by Chris Bodenner
TNC rounds up examples of ugly and often racist rhetoric from the right since Obama took office:
Perhaps you could argue that some of these instances aren't about race. Certainly, you could note that many of them are about race plus several other factors. But even granting those points as caveats, what you have is disturbing pattern among the GOP that sometimes floats up to the top. Black writers working in the mainstream, and even at liberal publications, are in a constant dialogue with white audiences. It is utterly useless, and to some extend brand-damaging, to repeatedly call on conservatives to repudiate racism in their midst. What many of us chose to do instead is to try to extend some sympathy, and get into the head of the offending party, in hopes of building a bridge.
I think, for those who are skeptical of the NAACP, something of a turn-about is in order. If you were black what would you think, faced with this pattern? If you were the NAACP what would you to say to this? The downside of the Obama approach, one that I still embrace, is that it tacitly supports Chait's notion that conservative opposition to Obama has "generally lacked much in the way of racial animus." I just don't think the facts bear that conclusion out--at all.
Ta-Nehisi also tackles Weigel's latest on the Tea Party backlash. John McWhorter - an even stronger NAACP critic than TNC in the past - sides with the group in this case as well. The more I read about the controversy and see how leaders in the TPM are making an ass of themselves, the more I side with my colleague and McWhorter.