Why are right-wingers so paranoid about "reverse racism"?

[Kievan Rus]

This whole Shirley Sherrod flap is yet another example of the American right wing and Faux News going on and on about "reverse racism." The non-issue of the fringe extremist "New Black Panthers" (yeah, all twelve of them) in Philadelphia is another case. And lest we forget, the liberal Southern Poverty Law Center has deemed them a hate group. The whole issue with Glenn Beck saying that President Obama was an "anti-white racist."

Sure, there is such a thing as reverse racism, but it's nowhere near as prevalent -- or nowhere near as socially damaging; as white-on-black racism. It's another right-wing bogeyman meant to get their followers paranoid and afraid. In addition, right-wingers are always whining about "misandry" and going on tirades about how feminists are all a bunch of man-haters.

So, why does the right-wing media run with "reverse racism" so often?

[tabatha]

1. Guilt.

They want to lessen it by showing that everyone is (a racist).

[babylonsister]

2. They aren't paranoid at all. It's 'an issue' to make news. That's all.

They know precisely what they're doing, inspiring hate and discontent. That's their objective.

[TexasProgresive]

21. DING!

You got it exactly right as usual.

[DJ13]

3. The lunatic fringe in the GOP originated out of the South

[zabet]

4. I disagree that there is such a thing

as 'reverse racism'. Racism is racism regardless of what race it is directed at.

[notesdev]

13. +1

You got it right.

ANYBODY classifying people by race is a racist, no matter how noble they believe their intentions to be.

These people being racist in a misguided attempt to offset the racism they perceive in others are the worst of the lot; we can NEVER get past judging people by the color of their skin by following their lead.

[Johonny]

20. pretty much

[AmericaIsGreat]

5. Not even sure what reverse racism is

and I don't think it exists. The definition of racism is not a white person believing a black person behaves and is limited because of their race, it's anyone who believes that. So, the reverse tells you absolutely nothing about who is being racist and is therefore not needed.

Anyway, the racism to which they refer as "reverse racism" is non-existent in the examples they provide. It's always edited video clips and commentary or text out of context.

[misanthrope]

17. "So, the reverse tells you absolutely nothing..."

...Sadly, the "reverse" part tells you everything. It's intended as code reserved for perceived discrimination against a very specific set: white folks. It lets the listener/reader know from the headline or snippet alone who is making the claim.

[retread]

22. Use of the term reveals a great deal about the user. n/t

[misanthrope]

27. I agree**nm

**

[chrisa]

30. The term "reverse racism" is a bad one, because it doesn't make sense.

It makes as much sense as "reverse sexism." Something is either racist / sexist, or it isn't.

Anybody can be racist, just like anybody can be sexist. However, some of the RW commentators are actually racist themselves, for pulling non-racist comments (by say, Obama), and blowing them out of proportion / misrepresenting them as racist in a blatent attempt to inspire White anger (in the case of the RW). It's pathetic, and shouldn't be accepted, yet nobody in the RW calls them out on it. This can only be seen as them accepting their own racists in their party.

[JHB]

6. Projectioooooon, projection. Projection!

(to the tune of "Tradition" from Fiddler on the Roof)

Really need to come up with a full set of lyrics for that.

[jeffrey_X]

7. They aren't paranoid about it, they just have no fundamental understanding of the history of

the US.

Their view of american history is distorted by fear and ignorance.

[conscious evolution]

8. Its that christian thing about

doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.
They look at how they have treated minorities then remember that part of the bible and it scares the shit out of them.
The puppet masters know this dynamic and use it against them.

[Touchdown]

9. It's not enough to be a pig. They want to be celebrated for being pigs.

So as long as racism gets a bad rap, they will always be pissed off that others disapprove.

[lurky]

10. There is a whole bizarre mythology about Reconstruction,

that black people oppressed white Southerners with the assistance of the Union Army. This whole idea was pushed by people like the Klan as a justification for all their madness. It's absolutely ludicrous and has no historical basis, but it's still passed down as a legend and a lot of people still believe it. My mom grew up in a tiny town way down there, and was even taught some of this stuff in school.

Anyway, the core of the conservative movement is angry redneck guys, and this kind of stuff is designed to get them agitated. And it works. Did you hear that recording of the threat against the NAACP the other day? That guy clearly believed with a passion that he was being oppressed by black people.
(caution: Really Disturbing)
http://www.naacp.org/blog/entry/naacp-receives-death-threat/

[rpannier]

11. Reverse racism means it racism doesn't exist

Anyone who makes a sweeping statement about another person because of their race, ethnicity, etc is a racist

If they're a reverse racist then they're not one

[Ohio Joe]

12. It's what repugs do best... lie

In the hope that their racism will be overlooked, they manufacture racism elsewhere.

[SunnySong]

14. Everyone wants to be a victim... helps explain away your own failures. ntr

[AnnieBW]

15. They're afraid that black men are going to take their white women?

After all, isn't that what it's all about? The superior Black man (with a bigger penis) having sex with all of the white women, who will then reject the white men and their little penises?

:sarcasm:

[beltanefauve]

16. Fear

White folks, males in particular, have been at the front of the line for over 400 years, and are afraid of losing their place in line (Not ALL of you white males, of course!) Ceding power and control is a frightening thing. It is especially frightening when race is concerned. Our history with race isn't pretty, and many people fear that the other shoe is going to drop.

[OHdem10]

18. Media loves conflict .so they see it as a great story...

I think we all understand that there are old racial resentments.
Unfortunately instead of being able to see racial progress as
as a win' win for the country--some believe you win I lose.
Blacks win, Whites Lose. This is the motivating factor behind
reverse racism.

Some in GOP are extremely sensitive re being called racists.
Therefore they and hunting and pecking to find any example
of what they can call Reverse Racism so they can scream their
charge back.

Racial Resentment is at the core. Race as a subject can raise
the temperature real fast on those HOT BUTTONS. The Media
loves it.

[phasma ex machina]

36. +1 "Media loves conflict" Media tyrants play the masses like a fine violin.

They divide people into arbitrary groups to pit them against each other.

IMHO it goes beyond Cesarean "divide and conquer."

It seems more like psychopaths, devoid of intrinsic emotion, feeding off the emotions of others.

Why else would the mass media tyrant behind The Omaha Bee stoke emotions until Will Brown got lynched in the Omaha Race Riot of 1919?

[applegrove]

19. Cause Glenn Beck has them convinced they are victims of that national socialist hitler-obama.

[sufrommich]

25. And Black Panthers, don't forget the Black Panthers. nt

[applegrove]

34. Yup. Whitie is a victim of all sorts of nasty feelings and it is all the fault of

hitler-obama. Not the Glen Beck's of the world who stir up said feelings.

[Brewman_Jax]

23. Fear of "those people"

and the fear that the rabid RW racists will not be elevated above "those people" and that "those people" will exert some control over them. This is against their basic belief system and they don't like it.

[hobbit709]

24. Projection, projection, projection.

They are trying to draw attention away from the fact of what they are.

[immune]

26. Its "reverse" fear

brought on by what they've been doing unto others for so many centuries.

But subliminally they do understand that they'll only be superior to all other forms of life as long as they're holding the whip, or the gun, or a joy stick attached to the business end of a drone. And then there's money power and the power of the microphone. If they were to put down all these weapons for even a moment, they'd actually have to negotiate on a level playing field and they know they'd lose in a fair fight.

[Bonobo]

29. Correct. nt

[Bonobo]

28. Deep down, white people feel that blacks have been done an outrageous evil and...

fear the backlash they they think they might deserve.

That is the root IMO.

[slackmaster]

31. I really don't like the term "reverse racism"

Racism is racism, no matter what race the racist belongs to.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

32. People Won't Vote Republican If They're Not Afraid.........

............and the Republican higher-ups know it. So they have to constantly make the American people afraid of someone or something. They know their policies wouldn't withstand the scrutiny of the average 5-year-old, so they have to make people shut their brains off. And what's the best way to make people act irrationally? Make them afraid.

I'm serious. Can you name me ANYTHING, in terms of policy, that Republicans champion that's NOT based on fear?

[LibertyLover]

33. Because it makes their racism ok -

If x racial group doesn't like my racial group, that makes my dislike of x racial group just fine and dandy. It's a way to feel better about themselves.

[Hissyspit]

35. It's a deflection tactic.

Reframing to undermine a legitimate issue. That's what they do. And it works. All the time.

Repubs guilty of real election fraud? They start screaming about fake voter fraud. Conversation redirected. Dems cave. Mission accomplished.

[Odin2005]

37. projection and a belief that minorities really are inferior and are using the government...

...to supress "real Americans".