Amazing. If you had any doubts about the SPLC designating the American Family Association as a "hate group," this ought to dispel them. Their increasingly vile spokesman, Bryan J Fischer, referred to the African American President of the United States as "BOY."
Jesus. Am I the ONLY one who can still hear the word "boy" as meaning "not a man"? How bout we FORGET racism for a sec, and consider the possibility that Obama just isn't qualified for his job (not like anyone IS)? Fischer did not bring "race" into the quoted remark, YOU did. Sure we all know "boy" was used on black men in the past. But continuing to address vague remarks like this as pure racism does nothing but keep racism alive. If the guy's acting like a kid who's not ready for a job, he deserves the title "boy". I don't care if he's white, black, or PURPLE. Get off it.
ReplyDeleteNow, I'll admit, I don't know this guy, and for all I know he's the most bigoted guy in the world. But all I see here is this short remark, and that's what I'm responding to. And since that's all your posting, that's what YOU should be responding to.
Riiight. Look, there are 140 characters in a tweet. If he had wanted to say "child," he had room to say "child." The use of the term "boy" is so obviously loaded with historical racial implications that it's biased on it's face. This is the spokesman for a major national organization. It's his JOB to use language. Therefore, he should be held to the highest standards of criticism.
ReplyDeleteAs for your last observation, the typical argument of apologists is too often to de-contextualize incidents like this. It was not "tweeted" in a vacuum, so to speak. Rather, it is part of a continuing pattern of Mr. Fischer's abusive and bigoted pronouncements.
Anonymous, I spent my adult life teaching primarily African-American students. This Tweet was disrespectful and dismissive. "Boy" was chosen to denigrate and it did. It was racist in intent but carefully phrased to be able to allow you to write exactly what you wrote. By the way, Obama has done an admirable job regarding Libya.
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