Or so says Barack Obama’s Attorney General Eric Holder:
“Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial, we have always been, and we, I believe, continue to be, in too many ways, a nation of cowards,” Holder said in remarks to his staff in honor of Black History Month. His comments appear on a transcript provided by the Justice Department.
Conservative blogger Michelle Malkin responds furiously: “Funny. When I think of racial cowards, I think of Barack Obama at Jeremiah Wright’s church, sitting there week after week, year after year, saying nothing about the separatist demagoguery echoing from the pulpit to the pews.”
Racism is a two way street in the United States these days. There certainly still are some whites who believe blacks are worth less than they are. White racism, however, is no longer socially acceptable.
Black racism, however, is an entirely different story altogether. Quite some blacks are anti-white, and their hatred is seldom condemned, especially not by progressives. An African American can be racist, no problem, but when a white person harbors the same feelings for blacks, well, all hell breaks loose.
Hate is hate is hate. When will they, including Holder, ever learn?
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Re “some blacks are anti-white, and their hatred is seldom condemned”, that’s true. Part of telling the whole truth about racial divisions would be acknowledging that.
With notable exceptions like Obama and Holder himself, whites still hold a dominant position in American society. That includes government and the business world. Until that changes, if it ever does, the focus will continue to be white vs. minority racism.
As for the comments made by Holder, you should really have posted a bit more of the speech for context:
If this is black on white racism, I’m not seeing it. All he appears to be doing is making a provocative statement about how all Americans don’t like to talk about race. Notice how he used “we” meaning he includes himself in that category.
I also wonder if Eric holder is going to be any less a coward when it comes to admonishing the African-American community for its endemic anti-Semitism. I always wonderd how such rabid racism found such hospitality in the hearts of people who were themselves subjected to monstrous de-humanization. How come there is a Louis Farrakhan, openly feted by millions of the descendants of black slaves? And how come there is such sympathy among the African-American community to Arabs, when blacks are systematically slaughtered by Arabs in Darfur and elsewhere, when slavery was still allowed in the Middle East until 1970’s, when open racism still is very much an acceptable social convention in Arab countries? What can be the rationale for such priorities? Can the quantity of pigmentation in some peoples’ skin be so persuasive still, that such atrocities are forgotten, forgiven, shunted aside?
My wife and I had a discussion today about this comment. If he had only followed up his “I believe, continue to be, in too many ways, a nation of cowards” with the following:
“And those blacks out there who thinks I’m just speaking to white folks, I’m speaking to you also. Likewise, to you whites who may think I only calling my race to task, I’m talking to you too.”
Unfortunately in the absence of an emphasis that he was speaking to EVERYONE, the comment will take on a Rohrschach-like quality for many
PS. Though I didn’t read or listen to Malkin’s comments (and often find her harsh in tone) I agree with her essential point. It does and will take courage for anyone, white or black, to “call out” racism when they see it IN THEIR OWN!
@Noga
Hello, Noga
While your statement regarding racism in Arab countries may be accurate, I don’t believe that many African Americans are even in a position to travel to these countries, and so the point is moot. The issue is racism in The United States! I don’t agree with Louis Farrakhan, but have listened to many of his speeches so that I could understand WHY I disagreed with him, on most points. But the one thing I did agree with was his comments regarding the hypocrisy of the U.S. when it comes to race. Yes, there are “racist” Blacks, but would they not have reason to feel animosity towards a society that enslaved them? That wrote laws to keep them from opportunity? That to this day continues to perpetrate stereotypes,and witholds justice? I’m not saying that you don’t make valid points, it’s just that you’re talkng about a segment of society who were enslaved by another, and the repercussions will resonate for generations. I don’t have answers either. But I’m trying to keep an open mind, and hope you will too.
“Hate is hate is hate. When will they, including Holder, ever learn?”
And calling people cowards is calling people cowards is calling people cowards. Is calling people cowards.
If I am called a coward regarding an issue I won’t really interpret that as “I hate you”.
Also, you quote a person such as Malkin, who isn’t really the first person a moderate would go to when asking for a non-hypocritical opinion regarding hatred. Have you seen the comments Malkin and the disgusting, partisan Hot Air leave uncriticized and unchallenged? Malkin’s commenters leave their opinions, full of hatred, on her site and she won’t bother to delete them or challenge them. Now you, always lecturing democrats about hatred and partisanship and telling gays they are hatefult towards the innocent LDS, are quoting Malkin approvingly, giving her authority regarding someone else’s allegedly hateful views?
Yeah right. If a person allows hateful comments on his or her blog then he or she needs to make amends before he or she is quoted so unquestioningly. This is hypocrisy and partisanship.
This site has also linked to Townhall and Little Green Footballs, sites with comment sections full of hatred that aren’t always challenged or removed by admins and moderators. This site is not moderate, fair or resisting partisanship. At all.
I think all blogs should be called out on this cand of offensive stuff, and I also think that there should be an alliance of right- and left-wing blogs who agree to call out all sites that allow hateful comments or post hateful content. From then on, if you take part of the agreement, you have to mention which sites post hateful comments if you link to them, etc. You tarnish yourself if you uncritically link to any kind of site, not to mention you give attention and defer authority to people who don’t deserve it. If I link to some site that says that republicans in general should be targetted I will say “This site mentions this event, which is important to note, but I also think it harms its credibility to allow such hateful reactions to the event to spread on the site.”
@Mica
Mica:
“While your statement regarding racism in Arab countries may be accurate, I don’t believe that many African Americans are even in a position to travel to these countries, and so the point is moot.”
I don’t see how lack of travel justifies ignoring racism against blacks in the Arab countries. Did it hinder African-Americans from supporting the anti-aparheid campaign? This is not why AA’s don’t seem to care much. There is a tacit indifference to oppression and discrimination when the ones doing it are dark coloured. Why is that?
http://www.memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD225009
“But the one thing I did agree with was his comments regarding the hypocrisy of the U.S. when it comes to race.”
Isn’t it highly hypocritical of Farrakhan to complain about “white” hypocrisy while he promotes, actively, “black” hypocrisy? While he makes antisemitism an article of faith in his liberation ideology? When he praises Hitler for decimating the Jews? Why are African-Americans allowed to be antisemitic and racist? Is this the wise and conciliatory way to promoting social harmony and justice?
I have got to find a way to post more articles per day. Castanea, you need to look at the whole picture, meaning this whole site.
Find some of my posts or Jason’s posts. Heck, you want liberal, check out Claudia’s posts. Marc’s post was somewhat more positive than this one as well. Even Michael holds positions that base conservatives in the U.S. might cringe at.
Back to the topic, I don’t think Holder is wrong. Yes, America is officially integrated, but there are still underlying prejudices. And while they’ll never be completely eliminated, working to rebuff untrue stereotypes can only be good.
The problem is that we haven’t had a good discussion on race in a long time. Sure, it was touched upon last November when Obama won, but mostly it was in passing.
Noga, I don’t think anger is the answer. Particularly when every living black person today was never enslaved and no white alive has ever enslaved somebody. Women were once oppressed, and it’s been that way for even longer than America was enslaving blacks. Yet, by and large, you don’t see them spewing hatred against males (except for the radical feminists, but they’re a small group). And don’t get me started on all the stereotypes against women.
Seems to me that the first step toward full racial reconciliation is acceptance that slavery is over, and that, by and large, they have become equal.
Any person that says Americans are cowards has no clue of American History and has no right heading up our justice department. He should step down.
@Noga
Good Morning, Noga.
You make good points, and thank you for being open to argument. I’ll try to clarify my position. Yes, slavery against Africans exists in other countries, the focus of our survival is here, in the U.S. While we may be the same in color, we (literally) live in different worlds. In my world, while I don’t deal with outright slavery, I DO have to deal with discrimination both at work, and in society at large. And it makes no difference that I’ve served in the military, gone to college, and have a good work ethic. I’m still passed over when it comes to employment, still have trouble finding housing, and still make a lot less than my white counterparts. I’m not as angry as I am discouraged. When I go out the front door, I’m still an African American male. I honestly don’t understand why so many of the posts refer to actions in other countries, when the problem is here.
As for anti-semetism, I can only speak from my own experience. I have never heard ANY African American that I know, from my family to my friends EVER express such views. Yes, I hear it a lot in the media, but in my everyday life, I don’t. Doesn’t mean that it’s not out there, but I think that the media would like us to think that there’s this huge rift between Blacks and Jews, and I just don’t think it’s so.
I guess my point is this: Whenever race is discussed, people start talking about Arabs, and Africa (“THEY sold slaves too!!…”) Anywhere but on our home turf.. We’re not talking about the world, we’re talking about the United States. We’re talking about job discrimination, housing discrimination, substandard medical care, broken schools, and the American Dream. Oh, and Chuck, if you want to read some American History, read Howard Zinn’s “A Peoples History of the United States”. It’s a very informative, well researched, and honest account of how we got here. I know that I’m not a very good writer, but I appreciate the feedback. And no, I don’t think we’re cowards, I think that there’s a lot of pain out here, and some things are hard to look at….. I wish every one well. Mica
@Michael Merritt
Good morning, Michael,
I read your post, and I agree that racism is wrong coming from any group. I want to address two points you make, and give you my take on them. “I don’t think anger is the answer. Particularly when every living black person today was never enslaved and no white alive has ever enslaved somebody. Women were once oppressed, and it’s been that way for even longer than America was enslaving blacks…” Michael, women were not brought here in chains, lynched, and made to be separate from the rest of society. They did not lose their names. I will agree that women face many of the same roadblocks to achievement that minorities face, but contend that white women fare much better than women of color.
“Seems to me that the first step toward full racial reconciliation is acceptance that slavery is over, and that, by and large, they have become equal.”
Michael, I don’t mean this as a slam, but only a Caucasian male could make such a statement, and honestly believe it. I think that if you were to sit down with a man of color, and ask him if he feels like an equal in this country, you would be both surprised and enlightened. You see the world thru the eyes of a dominant race, but it doesn’t mean that you’re wrong. You’re just seeing things from the perspective of your own life. Racism is very subtle in this day and age, and it doesn’t always take the form of hoods, or the stereotypical gap-toothed good-ol-boy shouting racial slurs. That’s what makes it so insidious, and hard to stop. Check out a Zinn’s book, and I’m hoping we’ll be able to have more dialogue. Take care. Michael
“Michael, I don’t mean this as a slam, but only a Caucasian male could make such a statement, and honestly believe it. I think that if you were to sit down with a man of color, and ask him if he feels like an equal in this country, you would be both surprised and enlightened. You see the world thru the eyes of a dominant race, but it doesn’t mean that you’re wrong. You’re just seeing things from the perspective of your own life. Racism is very subtle in this day and age, and it doesn’t always take the form of hoods, or the stereotypical gap-toothed good-ol-boy shouting racial slurs. That’s what makes it so insidious, and hard to stop.”
Mica;
Its hard not to conclude from this that any white Male should sit down and be quiet.
Racism is one thing, power is another. A racist individual with power will exercise that power to “enforce” his racism. Taking power away does not eliminate racism. It may in fact simply encourage a power struggle to see who gets to implement their racist desires. (See Rwanda and Serbia)
@c3
Hi, c3,
Please don’t think that I want all white males to sit down and be quiet. I’m merely trying to be as honest and as open as I can be, which is risky, because it leaves me open for a lot of “stuff”. I’m only saying that before we can have a discussion on race, we need to be able to talk about OUR country, not Rwanda, or Ethiopa, or the Arab states. We need to talk about the injustices perpetrated in America. Period. I would like that. Anyway, thanks for your response, and I’m hoping that this clarifies my position. Take care. Mica
Talking about race leaves white males open to a lot more, Mica. A white male can have his career ruined even by an unfounded or trivial charge of “racism”. A white male student can find himself set upon by a “politically correct” professor for criticizing affirmative action. A white male student accused of “racism” (even if there is no foundation to the charge whatsoever) can even find himself kicked out of school.
If Holder or you or anyone else really wants to address the root causes of white reluctance to discuss racial issues, perhaps they could start by making the expression of dissenting views about affirmative action a non-punishable offense on the many college campuses around this country where such discussions might take place.
Hello, Jason,
Sounds like you’re pretty uncomfortable with the discussion, which is unfortunate. I came to this site wanting to have dialogue, and felt that it was a good opportunity to talk to folks of dissenting views. It sounds like you’d like me to stop talking about the issue, and as this is your site, I’ll respect that. Thanks to all who responded, and I wish you well.
Mica
Not at all. I was making a wider point. White people — especially white males — get tagged a lot with what Eric Holder characterized as “cowardice”. But I submit that it is far too easy to blindly assume that white people are racially advantaged in society. Yes, racism against blacks continues to exist. But the presumption that white people are all privileged racists is itself a form of racism. And that form of racism finds expression in many places throughout our society, especially college campuses. And the expression of that form of racism has very serious effects on some individuals’ lives.
If Holder or you or anyone really wants an open dialogue about race, why not include this point into the discussion?
Jason,
First, apologies for being “thin skinned”. I wasn’t going to post here, but that would be cowardly, eh? Here’s my thoughts:
While I don’t agree with all aspects of Affirmative Action, I do think that in some instances it’s the only way to get thru the front door. I don’t think that charges of racism (in most cases, not all) against white males comes out of the blue. There would have to be SOMETHING beyond disagreeing with AA to prompt someone to level such charges, and it would have to be substantial enough to have someone lose their job, or be kicked out of school. So, from where I’m sitting, there HAD to be some truth in the charges, or the institutions wouldn’t go thru the whole ugly process. I think that if a person disagrees with a policy or a law, he/she has every right to stand up and declare their stance, but they also have to have the courage to defend their position, even in the face of intense opposition. Their character will speak for them, Jason. I have great discussions on this subject with White friends, and while we don’t agree on many issues, they’re still my friends.
Conservative. Liberal. I think these words are a convenient way of separating us as people. Anyway, thanks for responding, and with your permission, I’d like to continue. Take care. Mica
@Jason, Managing Editor
Whatever Tony says, when he wakes up in the morning and looks in the mirror, he is still banned from this site. Talking about race does not constitute a license to spew racial epithets.
Mica,
It’s good that you would not take opposition to affirmative action as in and of itself proof of racism. Unfortunately, many white people have learned that they cannot rely upon everyone — and especially not upon the commissars of political correctness — to share your open-mindedness.
Eric Holder attributed reluctance to discuss race to cowardice. My point is that there is another possible explanation: Accusations of “racism” have become a form of intimidation that function to make talking about race a no-win proposition for whites. Until that stops everywhere — and most especially on college campuses controlled by self-appointed thought police — many whites will continue to avoid the subject as much as they possibly can rather than enter the no-win realm of trying to discuss it openly.
This aspect of the issue affects me personally. When I deal with racial issues in my classes, I always feel like I am picking my way through a verbal minefield, trying to make sure I don’t set off any hidden traps by saying anything that could be misunderstood or misrepresented. I hate having to feel like that during what should be a “teaching moment”, but that is the environment that has been created. And it wasn’t white racists who constructed that part of the problem.
Maybe Eric Holder’s attitude — that all the problems surrounding racial discourse are solely the result of lingering white racism — is part of the problem rather than part of the solution. Both lingering racism AND lingering racial grievance-mongering are parts of the problem. Unless they are dealt with equally, there will be no real racial conversation in our society. There will only be feigning and passive-aggressiveness.
@tony montana
Tony,
I’m really hoping that you won’t be kicked off this post, because I’d like to hear what shapes your attitudes. I think it would be good learning for all of us. Again, take care. Mica
Tony did not appear interested in explaining his attitudes. He just kept reposting the same slur over and over. Even if it weren’t for the racist epithets he was posting, it would still be spam. He’s banned.
Good morning, Jason,
I didn’t realize that you were a professor. I can see where it could be a mine field for you. The “powers that be”…. I am thinking about what you say, and I’d like to respond later.
Jason, I think that Tony has things to say, and some of them may be good things, and important to hear/read. I know that he’s banned, but I think it would be a good thing to give him another chance, and not to throw him away. Were his words reprehensible? Yes. But his apology was sincere and from his heart. I think that he needs to be heard, and I’m hoping that you’ll reconsider his expulsion, and allow him a chance to show that he has a place where he can voice his opinions, as long as he toes the proverbial line. Everybody needs a break, Jason. Please, at least give it some thought. And I’m sorry for posting so much! Thanks, and enjoy the morning. Mica
Very well. I lifted the ban because this is an unusual situation. There will be no third chance.
Mica, first, sorry for identifying you as Noga. It was late and I mixed up posts.
I will concede that there are still some issues to be worked out, particularly in pay and housing. Some people say that this is a problem in the system, while others say it is a problem with attitude. I say that it’s a mix of both. While I think it is true there is some inequalities in the system, I would also say that there is a problem with attitude among some of the black community.
Perhaps it is caused by lack of faith in the system, but it is there. And I’m not the only one to say this. Bill Cosby has become under fire for speaking out about it, and Obama has dedicated part of at least one speech to it. Yet, many blacks have beaten both the attitude and the system and become very successful. I’m not talking about the Obamas of the world, who was afforded a good education. I’m talking about those who’ve risen up from nothing and become successful. There are obviously areas where blacks are underrepresented (I believe business is one), but if the system really is that badly biased against blacks, it will take a change in attitude, and perhaps that change in attitude will cause them to demand the changes in the system.
I also think you have to separate stereotypes with actual racism that causes bias against blacks (such as housing, pay, or job advancement). Stereotypes are bad, to be sure, but I don’t think they’re on quite the same level as true racism. I say this because all people have to deal with stereotypes.
Take me. I’m short for my age and young looking. I don’t get anything too bad, but I do have to always take out my ID at casinos or bars or package stores because I am assumed to be young. It’s not their fault; just a pre-conceived stereotype of how a 22-year-old “should look.” Or Jason. He’s a moderate, but I’m sure if he were to initially introduce himself to a conservative as a professor, I can only imagine the stereotypes going through the conservative’s head.
“I’m short for my age and young looking.”
This is a bit of a trivialization of the problem posed by someone who has to live with stereotypes throughout their life. Your “problem” will go away eventually: you may grow tall and for sure you will not always look like a teenager. Persons who are stereotyped due to their identity, visible or otherwise noticeable, are not so “lucky”. They have to learn how navigate among their own levels of patience and tolerance and the necessity to always shrug away these annoying, yet persistent stereotypifications.
Imagine having to live your entire life while bracing, day in day out, to meet lower expectations, sneering or condescending attitudes at best or open malign discrimination, at worse? And there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. You cannot change the colour of your skin, or your accent, or your minority identity, or some other feature that reveals right away you are not “one of them”.
In my case I have learned to make outsiderness a source of strengh and to challenge people as far as I can about their prejudices. But very few take kindly to being challenged or having to offer an apology for something they don’t really feel sorry about. What it means is that the perpetually stereotyped has to be an extra vigilant kind of being and always on the ready to thwart these active attempts to sideline him or her. It can be pretty exhausting, and hardly ever rewarding.
I understand what Mica is saying but still I would say that it is better to be the latter than the former, to be the outsider and resist racism in any form, even when socially inconvenient, than to be one of the crowds and be selective about your outrage, or make excuses for someone like Farrakhan. The idea is of course to pick one’s fights wisely. Not every aberration is worth the expenditure of energy.
Michael, you should read Martin Amis’s “Experience” about being short. He is very funny when he recalls how people used to ‘console’ him when he was a teenger that he would eventually grow taller. When he met those people years later he would demand to know from them how come their prognosis was so wrong…
Judging from the comments, I see that Mr. Holder was right. Americans are cowards in the sense that they only seem to be capable of only two approaches: 1) don’t talk about it at all and pretend that the election of Obama proves that there is no longer a racial prlbem, or 2) talk about it only in terms of accusing one group or another as being the sole source of our problems.
Holder’s choice of words was inartful, since they were both provocative and unclear. My personal guess is that he was giving the public too much credit for the ability to broach the subject without overinterpreting and jumping to all sorts of unwarranted conclusions. After all, he didn’t accuse anyone of being a racist; he accused everyone of being cowardly about talking racism.
If reacting with bravado is a sign of inner cowardice, as is often claimed, then we are cowards who fear talking about a subject because it might reveal someihting unpleasant about ourselves. That cuts both ways and every which way. And it’s true. When is the last time anyone discussed race in a mixed group, without immediately making accusations, or at all?
Misrepresenting what other commenters said is a very poor way of encouraging dialogue, meitene. Shame on you.
Judging from the hateful and hostile tone of your comments across multiple threads, I would say that the one most oriented towards “accusing one group or another as being the sole source of our problems” is you.
How can you say this a “nation of cowards” go to Iraq or Vietnam or Afganistan you will see no cowards. Is he trying to create racial tension, his comments do absolutely nothing to help only piss off alot of people both white and black. this man must be an idiot to make a statement like this. He is suppose to be the attorney general for ALL americans grow up and remember who you represent.