Mark Hoofnagle has a PhD in physiology from the University of Virginia and is currently a 3rd year medical student. His interest in denialism concerns the use of denialist tactics to confuse public understanding of scientific knowledge.
A lot of folks around here like primates. In fact, all of the bloggers around here are primates. So a number of us are pretty riled up about a recent story out of Georgia (although I don't advocate another apocalyptic March to the Sea). There is another poll to crash with the linked story, so go have at it.
In a similar vein, I posted a piece on my old blog a little while back about an article that wasn't written by an ignorant redneck, but by a writer for a prominent conservative news outlet. What follows is the repost.
I don't usually blog on politics. It's just not my thing. Not that I don't have opinions---I just save the research and writing for my own specialty. But this went so far over the line that I can't leave it alone. I'll give you the specifics, but this vicious attack on Obama's parentage is belongs at a Klan rally rather than a respected (by some) national publication. Let me show you.
[A]ll of my mixed race, black/white classmates throughout my youth, some of whom I am still in contact with, were the product of very culturally specific unions. They were always the offspring of a white mother, (in my circles, she was usually Jewish, but elsewhere not necessarily) and usually a highly educated black father. And how had these two come together at a time when it was neither natural nor easy for such relationships to flourish? Always through politics... Usually the Communist Youth League. Or maybe a different arm of the CPUSA. But, for a white woman to marry a black man in 1958, or 60, there was almost inevitably a connection to explicit Communist politics.
So, by generalizing your limited experience, it is clear that all mixed race couples came together through communist mentors. Care to offer up some actual data? Of course not. It's too absurd.
I don't know how Barak Obama's parents met. But the Kincaid article referenced above makes a very convincing case that Obama's family, later, (mid 1970s) in Hawaii, had close relations with a known black Communist intellectual... it's an open question what it means practically to have been politically mentored by an official Communist. (emphasis mine)
Exactly the point...you don't know how they met, and yet you are willing to (literally) tar him with your racist brush. And, yes, despite your protestations below, it is racist. I'll explain in a bit. And of course, since his parents knew a communist, Obama is a communist. Is that the transitive theory of communism? Is it the Lamarckian communist theory? How does that work? Has Obama written, said, or otherwise proposed centralized ownership of the means of production? DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA TO BACK UP YOUR RIDICULOUS ASSERTIONS???
Political correctness was invented precisely to prevent the mainstream liberal media from persuing the questions which might arise about how Senator Obama's mother, from Kansas, came to marry an African graduate student. Love? Sure, why not? But what else was going on around them that made it feasible? Before readers level cheap accusations of racism -- let's recall that the very question of interracial marriage only became a big issue later in the 1960s.
P.C. was invented to keep people from asking about interracial couples' private business? How...far-sighted of them, whomever "they" may be. Racism isn't a "cheap accusation". You have taken an individual and made certain very offensive and harmful assumptions about the person based on senseless generalizations, and published them in order to cause him harm. You just can't get anymore racist without a hood and a noose.
It was, of course, an explicit tactic of the Communist party to stir up discontent among American blacks, with an eye toward using them as the leading edge of the revolution. To be sure, there was much to be discontented about, for black Americans, prior to the civil-rights revolution. To their credit, of course, most black Americans didn't buy the commie line -- and showed more faith in the possibilities of democratic change than in radical politics, and the results on display in Moscow. Time for some investigative journalism about the Obama family's background, now that his chances of being president have increased so much.
And to cap it off, an invitation for the rest of America's racists to jump on her Klandwagon.
This is easily the most offensive piece of "mainstream" journalism that I've seen in years. I'm hoping it is a measure of how desperate those on the far right are as their ideas have bankrupted the country, morally and financially, over the last 7 years. Lisa Schiffren should be ashamed. But of course, she has no shame.
Politics
Comments
Ugh. And it is only the beginning. He isn't even the nominee yet.
More sickening than this garbage, is the fact that this garbage is effective at changing the minds of many American voters.
Posted by: manuelg | May 13, 2008 11:04 PM
Let me see now. Obama is:
1. A blind follower of a rabid Christian minister
2. A Muslim
3. A godless Communist.
Boy, talk about multitasking.
Posted by: Green Eagle | May 14, 2008 12:19 AM
P.C. was invented to keep people from asking about interracial couples' private business?
You have misread the article's clear statement:
Political correctness was invented precisely to prevent the mainstream liberal media from persuing the questions which might arise about how Senator Obama's mother, from Kansas, came to marry an African graduate student.
PC was invented to prevent questions about one single interracial couple, in an example of extreme foresight on the part of the International IslamoFascioCommunist Conspiracy.
Posted by: Edward | May 14, 2008 12:52 AM
A very brave post - there is no shortage of people producing racist attacks, but this is the only one I have seen to do so directly. All the others I have seen are indirect attacks, either of the 'His name is Hussain Osama, he must be a muslim!' variety, or the 'He is a black supremecist!' variety. This one is very direct, he just directly makes a racist attack: 'All interracial couples are communists.'
Posted by: Suricou Raven | May 14, 2008 3:16 AM
Lisa Schiffren is a piece of work. She helped found a conservative issues advocacy group called Softer Minds...er...sorry, Softer Voices. When all of this is done, at least we're going to have a better idea about how prevalent and dangerous bigotry still is in America.
Posted by: FullFrontal | May 14, 2008 8:55 AM
I don't get the Klan connection. I see that he/she/it is being racist to some extent, but I don't see the connection to cross-burning, lynching white-hooded supremacists. This person is more worried about Obama being communist than being black. It is a common tactic of the right wing to play the communist card and this is more of an attempt to associate Obama with Communists.
As for how black men and white women (or vica versa) got together back in the 50's and 60's? High School proms? Local soda shops? NOT!
If schools and communities were integrated back then, the civil rights era never would have happened.
College, jazz and politics is how young people of different races mostly met. And maybe in mixed churches. I went to high school from '54 to '59. One of my friends was mixed race. She had a hell of a time and, no, I have no idea how her parents met. Never thought to ask her. She had enough problems figuring out who she was in addition to all the usual adolescent problems.
Since I can't quote peer-reviewed studies of how mixed couples met back in the 50's and 60's, you will undoubtedly ignore my "deduction". But, let me ask you, was it ever PC to do such research and do such studies actually exist?
Posted by: Oldfart | May 14, 2008 9:36 AM
"But, let me ask you,...."
How about doing your own search? You probably have more time on your hands than PalMD.
Posted by: Pete Dunkelberg | May 14, 2008 12:07 PM
For what it's worth, here's one Brit's prediction. Whoevever wins the presidency will start his/her term by making a fine speech about the USA being the great not-exactly-white-maybe-sorta-beige hope for the future of humanity. Humanity will not be impressed.
Posted by: valdemar | May 14, 2008 12:51 PM
I am not sure why anyone would be "riled up" over the curious George caricature. Obama does in fact bare an uncanny resemblance as does GW Bush (or "Chimpy" as some moonbats refer to him). The Bush - Chimp thing has been done to death over the last eight years so its a little amusing when someone suddenly cries foul now that a lefty gets it.
Posted by: SomeGuy | May 14, 2008 3:29 PM
I don't know whether you are kidding or not, SomeGuy, but obviously (or it should be obvious) comparing a black man to a monkey is never innocent in this culture. The argument has a rather denialist tint to it.
Posted by: PalMD![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/denialism/nav-commenters.gif)
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May 14, 2008 4:16 PM
Oh Baloney, that's just irrational guilt and PC jitteriness speaking. You shouldn't treat people differently depending on the color of their skin. But I am probably just a denier.
Posted by: SomeGuy | May 14, 2008 5:40 PM
Well, yeah, actually. People in the U.S. are treated differently based on color, whether they should be or not, and bringing up classic racist memes is itself racist. To deny that it is is kinda nuts. I mean, what if the shirt had a burning cross on it? It really isn't that different...the monkey/black comparison has always been a classic dehumanization tactic, and dehumanization leads fairly directly to disinhibition of violence.
Posted by: PalMD![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/denialism/nav-commenters.gif)
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May 14, 2008 6:21 PM
I don't know about the US, but in the UK it is quite common for white racists to make monkey noises at black people (mostly black soccer players on the opposing team). The stereotype is so ingrained that I was aghast when I saw the T-shirt
Posted by: laserboy | May 15, 2008 12:36 AM
When Bush is compared to a chimp, this is an insult against his intelligence. People can argue over how accurate it is, but his intelligence is still important to his presidential qualifications.
When Obama is compared to a monkey, the first explanation that comes to mind is an insult against his race. Completly different. If the shirt-designer wishes to insult his inteligence they should use an image that cannot be misinterpreted - perhaps Obama in a dunce-hat.
I agree with Oldfart to some extend - the main thrust of the attack is the claim that Obama is a communist. The racist part is the justification for this: The only justification the writer has for his claim is his unfounded belief that all mixed-race couples are communists.
Posted by: Suricou Raven | May 15, 2008 4:20 AM
I did not expect PalMD to do any research at all. However, one of you might have known of such studies. I would have been interested in reading them had I access. Anything that describes "my" time would have been interesting to me. But, as I have suggested, getting funding for non-PC studies is difficult. A little bit like getting funding for a study of people who enjoyed incestual relationships, don'tcha think?
Posted by: Oldfart | May 15, 2008 7:24 AM
Check this out: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/05/14/bojorquez.obama.tshirt.controversy.wsb
Posted by: Deepsix | May 15, 2008 10:18 AM
No one can really understand Obama's agenda. Except for his platform indicated in his blog, you can observe the following:
1. Greater government control.
2. His speech against negligent black fathers is indication that he will dictate way of life and behavior.
3. Anti-war rhetorics makes his way to being Senator. Go to website of Communist Party of USA and Democratic Socialists of America: COMMUNISTS MEANS ANTI-WAR. They are for appeasement. Logic? Communism and socialism nowadays believe in one global government who can ration benefits and costs among sub-governments. They also think that the same will address terrorism and hate against America. Like the successful France (but I doubt). DNC Howard Dean hosted the feast of Socialists in their visit in Washington with a 'progressive politics" theme. Progressive = socialism, that their parlance. Check the facts if Party of European Socialists Rasmussen met with Dean in 2006.
4. Labor unionism as the solution for labor rights.
5. Equality of Gender/Race/Sexual Orientation. That's why 80% of gays and lesbians are rallying behind him.
6. Racial radicalism. That's why you have Black liberalism and Arab liberalism and Jewish liberalims (like Khalidi's AAAN). Christian liberalism is not successful to the white... only to the blacks like TUCC.
7. Collectivism is the major strategy of communists and socialists, against individualism.
8. Anti corporation.
Why all of the following are rallying behind him?
CODEPINK
MOVEON
AFL-CIO
Working Families
Communist Party of USA
Democratic Socialists of America
Progressive Alliance
Rainbow/PUSH
Black radical groups (so many of them)
ACORN
All NGOs of UNs, which are socialists in nature. (UN is the major proponent of socialism)
Why are they clinging to Obama? In 1996 Obama won in Illinois seat because of endorsement of Chicago Democratic Socialists of America and all the socialists in Hyde Park.
Are you wondering why a self-proclaimed socialist Sanders really loves Obama?
Not a problem, because 40% of America is now really socialists, especially the MSM. They believe that the best way to gain good mass appeal to Europeans including socialists France and Germany is to be a socialist too.
Now, if you focused your study in Medicine, try to take POLITICS 101 before coming to election by November.
Posted by: seeker | June 21, 2008 12:42 AM