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When I was asked to cover a regular beat on race and the current political cycle I expressed my hope that I wouldn't have enough to cover on a regular basis. Well, that dream died quickly.
Now, I don't really need to call the racial po-po out on McCain supporter Grover Nordquist's behind for calling Obama "John Kerry with a tan" 'cause that ish is obvious in its racism. Fo shizzle.
Now, would that be "talking black" or perhaps "talking white" since those slang terms, if not completely played out, have certainly gained currency amongst white hipsters who do stuff like watch The Wire. But, aw dayum, black folks like The Wire, too. If only we had clear racial boundaries, definitions and cultural signifiers or at the very least, someone to interpret and translate such things.
Well golly and gosh, Ralph Nader to the rescue who informs us that Senator Barack Obama is trying to "talk white" and appeal to "white guilt".
"There's only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He's half African-American," Nader said. "Whether that will make any difference, I don't know. I haven't heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What's keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white? He doesn't want to appear like Jesse Jackson?"
"He wants to show that he is not a threatening . . . another politically threatening African-American politician," Nader said. "He wants to appeal to white guilt. You appeal to white guilt not by coming on as black is beautiful, black is powerful. Basically he's coming on as someone who is not going to threaten the white power structure, whether it's corporate or whether it's simply oligarchic. And they love it. Whites just eat it up."
In other words, Nader presumes to know not only that there is such a distinction but also what the definition is for black vs. white speech and that there is a standard of blackness (or, oddly, lack thereof) that can be used to lay a guilt trip on defenseless white people. Nader also instructs Obama on how to be black:
"I mean, first of all, the number one thing that a black American politician aspiring to the presidency should be is to candidly describe the plight of the poor, especially in the inner cities and the rural areas, and have a very detailed platform about how the poor is going to be defended by the law, is going to be protected by the law, and is going to be liberated by the law," Nader said. "Haven't heard a thing."
Somebody please tell John Edwards that he missed his opportunity to become the real first black president. If only he had claimed he is black in addition to offering a poverty platform, Edwards would be rolling towards 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. on some 24 inch rims, no doubt.
Ta-Nehisi Coates is relieved to learn that he is not black:
In fact, judging by these standards--which apparently require you to fall somewhere between Maulana Karenga and Jesse Jackson--there are roughly 317 black people in America. All of them live in the projects. All of them earn their keep by making white people feel bad.
This is such a relief. Now, without any guilt, I can finally get to those keg parties, cucumber sandwiches, and most importantly, white women. Wait, if I were a black man, I'd still be chasing white women...Hmmm, seems there are still some kinks to work out...
Latoya Peterson at Racialicious points out that the notion that "certain agendas are tied to whiteness and certain agendas are tied to blackness" is offensive.
And I love that last bit - plight of the poor, inner cities and rural areas are the specific area of black American politicians. Who needs to talk about white stuff like healthcare, Iraq, the economy? Obviously, we missed the memo that Barack is running for President of Blackville, USA.
Nader reinforces that notion in his response to Obama's response to Nader's initial remarks:
"And it's clear from Sen. Obama's campaign that he is not willing to tackle the white power structure,' he said, "whether in the form of the corporate power structure or many of the super-rich -- who are taking advantage of 100 million low-income Americans who are suffering in poverty
