Jezebel 
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New York, 2:16 PM
Tue Dec 22
61 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/30/09
12/01/09
EDIT: Oops, just clicked all discussions and noticed five commenters already gave this reply to JDRegents "rhetorical comment." Damn two-tier system.
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I read WWII books all the time, and the more I read from the German perspective, the more it freaks me out. Hitler believed Prussians were elitist, with their fancy military schools, and their fancy accents. Bavarians were the real Germans, who lived close to the land, didn't have fancy educations, and talked like real people talk. I'm pretty sure Palin isn't the next Hitler, but she has some of his talking points down pat.
12/01/09
11/30/09
12/01/09
I was raised by my white grandparents in a small suburb of a Rust Belt city. They are in their early 70's and shoot off forwards to me containing links to YouTube videos of various TeaParty idiots dressed in "Founding Father" costumes. My grandma demands to know where Obama's birth certificate is, and my grandpa works himself into an apoplectic rage every time his tax dollars go to any sort of social program, despite the fact that he has a brother and a daughter who owe their lives to disability and medicaid/medicare(?) benefits.
My grandma does complain that America is no longer great, and reminisces about how simple things were in the 50's. When I asked her about segregated schools though, her reply is: "well, we live up North, and that was in the South, so that wasn't really our problem, it didn't really involve me." Of course, it was up north too, and my newlywed grandparents fled to the 'burbs as it was happening. And when I mentioned seeing Gloria Steinem on Oprah, interested to hear my Grandma's impressions of the earlier feminist movement she told me "Gloria Steinem was unattractive, and ugly people say ugly and vulgar things."
So, I think perhaps you are being too charitable and maybe even paternalistic regarding at least the senior citizens who listen to Limbaugh, and consider themselves the "real Americans." Anna was right, populism among "salt of the earth" -- (my grandma's words) folks, and "fear of change" has been used by some of these older, whiter people before.
P.S. My response wasn't really long because I was ranty at you, but rather at my grandparents. I occasionally use Jezebel as free therapy. Sorry.
11/30/09
I can't believe I'm defending her in any way (way to go, Dad...what an asshole) but why is it unacceptable for white people to feel alienated among people of another race, culture, educational, or class group, but it's okay for non-whites who write about how alienated they feel in a predominately white school, town, etc?
That said, I hate her and she makes me sick, and what she represents makes me sick.
11/30/09
However, if a minority feels uncomfortable in a white-dominated environment, it can be because their lack of privilege is all-too apparent in such situations. They may feel the subtle ways racism plays out in situations that aren't overtly racist -- being a token or a curiosity or a stand-in for their whole race.
My family loves going to Hawaii because we are mixed-race and no one ever questions us about it there.
11/30/09
And the discomfort of an individual white person doesn't count because it's a deserved experience for unearned privilege? What happened to, two wrongs don't make a right?
I think it's stupid that non-white authors (hell, didn't Obama write something to the same effect?) can write openly about the discomfort of being with a group of a different race....because automatically it implies those people think differently, or see you as a "token." Why is it less sympathetic when a white person feels similarly unwelcome (or at least, conspicuous), even a dumbass like Sarah Palin?
11/30/09
There is a difference in how situations can be perceived, however. You can't look at the two situations as being opposite sides of the same coin -- the way our society has historically been structured makes them two separate coins entirely. (White people's discomfort about being around minorities was responsible for tangible policies -- like enforced segregation and discriminatory laws -- while minorities' discomfort about being around white people is responsible for, what? A chapter in someone's memoir?) It doesn't seem fair to me, either, but there are disadvantages that come with being in a privileged class. You know how we say that the patriarchy hurts men, too? It's the same with racial power structures.
Everyone -- white or otherwise -- needs to ask what's behind their discomfort with other races and figure out if it's the specific situation or deeper set issues that have little to do with he actual people they're around.
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11/30/09
I dream of a Bill & Ted type scenario where Roosevelt returns and slaps Palin across the face with one of his many stuffed "hunts". Oh and it would be awesome if RFK could return as well and smack around Libeman. Ahh dreams.
11/30/09
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11/30/09
Governor Palin, what are your activities?
"I know nothing."
[en.wikipedia.org]
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11/30/09
Nonsense. Clearly you don't understand real America.
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Oh Nebraska, where the cows comes swimmin'' down the plains
through the wavin' wheat, they don't smell sweet
As all downwind quickly retreat.
11/30/09
11/30/09
That's what makes someone like Palin yelling 'elitest' about everything so hypocritical, untrue, enraging, etc. It's a buzzword devoid of meaning. You might as well be yelling 'human' as an accusatory term.