Thread by @Racismdogowners

Well, it looks like white conservative Twitter found my tweet about black conservatives and are foaming at the mouth over 'racism'. They're...really mad about this.

https://twitter.com/Racismdogowners/status/1030821015612530698?s=19

Let's have a chat./

-B

First, I want to say that I never said I had a problem with *all* black conservatives. The ones saying that are openly lying or reading "I have a problem with black conservatives" and shutting off their brains before reading the rest of the tweet.

Black conservatives on paper are nothing special; I know plenty of people with more conservative beliefs in regards to religion, LGBT rights, abortion etc. Your standard conservative fare. But the ones that get popular generally go more... extreme with their opinions.

Like most black people in any area, you have to be exceptional in some way to achieve even a portion of success as your white counterparts. These conservatives have to go the extra mile to gain prominence among their (overwhelmingly white) side of the aisle.

How do you do that? A variety of ways, but it tends to boil down to two things:

1) Attaining an amount of success that allows you to surround yourself with white people who hold you up as a standard for black people and the 'American Dream' (Think Ben Carson and Herman Cain)

2) Saying things about other races (typically black people) that racist whites would *kill* to be able to say without consequence (think the Twitter-famous types like Candace Owens or CJ Pearson)

The first scenario often leads to the second. It's a smug attitude that reflects a problem of the American Dream in general: it ignores the socio-economic causes for why certain groups are collectively disenfranchised.

"If I can do it, so can you. If you fail, it's your fault."

The smugness isn't the only problem with these types of conservatives. It's evolved into something worse: people who purposely say outlandish things in an attempt to court white audiences.

Take Ben Carson, for example. Oh man, I loved Ben Carson growing up. *Black people* loved Ben Carson. He was the ideal success story: poor black kid from the city, took advantage of the limited opportunities he had to go to Yale, then later became an iconic surgeon.

Then he opened his mouth. He's said a lot of controversial statements, but the "slaves were immigrants actually" one stands out the most because WHAT
telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/0…

I wrote an essay about him when I was a kid. I also read Gifted Hands. It's a bit sappy and self-congratulatory, but it's inspiring. Seeing the person who shaped part of my childhood spew some ahistorical nonsense was heartbreaking.

I don't think some of those people genuinely believe in the things they say. Candace Owens was a liberal two years ago. She turned right wing almost overnight. I don't know about you, but I don't change my core beliefs overnight unless I have something to gain.

The lengths people will go for money and power, honestly. Candace follows the long-standing tradition of black conservatives who treat other black people like dirt to appease their white base. They act as if they're the truly enlightened ones. The "free-thinkers."

They subscribe to this notion of being "free," comparing themselves to the black people who are "Slaves on the Democrat plantation."

That's their new slogan. Can you imagine someone like Ted Cruz or Paul Ryan saying that? They'd be crucified before they even finish that sentence

They say that every black person who disagrees with them is a slave, yet they get mad when other black people call them a coon because of the bullshit they transparently spout. They'd do anything to convince their white followers that they're not like those other black people.

But black conservatives can openly dog-whistle about black people and they know it. And the ones that do say it are more likely to be propped up as tokens. "See? We have black people here. They say things we agree with! If you criticize them, then you're a racist!"

They use people of color who agree with them as shields for their bigoted views. They don't have to say that black people are not oppressed because they can sit back and have a black woman do it for them. If you criticize her, then they get to brush off that criticism as racist.

Framing bigoted beliefs and statements as "differing opinions" is one of the most diabolical lies peddled on the right nowadays. It's even worse when you use people of color to do it, as if them saying shit you're afraid to say out loud makes it an opinion worth discussing.

These types of black conservatives will criticize the left for "playing identity politics," then when they get criticized, try to use their blackness as a shield. Candace did it herself recently.

They use identity politics much more than any leftist because *their entire status in conservatism depends on it*. Try being a white person saying the same things. It becomes more obvious how much of their rhetoric is aimed at white audiences:

I'm focusing on Candace now because she's the current flavor of the week (and the original tweet was about her). Seriously, this group has a brief shelf-life. When the last time you heard about Herman Cain, Michael Steele, Stacey Dash, or hell, even Ben Carson?

It's Candace's turn in the spotlight. She might ride that wave for a few years, but I won't be surprised if she gets dropped for a newer model soon enough.

Some of them do have moments of enlightenment, especially post-spotlight: Republican Senator Tim Scott talked openly about being racially profiled as a Senator. You can try to blend in as much as you can, but you will always stand out.

npr.org/2016/07/14/485…

Michael Steele has openly criticized Trump, calling him a racist at one point over the "shithole countries" remark:
time.com/5101077/donald…

Maybe Republicans could get more people of color to cross the aisle if they actually listened to their concerns rather than prop up every POC with a racist opinion as some standard we all should aim for. Or just cry racism when your tokenism is called out. That works too.

-B