Friday, September 16, 2005

Quick rule

From The Times-Union via The News Blog:

The undershirt the white student wore had a confederate flag on the front with the words "Keep it flying." On the back, a cartoon depicted a group of hooded Klansmen standing outside a church, waving to two others who had just pulled away in a car reading "Just married."

Two black men in nooses were being dragged behind.

................

"I'm not racist or anything," he said.


"I'm a redneck," he said. "But no, I'm not racist."


Here's the quick rule: Just about anytime somebody says something like "I'm not a racist, but..." it really means "I am a racist, and..." It's not always as clear-cut as this, but it's true at least 99 percent of the time.

Dig the disconnection inherent in that statement, though. To wear a shirt like that, and say one or two of the things he's quoted as saying in the longer article, and then say you're not a racist. Wow...I've heard of the power of good self-image, but this is just...wow.

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