Whites and the Next Racial Clash in America

Time ^ | 12/05/03 | JACK E. WHITE

[freedom44]

According to political scientist Carol M. Swain's unsettling new book, "The New White Nationalism in America: Its Challenge to Integration," the U.S. is on the brink of an explosion of white "tribalism" that could trigger unprecedented levels of racial antagonism and an epidemic of violence. The underlying cause: a swelling "white nationalist" movement fueled by simmering resentment of affirmative action programs like those used by the University of Michigan. "The book is a wake-up call to warn people that we're following a dangerous course by pushing identity politics and multi-culturalism," explains the Vanderbilt law school professor. "There's nothing special about the U.S. that says we couldn't have ethnic cleansing and violence here like in Bosnia or Rwanda."

It's shocking to hear such a dire prophesy from a scholar like Swain, who is rapidly establishing herself as one of the leaders of a new, increasingly vocal neoconservative brand of black political analysis that rejects affirmative action and reparations for slavery and holds blacks responsible for their own uplift. Until recently, most left-leaning black theorists derided her as a hopeless optimist. Her previous book, "Black Faces, Black Interests," ruffled many black politicians by dismissing their fear that a Supreme Court ruling that struck down the use of race in the creation of majority black congressional districts would be a disaster. Instead, Swain predicted, the ruling actually would be good for African Americans. As she foresaw, even in the Deep South strong black candidates were capable of winning enough support from whites to prevail in districts where black voters were outnumbered. She also argued that disbursing blacks into mostly-white districts could make it easier for liberal Democrats to compete with conservative Republicans by building multi-racial coalitions. Blacks "need more representation of their liberal views of policy than they need people who look like them" in Congress, Swain contended. Anyone looking at the toothlessness of the Congressional Black Caucus in the Republican-dominated House would find it difficult to disagree.

But, as Swain says, she "turned from a Pollyanna into a Cassandra" as her research into a book criticizing racial preferences made her aware of the spread of what she calls "the new white nationalism," a form of racial extremism more dangerous than the Ku Klux Klan because of its veneer of erudition and mastery of the Internet. Groups such as former Klansman David Duke's National Organization for European American Rights and the National Association of White People eschew the discredited notion of white supremacy. Indeed, they don't claim that whites are superior to anyone else and may even be inferior to Asians.

Instead they push the notion over websites, in publications such as Jared Taylor's "American Renaissance " magazine and through on-campus recruiting drives that all racial groups have unique interests and the god-given right to fulfill their destiny. They see themselves, as Swain has written, as "defenders of the legitimate civil rights of white people against what they allege are a host of racial double standards." In short, that affirmative action has made whites the most discriminated-against group in the country and that it can only get worse as a tide of immigrants transforms the U.S. from a white nation into a rickety Third World republic. The language white nationalists use to promote their insights is stunningly familiar to anyone who has listened to black nationalists like Louis Farrakhan — but that's not surprising, since the white nationalists appropriated it. As Swain observes, "the multicultural left has provided a language that works very well for whites who want to push white-identity politics," says Swain. "They say that if it's good for blacks to celebrate their heritage, it's good for whites to celebrate theirs."

What concerns Swain the most is such groups now seem to be finding an audience among mainstream whites whose gripes about racial preferences and high crime rates among blacks have been tuned out by white liberal politicians. Though she has no proof that the membership of such groups is mushrooming, their influence is being felt widely. Indeed, some of the rhetoric used by white nationalists is indistinguishable from the verbiage used by President Bush in his assault on the "quotas" supposedly used by the University of Michigan. "If we keep going down this road, it's going to increasingly pit racial groups against each other," she warns. "Some white people, who are otherwise good people, who don't hate blacks, are going to be pushed into the arms of these extremists if we don't change course."

Swain thinks there's only one way out of this bind: recognizing that whites have "legitimate" beefs about race that should be openly debated by politicians and scholars. She also believes we should immediately do away with racial preferences in university admissions, hiring and government contracts that not only fuel white resentment but send the message to blacks that they can't meet the same standards as everyone else. Swain's detractors say such steps amount to no more than a cowardly capitulation to racism, but she won't back down because she does not believe that blacks need the crutch provided by race-conscious policies. For Swain, a deeply devout evangelical Christian, such beliefs are not academic. Now 49, she went from being a high school drop-out and single mother in rural Virginia to a Ph.d and a chair at a leading university. "Somehow, we've got to embrace an American national identity that pulls us together instead of dividing us into warring camps," says Swain, "perhaps through a renewed emphasis on the Judeo-Christian idea of a common creator and the brotherhood of man." It's an old-fashioned idea that could prevent Swain's troubling predictions from coming true.

[cyborg]

Never seen Doc post before. I know a few FReepers with his style. Animated people are a GOOD thing. Besides I'm sure with you as his friend, you look out for his blood pressure. Anyone can get animated over islamofascists.

[dwd1]

Yes... Don Cheadle, Jon Voight, Bruce McGill, the guy who played the heavy in terminator 2.... Interesting story...

Most interesting to me is the scene where when the rioters were trying to make trouble in the neighboring community, the leaders of the community and it's law enforcement stood up and said "Our black people here are law abiding people " and were prepared to defend them with deadly force... I have seen this from both sides and I am proud to say that I have been in circumstances where I stood against those who were trying to harm someone of a different race without cause...

[Burn24]

OK, thanks, I'm going to catch it right now.

It's on WPIX 11 if anyone else is interested.

[dwd1]

"You hook 'em. I'll clean 'em and fry 'em!"

Anthony Edwards as "Goose" in "Top Gun"

[dwd1]

Don't know if it's the "family" version of the movie... Jon Voight appears to be having a good time in his opening scene! :-)

[cyborg]

LOL!! Now THAT is a sentiment that I'm sure everyone shares in this thread. Hillary bashing uniting people everywhere.

[Little Bill]

Don't worry about Doc, he is real doctor and his wife is a nurse, an old person he has a year on me.

[dwd1]

The last thing I will say about this race war is that I think this is a better world with Vanessa Williams, Rick Fox, Tiger Woods, Maria Carey, Derek Jeter, Goldie Hawn, Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez (there is some black in her family somewhere! :-)), Lenny Kravits, Sadé, and that lovely woman who is part Japanese and part black that was in "The Golden Child" and "Rising Son".....

However, I am not ready to be rid of Swedish Bikini teams.... I just thank God it is a big planet.... Room for everybody... Even Hillary Clinton (Don't hit me. Smack! I didn't mean it! Pow! I'm sorry!!! whoopissshhhh (sound of whip cracking))

[cyborg]

that lovely woman who is part Japanese and part black

*** Russel Simmons' wife is gorgeous. I want her body. I didn't see Golden Child but Kimora Lee is hot and she designs Baby Phat clothing line for us chicks. She supplied all the models for Genuwine's video In Those Jeans. It was almost like mixed chicks on parade.

[cyborg]

As for Hillary... well there's someone for everyone. Even the ugly people have to get laid once in a lifetime.

[dwd1]

May I pick up my tongue off the floor now?

[dwd1]

She is only ugly from the neck up and when she is speaking (which is a lot of the time, I know) but from the neck down, I have to tell you that if the rumors are true, Vince Foster (God rest his soul) had it good....

[dwd1]

ROTF LMBAO!!!

[Elliott Jackalope]

"Born and raised in California."

Me too. Third generation Californian, my ancestors moved there in covered wagons. I now live in Eastern Washington. It is such a luxury to live in an area where everone around me speaks English, where you can go from one place to another without having to plan a day in advance how and when you are going to get there, and where I am not an actively discriminated against and hated minority.

Not that it would have been a problem to remain in the Bay Area. I just would have had to learn Hindi, Farsi, Mandarian, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Laotian, Thai, Tagalog, Spanish, Urdu, Cambodian and !Ixtol! (that popping, clicking African language) if I wanted to stay there. I decided I'd rather live in the first world for a change.

No resentment here. Nope. None at all....

[Joe Hadenuf]

San Diego and Del Mar are nice, but are part of the ant hill.

Williams is nice and close to Flagstaff for supplies and big city stuff.

But I prefer the high deserts and mountains of Southern California, as one can be fairly remote and still enjoy the basic sunny California weather, very mild winters, as these areas are still influenced by the great pacific and the So, Cal latitude....It's nice to be able to go to an Angel game, the beach or world class museums, or whatever, and be back out of that hairy rat race, all in one day.

I find that most desirable. Of course, that's just me. LOL!

[dwd1]

Well, we can argue about a shortage of jobs, good public servants, and good opportuties in this country but beautiful women.... I don't think anyone can argue that we have a shortage there.... By the way, anything Brazilian where they have the height and muscularity of Germanic women and the derriere of the sistas in the hood.... Taxi to Rio, please... And step on it!!!

[dwd1]

Well, though I prefer the Dodgers to the Angels(client with season tickets got me hooked), I would have to agree with you... Here in Dallas, I am feeling like someone is playing a joke on me and that I am really in Chicago.... These cold winds are the worst I have experienced since Ramstein, Germany.... Mother nature, you are having too much fun at my expense....

I drive on I-40 to come to see my family and I just love the Williams area... When I get rich like you, I would not mind Lake Havasu...

But I have a friend down in Oceanside and I think he has it made....

[tinacart]

(M. h. D. (Master of Hate and Discontent) - I MUST hijack your tagline... I just lost out on a permanent job that I'd already done with the same company in the past (3 1/2 years), because I had "GED" instead of "PhD" after my name - never mind the twits that were hired over me took up half my time asking me for assistance (and I still doubled their output)... Times, they are a-changing! As for Oceanside, outside Sacramento is much better. The people are friendly, honest, and hard working. Oceanside only has - well - the ocean :)

[dwd1]

Clear evidence of the belief I hold in some circumstances... "No good deed goes unpunished!"

The thing I see in the job market is that they want the best person for the least money but growth potential and work ethic are not always fairly evaluated...

The cynicism many people feel is because hard work is not always enough for some... But you have to believe that there is something better out there.... There is a big difference between saying "I have failed three times!" and "I am a failure!"

Be well...

In case you did not notice, I am not as mean as you may have heard... Please ignore those police reports about me... :-)

[dwd1]

And you are welcome to the tagline royalty free... It is who I try not to be but who I know I can be if circumstances require... We all have those parts of ourselves that we say "Use only in case of emergency!"