Rachel Maddow On the History of Republican Race Baiting
Be Scared Be Very Very Scared.
Yesterday I blogged about the right-wing character assassination whack job on Shirley Sherrod. The hateful conservative blogger Andrew Breitbark's feeble attempts to bring down yet another person whose only sin was being connected with the NAACP. Breitbark, is out to destroy this hundred year old institution. Why you might ask? Because we have a black president, it's that simple and they can't stand it.
The bigotry, hate and bitterness within the Republican Party is so thick you can (as the old saying goes...) CUT IT WITH A KNIFE! But that's not the only reason they have a bug up their derriere. The other reason is a lust for power and race baiting seems to work EVER SO WELL for them. So the red elephants are on the Internet or Fox (YOU CALL THAT NEWS) keep on keeping on using RACE BAITING! Please watch the Rachel Maddow Show of July 21, 2010 to see how far back the Republicans have used this form of noxious maneuvering to lie, steal, cheat or claw their way into power. thinkingblue
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Race baiting is any form of speech, actions, or other forms of communication, to anger, intimidate or incite a person or race of people, to behave in ways that are inimical, and often harmful, to their personal or group interests. Race baiting is a means of implying that racism is a motive in the actions of others towards the race being baited, where none in fact exists. The term "race" in this context can be construed very broadly to include a collection of whatever aesthetic features define a race or ethnicity.
Thus the use of any language or actions perceived to be for the purpose of exploiting weaknesses in persons who can be identified as members of certain groups, or to reinforce a group's perceived victimhood, can be contained within the concept of "race baiting". Many people who practice race baiting often believe in racism, or have an interest in making the group believe that racism is what motivates the actions of others.
Examples
Race baiting in political campaigns
In the close 2006 US Senate race in Tennessee, the Republican National Committee ran a television ad that depicted a white woman flirting with black Democratic candidate, Harold Ford. The ad was denounced by many, including many Republicans, as "a powerful innuendo that plays to pre-existing prejudices about African-American men and white women."
THE VOICE OF REASON
RACHEL MADDOW DOES IT AGAIN
Rachel Maddow: Fox News To White People: Be Very Afraid! Black People Are Coming To Get You! Part 1
Rachel Maddow: Fox News To White People: Be Very Afraid! Black People Are Coming To Get You! Part 2