PoliGazette
- Much has been made of the fact that RNC Chairman candidate Chip Saltsman sending off a CD that included the song “Barack the Magic Negro”. As happens with anything with even a whiff of race politics (and this has more of a stink) an unbelievable firestorm unfolded after the distribution, causing many in the Republican Party to denounce Saltsman. As Michael notes below, the backlash to the backlash is benefiting Saltsman.
In a process almost as common as crying racism is, the “common man” of the base of the Republican Party is declaring Saltsman a PC martyr. They may sincerely believe that Saltsman is innocent of any foul play. They may be disgusted with their party elites for throwing him under the bus, but they also ought to listen to their party elites, because they understand something that Saltmans defenders might not; demographics.
First to the issue itself, such as it is. Though I’ll readily agree that political correctness has gotten entirely out of hand and that hyper-sensitivity to racial issues is excessive, one should not underestimate just how offensive this is to African Americans (and a large number of non-black people who are not included in the Republican base). It’s like if German conservatives had distributed a song mocking a Jewish politician as a “magic Kike”. The media has focused on the “Magic Negro” song because it targets the president and it uses a no-no racial term, but quite possibly worse is the “Star Spanglish Banner”, which Saltsman also sent. Though offensive, the “Magic Negro” at least only targets one individual. The “Star Spanglish Banner” mocks Mexican immigrants and Mexican Americans as a group.
