Last week wasn’t the best week of Dr. Ben Carson’s life. He committed his first political gaffe when he lumped same-sex marriage in the same sentence with pedophilia and bestiality. Then, after harsh criticism, he dug himself a little deeper into the hole by running to CNN and MSNBC to explain his position, and getting a little harsher treatment than he'd been accustomed to on Fox. Luckily for him, Fox was all ready and waiting with their damage control. And one of their main tactics has been to slam Carson’s critics as racists who don’t want the disadvantaged to succeed in life.
Take for example, an op-ed entitled “Dr. Carson, Liberals and Fear of Success”, by frequent Fox contributor Cal Thomas, posted yesterday on the Web site. A month ago Thomas criticized Dr. Carson for speaking inappropriately at the famous prayer breakfast. Now he’s blasting liberals for daring to criticize the doctor. Liberals, he says, don't like him because he's a conservative African-American and an American success story.
Thomas noted Carson's own words about being a black conservative: "They feel that if you look a certain way then you have to stay on the plantation." Isn't such a personal attack also a form of racism? Thomas asked. (What personal attack? Those are Carson's own words.) "All whites don't think alike, why should all African-Americans be expected to?"
Carson repeatedly appeals to his detractors to move beyond the rhetoric, talk about the facts and try to find some accommodation. “That is precisely what the left does not want to do,” Thomas wrote, “because to have such a discussion would expose liberalism's failure to solve the problems of poverty and education -- to cite just two examples -- through government... The nightmare for liberals would be if Ben Carson became a role model for the poor instead of a target.” Well, Fox doesn’t want accommodation either, certainly not with liberals. So they're trying to shut down the criticism of Carson by painting him as a victim and calling his critics names.
And I guess, gentle reader, you can’t you admire someone who pulled themselves out of a tough spot, and still be a liberal. At least not in the gospel according to Fox.
*I am not a racist- I would have voted for the minority that told me it’s not racist to talk that way about minorities that don’t agree with the Republicans. Because liberal minorities are somehow deserving of that. As long as I only say these things to (or about) them, I am allowed to call myself “civil” and “tolerant.”
When I am asked about this mentality, I will respond with the names of Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, Juan Williams, Marco Rubio, and Allen West.
Those names will absolve me, even as I ignore the names of moderates I threw in the dirt for supporting civil rights, backing women, or just not conforming to my line, such as Mia Love, Michael Steele, and Colin Powell.
Likewise, Republican minorities that I am only allowed to approve of when told by Koch, Limbaugh, or Murdoch, I will stay stoically guarded to not approve of one second longer than ordered. They are only my ally when they have my views.
The political bigotry and religious intolerance in the people of colourl I support is a moot point, as I am only trying to prove that I don’t judge by race- at least not the people in that race that hate the same things I do.
Anyone who sees through this mentality is a racist.*
Seriously? Tell me that doesn’t sum up Fox News and it’s viewers to near perfection.
Considering that Fox News makes it’s living praising conservative causes and demonizing liberals, I would tend to say it’s their side that has issues with those who achieve success.