[img]583|left|Eric L. Wattree||no_popup[/img]I rarely get into the debate over the lingering racism in America because I feel that the vast majority of the American people have made an honest and concerted effort to put racism behind us. So as long as it’s not blatant or damaging to individual or collective African-Americans, I look upon it as merely a distraction used to keep the American people divided and unaware of the most insidious threat to America — the gross assault on the poor and middle class.
But all too often when African-Americans complain of racism that is indeed blatant and damaging to their financial or emotional well-being, they are met with rolling eyes and the implication that it’s their imagination. Confirmed racists are aware of this situation, and often use that knowledge to ply their passion for constant but subtle racism. As a result, many African-Americans are forced to go through life being subtly harassed by people. It's like going through life with a tenacious fly buzzing around your face. It won't kill you, but it's quite irritating. It has a direct causal relationship to what’s been dubbed the “angry Black-man syndrome.”
Subtle racism is a very effective device for keeping America divided, because virtually every Black person is aware that the mindset lingers just beneath the surface of polite society. And unfortunately, more often than not, it's the innocent white person making a completely innocent remark is forced to bear the brunt of the resulting frustration. The GOP has become a master at this game.
The most recent example of the GOP engaging in subtle racism is when Mike Huckabee claimed that President Obama viewed the world from the perspective of the Mau Mau. When it became clear that he'd crossed the line, he claimed that he misspoke and didn't understand what all the uproar was about.
Eric L. Wattree is a writer, poet and musician, born in Los Angeles. A columnist for the Los Angeles Sentinel, the Black Star News, a staff writer for Veterans Today, he is a contributing writer to Your Black World, the Huffington Post, ePluribus Media and other online sites and publications. He also is the author of “A Message From the Hood.”
Mr. Wattree may be contacted at wattree.blogspot.com or Ewattree@Gmail.com
Religious bigotry: It’s not that I hate everyone who doesn’t look, think, and act like me – it’s just that God does.
