The thought that the GOP is still allowed on network television to provide "insight" is simply frightening. After taking a few history courses on modern conservatism, I am concluding that their entire platform is based solely on racism. One of the most provocative books that I would request to have if I was stranded alone for a long period is White Flight: Atlanta and the Making of Modern Conservatism by Kevin M. Kruse. It opened my eyes on the warping of language used by modern conservatives to advance a racist agenda.
During the 1960's, when cities started desegregation, white Americans fled to the suburbs en masse. If one African American moved into an Atlanta neighborhood, within six months the entire neighborhood would pack up and leave, selling their homes. Then they decided to take their tax dollars with them-hence low taxes. It was considered at the time a tax revolt. These whites felt they did not want to fund city projects because the African Americans were somehow infringing on their space, "forcing them out," and causing property values to fall. This is actually a myth, values of these homes now occupied by African Americans went up. But this is why the GOP insists on low or no taxes today.
Another scheme used to maintain segregation, during the 1960's, was school vouchers, private schools, and charter schools. Sound familiar? I always knew these schemes had a racial bias, but I never knew where they came from, until I read Kruse.
According to Kruse, federal intervention with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 caused conservatives and businessmen to demand smaller government, states’ rights, and privacy; phrases that have seeped into our collective discourse because of the lack of specificity. I think it is good to look at the past to find the root meanings of language and actions because I think fewer people would support these issues if they knew exactly where they came from and what they really meant.
Now I pay attention to every word from these people, because they have a tendency in this election to slip a few racially biased or derogatory terms past people, because the language is so obscure you have to really pay attention. It is a consistent practice by the right, twisting language that means one thing, while making it sound palatable. However, many of these phrases are beyond the pale. Duncan Hunter, speaking on behalf of John McCain, had one of the worst on Chris Matthews Hardball.
Matthews: ....all these diversions they've used. The fact that he might be anti-American...this whole thing about socialist. Joe the plumber. What's that got to do with the security issue you say?
Hunter: I think John is wrong in that case. I think he has been tested. He was tested on Iraq. And here was a guy with great teeth, great speaking style, excellent politician and a superb debater, but when it came to the major issues...
Matthews:...we just heard from Congressman Hunter that the winning piece of this man's vocabulary, the winning piece of his resume is that he has a nice smile, he has good teeth. Is that your assessment of Barack Obama, he's the first African American with a real shot to be President of the United States and is 13 points ahead of his Republican rival, that he has good teeth?
Hunter: Also a good debater and very eloquent.
I wondered what the "good teeth" reference meant, I knew it had some meaning due to its absurdity. Reading through the comments on Crooks and Liars, someone remembered "good teeth" was a desired characteristic of slaves and was a segment in the movie Roots. The slave sellerwould often place "has good teeth" in ads.
Duncan decided to clarify his statements as seen in the video, because he knew he said something stupid. Chris did not catch it, but very observant viewers have. This is really disgusting and these people have no shame.
UPDATE
I want to thank translator for pointing out something even deeper about the meaning
It goes much deeper than that, though. The markets were brutal. The "good teeth" thing meant that it would take years before they got sick and died, meaning a monetary loss.
They had other terms for young girls, but I will not even go there. Same idea.
ThanksTranslator It is really sad that this sickness is so deeply engrained.