Ethics

When Racists Feel Comfortable Being Racist

By Ed Brayton

Ugh. I'm still fuming about this. I host a poker game on Thursday nights and last night one of the regular players invited a new guy to the game that no one else knew. In the middle of the game, someone brought up politics (not me; I don't talk politics with most of that crew, I just play poker with them). And this new guy blurts out, "I can't believe no one has taken a shot at Obama. Can you imagine if they elect a fucking nigger as president?"

I was absolutely stunned. I told him to get the hell out of my house, he wasn't welcome here. And then I got the typical answer: "Oh, I didn't mean...." Bullshit. Yes you did. You just didn't know it wasn't safe to be a racist around me. Now get the hell out of my house. This is not the first time this has happened in my life.

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on March 28, 2008 (boomark / email).