Racism on the Campaign Trail

Guest Columnist

Racism on the Campaign Trail

by Alex Jung

I don’t envy campaign staffers and door-knockers and other invaders-of-quietness who descend upon the towns of Indiana and Pennsylvania to shill for their respective candidates. I myself was once a lowly, bright-eyed volunteer one frigid weekend in New Hampshire, back when Howard Dean was a candidate, or something. Never mind the grueling task of talking to strangers tete-a-tete, there was the even unhappier job of harassing them via telephone in between bites of cold pizza.

As yesterday’s Washington Post article, “Racist Incidents Give Some Obama Campaigners Pause” perturbed strangers will often say exactly what they think in a mean way. I see how people treat those whale-lovers on the street, and it’s definitely no fun. Such resilient idealism they must have!

So it’s no surprise that campaigning for Obama in exurbia also means experiencing through proxy, “a common racial slur for African Americans.” [Oh Post such clever sidestepping!] Of course, the black staffers get it worse, because it’s like, double the black.

Obama’s response to such racism, is measured and expected: “‘Will there be some folks who probably won’t vote for me because I am black? Of course,’ Obama said, ‘just like there may be somebody who won’t vote for Hillary because she’s a woman or wouldn’t vote for John Edwards because they don’t like his accent.’” You’re right Barack! Accent? Structural racism? Same difference!

Posted at 9:48 AM, May 14, 2008 in Obama | Permalink | View Comments

Comments

While there are plenty of good reasons to support Hillary Clinton, from a racial justice perspective, it really disturbs me that she has yet to make a speech condemning this type of sentiment. I mean, why don't we just repeal the '65 Voting Rights Act while we're at it, if this type of "working-class" voter represents the swing-voting "core?" Why doesn't Clinton show some LEADERSHIP on racial issues by helping to educate some of these "hard-working Americans" her campaign covets so much NOW, as opposed to AFTER the party's nominee is officially decided?

The stories in that Washington Post article reminded me so much of my black and Latino students (in the conservative Central Valley of California) who, when phone banking for a GOP primary candidate, were told by campaign staff to change their "ethnic"-sounding names to "Katie" or "Kristy" or "Bob." The candidate was fairly unknown (and relatively moderate for that area), so the students were consistently queried about his stance on immigration, and berated with anti-Latino immigrant rants.