White Liberal Blackface (Part 10 in a 138-Part Series)

Paging ebogjonson, paging ebogjonson, logic-flow decision-support is urgently needed over at Whiskey Bar...

Oops, too late.

Add Billmon to the ever-growing roster of white liberal bloggers who think blackface is a witty way to mock another man's testicular fortitude. As Sunrunner observes, blackface is almost never applied to women because its essential objective is to feminize men:

Said plainly, like Orientalism, Blackface is a mirror image of what is considered to be inferior and alien (”Other”) to the European “ideal” of heroic manhood. It is a way of calling an xy (it can’t be an accident that the blackfacing of women never seems to have caught on) a “wimp” or a “girlyman.”

Even more to the point and easier to understand than ebonjonson's flowchart, here's Prometheus 6's advice:

When you want to use race metaphors, put down the Photoshop icon and back slowly away from the program.

It's stunning to see how ostensibly-educated white liberals can be so incredibly ignorant when it comes to the Great American Institution of Racism, which forms perhaps the most central narrative in our national history. Chalk it up to the bedrock pathology of white supremacy, which short-circuits progressive mechanisms of the intellect in favor of the white man's proud inheritance of virtuous superiority as soon as the lizard-brain kicks in with a groin-burning desire to emasculate some dude who just rubs you the wrong way. In the blogosphere, that emasculation remains thankfully metaphorical, but it's just a few lizard-brain-pulses away from the good ol' days when white folks hungrily mutilated the genitals of black men hanging from trees.

Billmon's jocund humor is especially rich in the wake of the Harold Ford attack ad and indeed an entire election season of Democratic Party chest-thumping on the merits of their anti-racist acumen. See, white liberals can sniff out the racist thread in "macaca", in blonde-black flirtation, and in all manner of right-wing code language; but not in blackface.

Obviously the point Billmon was trying to make is that Wolf Blitzer is a slobbering sycophant to power who was moronically taken aback by Lynne Cheney's confrontational interview. What's revealing is that the only institution Billmon could think of to adequately express his contempt for Blitzer's behavior was minstrelsy, slavery, violent white supremacy. No other avenue of attack heaped enough derision on the target. No other American institution packs the same punch. And when white liberals want to pack a punch, white liberals go blackface.

UPDATE (2006-10-30 22:14EST): Billmon has responded. Being a crafty writer, he has chosen not to directly follow "How To Suppress Discussions Of Racism (In 6 Easy Steps!)".

Billmon essentially argues that his critics are either right-wing hypocrites (true enough) or white liberals who wear their political correctness like a fashion accessory (probably quite true); but he somehows fails to address the voices of actual people of color, whose experiences and perspectives inform their (our) responses. Here's how he sums it up:

But I have to ask: Which is the greater failing -- ignoring the racism that goes on every second of every minute of every hour in this country, or telling a minstrel joke?

And if it's the former, how many of my critics are really in a position to pass judgment on me?

But you see, we people of color can hardly ignore "the racism that goes on every second of every minute of every hour in this country" because we live it. For example, when we raise our voices to point out something racist and get dismissed as being less deserving of a response than obvious right-wing hypocrites.

I wonder if Billmon still remembers writing these words in August 2003 (which came to my attention via Prometheus 6):

I have an unpleasant confession to make. I am a Southerner. Born in the south of southern parents, with Confederate veterans and slaveowners on both sides of the family tree. For all I know, there may even be a few Klansman hanging in the lower branches as well -- by their necks, I hope.

I'm also, in some deep subterranean sense, a racist -- for one cannot grow up in the world of my childhood and not be marked by its imprint. Believe me, I know: I've spent my entire life trying to get away from it.

Intellectually, I believe in racial justice as feverently as I believe in anything. I would rather have my tongue cut out than utter a racist thought, much less a slur or insult. I support just about every item on the traditional civil rights agenda -- affirmative action, the Voting Rights Act, you name it -- even though I'm not entirely comfortable with race-based solutions. As a privileged white American, I don't think I have the right to tell black Americans the playing field is level enough, especially when I know that it isn't.

I'm even open to conservative solutions, such as tuition vouchers, that are popular with black parents -- though I disagree with them philosophically. Again, I don't think I have the right to tell someone who lives in the ghetto what's right for their children.

But that's just politics. On a personal level, I know there is still a deep divide between me and anyone who happens to have a dark skin.

Ain't that the truth.

UPDATE 2 (2006-11-01 06:47EST): I'm happy to report that ebogjonson has responded to my page (at the top of this post) with a piece more eloquent, level-headed, and encompassing than anything I've been able to produce on this matter:

Billmon's self-professed intent and racial virtue are largely irrelevant here, as the simple fact is that blackface and minstrels and house negroes are dangerously wild and crafty memes that have been laughing at intent and virtue for over 140 years. Anyone who has been paying the slightest attention to race in America knows that these are the sort of images that tend to slip out of a user's grasp almost immediately, so deliberately handling them constitutes a form of willful recklessness. It's not exactly like shouting "fire!" in a crowded theater, but it is kind of like pissing off an overpass in hopes of tinkling on some or another passing motorcade. If I'm driving home at the same time and you get that shit on me, I don't care who your target was or what they did, I'm doubling back to give your stupid, adolescent ass a piece of my mind.

[ Read it all ]

Comments

[Nanette]

Jeebus. Not again. What is wrong with these people?

[Nanette]

I left a comment at Moon of Alabama, which is apparently a Billmon mirror type blog (they leave comments there on his posts at his own blog... am not sure he has anything to do with it tho).

I put a link to this post and also ebogjonsons... man, I bet he never thought that spreadsheet would be getting such a workout.

[Sunrunner]

Hi Kai, I had a feeling it would be only a matter of hours before you weighed in on this.

As Liza at Culture Kitchen so aptly pointed out, Jane Hamsher is an idiot. But I don't have a clue what Billmon's excuse is.

I am going to follow the link Nanette uncovered and rub his nose in a little Edward Said 101.

[Kai]

Nanette: That's exactly what I thought when I saw Billmon's post: Not again. I remember when I first saw Blackface Joe, I was so lost that at first that I reloaded the page a couple times and walked around the room to make sure my eyes and head were on straight. I don't know if it's a good sign that my confusion cycle is shortening and these days I'm accepting more quickly that white liberals actually post these vile things. *sigh*

Sunrunner: I've been reading Billmon for years and I did not expect this. I don't know what to say, except here we go again. I guess we'll see how this one plays out. Silly, silly liberals.

Peace.

[Nezua Limón Xolagrafik-Jonez]

I think he wanted to be the One Who Could Do It Right or something. Or maybe show he independent he is. Beholden to NO STIFLING FROM PC FUCKERS! I still love his analysis and humor in general. He's one of the few "big" blogs I blogroll. But I just feel, as I said at Wampum, I think—unexpectedly disappointed in him. I really thought he was smarter. He now offers us a limp "Well, there's worse people than me," post but he always seems to be cutting edge awareness, not excusey-lucy lazy. It's a post he wouldn't accept from another blogger in the way of a mea culpa, or a fucka you-a or whatever it's supposed to be.

But surprise! Billmon ain't pefect. Big deal, really. We all have blind spots.

Your writeup is excellent holmes.

[Hanna]

Thanks for posting this, Kai.

When I saw the picture at the bottom of the post, I cringed. What Billmon did was wrong. I remember having arguments with him long ago when he accepted comments, not about this of course.

The title of your post saddens me, because I know we'll hit that 138 number and be no more aware of what the fuck is wrong with us than we were when we were at number ten. So, we'll have to have a sequel, 138 through 362. And on and on.

I won't defend the indefensible. Billmon brought nothing (new) to the table with that picture.

I will say that he did make one of the best posts I've read about his (and all Americans and British) complicity in the ongoing genocidal colonialism in Iraq and if I may I would like to provide a link to it.

http://billmon.org/archives/002843.html

The post, I think, helps to explain a little bit more about why white liberals act the way we do, why we steadily refuse to get it. Because to get it, to really get it, means to sacrifice our priviliges. I'm not asking for sympathy from anyone, cause it doesn't deserve anyone's sympathy.

What it may mean, though, is that within every white person there is probably the key to being able to work and live and play and love and share with people of color. If only we have the courage. Which Billmon has aleady admitted not having.

Some would say that admitting one has a problem is the first step to curing ourselves. I'm not asking anyone to cut Billmon any slack because of it. He deserves none.

I'm make mistakes all the time. I've left a long line of destroyed friendships with people of color in my wake. I'm not judging you, Billmon. I'm just sharing that we've been in the same place before. Together, we can help heal each other.

Thank you again, Kai and to everyone who is at the forefront of these issues. If we ever find a way to live together in peace, it will be because of your steady leadership.

Love,

Hanna

[MB Williams]

I just want to know - can't someone who does this simply say, "Damn, I screwed up. I'm sorry"? Billmon, like other popular bloggers, has a posse, and now I've got them hanging out in my comments section, informing me I'm either humorless, an advocate of censorship, or white (?!?!) Of course, I've also got Kai (and other good folk) there, doing some serious deconstruction. Thanks.

It's 3:30 in the morning, and I'm up, mulling over these events. Damn, I was feeling so warm and fuzzy about running the Koufaxes; this kind of takes the shine off.

[Sunrunner]

Well, at least he is grappling with it. I am still scratching my head about the fact that he is more offended at being called a liberal than a racist. Obviously, he could give a rat's ass if a facist calls him a racist (and let's be clear, the wingnuts who call him this are that). But if they call him a liberal, they don't take him seriously? THAT bothers him? (pssst...Billmon, let them think you are a liberal! Its not them who you need to "speak" to)

If I were him, I would be more bothered if other liberals thought I was a liberal. That they thought I was like them.

But I guess I am showing my age, because I am old enough to remember that it was not conservatives who made liberal a perjorative term (back then, they called everyone who was against them pinko commies), it was radicals and progressives.

Neither of which "group" would've let an image of Joe Lieberman or Wolf Blitzer portrayed as a minstrel "stand."

[Kai]

MB: Can I just say that I honestly hope my blog never ever gets high-profile enough to attract a posse like that? I tried to lend a hand swatting flies. ;-) In my last comment over there, I broke down my position to a simple impersonal paragraph:

Blackface is the n-word in pictorial form. If you wouldn't casually throw around the n-word in public, you shouldn't throw around blackface on the internets either. It's that simple.

Sunrunner: I was also a bit baffled by Billmon's respective reactions to being labeled "a racist" and "a liberal". Maybe the former is so laughable an accusation that it simply doesn't bond with his psyche, while the latter gets under his skin because he sees himself as something of a fallen socialist who has gotten uncomfortably close to those mushy liberals he has always held in contempt.

[Daniel]

If we're going to have better conversations about race, it would help if we had better words for the discussion. "Racism" and "racist" now cover everything from white supremacy to social awkwardness in mixed "race" conversations.

How many words and phrases do we have to convey the sliding scales of stupidity? And we need every one of them, too. For instance, blackface jokes by white people have to fall under the specific category "mother-fucking-blind-ass moronic."

But "racist" is such an all-or-nothing word today that I think it practically assures an overly defensive reaction. I'm not proposing any solutions though, because I'm just too exhausted to think of any today.

[Kai]

Daniel: You're right that the word "racist" is loaded and "practically assures an overly defensive reaction". And that's exactly why blackface is loaded and practically assures an overly defensive reaction.

[belledame222]

omfg. just seeing the actual site now. "oh lawdy, massa?"! jaysus. whadda maroon. seriously, it's not just offensive, it's -weak.- yeah, we KNOW what you're trying to say; it just. isn't. funny.

seriously, wasn't there a bit in ebogjohnson's 'chart about "are you funny?" 'course, Billmon's white excuse me-NOT-liberal, so he wouldn't have made it that far anyway, but still. Lenny Bruce, he's not, you know?

[belledame222]

>I think he wanted to be the One Who Could Do It Right or something. Or maybe show he independent he is. Beholden to NO STIFLING FROM PC FUCKERS!>

yah, i think you're probably right. which frankly leaves me less impressed than ever. Look, you stupid arrogant fucks: it's bad enough that you've apparently internalized the right-wing message that "apologies are a sign of weakness!!", now you, what, just -have- to turn around and put the beans up your nose, just to show NO ONE CAN TELL YOU WHAT TO DO. what are you, four? for fuck's sake.

i'd never read him before, of course, which makes this much easier for me. Hi, Billmon! Nice to meet you! According to some other people you've written some good shit in the past; pity my first impression of you is this, innit? I meant pity for me, obviously; clearly you are above such concerns.

[Kai]

belledame222,

No, that shit really isn't funny, is it? And I'm the type who likes to laugh at even quasi-funny semi-lame groaner jokes, just because I like to laugh. What's amazing is that so many white liberals (in comments around the blogosphere) find blackface hilarious, witty, on-the-money. Racist imagery just tickles them silly.

And you know, Billmon is a liberal, despite his elaborately-rationalized protestations. His world-weary and disempowering resignation to the status quo, his paternalistic "sympathy" (read: pity) for Third World grassroots democratic movements, his Democratic Party pragmatism; these make him a liberal, even if he read Marx and visited the USSR in the wild misguided days of his youth.

Anyway, good to see you round here as always. Take care.

[belledame222]

-pity?!- great. that and a buck fifty.

>But I have to ask: Which is the greater failing -- ignoring the racism that goes on every second of every minute of every hour in this country, or telling a minstrel joke?>

Is Mr. Cleverpants familiar with the term "false dichotomy?"