Janeane Garafalo, Herman Cain and Racialism

Janeane Garafalo made some curious comments when she appeared on Keith Olberman's show. She regurgitated the Democratic narrative that minorities and women who support the GOP suffer from countless maladies. Of note is her comment that:



“I believe Herman Cain is in this presidential race because he deflects the racism that is inherent in the Republican Party, the conservative movement, the tea party certainly, and the last 30 years, the Republican Party has been moving more and more the right, also race-baiting more, gay-baiting more, religion-baiting more.”

As someone who has been called an Uncle Tom myself, I am well aware of the vacuous nature of the charge. Even so, Garafalo has not validated her contention at all. Her recital of Democratic urban legends is preaching to the choir.


The fact remains that the media focused on two GOP contenders to the near exclusion of others for many weeks. Rick Perry had a fall from grace around the same time that Herman Cain had a good debate performance, and this led individuals to pay greater attention to Cain. The media did as well.


Herman Cain has a very compelling life story that cannot be diminished by tacky pizza jokes. Moreover, his views are for the most part staple GOP vote seekers.

I would contend that Herman Cain was underrated from the start. He is now only getting the attention that he deserves. From all indications he is reaping the rewards of greater attention. All the talk about GOP voters trying to mask racism is a classic case of moving the goalposts. On one hand it is assumed that the GOP are brazen racists who don't give a damn. Yet on the other hand, one is told that the GOP supports a black man, so as not to appear racist. Who in the world is the GOP trying to impress by doing the latter is beyond me.The accusation of racism is begging the question; it's assumed that the GOP are racist and every thing that seems to validate that assumption is trumped up. 

Many African Americans have beliefs that are clearly in line with the GOP. For instance, Christian faith, immigration, abortion, gay marriage and national defense. There is no categorical imperative for an African American to be a Democrat. To suggest that there is foolish. Garafalo would be hard pressed to say that Frederic Douglas and other black Republicans were anyone's puppets. To even suggest that someone the likes of Booker T. Washington suffered from Stockholm Syndrome is demeaning. In fact, such examples along with Herman Cain rubbishes the argument that blacks can't be affirmative Republicans.