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Posted on 10/04/2011 10:44:12 AM PDT by Kaslin
Someone told me recently she liked reading my blog but it seemed like everything I wrote about was race. I guess I’m going to live up to that person’s perception today. Admittedly, I write from the perspective of a black woman, so I can’t help notice these type of stories. For the record, the purpose of my blog is to educate people on politics, awaken black liberals to a new way of thinking and encourage people to vote based on issues not party.
I don’t intentionally sit down at the key board each week itching to write about the intersection of politics and race, but it seems there is always a politically racial story staring and at times smacking me in the face. Like today, when the only black Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain said it was "insulting" for Governor Rick Perry and his family to lease a hunting camp in Texas known as “Niggerhead.”
This racist word used to describe blacks is emblazoned on a rock prominently situated at a gated entrance to the camp. The Washington Post broke the story, detailing how the rock has been painted over, turned over but not removed since Perry’s father and later the governor himself began leasing the spot in 1983.
Cain condemned Perry for being associated with such a word, saying on This Week:
"Since Gov. Perry has been going there for years to hunt, I think that it shows a lack of sensitivity for a long time of not taking that word off of that rock and renaming the place. . . .Yes, it was painted over. But how long ago was it painted over? So I'm still saying that it is a sign of insensitivity."
One would think conservatives, including those who call themselves Republicans like me and Tea Party Patriots, would be applauding Cain’s response. After all, many of these same conservatives have said they whole hearted support of Cain as a candidate has nothing to do with the color of his skin but his positions on ALL issues, one would assume they would be supportive of Cain’s position on racial equality and inclusion.
So, you can surmise I was surprised when people on my tweeter stream turned on Cain, blasting him for “using the race card.” Yes, these good PATRIOTS who supported Cain were now defending Perry’s complicit endorsement of the use of the N-word by not removing the ugly rock form the camp site.
One true patriot tweeted: "Turns out Cain is no different than members of Congressional Black Caucus. He should apologize to Governor Perry #tcot #teaparty #Perry2012"
But the tweets below are worse and demonstrate conservative voters need to come to grips with the reality that we live in the 21st century where there is no place for the word nigger in the American discourse nor should it be associated with any presidential candidate who actually wants to win in 2012.
"Herman Cain playing the race card on Rick Perry will end the Cain campaign. And it was totally unnecessary, too. WaPo carrying that water" said one tweet.
"@TheHermanCain Sorry you have turned out to be just another race baiter. Thought we were trying to get rid of that stuff. Thks, but no thks" said another tweet.
"@impoTex @TheHermanCain The GOP cand. should renounce this kind of slanderous reporting. Mr Cain I have lost respect for you, fueling this" another tweet reads.
It truly boggles the mind how some conservatives can support Cain in one breath because he’s got winning solutions then dump their support for him and unfollow him in seconds because he stands up against racial hate. Apparently, talking about race as a conservative candidate is taboo. You can’t mention it PERIOD, even when it’s slapping you in your face.
Does the GOP want to win in 2012 or become known as party of hate? Ask yourself and change that tune, please! This is exactly what the GOP doesn't need right now. It won't endear voters to us in 2012. Excelsior Herman Cain!
I didn’t have a problem with what Cain said.
He called it “insensitive” to visit a place with that name. It was insensitive.
He never called Perry a racist and didn’t play the race card. He has moved on from the issue.
Anyone who speaks publicly about race issues is going to end up stepping in it at some time or other. I prefer to ignore race, whether it’s Obamas or Cains, and focus instead on the “content of the man’s character” and the policies and ideas he puts forth.
Perry and Cain seem to be putting this behind them, the misunderstanding has been cleared up, and the water is under the bridge. Why can't the rest of us?
How did he say it?
That nickname works. Personally, I use “just another cheap-shot race baiter.”
Cain played the race card, and he did it maliciously.
As for your views on “sensitivity”, I see the left lives rent free in your head.
I agree that Cain moved on - that is what drive-by shooters do, after all.
Cain may be better than Obamalini and Mittens, but his character is beginning to appear questionable.
Oh, good grief! Did you even read what Cain said, and in response to what? “cheap-shot race baiter”? Really?
My opinion only, of course.
Not unlike Rick Perry, I suppose, the only candidate with a "heart".
Hey, it's worse than that. One person even told me that Perry should have refused to hunt in a place that might have once had such a name. So hard to change history, though. The darned time machine is always on the fritz, so we never get to go back to the 1800s to make sure everything was politically correct.
Pay attention, people.
Indeed, I did read it. He should have just said he didn’t know enough about the situation to comment, but nope, he pulled out that race card and played it. He was one of the three people I was supporting, now there are just two. It spoke volumes not about his race, but about his character. We already have one race-baiter in the White House, we don’t need another.
At least Herman hasn't visited 57 states yet.
What Cain said was that Rick Perry himself left the saying there on the rock and didn't do anything about it for a while. When prompted that Perry's family painted over the rock, Cain questioned that statement by asking something to the effect of "but, how LONG ago was that?" Granted, I'm paraphrasing what Cain said, but it's very very close to his exact words.
Cain can't spin his way out of insinuating that the Perry family, and Rick Perry personally, left the rock/saying visable for people to see.
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