Let's put the blame on who is responsible for all this racism-Ronald Reagan

[wilt the stilt]

The scumbag who started it all. Can we say Philadelphia, MS and welfare queens.

[Trajan]

1. So racism didn't exist until Ronald Reagan was born?

I dislike the guy too, but it's a bit too simplistic to say he started all this meanness ... exacerbated?, yes ...

[wilt the stilt]

3. We were tryig to heal america

and he came in and stirred the pot and made racism acceptable again.

[Iris]

6. I agree. It was definitely alive and kicking but his welfare queen myth will not die

and it's ALWAYS the excuse now for racists to treat or defend treating black people like they are children or, worse, not even human.

[jwirr]

13. Raygun made blatant racism popular and then hate mongers like rush limbaugh finished the job.

One of the things that the 60s & 70s accomplished was to shut down this kind of hate talk for the most part and then along comes the 80s. Prior to the 60s there was racism but I don't think it has ever been so open and accepted as common speech. Maybe in some places but not where I grew up.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

38. I was a teen during the 60s

Even in the late 60s it was awful, grotesque. I was a senior at Savannah High, Georgia in 1967. The high school's star quarterback Larry Barkley dropped dead in the locker room after a game due to a heart defect. He was the team captain. My mom and I went to the funeral. Along with a couple of white team members, we were the only white people at his funeral, among hundreds of black people at the church. Although there was supposed to be school desegregation, the school got around that by splitting blacks and whites in separate classes within the school. White high school classmates would look at me askance for trying to start a rock/soul band with white musicians and a black singer named Gus Solomon (we called ourselves Gus Solomon and the Temples). I remember dozens and dozens of scenes that sickened me, like one day seeing white guys in a car pull up to curb in town where a black lady was walking on the sidewalk and yelling at her "hey... you're a N...." and then driving off laughing their heads off. Even in the 70s when the Roots saga by Alex Haley was on TV, I remember the racists coming out of the woodwork to criticize the show and make fun of Kunta Kinte.

I think Reagan just made it more likely that racists would give voice to the ugly feelings they already had inside. He made it okay. Reagan didn't make racism popular or reinvent it as it had never gone away.

[jwirr]

39. I think the difference in our views is natural - the civil rights fight was happening where you were

and it hardly touched our community except in discussions between people who had nothing to lose. And if there was one really strong supporter of the civil rights movement (in our case it was white high school students) that would speak out it was usually looked at carefully and people stopped using the language. And they stopped until the 80s for the most part. And if it was used someone called them out on it. But as I said this area had nothing to lose as it was a rural white area. Shutting their mouths was an cheap way to avoid the argument.

And I agree with you totally racism simply laid dormant for those years. It was there waiting to find a time that it would be safe to voice it again. However some of us are still calling them out. Enough.

[yeoman6987]

16. I was amazed at how many roads and bridges and other buildings

were named Ronald Reagan driving from Annapolis to Orlando this past week.....I was like holy cow......how about a Bill Clinton something or Jimmy Carter anything?

[lunasun]

32. Yeah you noticed that ?? No Carter cross country like Raygum although look at his works after

leaving office too humanitarian efforts etc.
you think the choices may afford honor, but no Reagan Toll way , bridge etc. everywhere

[Luminous Animal]

2. Indeed. Confuzled.

[immoderate]

4. He can't take credit for racism. He can for "trickle down economics," though.

Every president since has been a Reaganite. The next one likely will be too.

--imm

[Protalker]

14. Reagan Democrats look at your paycheck

Have you noticed your real wages have been flat since the Sainted One was among us 30 years ago?

[VanGoghRocks]

25. When what we need is a Keynesian or, better yet, a real Marxist.

[blkmusclmachine]

5. Reagan's "Mo(u)rning in America"

"Reagan Revolution"

and

"The Gays Had It Coming (To Them)"


IMO

[JI7]

7. Reagan didn't start it but he did encourage it

[VanGoghRocks]

27. I blame Lee Atwater (of the Willie Horton attack ads of 1988) as much

as I blame Reagan. Maybe even more. To his credit, Atwater did express some death-bed remorse. Alas, that remorse stood Michale Brown no stead.

[FLPanhandle]

8. I can blame Reagan for a lot of things but "the scumbag who started" racism?

Sorry that's just hatred overstepping logic.

[wilt the stilt]

9. really

what president after the civil rights act said such crap like welfare queens and young bucks from the bully pulpit.

[onenote]

10. You've never heard of Nixon's Southern Strategy, I guess.

[FLPanhandle]

12. You've never read history prior to 1980 obviously

You might want to.

[wilt the stilt]

15. guy's I'm 62

marched on Washington in Oct. 1969. I have been very active and my first vote was McGovern. Of course I know the southern Strategy.

Not withstanding Reagan made racism acceptable again. He took the southern strategy and blew it out. He divided America along racial lines. he stated states rights in Philadelphia.

Nixon was not as divisive as Reagan was along racial lines.

[FLPanhandle]

17. I'm only a bit younger than you.

My first vote was for Carter.

I was never under the delusion that racism was not acceptable back then. America was divided along racial lines more so than now. Reagan tapped into it, but was hardly a cause nor made it acceptable.

You may be guilty of believing in the "good old days" of your youth. It wasn't so good.

[KT2000]

20. there were movements that

were fostering change. The country was divided but the momentum was going forward. Reagan put a stop to it. He played to those against affirmative action - and other dog whistles to the racists. Yes it was southern strategy but it did change the climate. Roslyn Carter, at the time, said he made people comfortable with their prejudices.

[onenote]

41. You only thought the momentum was going forward.

Sure, there were several positive developments between 1964 and 1968, but you overestimate the forward momentum. Consider the fact that George Wallace ran for president in 1968 on an openly segregationist platform and WON FIVE STATES. Wallace also finished ahead of the Democratic nominee (Humphrey) in two states (North Carolina and Tennessee) and a close third in Florida. He received nearly 10 million votes. And he might well have done even better if Nixon's southern strategy hadn't provided a "safer" way for racists to express themselves. Was there a brief respite during the post-Watergate, Carter administration years? Sure, at least on the surface. But race relations during the mid to late 1970s were anything but great, especially in some parts of the north. Maybe you've forgotten about the South Boston busing riot and the white flight that occurred. To say that "all" this racism we see today can be laid at Reagan's feet is to ignore a lot of history.

[KT2000]

43. Reagan did not cause

racism - of course I don't agree with that.
Yes - Wallace ran for the racists.
What I am talking about is the fact that racial unrest came about as a result of laws that were being implemented. The issues were dealing with change - some ran but others were rethinking their beliefs about race.

I did not say that it was an ideal time, just that the issues were for making progress, not stopping it. It was a time that spawned the likes of Wallace but there were laws that could be enforced.

Reagan was the amiable dunce who played to the racists and gave them hope the laws would be reversed. He and his staff such as Meese looked like they were not interested in upholding those laws. That was the lost momentum.

[ieoeja]

45. George Will of all people said something along the lines of:

"The Washington social circle doesn't want to admit it, but the real reason they all love him so much despite disagreeing with most of his policies is because Reagan made it okay to say 'nigger' again."

He said it on This Week, and the other panelists didst appear to protest too much.

You are not alone in your assessment. People like to claim that All in the Family couldn't be made today because Liberals wouldn't let Archie Bunker on TV. In reality, you couldn't make it today because too many people would be cheering Archie Bunker instead of laughing at him.

[onenote]

46. I've seen references here to that statement by George Will, but have been unable to find any

other reference to it online, which is odd. Also, the other references suggest that the panelists were shocked and Will was forced to apologize. So which is it? Is there a link that would confirm that this actually ever took place?

Besides, whether it is true that Will made that statement or not, the fact is that it is not safe for politicians to use the "n" word. If it was, it would certainly have been safe for George Allen, long after Reagan was gone, to use macaca, especially in a southern state. It wasn't safe and it hurt his election chances significantly. It also wasn't safe for Paula Deen. And the list of public officials and others who have resigned, been terminated, or suspended for using the N- word is quite extensive. Hell, the NFL even debated earlier this year whether to make the use of the N word an automatic 15 yard penalty. Is that because the word suddenly became in vogue or because the NFL, hardly a pacesetter, is actually catching up with the rest of society that still don't regard the N word as something to be taken lightly.

[ieoeja]

47. Oh, the other panelists were quite shocked.

Not only that he used the n-word itself on live television, but that he was essentially accusing all of them as members of the Washington social circle.

I do not recall him apologizing. I thought he stood his ground. Though I am not entirely certain of that fact.

That he said what he said is of no doubt. That was a jaw dropping moment that I will certainly never forget.

[onenote]

48. Again, for such a jaw dropping moment, it is quite odd that there appears to be no reference to it

anywhere on the Internet.

[ieoeja]

49. Meh.

It's not like we had TIVO or the INTERNET back in 1981. And who videotapes This Week outside of the professionals**?

More importantly, given that the punditry and political operatives** at the time wanted to pretend it never happened, I am not the slightest bit surprised ABC never bothered putting it online decades later.


**Will's comments were aimed at everybody on BOTH sides of the aisle. Plus, this was before Gingrich, Limbaugh, FNC, etc when the Washington social circle from both sides of the aisle would have protected each other from an accusation like that.

[3rdwaydem]

18. I agree

However, when one reaches to the point of blaming racism, which has existed in one form or another in every society since the beginning of civilization, on Ronald Reagan, it cheapens the legitimate complaints and concerns over his misguided policies.

Also, as a rule, it is far more effective to point out the flaws of a person's argument or policy as opposed to personal attacks like "scumbag." Republicans are our adversaries and not our enemies. Giving people dehumanizing titles also weakens your argument and erodes your own credibility.

Instead, you should go after his flawed economic programs and flawed foreign policy.

[Skittles]

22. sorry no, republicans ARE our enemies

they are racist, misogynist, anti-worker, anti-science, pro-war, pro-torture, pro-police militarization - f*** them - they are TRASHING America

[3rdwaydem]

24. Okay

I have some Republicans in my family (I am working to convert them into Democrats) and some Republican co-workers. I would not characterize any of them the way you did in your little late-night-I-don't-have-to-be-anywhere-in-the-morning diatribe. They are people I know and respect who merely have different ideas than I do - however wrong their ideas often are.

I do not hate them. You express hatred toward Republicans because, among other things, you believe that they are all "racist." In short you believe they all hate people of different skin color. Yet, you seem to hate other human beings for having different ideas than yours. So, if African Americans voted 90 percent Republican instead of for our side, would you also hate them too?

If you want to constructively solve problems in our society, hate is not a good place to be coming from.

[VanGoghRocks]

31. Republicans aren't just racists, they're full-tilt fascists. Jesus.

[Skittles]

40. LOL

"our side" - who do you think you're kidding?

by the way, I'M A NIGHT WORKER - THAT'S WHY I STAY UP LATE

[Protalker]

11. 20849 GayAmericans were dead before he addressed AIDS

He was exactly what his actions say, a Southern Stratagist

[lunasun]

35. Yes people forget his other hates too.

[KT2000]

19. he stopped progress

and I recall Roslyn Carter saying that Reagan made people comfortable with their prejudices.
He didn't start racism but he did appeal to the people who could not stand equality, integration, etc.

[VanGoghRocks]

33. Roslyn was pretty fucking astute, I'd say.

[pansypoo53219]

21. indeed. divide & conquer + punish the poor. NOT the 2%. or craperations.

NPR did a story on reagan's infamous welfare queen, who happened o be real, BUT SHE WAS A MURDEROUS SUPER CRIMINAL. AN ANOMALY. NOT THE FUCKING NORM.

[sendero]

30. Does Bill Clinton..

... get credit for ending "welfare as we know it" ?

[BainsBane]

23. What a ridiculous comment

Racism began as an ideology to justify slavery. http://books.google.com/books/about/Racism.html?id=ohePlRGBdg4C

Externalizing the problem of racism does nothing to combat it. The only way to address it is to interrogate the racist ideas that influence all of us. We may not have power over police in MO, but we do have the ability to change ourselves.

[VanGoghRocks]

34. You Commie! (jk :)

[Puzzledtraveller]

52. best reply

[lunasun]

26. Say it !

[sendero]

28. Ah bullshit..

.... if you are a racist and want to know whose fault it is, look in the mirror.

[VanGoghRocks]

29. Racism is as American as cherry pie (with apologies to H. Rap Brown)

[gopiscrap]

36. I agree

although racism existed long before Ronnie, he made it popular again along with being a selfish fuck.

[Brother Buzz]

37. Ronnie Boy didn't start racism, but he did capitalize on it and was catapulted

into the California Governor's seat

To wit: The 1965 Watts riots

That's a fact, Jack.

[veveto]

42. You are right partially, because Nixon was racist too

It's a Republican thing.

[Wella]

44. Racism started way before 1980

As bad as Reagan's policies were for the country, blaming him for all racism is just inaccurate.

[Octafish]

50. Absolutely correct.

For proof: The guy declared his candidacy for president in Philadelphia, Mississippi in 1980.



Once in office, Pruneface had the US govt do a 180 regarding Civil Rights.



For some reason, the story wasn't on tee vee.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

51. its easier to blame one person, but its not just his fault. at least not alone.

[gollygee]

53. It's a lot older than that

though of course he didn't help things.

[randys1]

54. Raygun is responsible for so much of our current situation, worst president in history

yet if you go to certain places in america there are actual shrines to the idiot...

always by rich people, the poor idiots cant afford to build shrines, but they are stupid all the same

[Benton D Struckcheon]

55. No, no.

Nixon's the One.

No-knock.
Law and order.
Southern strategy.

He did all that in 1968 and the four years after, the one moment in time when the backlash could have been confronted and defused. Instead, he exploited it.

Nixon's the One.

[hifiguy]

56. Nixon was the one who brainstormed race as a serious, long-term wedge issue

with the Southern Strategy, yes. But Nixon was Nixon - shifty, sneaky, and basically mistrusted by a lot of the American public, even many who voted for him in 1972. Nixon was always an opportunist and a fixer who believed in absolutely nothing but the advancement of Richard Nixon by any available means. He could never have made resurgent racism respectable the way King Ronnie the Simple did just because he was Richard Goddamn Nixon and too many people hated his guts.

Reagan put a big ol' smiley face on racism and the demonization of the poor that made it respectable again because he really believed in what he was saying. Rosalynn Carter was right when she said, as quoted above, that he made people comfortable with their prejudices.

[stopbush]

57. Yep. I've been saying it for years.

But even worse than the racism, Reagan destroyed our country's sense of shared sacrifice, and the sense that our greatness is something we all share. He replaced that with the "I've got mine, fuck you - you get nothing" ethos that has fueled the Republican party since he was president.

[ProfessorGAC]

58. Not His Fault Directly

But, they had a political strategy that made it ok to be a racist and capitalized on it.

So, we agree in principle, just not the details.

[XRubicon]

59. Ronald Reagan was a piece of shit

That's all.

[AverageJoe90]

60. Ronnie Raygun's idiocy definitely made matters worse, that's for sure. nt