I was watching a cable talk show the other night and one of the interlocutors was struggling mightily to make the point that McCain's ad briefly showing Paris Hilton and Brittany Spears was racist because it showed a black man (Barack Obama) right after two blonde white women and we all know what message that sends, don't we? Timothy Noah at The New Republic in all seriousness opined that it's racist to call Obama "skinny" because that calls attention to his appearance, and there can only be nefarious motives for wanting to do that.
There are apparently a lot of people who think that any criticism of Obama is rooted in racism, even if the sin is buried deep in the subconscious. There are some who think that all whites are racist just by virtue of being white, and thus if a white criticizes Obama it's confirmation of the suspicion. To assist our readers in confronting their own inherent racism, no matter how strenuously they deny its existence, we run the following partial list of reliable indicators of this awful and insidious affliction. We thank Peter Kirsanow at National Review Online for coming up with it and refer you to the full list at that site:
- If you think Obama's the most liberal member of the senate you...may be a racist.
- If you object to Obama raising your payroll, capital gains and estate taxes you...may be a racist.
- If you'd prefer a president have at least some foreign policy experience you...may be a racist.
- If you wonder why Obama was hanging around William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn you...may be a racist.
- If your pastor is nothing like Rev. Wright or Father Pfleger you... may be a racist.
- If you don't want the majority of justices on the Supreme Court to be like Stephen Breyer you...may be a racist.
- If you're not impressed with Obama's 100% NARAL rating you...may be a racist.
- If you're not sure whether Obama opposed or supported FISA reauthorization you...may be a racist.
- If you oppose racial preferences in employment, school admissions and contracting you...may be a racist.
- If you think "we are the change we've been waiting for" is a line from a Monty Python skit you...may be a racist.
- If you prefer that a president have a smidgen of executive experience you...may be a racist.
- If you're appalled that Obama voted against treating infants born after an abortion attempt the same medically as other infants born alive you...may be a racist.
- If you were proud of your country even before Obama's candidacy you...may be a racist.
To this list might be added: If you use words like "black hole" or "niggardly" then you're definitely a racist. Re-education and sensitivity training will begin next week. If you don't show up it's because you're racist.
RLC