Normally, this would be a totally innocuous tweet:
However, at the rally that was so “great”, this was the ice breaker:
A black kid asks his mom, ‘Mama, what’s a democracy?’
“‘Well, son, that be when white folks work every day so us po’ folks can get all our benefits.’
“‘But mama, don’t the white folk get mad about that?’
“‘They sho do, son. They sho do. And that’s called racism.’”
As the Baxter Bulletin said, neither Senator Irvin, nor anyone else, objected to the joke at the time. In fact, they laughed big time:
The “joke” was greeted with applause and laughter. There were no objections to the “joke” from the floor and no one spoke with disapproval or objection to Marler’s comment except those pursued for comment by The Baxter Bulletin.
You can listen to the offending audio, complete with “yeahs” and applause from the crowd, here.
Cook says he’s shocked by this. I don’t see why he should be, it’s been pretty obvious that a lot of teabaggers have been keeping bedsheets hanging in their closets and a stock of 2x4s and gasoline in their garages for quite awhile now. What’s shocking is that Senator Irvin, a public servant, didn’t have the brains or common decency to do what all of us should do and denounce this sort of thing when faced with it, instead of calling it part of a “great time”.
The bedsheet and 2×4 line is not funny or appropriate. You ought to take that out.
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Now, to the point.
We’ve failed to show people that “welfare” is an investment. I am a former recipient of Pell Grants. I’ve used food stamps. My wife has lived in HUD housing. And I don’t know what I would have done without unemployment benefits.
My wife and I are now college graduates who pay in taxes. We would still be stuck without government help. It truly was a hand up, not a hand out. Somehow, we have to show the Tea Party types that “welfare” really does make a better society. Of course there will be some abuse. But I believe that most people use government help to better themselves. Beyond that, government help can keep people from falling even deeper down the socioeconomic scale.
We have to educate these people, and show them real life examples of people who have used the resources and benefits available via government programs to better themselves. There are a lot of success stories out there.
The joke was racist and should be called out. I’m not dismissing that. But I think the larger context is combating the “welfare society” lies that are entrenched in these Tea Party types. If I can help one Tea Party person see that, I can feel like I’ve made a difference.