Is Ron Desantis Racist?

"Trump can't be a racist. He put Ben Carson in charge of HUD!"

 

Plus, his daughter, Ivanka, married a black man and converted to blackism.

 

Sorry for posting facts that aren’t consistent with your belief that anyone whose policy positions don’t align with your own is racist, but putting Black people in charge of most of the largest agencies in state government doesn’t exactly line up with what one would expect of someone who supposedly dislikes Black folks.

(By contrast, in the case of Trump, having one Black man and putting him in charge of housing projects arguably does.)

 

When a conservative appoints a minority that’s a token.

When a liberal does it, it’s woke.

yay team

 

How many Black people in charge of agencies does it take to erase racist comments, racist policies, and racist gerrymandering? Obviously, from your comment about Trump, the number is more than one. When does one cross the threshold?

 

Obviously it’s when the minority rules.

 

Isn't that worse?

 

What it takes to be not racist is to view and treat people of other races as your equal and to govern in a colorblind manner. He’s done that, as the substantial minority representation in the highest levels of his administration evidences.

It seems to me the idea that he’s racist isn’t premised on any actual racism, just the idea that its not enough to be “not racist” and you have to instead be affirmatively “antiracist” (apologies if I’m getting that terminology wrong, while critical race theory actually was an available course when I went to law school, I didn’t take it).

 

Isn’t that what elections have become?

 

Interesting. When he vetoed the map that didn't dilute Black representation and refused to pass any map except one that would, was he governing in a "colorblind manner"? When he had police disproportionately arrest Black voters who were told by the state government they could vote, was he governing in a "colorblind manner"? When he championed laws targeting "critical race theory," systemic racism, and "identity politics," was he governing in a "colorblind manner"? When he passed his anti-protest law following a summer of protests of George Floyd's death, was he governing in a "colorblind manner"?

I don't think DeSantis is a racist just because he panders to racists. I think DeSantis is a racist because he governs like a racist. Anti-Blackness has been a constant in DeSantis's policies. But hey, like Trump, he hired some Black people to serve in his administration. You can't be racist if you do that. Just ask Ronald Reagan!

 

Question for everyone who bashes our Governor: do you still kick puppies?

 

If DeS isn't racist he's doing a damn good imitation of one.

 

Well if he is a mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a story-book, man. Why not appointment him? He doesn't speak with a slight Indian accent either so even better.

 

Easy way to tell. Does he have an (R) or a (D) next to his name? Because the (R) means "Racist." The (D) means "Definitely not a racist; very woke at heart."

 

Removing race from the Rosa Parks story says what about him?
Redrawing maps to dilute minority vote says what about him?
Targeting minorities with his election police says what about him? You focus on his appointees and ignore his policies

 

People seem to have this view that you can only be racist if you're a Klansman or a Neo-Nazi, the sort of fellow who hates all Black people no matter what. There are plenty of racist people who like some Black people. I call it the "good ones" phenomenon.

The more normal racists don't want to kill all Black people. They don't even want to rid society of Black people. They simply harbor prejudices about Black people and see them as lesser. Why should Black people have representation? They waste their votes on the Democrats who have them trapped on the plantation. Why should we allow Black scholars to indoctrinate students by claiming there's systemic racism? It's just passing the buck for the cultural failings of the Black community. Why shouldn't we deter racial justice protesters? They'll just burn cities down and loot. How can police be the problem when Black people commit so much crime?

The thing about these people is that I don't believe they are trying to be malicious. Well, most of them aren't. They simply are prejudiced and never take the time to assess their own beliefs. It's a lot like the guy on this forum in the affirmative action thread who tried to justify getting rid of affirmative action because Black people are purportedly genetically less intelligent. It's total nonsense. But there are plenty of people out there willing to believe that bullshit and then use it to justify anti-Black policies. And you only believe that sort of crap if you've already got some prejudices.

But the "good ones," they're either Black people willing to tell prejudiced white people what they want to hear or Black people who became friends with the prejudiced white person. In the latter case, the prejudiced white person tells themself that it's "other" Black people who are the problem (which is really too bad because you'd hope it would cause them to do some self-reflecting on their preconceived notions about Black people). In the former case, the prejudiced white person tells themself that this Black person, unlike most the others, "gets it." Either ways, a person can still be racist while liking and/or associating with some Black people.

 

I am reminded of rush Limbaugh. He was a moderate maybe slightly left failed sports caster who found a schtick that worked. Over the years he spouted so much conservative vile and was so loved for it that he eventually started believing what he said.

 

No but Joe is.

 

Yep
A racist may not act on his feelings.

 

I think he promotes exclusionary policies that favor his monolithic base at the expense of minorities, because that’s both what they want and what’s best for his party.

Whether or not he or his base are textbook racist, they feel they are the ones entitled to power as “real” Americans (generally white, Christian, and patriarchal), and are now being more and more brazen about trying to get that power back in their hands ever since the first black man won the vote for presidency.

Historically, that same mindset meant policies such as slavery, Jim Crow and segregation, etc, were acceptable.