As the song from the musical “Avenue Q” states, “Everyone’s a little bit racist sometimes. Doesn’t mean we go around committing hate crimes...Maybe it’s a fact we all should face: everyone makes judgments based on race.” I don’t care whether you’re black, white, Hispanic, Asian, biracial or multiracial. At some point in your life, I’m sure you’ve had racist thoughts. If you’ve read this far, you probably agree (though wish you didn’t) or shaking you’re head in outrage because you’re a P.C., apologist liberal who’s a closeted racist. For a while now, we’ve allowed liberal Democrats to define racism. When it benefits them politically, they’ll throw the label at someone, but what happens when it’s one of their own? They quickly excuse to save the squeaky-clean facade they perpetuate.
The most recent racist comments from a liberal to leak to the public come from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who described President Obama during the campaign as “light-skinned” and speaking “with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.” If these comments had come from a Republican, every liberal media outlet and politician would sink its teeth into him, and the Revs. Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson would go for the jugular and destroy his career. But our good ole boy Harry? No, certainly not. Democrats make sure that he quickly apologizes, and the president accepts it and says, “the book is closed.” And oh, surprise, surprise, out comes Sharpton saying, “While there is no question that Sen. Reid did not select the best word choice in this instance, these comments should not distract America from its continued focus on securing health care or creating jobs for its people.” Excuse me, Reverend? That’s all you’ve got? How about calling it like it is? The only worse thing he could have said would have been the N-word.
So the prominent liberal gets a slap on the wrist for undeniably racist remarks because it’s just as the good reverend himself said, we can’t afford to have comments such as these “distract” from legislation that is being force-fed to America. As long as the cause is a liberal one, all liberal African-Americans must swallow whatever anger they feel – that starts with Obama and Sharpton. That’s not principle. If either of them truly believed in their efforts to fight racism, they would not let Reid off the hook so easily.
They need to take their cue from Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, who called for the Reid’s resignation. I personally wouldn’t call for his resignation (though I’d love it if it happened) because “everyone’s a little bit racist,” and if we went after everyone who made racist remarks, most people would be out of a job. However, if Sharpton tries to use his position to destroy the careers and lives of others (remember his work on Don Imus?) then, in principle, he should do the same to Reid.
Make no mistake about it, when liberals label a person racist, it’s all about political gain. (Remember how Rep. Joe Wilson was castigated for his “you lie” comment – somehow they think it logical to label him a racist but not Reid.) Liberals I encounter in my own life do the exact same thing. They’re all quick to throw the label, because it makes them feel morally superior, but the next time you think of doing it, take a step back and remember “everyone’s a little bit racist,” even you.
Jenna Kilic is an English and theater senior.
