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The Spectacle Blog

Juan Williams Breaks the Racial Code

By W. James Antle, III on 1.31.12 @ 1:58PM

Juan Williams has been a victim of political correctness himself, but that apparently doesn't stop him from wanting to victimize others. Perhaps sensing that the fifteen minutes of fame stemming from his testy exchange with Newt Gingrich were almost up, Williams came out with a column that comes close to equating conservatism with racial code words.

Some of the code Williams cracks is patently absurd. Wanting the federal government to adhere to the Constitution is a racist dog whistle. So is criticizing the growth of federal entitlements.

The language of GOP racial politics is heavy on euphemisms that allow the speaker to deny any responsibility for the racial content of his message. The code words in this game are "entitlement society" - as used by Mitt Romney - and "poor work ethic" and "food stamp president" - as used by Newt Gingrich. References to a lack of respect for the "Founding Fathers" and the "Constitution" also make certain ears perk up by demonizing anyone supposedly threatening core "old-fashioned American values."

Obviously, any talk of immigration is racist (even though the people most hurt by economic competition from low-skilled immigrants are themselves disproportionately black and Hispanic): "The code also extends to attacks on legal immigrants, always carefully lumped in with illegal immigrants, as people seeking 'amnesty' and taking jobs from Americans."

The above statement isn't even true. The Republican candidates have tripped all over themselves to emphasize their support for legal immigration. And amnesty for legal immigrants makes no sense.

Nothing apparently is more of a racial code word than standing up for yourself when a liberal smears you as a racist. Here Williams relives the glory of his confrontation with Gingrich (which probably helped the former House speaker win his first primary):

Gingrich did not answer my question but rather threw red meat to Republicans in South Carolina, a state with a long history of racial politics.

He used the same rhetorical technique of the segregationist politicians of the past: rejecting the premise of the question, attacking the media and playing to the American people's resentment of liberal elites, minorities and poor people.

This is disgusting. Newt Gingrich is many things, but he's not a segregationist. He supported the civil rights movment in the 1960s. He has been a staunch supporter of GOP minority outreach. If anything, Gingrich has erred in the opposite direction by being afraid to take positions on affirmative action and immigration that would offend Juan Williams.

South Carolina, incidentally, is a state that recently elected a woman of Indian descent to the governorship and chose a black man for Congress over Strom Thurmond's son. Both candidates enjoyed the support of Tea Party conservatives.

There is genuine racism and race-bating in American politics, and Williams does supply legitimate examples. But rejecting the premise of a debate moderator's question is hardly a defense of racial segregation and it should be beneath any commentator to argue that it is. Williams is defining racist in such a way as to include anyone winning an argument with a liberal.

View all comments (43) | Leave a comment

Clint| 1.31.12 @ 2:29PM

Juan's Special Code Breaker Woids:

Dark Horse Candidate.

White Wash.

White House.

Black Ball.

Brown Out.

Black Out.

White Sale.

Brown Noser.

Black Shoes.

Black Cat.

White Hair.

David Christensen| 1.31.12 @ 4:46PM

Black Friday, Oreo Cookie, Chocolate sprinkles, Black Forest

Occam's Tool| 1.31.12 @ 7:41PM

James: The word you are looking for is "preclude," not "include."

You would think Mr. Williams would be sensitive to this type of smear. But millions of dollars does help one not worry about same.

albert constantine jr| 1.31.12 @ 7:46PM

I'm also thinking that its race-baiting, not bating, but I'm not sure.

BTW, after Trinacria's "I drink, therefore I am" and your Heidegger lyric reference yesterday, the theme song of the Philosophy Department of the University of Wollamaloo is stuck in my head.

RJ| 1.31.12 @ 2:57PM

I am surprised that Juan Williams would engage in this type of commentary. He should be much better at spotting real racists from imaginary ones. Unfortunately it feeds the liberal tactic of claiming any one who doesn't agree with you is a racist, sexist, etc. Hardly the line of argument one would expect from an adult. It shows that the left's ideology is intellectually and morally bankrupt.

spike59| 2.2.12 @ 6:27AM

io'm not surprised... the common perception of Juan Williams' intellect benefits MIGHTILY from affirmative action-in reality, he's got a SLIGHTLY above average mind

Bob K.| 1.31.12 @ 3:16PM

Williams is a "True Believer." He can't change. He is saying penance for his previous sins against PBS hoping that he will be forgiven.

Some people see their mistakes and leave; or in more instances, like Reagan, they see that the Party they once belonged to has lost it's moorings and ethical compass and they leave it.

True believers need their crutches and the approval of their crowd to feel alive and important.

Ed| 1.31.12 @ 4:08PM

Why be surprised. Liberals slapped him in the face and kicked him in the ass-Like an abused wife, he must have given them reason to with his uppity behavior. All the more reason not to trust a liberal.

SCPOret| 1.31.12 @ 4:10PM

I like Juan Williams, but I wish he had paid attention during the fight for civil rights in America. Which party was the party of "Bull" Connor, Which Party blocked civil rights, What party did the govenor of Arkansas belong to when the National Guard had to be called out to integrate the schools. Which party had a prominent member who was a recruiter for the KKK. Which party today keeps blacks in poverty by not making an attempt to teach them how to earn a living so they can get off the dole?
Until Juan Williams can answer those truthfully then he is nothing but a shill for the democrats.

Tom| 2.1.12 @ 7:33AM

And after 1965 Civil Rights Act all those Democrats switched to the Republican party, feeling the Dems betrayed them and that the Republicans, after the disaster of 1964, would welcome them with open arms, which they did. Today's southern Republicans are the descendants of those racist Democrats.

ODIrony| 2.2.12 @ 7:17AM

RE "descendants of those racist Democrats"...

While everyone undoubtedly shares some genetic relation to their ancestors, I'm pretty confident the "racist" gene is not among them. Fact is, some of the most racist people I ever met where in Boston. This doesn't mean there aren't racists in South Carolina (where I now must dwell), but it by no means indicates that the state is filled with them. The history of a state or region's racism is to a great extent irrelevant to whether or what percentage of its current population holds to some political belief or cultural notion.

Remember Mr Obama's throw away comment that some couldn't imagine him as president because he didn't look like the presidents on American money? What was that if not a direct reference to race? What purpose could it have possibly had at the time? Only to brand those who did not favor his candidacy as disagreeing only for racist reasons. Race baiting (correct spelling), indeed. Mr Williams has done no more than reveal his own racial sensitivity and thin-skinnedness.

Ed| 1.31.12 @ 4:11PM

And the next time some Dem hack like Williams gets drilled by his own, let him fight his own battles. Why provide help for a snake after it has bit you?

Al Adab| 1.31.12 @ 4:33PM

Revisionist analyists from the left will even maintain that the Goldawater campaign was race based, as though limited government and the social welfare state had nothing to do with it. Why is it that RACE is used most often by those who decry racism? Are not those who view every issue through the prism of race themselves the racists?

David Christensen| 1.31.12 @ 4:47PM

The term racism has no meaning any longer.

albert constantine jr| 1.31.12 @ 5:00PM

That is largely correct. Like the youth who cried wolf, the word has lost its ability to generate alarm.

Having been bitten by the NPR wolf himself, one would like to think that Juan would know better. As RWR used to paraphrase, though, like many other liberals and moderates, perhaps Juan is trying to feed the beast conservatives, hoping that it will eat him last.

ncatty| 1.31.12 @ 5:00PM

I agree. There are no meaningful distinctions among human beings of different so-called races. There are, however, cultural distinctions. Compare Haiti and Denmark. Are they different because of race or culture? Can we have an honest discussion about culture?

Al Adab| 1.31.12 @ 5:22PM

Read Thomas Sowell, Race and Cultures.

Trinacria| 1.31.12 @ 6:09PM

My dear friend,

Comparing Haiti to Denmark hardly proves the point that there are no meaningful differences between races.

You appeal for an honest discussion about culture, but your argument is hardly intellectually honest. Indeed, from a genetic and biological perspective, there are well documented differences between races; these range from obvious differences like pigmentation to subtle differences in gene expression and susceptibility to certain diseases. In light of these clear biologic differences, it seems, well - let's be charitable and call it less than intellectually honest - to assume a priori that there are no "differences" between races in other areas. Perhaps the question should be, "can we have an honest discussion about race?"

W| 1.31.12 @ 6:30PM

Haiti is the worst example one could pick. It has been an independent country since its rebellion against France two hundred years ago. The economy is in shambles, and was probably better 200 years ago. It is a total basket case, and its major export was Aids.

Occam's Tool| 1.31.12 @ 7:45PM

Folks: allow me to answer this. My daughter, a pure blooded Mayan Indian, thinks like a Jewish American Princess, albeit a politically Conserbative one. As she has been trained by her daddy.

How does it go? "All men are pretty much the same. He does best who is trained in the hardest school."

With the exception of diseases of various types (Tay-Sachs, sickle-cell, etc.), men are all the same. Cultures differ. But my son thinks Conservative with Jewish undertones as well, and he is a Mestizo from Guatemala.

ayrnieu| 1.31.12 @ 5:40PM

"If anything, Gingrich has erred in the opposite direction by being afraid to take positions on affirmative action and immigration that would offend Juan Williams."

And he's still getting called a racist? ... well then, he should have tried even harder to appease the professionally offended.

Trinacria| 1.31.12 @ 5:54PM

This is neither surprising nor difficult to understand. Any psych 101 student can tell you that when one views oneself as inferior, one's entire world view is colored (not a code word) by this negative self image. Assuming this image is representative of the views held by others, one looks for confirmation from every possible source, including words and phrases that most would view as innocent and lacking in any underlying malicious intent.

Juan Williams is no different. He knows (deep inside) he's not as bright as most of his colleagues; he knows that he can't truly compete in the arena of intellectual ideas (disagree? name a single original idea or profound insight offered by Mr. Williams and then consider the daily insights of someone like Dr. Krauthammer); he knows that he doesn't really belong on the same stage, and he looks for signs that others believe the same thing in everything they say. Simple as that, really.

W| 1.31.12 @ 6:08PM

Williams is the affirmative action guest for O'Reilly and Hannity. He always says the same simple points, with no analysis, and the hosts act like he said something intelligent.

Trinacria| 1.31.12 @ 6:12PM

"He always says the same simple points, with no analysis, and the hosts act like he said something intelligent."

That's absolutely correct. They have to; otherwise they'd be racist (for according to Mr. Williams, disagreement with the viewpoint of a minority constitutes racism).

john farrr| 1.31.12 @ 6:43PM

The left are the true racist with quotas, plantation mentality, and racial pay-back. Juan Williams and Geraldo Rivera are two agenda driven racialist. Whatever happened to equal right under the law. Look at the Holder DOJ. EEO feeding frenzy.

Occam's Tool| 1.31.12 @ 7:50PM

You know, I worked and am friends with the 1st Black Graduate of University of Southern Alabama's School of Medicine. I'm also friends with his cousin, also an MD. I also worked with plenty of Black Medical students at UTMB.

All were/are superb. It is a shame that they got tainted by the "Affirmative Action" rap, because all were and are superb MDs. And two of them got their training when it was VERY hard for Blacks to get in Med School.

And then you have turdlings like Juan Williams. Of couse, he's a journalist, which is a step above child molester and a step below attorney and 5 steps below human, regardless of skin color. And I include Robert Novak in that description, and Joe Sobran.

I don't know any brilliant journalists. Not one.

Bill| 1.31.12 @ 8:29PM

Juan Williams is a "RACIST BIGOT LIBERAL JUNKIES."

carol| 1.31.12 @ 9:31PM

A liberal on MSNBC today called the counties in the Florida panhandle the " CRACKER COUNTIES". But that can't be racist because they are talking about white people.

Doug Piranha| 1.31.12 @ 9:36PM

Why is it only liberals have the conservative racial code book? I have been looking for a copy of it for years and can't find one. I even sent five box tops to Secret Codes R Us last year and it STILL hasn't arrived. (Sigh,)

L. Ross| 2.1.12 @ 7:23AM

That's because you sent in the boxtops from "Frosted Sugar Smacks" (Whitey cereal) instead of boxtops from "Count Chocula" (Black Cereal).

Wade Butler| 1.31.12 @ 11:15PM

Williams is trying to get back into liberal graces after spending some time off the plantation writing a book liberals wouldn't buy. He's now being punished (sneers at leftist cocktail parties, no invites to leftist gatherings,etc.). It's time to get back in their good graces and start spouting the leftist line.

Bob S| 1.31.12 @ 11:17PM

There's no doubt Williams got burned by the Newt and he's trying to make the best of it.

Likewise as mentioned generally speaking "racist/sexist/homophobe/anti-semite" are all dogwhistles to alert us to the fact that a liberal progressive is losing an argument with a conservative - not your garden variety knee jerk talk radio neo con, but a genuine constitutionalist.

Neither did Williams mention the real racist is the incumbent.

If Jer. Wright and Black Liberation Theology deny the classic Christian doctrine of original sin, they are necessarily drinking the kool aid when it comes to the perfectability of man ala the Enlightenment.

In this case, the black man, if the white man would just get out of his way. So JW's explanation for why things is the way they is.

Unfortunately the 20th century also tells us about previous regimes that believed in the Enlightenment doctrine of the perfectability of man - such as the Bolsheviks, the Nazis and the Red Chinese.

Needless to say, not good company.
Everything is seen as having a political solution which necessarily leads to more big govt. to bring in the new secular utopia.

IOW man does not live by bread alone, but by politics.

That race has now been thrown in the smear mix to further shield the totalitarians from any criticism does not bode well for those who disagree with the perfectability of man and the ensuing growth of big govt. to ensure that imperfect men, racist or no, do just that. Perfect themselves.

Ken Puck| 1.31.12 @ 11:42PM

Juan Williams is drifting into race baiting himself.

Patrick| 2.1.12 @ 12:19AM

Juan Williams is intellectually lazy.
Find your code words in there Waldo.

Ruth Kiser-Harris| 2.1.12 @ 2:09AM

My husband, a WWII vet, regularly uses racial code words. He must be racist toward our grandchildren and young people we have tried to help. He lectures them on "lack of work ethic“; the fact that "food stamps" aren’t free, someone else pays for them; that they aren’t entitled to be given things just because they want them, if they aren’t willing to work for them; and why would they even want a way of life where this is the norm. The “Constitution”, the founding fathers, and the Bill of Rights are spoken of in our home frequently.
I believe that "ALL men are created equal" and are guaranteed life, liberty, and the "pursuit" of happiness. The “Constitution”, which Juan Williams in a back-handed way disparages, is the only document in the world that states these “guarantees” for everyone. They have been sealed in the blood of many. The only country in the world that ever claimed to hold these truths to be self-evident is the United States of America, as a nation under God.
I believe the created equal part, which means I’m aware and acknowledge that people of every color get food stamps, are on welfare, and receive other social benefits, with the greater majority being white. Juan Williams pretends not to know this.
When a person is given what they want without any kind of responsibility, and this is continually accepted and expected as a right, not as a helping hand, that person becomes one of the masses, never aspiring to the dream that is a seed within them.
The "pursuit" of happiness is stopped in its tracks when we sit back on our butts and only pursue narcissistic things. No one is truly happy being a lazy good-for-nothing.
God help our Nation.
Ruth Kiser-Harris

DB| 2.1.12 @ 2:18AM

An older white woman in South Carolina thanked Newt Gingrich for "putting Mr. Juan Williams in his place". Newt thanked her for the compliment.

A white southern woman from a slave state, old enough to have lived under Jim Crow laws, rejoicing at a black man being put "in his place". But clearly there are no racial implications here, right?

L. Ross| 2.1.12 @ 7:27AM

So if you put a journalist in his place for asking a gotcha question, you are a racist? If you resent journalists asking gotcha questions, you are a racist? You must have gotten the code book that Doug Piranah couldn't find!

INTJ| 2.1.12 @ 11:18AM

It's certainly possible, yes, but without knowing anything about the woman in question, what she meant by putting someone in their "place," or whether she's ever used that phrase in other contexts, presuming the worst of her is a horrible idea. As is presuming the worst of a candidate who politely thanked an elderly voter for her opinion. I'm sure glad our legal system doesn't work like that.

INTJ| 2.1.12 @ 11:12AM

The problem with identifying "dog-whistle" politics like this is the one people always seem to forget: only dogs can hear the whistle.

Joseph Dooley| 2.1.12 @ 12:43PM

I would add that blacks vote over 90% for the Democratic Party for a reason: they buy the Democrats’ infantilizing patronage.

JmsA| 2.1.12 @ 6:47PM

I used to tune in Sunday morning just to watch Brit Hume say, "Just a minute" before proceeding to smack down Mr. Williams after one of his frequently nonsensical assertions. It got to be sort of a tradition for me. All things considered, though, Mr. Williams is usually, no matter how little sense he might make, much less obnoxious than most of the other, unhinged leftists.