What Is Racism?

The following link - the spoof site of Tammy Lee's congressional campaign site, created, apparently, by (or with help from) newly elected MPS school board member Chris Stewart - was forwarded to me with the note that it shows "racism in the black community." I disagree.

http://www.trailblz.info/leetammy/hatesite/hatesite.htm
(In case it goes down soon, here's a quote: "Tammy Lee is the Best Choice to Replace Congressman Martin Sabo. After all, she's white - just like us, and that means we can trust her. We should all agree that a Negro should never replace a great statesman like Martin Sabo.")

I think it points a satirical finger at the real racism that's still out there! Throughout the 5th district Congressional campaign (Keith Ellison/Tammy Lee/Alan Fine) I couldn't shake the feeling that there were a significant number of well-meaning folks who would never vote for the really conservative guy, but just couldn't bring themselves to support the black/muslim guy. Tammy Lee's campaign offered an out (a female, so see, we're not just going for another white guy) but not much else.

The spoof site shares what a lot of folks were thinking, if not saying. It's not that the black folks are racist and wouldn't vote for her because she's white. It's that the black folks could tell that there were really people out there who were more comfortable with a 36-year-old white candidate with little experience than a talented, experienced black candidate with baggage. And the spoof site points that up - with humor.

Minnesota has prided itself on being progressive and open-armed, but I think the old saying about Minnesota nice still holds: a Minnesotan will give you directions to anywhere - except their own home.

We've come a long way, sure, but there are miles to go...