Monday, October 20, 2008

"Casual racism" in New Albany: Frozen in the tail lights of history, or capable of learning and growing?

On Saturday, in an article about the unexpected relevance of the presidential election in Indiana, the Chicago Tribune revealed that a small business owner in New Albany confided to the newspaper’s visiting reporter a firm, “culturally conservative” intention to vote for John McCain.

Why would this registered Democrat vote for McCain rather than his own party's nominee, Barack Obama?

“Mainly because he's not black.”

Naturally, several of us took the time on Sunday to express our aversion to this sentiment, among them our own Bluegill, whose comments on a Chicagoland blog prompted a record number of weekend visits and page views at NAC.

" ... While the local embarrassment is undeniable, Mr. Ward DOES NOT represent New Albany."

New Albany's famous! We're a disaster area! Instead of Joe the Plumber, we have David the Racist!

I spent much time on Sunday thinking about this most recent manifestation of my city's enduringly antebellum worldview, and in the end, what continues to strike me about the antique (dealer) David Ward’s statement is the matter-of-fact nonchalance with which he offered it. Might the very casualness of the sentiment be the key to why decent, intelligent New Albanians (outnumbered or otherwise) must speak as one against it?

Accordingly, last evening I found this explanation of what I'd been ineffectually groping toward.

Casual Expressions of Racism (at the Booman Tribune blog)

It must be an intoxicating and fearful time to be a black political junkie. I assume this because it appears that Barack Obama is poised to become the next president of the United States, but, at the same time, a political junkie is forced to confront one racist attack after another. Try to read an article about Obama's efforts to
win Indiana, and you get subjected to this:

For others, like David Ward, who runs an antique shop with his wife in New Albany, the issue is race. Ward, a registered Democrat, said he will vote for McCain "mainly because he's not black."

Blam!! Out of nowhere, it's like a sock to the stomach. Try to read
Sean Quinn's account of his travels in Western Pennsylvania, and you get this:

So a canvasser goes to a woman's door in Washington, Pennsylvania. Knocks. Woman answers. Knocker asks who she's planning to vote for. She isn't sure, has to ask her husband who she's voting for. Husband is off in another room watching some game. Canvasser hears him yell back, "We're votin' for the n***er!" Woman turns back to canvasser, and says brightly and matter of factly: "We're voting for the n***er."

Perhaps this also is the key to understanding why the GOP’s grudging rejection of overt, racist violence at its rallies rings false and disingenuous. It’s remarkably simple for people who view themselves as upstanding, ordinary folk to denounce the racist violence one can see, while tacitly condoning the unchallenged, everyday prejudice that undoubtedly motivates the overtly violent expressions uttered in the relative safety of a crowd.

But make no mistake: Both are repugnant. One reader comment at the Booman Tribune eloquently addresses the prevailing attitude hereabouts in our fabled "heartland." Bold text emphasis is mine.

Re: Casual Expressions of Racism

This is how I feel. I figured out in High School that racism was still alive and well in the country, no matter how many folks kept trying to tell me otherwise. It's pretty damn blatant in most of the "Heartland" once you put yourself in a mindset where you're willing to acknowledge it.

In fact, here in the "heartland" the only folks I know who deny that racism is an issue anymore are all young white conservatives. Those guys are the ones who I see having a traumatic eye-opening experience as they are beginning to realize the underbelly of the party that they never "signed up for".

Maybe it's different on the coasts, but at least in my experience midwestern liberals don't have many delusions about racism being a non-issue in this country. And most of us were expecting this to happen when Obama announced he was running.

A heavily indebted friend of mine once concluded that it he didn’t take the bills out of his mailbox, he wouldn’t be responsible for paying them. He eventually learned that it isn't true, and I'd suggest that the same phenomenon applies to lives unexamined.

As Bluegill recently reminded one youthful conservative reader recently, the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia would be a fine place to start expanding one's horizons about the lingering legacy of the stain of racism on the American social fabric.

Such research into first causes may irrevocably damage a few all too rosy preconceived notions, something the entire city of New Albany might seek to accomplish, too, and that's why the truly instructive part comes now.

Bloggers have taken the lead on a weekend when others are closed. Will New Albany's elected officials, its political leaders, its civic organizations and business community, and it's citizenry respond constructively to what amounts as shame and embarrassment on a national scale, and not just denounce the idiocy of racism and the idiots who perpetuate it, but conduct the life of the city in such a manner as to kill racism at the roots?

Or, do we do what we've always done, and sweep it under an already overcrowded rug?

Will there ever be progress in New Albany if we don't at least try to erase this stain?

16 comments:

Iamhoosier said...

I went to the office of my long time co-worker and friend. Told him how "proud" I was to be from New Albany. Explained what I was referring to. His very first remark?

"Why did they publish that?"

Daniel Short said...

There is no room for an "us versus them" debate when it comes to race realtions. This paper deliberately inserted two remarks out of the many that it took to make this city look like a far off, racist place. Northeast papers have been doing it to the state of Kentucky for decades. It makes residents of Chicago feel better to know they are intellectually superior to the bad teeth, no shoe wearin' people on New Albany. For every racist in New Albany, I can quote a thousand that aren't. The paper accomplished what it set out to do with those quotes.

The New Albanian said...

BTW, nice to chat face to face the other night, Daniel.

I also appreciate you comment yesterday: "Racism is always wrong."

R

Daniel Short said...

It was great to finally meet you also. The walls didn't cave in when a conservative entered, so we should do it again sometime.

casualobsever said...

Racism will always be around in some fashion and is always wrong.

But their are as many or more black voters voting for Obama "just because he's black".

This also has racist intent. Many of these people know nothing of the platforms or their positions and voting purely on race.

The New Albanian said...

Always wrong -- yes.

Damned near always a qualifying "but" -- uh huh.

Jeff Gillenwater said...

As much as I appreciate Daniel's very accurate suggestion that we're not all racists and shouldn't be defined as such, blaming the Chicago Tribune doesn't make New Albany any more or less racist.

In fact, I highly doubt that it took long to find a willing dupe if, in fact, that was the reporter's only intent (which I personally don't believe given the accuracy with which other aspects of the story were written).

Unfortunately, those dupes don't make us unique. As the New Albanian pointed out in the original post, our response to them could.

As regrettable as it is, the overarching problem isn't that a particular person in New Albany is racist. It's that a Main Street business owner, someone you'd think, even if racist, would be able to muster some kind of diplomacy out of concern for his business if nothing else, felt comfortable enough in his environment - our environment - to proclaim his racism to a national audience with little fear of negative consequence.

That comfort level, whether representative of a majority or minority, deserves attention.

It's disappointing, then, that we get:

But their are as many or more black voters voting for Obama "just because he's black".

Really?

According to the Census Bureau, African-Americans represented only 12% of the country's voting-age population in 2006.

If every single of-age African-American registered and voted purely along racial guidelines, it's questionable whether they'd even come close to the number of white voters who participate with racial prejudice as a major concern.

For better or worse, the Tribune article provides us with both a mirror and a view from outside our immediate region.

So far, we have "blame the newspaper" and "blacks are just as bad if not worse", both of which point the finger elsewhere, missing the point of self-examination encouraged by the New Albanian's post.

I'm guessing Mr. Ward is no less comfortable today than he was when he gave the interview.

What can we do, within reason, to change that?

Iamhoosier said...

Thank, bluegill, for getting my point. My friend is so closed minded, that he could not see that his own reaction was questionable. His first thought, was that the paper had made a McCain supporter look bad.

That's why, even though I love him like a brother, I cannot discuss politics and religion with him.

The New Albanian said...

For one thing, it remains acceptable for Mr. Ward to make such casual utterances because of the fatal "but" attached to the rationalizations of his brethren.

Of course racism is bad ... but ... gee, what can we do?

Of course people at political rallies shouldn't scream violent threats ... but ... well, after all, they're angry (nudge nudge, wink wink).

B.W. Smith said...

[The problem is that he] felt comfortable enough in his environment - our environment - to proclaim his racism to a national audience with little fear of negative consequence.


Nailed it.

jon faith said...

Roger noted a desire to "conduct the life of the city in such a manner as to kill racism at the roots?"

Not being glib, but what would that entail?

The New Albanian said...

Oops ... forgot the part about the re-education camps.

Just joking.

Iamhoosier said...

Roger,

Re-education? Does not that imply education in the first place?

Jake said...

I don't think this story is going to do much damage. My medical school professors already joke about how anyone from Floyd County could have made it to medical school. One professor joked about the rash a patient (from southern Indiana) got from burning his trash. Another professor joked about higher than average foot disease in Southern Indiana because "they" don't wear shoes. I live in Indianapolis and you'll have to take my word that Floyd County and basically every county south of Indy gets a bad wrap.

That being said, it is right to speak out against racism anytime you believe it to be an issue. I agree with NewAlbanian when he said that the racism doesn't make us unique but that our reaction could. I think you have done well and while the effect probably won't travel as far as the stereotype already has, we should still do right things because they are the right things.

I speak up for my brethren from the south every chance I get. I am fighting to be rid of the stereotype of toothless, uneducated, "I already showered this week" hillbillies. Hopefully you all are doing the same thing for all of the fine Louisvillians that the regionists (people who prejudge geographically, sorry if they already have a name) see only as Kentuckians.

edward parish said...

Dear casualobsever,
I have a brother-in-law who is African American and is not voting for Sen. Obama. My brother-in-law happens to also be a retired General in the Air Force. His views are not one of race and shame YOU for making such a racist statement. His views are more of what he feels and views as the best for our country and the military of which he has served for some thirty years. How can you make such a statement? Is it the same that I would vote for Sen. McCain just because he is white? You missed it sir.

Thanks to NAC for opening up such a subject that is danced around in this community. Please open you hearts and let us not view or judge either one of these candidates by the color of their skin.

Clark County Indiana Democrats said...

Donkey Girl sent out a call to the Clark County Dems about this racist remark asking them to let this guy know their thoughts and feelings. A number called or wrote this nasty old crank and he definitely wasn't misquoted. He was not the least bit repentant, as a matter of fact. I think the best we can do is shine the light on the roach-like racists and watch them run for the dark places...that or squash them. Either way- it is time for them to go!
Donkey Hussein Girl