Is Allen West being smeared with the 'angry black man' brush?
| 6:32 AM on 07/23/2011 | |
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Rep. Allen West (R-FL) listens during a Tea Party Town Hall meeting February 8, 2011 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
The "angry black man" is one of America's most enduring racial and gender stereotypes. White fear of the "aggressive" black man has been an undercurrent in our nation's politics, and the controversy surrounding Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) is no different.
The conservative Republican voted for his political party's "Cut, Cap, & Balance" deficit-reduction plan to deal with America's troubling finances. Rep. Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) -- the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee who has a history of over-the-top political rhetoric -- took to the U.S. House floor to single him out for allegedly wanting to cut Medicare.
Upset with Rep. Wasserman-Schultz's claim that he wants to put Grandma out on the streets, Rep. West sent an email to her and copied other legislators. In the letter, he called Rep. Wasserman-Schultz "not a lady", "vile", "despicable", "unprofessional", and to "shut the heck up". While Democratic female lawmakers are calling on him to apologize, Rep. West claims that no apology will be forthcoming.
Even by Congressional standards, this is tame. However, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has long targeted Rep. West's swing district in its "Drive To 25" campaign for the 2012 election cycle. Thus, the feigned outrage.
The Wasserman Schultz-West feud has a long history, dating back before Rep. West's election.
Here is a man who had his Social Security number "accidentally" released by Rep. Wasserman-Schultz's Florida Democratic allies in a campaign mailer, the Congressional Black Caucus campaigned against him and initially snubbed him even though he is a voice for the 21percent of black Americans who support limited government.
Yet, he was still victorious in unseating Democratic incumbent Rep. Ron Klein (in the process raising the most money of any Congressional challenger in the 2010 election cycle).
In discussing his feud with Rep. Wasserman-Schultz, Rep. West stated on conservative commentator Mark Levin's radio show that "[t]he thing that really most aggravates me is that there's this double standard in that the people on the hard left can continue to attack conservatives and especially minority conservatives and female conservatives, but yet when all of a sudden you stand up and you say that you will not tolerate this anymore, then they claim to be a victim, which I find just absolutely laughable."
While Rep. West went a tad over-the-top in his response (he calls liberalism the "21st century plantation"), there is a larger issue here about racial and gender stereotypes of black men. Rep. West is being depicted as a buck-wild Mandingo type who must be tamed. The Daily Beast calls the married father of two daughters "volatile", and claims that he "hates women".
Meanwhile, Lois Frankel -- a liberal Democrat who is running against Rep. West - has set up a WestHatesWomen.com website, and associates Rep. West with domestic violence. Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) compares Rep. West to the Koran-burning preacher, simply for expressing his views.
Letters to the local newspaper in Rep. West's district claim that Rep. West's verbal disagreement with Rep. Wasserman Schultz could lead to thuggery on Rep. West's part. Liberal commentator Keith Olbermann asserted on his new show that Rep. West may shoot someone "live on TV".
Is Allen West being smeared with the 'angry black man' brush?
| 6:32 AM on 07/23/2011 | |
| Join Our Mailing List |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rep. Allen West (R-FL) listens during a Tea Party Town Hall meeting February 8, 2011 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
The "angry black man" is one of America's most enduring racial and gender stereotypes. White fear of the "aggressive" black man has been an undercurrent in our nation's politics, and the controversy surrounding Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) is no different.
The conservative Republican voted for his political party's "Cut, Cap, & Balance" deficit-reduction plan to deal with America's troubling finances. Rep. Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) -- the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee who has a history of over-the-top political rhetoric -- took to the U.S. House floor to single him out for allegedly wanting to cut Medicare.
Upset with Rep. Wasserman-Schultz's claim that he wants to put Grandma out on the streets, Rep. West sent an email to her and copied other legislators. In the letter, he called Rep. Wasserman-Schultz "not a lady", "vile", "despicable", "unprofessional", and to "shut the heck up". While Democratic female lawmakers are calling on him to apologize, Rep. West claims that no apology will be forthcoming.
Even by Congressional standards, this is tame. However, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has long targeted Rep. West's swing district in its "Drive To 25" campaign for the 2012 election cycle. Thus, the feigned outrage.
The Wasserman Schultz-West feud has a long history, dating back before Rep. West's election.
Here is a man who had his Social Security number "accidentally" released by Rep. Wasserman-Schultz's Florida Democratic allies in a campaign mailer, the Congressional Black Caucus campaigned against him and initially snubbed him even though he is a voice for the 21percent of black Americans who support limited government.
Yet, he was still victorious in unseating Democratic incumbent Rep. Ron Klein (in the process raising the most money of any Congressional challenger in the 2010 election cycle).
In discussing his feud with Rep. Wasserman-Schultz, Rep. West stated on conservative commentator Mark Levin's radio show that "[t]he thing that really most aggravates me is that there's this double standard in that the people on the hard left can continue to attack conservatives and especially minority conservatives and female conservatives, but yet when all of a sudden you stand up and you say that you will not tolerate this anymore, then they claim to be a victim, which I find just absolutely laughable."
While Rep. West went a tad over-the-top in his response (he calls liberalism the "21st century plantation"), there is a larger issue here about racial and gender stereotypes of black men. Rep. West is being depicted as a buck-wild Mandingo type who must be tamed. The Daily Beast calls the married father of two daughters "volatile", and claims that he "hates women".
Meanwhile, Lois Frankel -- a liberal Democrat who is running against Rep. West - has set up a WestHatesWomen.com website, and associates Rep. West with domestic violence. Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) compares Rep. West to the Koran-burning preacher, simply for expressing his views.
Letters to the local newspaper in Rep. West's district claim that Rep. West's verbal disagreement with Rep. Wasserman Schultz could lead to thuggery on Rep. West's part. Liberal commentator Keith Olbermann asserted on his new show that Rep. West may shoot someone "live on TV".
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