Mills75 wrote:Careful, because if you blink, you might miss it. This is how conservatives co-opt progressive language, redefine and twist it to their purposes. A racial slur is an insult meant to degrade on the basis of race, not social or political ideology. Racism is manifested in any expression, on one level or another, of the superiority of one's race. Calling a black person an Uncle Tom or an Oreo is a critique of his or her social and/or political ideology that takes race into account; it is not a degradation of that individual's race, but a harsh criticism of that person's lack of racial awareness. An 'Uncle Tom' is any African American who identifies with the oppressors of African Americans rather than African Americans. The term 'Oreo' carries much the same connotation but also includes a sense of self loathing--the 'Oreo' desires to be less black and more white. The terms 'Uncle Tom' and 'Oreo' are not racial slurs, but accusations of false social consciousness.
Hypocritical of black Democrats to use these terms? Are you serious? The irony here is that most seem to have swallowed this slimy linguistic bait hook, line, and sinker.
Fascinating post, and logically correct, and I absolutely see the point...especially when we have the ultra conservatives trying to claim that they are the progressives on such matters....
However, I feel it misses out something.
I understand to, some extent, (I do not of course claim to understand it fully) the sense of outrage felt by black people re those they believe are selling out...it is something I feel strongly re some women, for instance... (here the "oreo" thing is "coconut".....brown on the outside and white on the inside).
However, I would not use abusive words like "bimbo" for women who "sell out"......I think that is going along with the sexist crap I detest, and kind of becoming part of it, when a woman does something I do not like. I would, if necessary, criticise the BEHAVIOUR (eg if the woman concerned was advocating "bimbo" values for all women, in the public sphere) and pick apart her arguments, but I think the use of such pejoratives continues oppression.
I know the "oreo" and "Uncle Tom" thing is somewhat different, since "bimbo" etc are generally pejoratives used of women by men, while the former terms are used by black people in the US to criticise their own.
Nonetheless, I do think that the use of these pejoratives is demeaning to those using them and to rational argument...and I do wonder if it reflects a lingering of the self hate created by racism???
I knpw the "coconut" thing here is highly controversial, and often becomes a further divider and cause for pain in a black community often deeply divided and sometimes far harder on itself, and more damaging to itself, than outside forces....ie the potentially unifying and empowering political struggle becomes an occasion for abusiveness within the black community...(not that this phenomenon is unique to the anti racist struggle!)
Anyhoo, I still think that such language in public discourse is unacceptable...why not name and dissect the PROBLEM, as has been done here very eloquently, rather than throw this kind of abuse at people?
