I’ve used this term frequently personally when discussing issues of White privilege and racism. Recently when I’ve used it, I saw more than one comment refer to the idea that this was a trope in order to call people around here racist, or that it was some condescending trope of “yassah massah”.
Well follow me over the fold, and let this Black commenter tell you nice White Progressives about yourselves.
You are one of the types of people that make this country bearable to live in and what gives those of us who are non white hope when we see your family members running around the streets with confederate battle flags. We know you fight your racist cousins when they send you those e-mails.
If we show up at your door as a contractor or other person in need you are the people who will let us use your bathroom, and let us use your family linen, and offer us a glass of water with ice in it and not the backyard tree, newspaper and the garden hose.
You are a friend to call at 2:00 am when the police have fucked with us again, and hauled us down on a charge to be dismissed. We call you up because you CAN AND WILL TALK SMACK to the booking Sergeant as well as bringing the bail. “This is bullshit man! You just picked him up cause he’s Black!” Thank you my Nice White Progressive friend for being able to say that when I was too scared to.
You really care about the rights of a person society would angrily call an Arab terrorist. You know that the slope to the abridgement of their rights and all of our own is so slippery and steep that you jump to the defense of unpopular people for very popular ideals.
You care very deeply about the economic welfare of all Americans, and would be willing to personally sacrifice for the individual welfare of all.
You were there at all White institutions screaming for them to divest from South Africa, You didn’t sit on your ass when America was waging secret war in Nicaragua. You saw what they were doing with Willie Horton, and you hate Lee Atwater as much as I do.
Moveon.org was move on and censure, it wasn’t ignore the deeds of a man who committed who failed the trust of the American public, and you aren’t giving Bill Clinton a pass for NAFTA, or Glass Steagall, but you know Hillary Clinton is a separate and sovereign being.
If I have ever given offense in referring to anyone as a Nice White Progressive I apologize. I happen to believe White Progressives are some of the nicest people on earth.
Update 3:05 oh how low we've fallen. Yes I'm sincere sheesh!
Update 4:00 An example of not very nice from comments
I guess I'm supposed to say You're Welcome
But I'd rather say....go take a flying fuck at the moon.
This is the most condescending, simple-minded piece of trip I've seen on this site in 3 years.
I am not calling the commenter out except as an example of the last thing I thought I would get from a thoughtful reading of this diary.
To all the people who "got" this diary thank you for your understanding and know that I look forward to going forward with Nice White Progressives as yourself shoulder to shoulder as allies.
Namaste friends!