Whitewashing America

 

By now we are all aware of how the radical Right loves to mischaracterize Democrats, liberals, progressives, etc. as the “radical Left”, and thereupon declare, “Leftists hate America.”

Demonizing the press and opposition as “enemies of the people” is their standard nationalistic rhetoric that has become a debate tactic. It is built into the foundation of their radical belief system. Along with racism and bigotry, demonization of dissent has always been at the core of radical Right ideology and fascism. 

Tucker Carlson has denied the existence of white nationalism, but found it appropriate to attack Representative Ilhan Omar for "hating America". He added, "We have every right to preserve our nation, and our heritage, and our culture". 

No wonder David Duke wanted him to be Trump's Vice President.

Omar was also one of the four women of color Trump accused of "Viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful nation on earth, how our government is supposed to be run". He then viciously tweeted, "Why don't they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime-infested places from which they came".

Jonathan Chait observed in his article “Rush Limbaugh Taught Republicans to Love an Angry, Racist Bully”:

“Limbaugh oozed bile. He did not merely characterize his targets as misguided, or stupid, or even selfish. He rendered them for his audience as dehumanized targets of rage. He had special rage for feminist women, who were castrating harpies, and Black people, who were lazy, intellectually unqualified, and inherently criminal. The message he pounded home day after day was that minorities and women were seizing status and resources from white people and men, and that politics was a zero-sum struggle — and the victory would go to whichever side fought more viciously.”

Since racism isn’t racism to racists, the radical Right will refuse to acknowledge the racism from their favorite authoritarian leaders like Trump and Limbaugh.

I cited some of those racist remarks in a comment thread at our old conservative friend Darrell's blog.

They were all documented, from recordings, and from his own transcripts.  Limbaugh acknowledged making these statements in a 1990 Newsday article. “Have you ever noticed how all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson?” and “Take that bone out of your nose and call me back.”

But Darrell saw through my “deception”. He declared, “Your Limbaugh quotes are unsubstantiated, have questionable sources, or are not given full context”.

His sarcastic reaction was predictable.

“Dave Dubya does not hate America. The country is systemically racist, homophobic, transphobic, sexist, and authoritarian (all according to Dave and the left) but Dave still loves his country. Thanks for the clarification.”

Did I ever say “The country is systemically racist, homophobic, transphobic, sexist, and authoritarian”? Of course not.

This is how the radical Right responds whenever someone points to the fact that so many of them are racist, homophobic, trans-phobic, sexist, and authoritarian. In their minds they are “America”, and that makes them the “real victims”™.

What does that make the rest of us? Why, “America-hating Leftists”, naturally. Is there a reason why they conflate hating racism with hating America? It seems to touch a nerve.

We understand this distorted deflection sets the table for them to present their ubiquitous, radical Right, white identity “victim card”. Our conservative friend is an avid defender of Christopher Columbus as the hero who graciously brought “Western Civilization” to the Americas. Too bad about all that disease, slavery and genocide that came with it.

Darrell won’t admit it, but “Western Civilization” is the term substituted for “white nationalism” by white nationalists; not that I’m saying Darrell is a white nationalist.

The racist and radical Right insurrectionists called Proud Boys swear an oath when they join. “I am a Western Chauvinist and I refuse to apologize for creating the modern world.”

“Western” is their word for “white” these days. “Modern world” means “White European/American world”. Taking credit for “creating the modern world” sends their message of white supremacy, even though all the Coup Klux Klan “created” is hate and racism.

Somewhat less subtle are Trump’s openly racist terms “China virus” and "Kung Flu”. Not only did the “Whitest President” and birther incite racist hate for Mexicans and Blacks, he added Asians during his last year in office. Tragically the current plague of racist attacks on Asian Americans comes as no surprise.

What else can the radical Right do but project their bigotry back towards Democrats, liberals, and the Left?

This familiar tactic was in the news again. This time it was invoked by Republicans at a House judiciary subcommittee hearing on anti-Asian violence. They were annoyed that addressing racist anti-Asian rhetoric was an attack on their “free speech” against the Chinese Communist Party. Yes, the poor white guys are the “real victims”™ again.

Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) said, “If America was such a hate filled, discriminatory, racist society filled with animus against Asian Americans, how do you explain the remarkable success of Asian Americans in our country?” (File under, “If America elected Obama, how can there be a problem with racism?”) “Any racist sentiments, speech or act needs to be vigorously condemned, but to attack our society as systemically racist, a society that has produced the most prosperous and most harmonious racial society in human history, well that’s an insult and it’s flat out wrong.”

There it is again. Nobody "attacked our society as systemically racist”. In this case “our society” is exclusively conservative white people. And once again, only white conservatives may assume the authority to unilaterally define what is, or isn’t, racist. I mean, what do minorities know about racism?

Despite the arrogant pretensions of the radical white Right, they are not America. They are not “our society”. They are simply white Americans at their worst.