How Privilege is a bias in Political Discourse

I’ve been debating about what to say, how to say and whether or not to say what I think of all of this RNC, McCain-Palin, and Conservatism vs. Liberalism stuff. And the more and more I try to pack it away, it keeps getting in my craw. It’s bothering me because it is ultimate theatre of Privilege afforded by race and class as I have EVER witnessed.

America has some serious double standards. Please read this re-print of a HuffPo on Electronic Village.

It started with Fred Thompson’s speech (yeah, star of the big and small screen) about how much a rule breaker, trouble maker – no “leader of the trouble makers”, and stripper dater John McCain was in his youth. Text and video of speech can be accessed here. And the crowd cheered and roared, with pride and energy. Only in this nation which awards the ultimate privileges to white boys with fathers with supreme rank and authority over many of his classmates’ fathers could these be something to publicly laud. There is no way we could EVER have a similar conversation about Barack or Hillary or John (Edwards) and expect the public to cheer them as proud leaders. Why? Because black folk, women folk, or poor folk must tow the line. When such marginals (e.g. not power-brokers) break the rules, even a little bit, there are huge repercussions to pay. Such behaviors make them a menace, an amount-to-nothing, out-of-control person.

Sarah Palin and her teenage, unwed, in-a-family-way-daughter present more double standards afforded by privilege. They are a sweet, kindly, Caucasian family with some influence and authority, and let’s forget their moral high standing an evangelical Christians. By simply splattering a little explanation of “she’s keeping the baby and the will get married” that makes the moral issue of Fornication go away. I have never heard of anyone commend poor (rural or working class) white girls or girls of color (any color and especially immigrants) for their moral choices to carry their infants to term and love their man with all their hearts. In fact, many of these same girls are referred to as trashy, loose, immoral, fast-ass, dirty blanket-blanks, welfare recipients, baby-mammas. But the great RNC community is behind Ms. Palin and applauds her for her struggle.

The code talk used by the GOP. I was ready to hurl something at the TV set.

Uppity, even Gergen called Westmoreland on this coded crap.

Small town values; Common, everyday Americans. This one really tears me a new one. Like only white folk from small town USA or West VA know what America means.

Country First. What the hell is this? Just a phrase, that actually means nothing. There are no verbs here, that means NO ACTION! If country is first, then why in the hell did the McCains, specifically Cindy, sell ALL of her shares to the very American, very patriotic, Anheuser-Busch Brewing company to InBEV, a Belgian company. She made about $70 million from the American is NOT first deal.

Give me a break.
And it’s time we give the DNC credit for its hard work and achievements
Obama as a community Activist (it is NOT a dirty word, in fact George HW Bush commended community activists and organizations with his 1000 points of light. George W Bush gave away millions to community –ahem – faith based organizations, to help improve our communities) and a statesman with PLENTY of legislative experience.

And love or hate Hillary Clinton, she busted her ass in her effort to run for the White House. I imagine she is more than a little miffed by an anti-feminist female getting all of the credit and glory of being the first best chance of a woman in the white house and she hasn’t paid ANY dues.

I'm pissed for her for this load of crap.

image credit: localpoliticsforum.com/