You have to wonder how long Juan Williams will last at FoxNews. Today, in a column published in "The Hill", he returns to the underlying premise of his now famous question in a debate to Newt Gingrich.
The language of GOP racial politics is heavy on euphemisms that allow the speaker to deny any responsibility for the racial content of his message. The code words in this game are “entitlement society” — as used by Mitt Romney — and “poor work ethic” and “food stamp president” — as used by Newt Gingrich. .
References to a lack of respect for the “Founding Fathers” and the “Constitution” also make certain ears perk up by demonizing anyone supposedly threatening core “old-fashioned American values.”
The Hill: Racial Code Words Obscure Real Issues
Williams provides similar examples for hispanics/"legal immigrants." He then goes on to point out that sometimes the "code" breaks down and the underlying racism is visible and talks about how Santorum did nothing when faced with an Obama-is-a-muslim statement from a questioner at a rally:
Santorum did not blink. The man who recently said he meant “blah people” — when the world heard him say “black people” — as he spoke about parasitic Americans who get better lives by taking “somebody else’s money,” did not correct the assault on the truth. Instead he agreed that Obama is attacking the Constitution and said: “Well, look, I’m trying my best to get him out of office.”
The Hill: Racial Code Words Obscure Real Issues
And then Williams calls out Gingrich for what he did to Williams' question at the debate:
He used the same rhetorical technique of the segregationist politicians of the past: rejecting the premise of the question, attacking the media and playing to the American people’s resentment of liberal elites, minorities and poor people.
The Hill: Racial Code Words Obscure Real Issues
Yes, it is the same rhetoric and same underlying lies about African Americans. They dress it up a little, but it's still that old time racism. AND ROMNEY IS AS GUILTY AS GINGRICH. Just like George Bush I, the Yankee elites know how to use racism just like any southerner to get votes. Romney uses racist coded messages and I am glad Williams calls him out on this.
And Williams spoke a truth that can never be told on FoxNews:
Just last week, the Labor Department reported that while the national unemployment rate fell slightly, black unemployment rose again from 15.5 percent to 15.8 percent and from 39.6 percent to 42.1 percent among young black people. The same report showed 11 percent of Hispanics are unemployed.
The problem is not a lack of work ethic on the part of the poor, who are disproportionately minorities. The problem is there are few good jobs for blue-collar people with the best work ethic.
The Hill: Racial Code Words Obscure Real Issues
There are a couple ways to look at this. Williams has provided cover for the right wingers in the past, validating FoxNews by appearing on the shows and then running to them after his own anti-muslim statements blew up in his own face.
Nonetheless, I try not to hold grudges. Juan Williams is courageously telling the truth about Republican racism here. He should be commended for this article.
I don't see how he can last on FoxNews after telling the truth. But they'll have to pay him. :-) He has a contract.