Race card

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The touchy subject of

Race

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Key concepts
Racism and racists

The "race card" refers to an argumentative tactic in which someone tries exploit racism or anti-racism in order to advance a position.

One may "play the race card" in order to appeal to allies who share antipathy towards a particular group. This can often be done through the use of terms that have a dog whistle effect, allowing the person playing the card to bring race into the argument without directly expressing racist sentiments.

One may also "play the race card" by accusing an opponent of racism without reasonable justification in order to demonize them with ad hominem attacks--though it should be noted that since racial inequality is a foundational element of many social and political systems, assumptions about race and racism are often at play in political debates, even if they are not being clearly articulated at a given moment.

Contents

[edit] Among Democrats/liberals

In America some liberal politicians and pundits may try to play the race card against conservatives to dismiss them all as racist, even though most evidence points towards the majority of Republican voters not being racist, though some racists vote Republican.[1][2] The popularity of Birtherism among the right also gave off the preconception that most Republican voters are racist...which, considering the GOP's power in The South suggests that there may be a problem there.

[edit] Among Republicans/conservatives

See the main article on this topic: Psychological projection

Hilariously, many right-wing pundits and politicians are even quicker to play the race card when given the opportunity, despite constantly whining about liberals who do it. Cognitive dissonance much?

[edit] Playing the "race card" card

Sometimes actually racist comments being called out for being, well, racist, will be dismissed as the "PC crowd playing the race card where racism isn't an issue." For instance, when Sarah Palin said that Obama was "Shuckin and jivin," or when she gave shoutouts to Birthers, those who called out her comments for being racist were dismissed by some as being "PC libtards playing the race card where racism isn't an issue." The same applies to Birthers who, when called out for pushing a borderline racist conspiracy theory, may claim that they're having the race card played against them where racism supposedly isn't an issue. Ben Carson became Fox News' latest token conservative hero when he whined about "political correctness" at prayer session (with Obama present).

American patriots nationalists may also try to pass off something in American history that was clearly racist as not being racist, accusing historians who disagree with them of "playing the race card where there isn't any racism". Claiming Japanese Internment during World War II wasn't racist is a favorite among these folks, and people also tend to get up in arms if you call the Founding Fathers racist.

[edit] See also

[edit] Footnotes

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