"Another academically challenged affirmative action parasite steals a place from a qualified White or Asian student." "Hopefully she gets cancer or AIDS or one of those colored diseases." "I wonder if she applied as a mudslime or a foreign student or just a n****r."
These racially charged aspersions are not from a bygone era. Last week, they were posted to a cable news network’s comments section when they reported Malia Obama’s acceptance to Harvard, her father’s alma mater. To their credit, they shut down the comments section.
Not much shocks me anymore. But as I read the comments – and these were typical – I found myself feeling an unbearable sadness, disgust, and rage.
The comments were not lodged at a political pro like President Obama himself. Rather it was an attack on a seventeen-year-old girl celebrating a milestone we all could be proud of. As if either makes a difference.
Such is the contradiction of racism. On one hand, minorities are criticized for not achieving -- and then when they do achieve, they are marginalized as undeserving.
Damned if they do; damned if they don’t.
You want to know the worst part? If Malia should talk openly about her real experiences, well, she’s just playing the race card.
Unfortunately, Malia was forced to serve as another example of what racism looks like and what many of us deal with on a daily basis, without the notoriety of the presidency behind us to document our experiences.
As they say, you are either a part of the problem or a part of the solution. If you’re tired of the so-called race card, then become part of the solution.
I am Joseph Flynn, and that is my perspective.
