Acceptably racist, but not racist?

Nine times out of 10, when people argue about whether or not someone or something is racist, the argument isn't actually about whether that person is racist or not, the argument is about what sort of behaviour qualifies as racism, and what sort of indicators are appropriate for substantiating the accusation.

Ron Paul has never said anything openly racist. He's never called anyone by a racial epithet, or publicly advocated racist ideas. But somehow, his name keeps being connected to racism and bigotry. His followers will tell you those were accidents, mistakes, it could happen to anyone. But it doesn't happen to anyone, it just happens to him.

See, that's the disconnect one side has discussing racism with the other – Ron Paul supporters very sincerely believe he isn't racist, because they don't think there's anything wrong or unusual with someone being connected to racism so frequently. They think that's normal. And they think it's normal, because it happens in their lives, as well.

Most of us, when we are confronted with open bigotry, distance ourselves from it, if we can. We don't pop out of a moving cab, and we may have to put up with a little of it from our stupid uncle or obnoxious boss, but if it's consistent or egregious, we just get away. If there's anything we can do about it, we stop it or get away from it. we certainly don't purposefully hire people like that in any sort of professional context. Open racism Is simply a red line, nonstarter. It's that simple.

It's not that people don't understand what racism is...

The people who excuse Ron Paul, the people who assure us he is not being racist, don't do that. They just don't. the level of racist behaviour and thought they are willing to ignore, countenance, and be entertained by, is Much greater than the norm in Western culture in 2018.

And every time someone argues that Ron Paul or Donald Trump are not racists, they know very well that, by your definition, by most people's definition, Ron Paul, and Donald Trump are both absolutely racists. Of course they know that.

What they are saying is that your definition of the pejorative "racism" is a wrong. They're saying that a whole spectrum of behaviours and ideas that decent people in contemporary society understand as morally unacceptable should be accepted. The argument is never about whether or not the behaviour in question qualifies as a racist. The argument is about whether or not a good deal of the behaviour we recognise as racist should be considered outside the norm. Bad.

Semantics and technicality to save the day

A while back, Ron Paul made another one of his periodic "goofs" on twitter, and once again claimed that some nameless employee was to blame. And sure, accidents can happen, and maybe they can happen a lot. The tweet has since been deleted and subsequent apology posted but...

The problem is that presently, and for quite some time, Dr. Paul has employed in his home schooling con job, I mean business, a person named Gary North who believes, among other things, that gay people should be stoned to death.

So if Dr. Paul actually wanted to distance himself from bigotry, if he actually thought it was wrong, If you wanted to make sure no one was going to take over his social media and post something horrible again, it seems like there would be a pretty obvious move – firing the open, murderous homophobe he's currently employing. If he truly wanted to stop bigotry from being spread in his name, that would be such an easy fix, right there.

And that's how you know what the argument is about. The argument is never about whether or Ron Paul or Donald Trump is a bigot, a racist, a misogynist, a homophobe. The argument is about what the bigots, the racists, the misogynists, the homophobes should be allowed to get away with, without being called on it. Whether Ron Paul gets to employ someone who wants to stone gay people to death without taking any heat for it.

Don't ever let them kid you. It's about normalising bigotry. They fucking know God damn well they're being racist, they just don't want you to call it that.