouse. I guess with all the gerrymandering and white supremacy in Indiana, even the Democratics have to appear moderately racist to get elected to serve. They want to avoid the label, “Bleeding heart liberal.” which is a code word for “Not Racist”.
No, POC Aren’t the Problem
Meanwhile, the white lower class somehow believes the myth that if they suppress people of color their lot in life will improve. I think about the people living on Muncie’s south side – the laborers abandoned when the factories pulled up and went to Mexico in the early 90’s. They’ve had racists running the state for over 20 years. To what effect? Their lot in life hasn’t improved one bit. It’s only gotten worse. Who has reaped the benefits of having all Republican lawmakers? The GOP donor class who is NOT comprised of the white working class. The donors to the GOP who have written the laws allowing favorable treatment of corporations to the detriment of all workers (right to work legislation).
The Guardian has been running the same experiment as Muncie Voice in Pennsylvania where Bethlehem Steel employed the predominantly white working classes – a staunchly Democratic base turned Trump country. What’s his appeal? One voter said:
“People don’t respect each other in America anymore,” said Staniec, 39. “Even kids, they’re running rampant, there’s no discipline. And there’s all these lazy freeloaders – I could go on. Look, we have our kids working. They are very proud. And not everybody gets a ribbon. They have to win a ribbon.”
For the first time in her life in November, Staniec had voted in a presidential election – for Trump. What was the appeal? “His whole thing,” Staniec said. “He was the one. I really believe this country needs to be run like a business, not like a donation center.”
That failed logic is rampant throughout conservative minded people. Never mind the raw fact that over 50% of businesses fail within the first three years, and the government is NOTHING like a business. If anything, the public sector is exactly opposite of a business. The comment about “donation center” is a code word for who she believes votes for Democrats – people of color. I’ve heard that around Muncie as well. Who is perceived lazier than poor whites? Of course, people of color. That flawed logic still exists hundreds of years after the Civil War.
Media Manipulation
As indicated, when your decision making is based on hate and ignorance, you’re going to make really poor decisions. When you consider that most of the people today obtain their news from Fox News, CNN or conservative radio, I don’t expect our country to improve anytime soon. As long as the GOP needs to pander on hate and ignorance, they will. It’s been successful for them since Richard Nixon penned the Southern Agenda in the 1960’s. It was dormant for awhile, but once the Democratic Party bailed on workers and aligned itself with Wall Street, it was only a matter of time. Electing a black man to the White House, only accelerated the hate, prejudice, and ignorance which took years to fester.
To me, blaming your perceived problems, or the problems of the country (worldview) on people of color is the easy way out. It doesn’t require critical thinking or understanding the complexities of the political processes. You don’t need to know about campaign finance or see the flow of money which controls both political parties. It’s easier to believe the growing minority is lazy and uses the Democratic Party to obtain handouts and protection for themselves. It doesn’t help that Democratic lawmakers pander to the growing minority while passing laws benefiting their Wall Street sponsors. It only adds fuel to the American fire which has been simmering for hundreds of years.
