…and the left. Yet another demonstration.
This time, it’s MSNBC and their gang: Melissa Harris-Perry, a PhD in Political Science and a Professor at Tulane, in addition to hosting a weekend opinion piece on the cable network; Pia Glenn, a panelist on the Harris-Perry racist segment in question; and Dean Obeidallah, another panelist on the segment; among others.
The occasion was a family portrait photo of Mitt Romney’s family, with his adopted grandson, who happens to be black, on his knee: this afforded the aforementioned trio an opportunity for their…japes.
Harris-Perry:
[M]y goal is that in 2040, the biggest thing of the year will be the marriage between Kieran Romney and North West. Can you imagine Mitt Romney and Kanye West as in-laws?
Because—well because what, exactly?
Pia Glenn:
One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just isn’t the same.
“Things,” is it? And “it” is a cause for derision because he’s black baby in a predominantly white family? Or is the “joke” that it’s a predominantly white family with a black baby family member?
Obeidallah:
…really sums up the diversity of the Republican Party, the RNC. At the convention they find the one black person.
Because a baby, especially, makes a fine tool for a racist attack on those whose impudence leads them to disagree with you.
It gets worse, with their cynically faux apologies.
Obediah tweeted
I apologize to the baby if the baby was offended by my joke mocking GOP’s lack or [sic] racial diversity.
If? If!? And not a word to the Romney family, adult enough to understand the slur? No, still picking on the baby. And his “apology:” caveated on the premise that the outcome might not actually have occurred. And regretting only that possible outcome, with not a syllable of apology for his actual misbehavior.
He extended his demonstration with this to CNN:
Occasionally my jokes have been known to “cross the line” and I can assure you that in the future some of my jokes will do that again. My joke on MHP was not intended in any way to mock the Romney family or the baby they adopted. Rather it was a joke about the lack of racial diversity that we see at the Republican National Convention. I apologize to the Romney family and especially the baby if any of them were offended by that joke.
Yeah—he’s proud of the fact that he goes over the line, proud of the fact that he uses babies as political tools, and he intends to do so again. And there’s that caveated regret only for a possible outcome, again, with not a bit of apology for the racist “joke,” or even just for the racist nature of it.
This pair of tweets from Glenn:
Yes, I sang the song. There are many children in the pic & only 1 black child. I don’t see that as mocking or attacking the baby.
If I point out the 1 black person & you translate that as an attack ON HIM, who’s racist? I don’t personally see anything wrong with being black.
Well, Madam, you’re the only one who thinks a black baby in a predominantly white family is a big deal. You’re the only one who’s making race an issue here.
It’s true enough that Glenn later issued an almost structurally correct apology,
I apologize to all families built on loving transracial adoptions who feel I degraded their lives or choices[,]
but at this late date, and given those earlier remarks, it’s impossible for me to believe her sincerity.
This from Harris-Perry:
I am sorry. Without reservation or qualification. I apologize to the Romney family.
Which came, carefully, Wednesday, well after her weekend…performance. Here, too, even though her “apology” is sound structurally, it’s impossible for me to believe its sincerity. Better to have said this last Monday, best by the end of her show.
Their racism is so ingrained, they can’t even recognize it.