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Just When You Thought You?d Heard It All ...

... regarding America?s racist white voters and how they?ll never elect a black president, here comes Penn Prof. John L. Jackson, Jr., the Chronicle of Higher Education?s anthroblogogist (as an anthropologist he ?spends a lot of time, ?he modestly tells us, ?listening to people talk about their hopes and dreams, their complicated pasts, and uncharted futures?) to report that the increasing likelihood Obama will be elected is making some blacks ?more ? not less ? cynical about how race operates in contemporary America.?

Really. I promise, I?m not making this up. Jackson continues:

Some black folks are describing the potential inauguration of this country?s first black president (no offense, Bill) as the epitome of America?s traditional version of racial prejudice and scapegoating, not its ultimate repudiation. In other words, they see it as another reason to be skeptical of America?s newfound capacity to elect a person of color to the highest office in the land

His, or ?some black folks?,? argument, comes down to this:

As people follow roller-coastering stock prices and feeble attempts at an adequate governmental response, it seems ironic, at least to some, that America appears most likely to pass the executive baton to its first black presidential candidate just as the country teeters on the edge of economic collapse, which (the argument goes) will allow many Americans to blame ?the black guy? for all of it, especially if things continue to get worse in 2009. ?See what happens when you give a black person a country to run. They turn it into a version of Africa and its failed states.?

So, America is racist if it fails to elect Obama ... and racist if it does.

You?ll have to read Jackson?s article to decide for yourself whether Jackson is nuts, the ?some black folks? to whom he attentively listens are nuts, or both. In his defense (and in defense of the Chronicle?s otherwise odd decision to award him a regular platform), I suppose it could be said that the views he expresses tarnish the reputation of anthropological insight only marginally more than those expressed in his other columns that we?ve encountered here, here, here, and here.

Full post as published by Discriminations on October 10, 2008 (boomark / email).