These days, I have an awfully hard time watching any news or commentary on the television. I mean, sheesh, the country is falling apart and the political class is so unbearably beholden to corporate interests, that it's not as though there is a lot of good news to catch up on. Beyond that there is that stridently patronizing tone that many pundits take. There is no civil dialog. People just talk right over one another. Or the newscaster who is smiling while talking about a tragedy.
Perhaps, though, the most difficult to swallow are the casual comments which reflect underlying bigotry. The comment isn't the topic at hand so it gets glossed over and by by being untended is allowed to stand as acceptable. Only it isn't. Like this comment from Chris Matthews on Wednesday, July 27:
from MSNBC's transcript:
I think—intuitively, I think he‘s in trouble with those people, with regular people in this country—white working class, if you will, regular American people who aren‘t rich don‘t see the president as their hero yet.
It was glossed right over and I was floored. I turned off the TV.
Today, I wrote to MSNBC:
Why is Mr. Matthews allowed to say, "white working class, if you will, the regular Americans"? (Tues, 7/27)
That's a racist construct. All Americans are regular regardless of color. The working class is not made up of just whites.
This country has never been all white. Just because we didn't count slaves or Native Americans as people doesn't mean they didn't exist and comprise a part of our social construct. The idea that "white" is "regular" or the epitome of "American" is highly offensive.
I would like to see an apology for this rhetoric and an effort by Mr. Matthews to inform his audience that this is a flawed way to view the United States.
Thank you.
We all need to jump on these things whenever we see and hear them. I feel that I've been far too lazy about this. It's infuriating to me that this kind of vision of who we are is allowed to stand.
I do think I could write a better letter. This was sent in via their web site and I wrote it in about one minute.. I'd love thoughts on fleshing out something to send in formally.
Will you offer suggestions? Thank you.
UPDATE: Wow. I'm saddened that so many people find this rhetoric acceptable and are willing to deem me as having gone "berzerk" for finding it unacceptable.
5:05 PM PT: Note: I never say here that Matthews is racist. Everybody is so busy being concerned about me accusing him of racist that you're missing my point. The construct he's using is racist. He may not be racist. But that construct of "white" equals "regular" and saying that New Hampshire is "the state most like America" when it's 93.9% white, is a racist way to view our population. Even if he doesn't intend it, it is.