Harry Reid and the politics of racismud slinging

So, as most everyone knows by now, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., put his foot in his mouth once again. The authors of a new book, "Game Change", quoted him as saying that he believed the nation was ready to elect a "light-skinned" black man "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."

Naturally, in this country that is so steeped in racism and bigotry that an African American could never be elected President...er...ahem.

Let me begin again.

Despite the fact that an African American man was elected to the highest office in the land a little over a year ago, our country is still sodden with the belief that there is blatant or latent racism behind every utterance even remotely related to the subject that issues from the mouth of a White man.

Really? Do people honestly believe that? Or is it just that the charge of racism has become such a favored and convenient weapon?

What exactly was racist about Mr. Reid's comments? Is it racist to refer to President Obama as a light-skinned Black man? Isn't he? Is it racist to refer to a Negro dialect? If so, is it racist because there is nothing recognizably different in the speech of most Black and White Americans? Black folks and White folks will both tell you they can almost always discern the difference over the phone, when they can't see with whom they are speaking. Or is it racist simply because of the word, "Negro?" Mr. Reid is seventy something years old as far as I recall. In his youth, "Negro" was the respectful word to use. Sure, we don't generally use it now, but it can't be a racist term in and of itself, or why does the United Negro College Fund still use it?

Now don't get me wrong. I can't help chuckling a wee bit over Harry Reid being hoisted a while on his own petard. I mean, he's been happy enough to play the racism card when it has suited him to do so, labeling legislation calling for English to be the National language of the United States, "racist", and more recently comparing people who are against the Health Care "reform" bill to historical supporters of slavery.

But on the other hand, I am sick to the very bone marrow with the histrionic displays of false outrage we are subjected to on an almost daily basis on the part of politicos far more intent on attacking rivals, discrediting opponents and amassing power and influence than in doing the work we elect them to do.

Someone on "our side" is attacked, spuriously charged with racism, exposed as a philanderer, or subjected to trumped up ethics charges. People on "their side" sputter with outrage and demand apologies, deem those apologies (once made) as insufficient and demand resignations, investigations and censure. "Our side" sputters in indignant offense, accuses "their side" of playing partisan politics, and resentfully accuse the media of being biased and in on the witch hunt.

But then the positions are reversed, and "our side" justifies behaving just like "their side" did by crying, "double standard" and pointing out all the times "their side" wronged someone on "our side" as justification for wronging someone on "their side" right back.

Sounds like a bunch of little kids in a recess yard, doesn't it? But these are the decision makers, the idiots who form our policies, enact our laws, and above all, spend our money.

Do I wish Harry Reid would resign? Of course I do! I wish to jimminies he'd resign, because he and I are on opposite sides of the political debate about 90 percent of the time!

The question is, should he resign because he made a "racist" comment? I have to ask, is he a racist? I cannot see into the man's heart and soul, but I have absolutely no reason to suspect him of any other form of racism but the soft racism of low expectations that is woven so deeply through so many Democrat-supported policies. Therefore, I can only assume that all he was guilty of was making the politically useful (to his opponents) mistake of saying something politically stupid.

I had a brief fantasy wherein some Personage on "our side", being asked whether or not Senator Reid should be forced to resign because of his unfortunate comment, replies something to the effect of, "Of course not. He obviously didn't intend to be offensive to anyone. I don't think he should be forced to resign anymore than I thought Trent Lott should have been forced to resign. It's time we stopped pointing fingers and playing, "Gotcha!"