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Vox Senior Politics Reporter Jane Coaston joins the Remnant for a discussion of racism, conservatism, liberalism, and America.
Shownotes
- Sign up for the G-File at Reagan35X.com
- The G-File on “Racism and the Right”
- “A question for conservatives: what if the left was right about race?” – Jane Coaston
- “What if there really is no such thing as Trumpism?” – Jane Coaston
- “You know…morons.”
- Pat Buchanan’s 1992 RNC speech
- The problems with Democracy in Chains
- Chris Rock on America “producing better white people”
- The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- The Tim Alberta episode
- Peter Viereck
- Bryan Caplan episode
- Yoram Hazony episode
- Orwell on a man taking a drink because he thinks himself a failure…
For all our podcasts in one place, subscribe to the Ricochet Audio Network Superfeed in Apple Podcasts or by RSS feed.
This was a worthwhile effort as a demonstration of mutual civility, but otherwise frustrating. First, in my world, and I think in most people’s worlds, racism is a very bad thing. It is a terrible thing to call someone, and, when Progressives and Democrats use it of Conservatives or Republicans, they use it in that very bad sense. But when they discuss it in person, all of a sudden it dissolves into these shades of grey, so that everyone is some sort of racist and we all just need to evolve and get better. So the term is becoming just another synonym for disapproval, somewhere between “Now, now now, you need to pay attention to what you say”, and “You are an evil evil person!” The relevant meaning is entirely dependent on the rhetorical needs of the speaker, so the term itself is meaningless except as a bludgeon.
That having been said, the conventional wisdom is that the Republicans benefited when the Democratic south turned Republican, and some of that support was bound to be racist. Power is power and votes are votes, so we didn’t say much. Now there is a price to be paid. That doesn’t mean Republicans or Conservatives are racist, but maybe we need to take our medicine like big boys and girls. It is a great irony that political mercenaries assume that the accusations of Republican Racism are true and try to play to it, i.e., campaigning for Republican votes with Democratic propaganda.
Get back to me when the Democrats have cleaned their own house. They have a lot more to make up for, such as Al Gore Sr, J. William Fulbright, and so much more. Maybe they’re hoping that eventually all their dirty laundry will just be buried by time – in cemeteries. But they keep coming up with fresh crops of Ralph Northams, etc.
But even if you’re conversing calmly with an idiot, it’s still pointless.
No, we need to clean our own house regardless.
We already do, on a case by case basis. The other side promotes their biggest problems to higher positions.
You know, that’s exactly what liberals say when they deplatform conservatives for “radical” views (i.e. not being liberal).
Fine. How would you describe trying to explain to AOC that her Green New Deal is nonsense?
I listened to a bit during my lunch break and haven’t finished it yet. One line, so far, jumped out. When discussing Trump’s tweets about Elijah Cummings, Jonah said, “I find it impossible to defend Trump’s racist tweets.” How about by not buying into the notion that they’re racist?
But not buying into the notion that Trump’s tweets are racist, indeed that Trump himself is racist… is racist.
That would have been a good thing to nail down at the beginning. I got that feeling too.
But if she – or any other lefty – gives a definition, then it’s much harder to change it later if they want to.
I believe the definition is “anything that will get non-leftists to stop talking should be called racism”
No one wanted you to dunk on her or “own” her, but at least reject some of the garbage.
But, collegiality.
“Silence implies consent.”
It’s kind of bizarre how so many Ricochet pod-casters engage on twitter, but don’t really bother to engage with their paying audience at all on Ricochet.
I was excited to listen to this podcast. Good on Jonah for engaging. Coaston owes me an hour back. I did not learn anything nor were her points persuasive.
Terrible discussion, complete waste of time.
Hey Jonah, if you’re going to have an hour long discussion about whether Republicans and Trump are racist, maybe it’d be a good idea to take the first five minutes and define your terms. I still don’t have the slightest idea what this woman’s definition of “racist” is.
In the middle of the podcast when asked to provide specifics, the only the the guest brought up was the opposition to removing statues of confederate generals. If that’s the worst racism problem in America, then racism is over and there’s no point even talking about it anymore. Furthermore, there are many principled reasons for leaving those statues up besides a longing for the days when “them darkies knew their place”.
Indeed, it would be the Democrats longing for the days when “them darkies knew their place”. That place would be, voting for Democrats, and not asking questions. i.e., not “getting uppity.”
I’ve thought a lot about the simplistic way liberals think about race. They have created this cartoonish dichotomy between ‘white people vs people of color.’ But I have amassed a few anecdotes showing this perceived solidarity among POC is imaginary.
1. Probably around 10 years ago my car broke down and I had to call a tow truck. Since the car repair shop was near my house the Hispanic gentleman also gave me a ride home after dropping off my car. During the course of our ride this gentleman made it a point to say he was Puerto Rican (with no prompting from me). A little later he repeated that he was Puerto Rican and then told me, “I’m not Mexican, I work.” He was a nice man.
2. I knew a young lesbian woman in the Army (well, her lesbianism seemed to be situational as she later had intercourse with men, but I digress). She proudly proclaimed she was half Native American and half Puerto Rican, she then inexplicably proudly proclaimed that if she was with her Native American side of the family (the family seemed ethnically segregated for some reason) and mentioned her Puerto Rican heritage, her Native American family would ‘beat her ass.’ She also said this was the case if she was with her Puerto Rican side of the family (and mentioned her Native American ancestry). She was a nice woman.
3. Also in the Army I met this South Korean man, who was born in South Korea and was getting his U.S. citizenship by serving our country. He was a colorful fellow. He believed the Korean Peninsula would be one Korean government but had few logistical particulars how this would happen. He also had a very low opinion of Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese people (despite working along side a fine gentleman whose parents were born in Vietnam). He was a nice man.
My point is Jane Coaston will never delve into these stories of racial and ethnic stereotypes and disharmony because it brings a complexity to race and ethnicity that will destroy her narrative.
And my final line on these rather amusing anecdotes is genuine. They are all good people despite holding interesting opinions about other races and ethnicities.
People are more complex than Jane Coaston makes them out to be.