That's a bit suspect.

A few online conservatives like to use the word "raaaaacist!" in an ironic way, to imply that everyone who points out their racism is wrong, just some nattering nabob seeing racism where clearly none exists.  This seems to be one of the questions that haunts the modern wingnut -- why do people keep calling me a racist when i'm clearly not?  The only way i could possibly be a racist is if i actively supported laws or regulations that called for racial segregation, or for people to be treated differently in some way based on race -- no American politician today is proposing such, erego, i cannot be a racist, and neither can anyone else.  The problem of racism is solved forever as far as i am concerned!

That's one way of looking at it.

But if you think racism is over, ask around.  Ask some people who aren't white and conservative.  They might point out a few things that you may have missed...

...like when a conservative radio talk show host rants and raves against Tiger Woods, calling him a "scumbag" and a "lowlife" because the man cheated on his wife.  He cheated on his wife, so the man is scum, a rotter with no hope of redemption.  He shouldn't even be allowed to play a game that involves hitting a ball with a stick, he's clearly disqualified himself through his odious behavior.

...but Newt Gingrich?  Well, you know, the Lord teaches us to forgive.  We're all only human, guys. That's just Newt's personal business and so who are we to pry?  It wouldn't affect his job performance.  Heck, when you really think about it, i mean, Newt's a powerful man, and don't we expect out beloved and powerful men to be, well, powerful?  In that regard?  The fact that Newt's balls put out enough juice to make him want to cheat, gosh, i respect that and you should too.  What, do you want your leaders to be eunuchs or something?

That's a bit suspect.

...or when conservatives post pics of Trayvon Martin wearing a grille and saggy pants, flashing gangsta tattoos, and presenting it as some sort of "smoking gun."  See!  Photographic evidence that this kid was up to no good, he's a gangsta!

Now, if it was a white kid with long hair and a Slipknot t-shirt, that would be different.  The kid's just going through a phase, harmless teenage rebellion and all that, nothing to worry about.  Being a metal fan is nothing to be scared of, not like being a fan of rap music.  Liking noisy metal is a phase, but liking rap is a lifelong choice to embrace criminality!

That's a bit suspect.

...or when conservatives scream, over and over, that any hint of impropriety by organizations such as ACORN is proof positive that Democrats are rigging elections.  If some random poll worker tries to turn in phony registrations for Mickey Mouse and Bart Simpson that are tossed in the trash, the simple fact that they tried to defraud the system is all the proof you need to say that Obama "stole" the election.

...but when a high-ranking Republican official admits, candidly, that yes, they were specifically trying to limit the number of black people voting in Florida, because they're afraid that they weren't going to be voting for Mitt Romney... nah, that's meaningless.  That's just one bad apple and you can't let him spoil the bunch.

That's a bit suspect.

...or when libertarians of the Rand Paul variety must philosophically that the Civil Rights Act ought to be repealed because it's a stain on the American ideal of pure freedom.  Freedom, freedom is what we want in every case regardless of outcome.  Sure, we'd think it was awful if a business owner decided that he wanted to ban black people from his restaurant, or make them wait longer than white folk, but that minor hassle is just the price we'd pay for freedom, beautiful sexy freedom.

...but then they'll show some strange hesitation when it comes to pot smokers, women who want abortions, people who want to sleep around, and those who want to marry someone of the same sex.  Wait!  You're not free to do everything.  Then out comes the fire-and-brimstone preacher, and we hear that humans are naturally fallen and sinful, vicious animals given to vice and violence, in need of some central authority to lift them out of the muck and force them upright.   And thus we need rules, and standards, and the eyes of the community watching us all, to force us to act in the interests of that community.  Freedom?  Why, that's just another word for anarchy if you ask me.

So yes, when it comes to racial discrimination, just let the chips fall where they may.  We're willing to live with the consequences.

But nah, when it comes to everything else?  We can't just let people do whatever they want, the consequences are just too severe to risk.

That's a bit suspect.  Just a bit.

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