(Akiit.com) This has been a bad week for civility in the Democratic Party. So far, only one candidate seems to be learning the lesson. That’s not a good thing either.
Epithets about women should have no place in our political discourse. Neither should racial stereotypes.
I was shocked yesterday to hear Paul Song use the word “whores” in a speech at a Bernie Sanders rally. Senator Sanders denounced the comment immediately. Mr. Song apologized soon after.
I was similarly surprised Monday to see footage of Hillary Clinton herself performing in a skit that centered around the phr
ase “CP Time,” short for “Colored People Time.” It refers to the stereotype that Black people are lazy, slow, and always late.
When a Black professional is late to a meeting, it is not uncommon to overhear a white colleague cite that stereotype. In doing so, we are reduced to a caricature. In such incidents, all of the valid reasons a Black colleague might be late are dismissed without even a question. Moreover, discrimination is compounded when the delay was caused by bias. In NYC, for example, Black professionals are still routinely denied rides by taxis.
It has been almost a week, and Secretary Clinton has neither denounced the skit nor apologized for her participation in it. Moreover, even though the script was vetted in advance, no one in her campaign has been publicly disciplined for approving it.
Bernie Sanders was right to condemn Paul Song’s use of sexist language. It was vile.
Hillary Clinton is wrong to stay silent about her participation in a comedic skit based on an old racial stereotype.
It takes men of all colors to end sexism. It takes White people of all genders to end racism. Bernie Sanders knows this. Hillary Clinton needs to be crystal clear with voters that she gets it, too.
As a Sanders supporter, you might think I would be happy that the other candidate is risking offending voters right now. Far from it.
If we Democrats are going to win in November, we are going to need to unite across lines of race and gender. Lingering slights based on race or gender undermine us all.
Columnist; Ben Jealous
Official website; http://twitter.com/BenJealous