Everyone is having a wonderful time with the Donald Sterling Story. Wow. What a racist piece of crap. It writes itself for Stewart, Colbert, other comics and commentators.
And they're right. Sterling is a cartoon, over-the-top, hoof-in-mouth racist who deserves mockery and scorn.
But the Sterling story gives quasi-bigots and quasi-racists (i.e., supporters of racist or dog-whistle policies) the chance to pontificate sanctimoniously and mock Sterling's obvious racism. Sometimes before leaving for work, I turn on Morning Joe -- just to see how long I can last before disgust sets in.
Today, I lasted one minute after watching Scar's crew delightedly going after Sterling. Everyone was having a great time bashing Sterling. "See," they almost shouted, "We're not racists. This guy Sterling is a real racist."
Click! 714 to 728! Ahh. Dunk highlights on Sportscenter
But the most insidious form of racism today is voter suppression through Voter ID and other methods. On this, Joey Scar is just plain puzzled:
I've been reading this and the new stories on it and makes it sound like we're going back to Jim Crow laws, there are going to be white people with bull whips whipping black people if they come to vote and Bull Conner is there ready to release German Shepards. Again I ask innocently, does North Carolina or Texas require anything more than a picture I.D. that when somebody shows up to vote, that the person has a picture I.D. with them, that proves they are who they say they are? Anything else? Anything else?
Those glasses are not strong enough, Joe. You need a pair that will enable you to look in the mirror and see your own subcutaneous racism,* disguised here by phony naivite.
You know or should know that many minorities and poor don't have photo IDs.
You know or should know that the Voter ID states are making it hard to get them.
You know or should know that any law requiring them should not go into effect until the state has provided every with the required ID.
You know or should know that no problem exists for which voter ID is a solution.
You know or should know that Republicans openly boast about how Voter ID laws will give them elections.
And then there's Newt "food stamp President" Gingrich, agreeing that Sterling should be gone and the team sold to the public. No racist he.
Yes, Sterling shows the persistence of racism, but it makes supporters of the subtler (and more damaging) racism "feel good" and sweep that stuff, like voter ID, under the carpet.
To paraphrase Dorothy Parker, it makes me want to fwow up.
*
* h/t to my late father for this.