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Tell the Washington Post: Disavow your editorial’s offensive, racist, and untrue rhetoric about interracial families

 

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Tell The Washington Post:

"Publishing a staff-written editorial suggesting that “People with conventional views must repress a gag reflex when considering the mayor-elect of New York — a white man married to a black woman and with two biracial children” is not only offensive and hurtful, it’s wrong given that 87% of Americans approve of interracial marriage. Publicly disavow the column and hold accountable the writer and editors responsible for its publication."

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It's shocking, hurtful and just plain wrong. The Washington Post just published an editorial by a senior staff writer suggesting people who hold conventional views gag when they see interracial families.

Richard Cohen is an opinion writer and longtime staffer whose views are published every Tuesday in the Washington Post editorial pages. In a column published this week,¹ he wrote:

People with conventional views must repress a gag reflex when considering the mayor-elect of New York — a white man married to a black woman and with two biracial children.

Tell the Washington Post: Publicly apologize for suggesting that interracial marriage makes normal people want to throw up, and discipline the writer and editors responsible.

The editorial is not only offensive, hurtful, and racist, but it's wrong, given that recent polling shows 87% of Americans approve of interracial marriage.²

The purpose of Cohen's editorial was to describe a schism between moderate and conservative Republican primary voters. But in the course of his argument he chose to include – and his editor approved – the word “conventional,” which according to Merriam Webster means "used and accepted by most people: usual or traditional."

It's language that legitimizes and indeed makes normative the fringe and racist view that interracial marriages and mixed-race families are so disgusting and beyond the pale that their very appearance induces average Americans to vomit. This is unacceptable.

At CREDO we believe in free speech. But a paper must take responsibility for the views it publishes. A publisher like the Washington Post has the ability to influence the national dialogue and it must not use its powerful platform to promote fringe and racist theories as conventional views or as fact-based. Not only was this opinion piece written by a Washington Post staffer, but it was vetted and approved by his editors. The paper must address its endorsement of Cohen's clearly offensive and untrue argument.

This is not the first time Cohen has been exposed for his racially insensitive statements. After Trayvon Martin was gunned down by George Zimmerman, Cohen described the victim as a "young man understandably suspected because he was black."³ His track record on women and gays is also shaky.⁴ He referred in print to the Steubenville rape case as a “so-called” rape and has called the behavior of gay men “disgusting.” And in the current column, he marginalizes the New York mayor-elect's wife not only for being an African American woman married to a white man, but for having had relationships with women in the past.

The photos of the radiant de Blasio family on election night were inspiring.⁵ It's a gut punch to have Richard Cohen and the Washington Post suggest that Americans with “conventional views” would find them nauseating.

1. “Christie’s tea-party problem,” Richard Cohen, Washington Post, November 12, 2013.
2. “In U.S., 87% Approve of Black-White Marriage, vs. 4% in 1958,” Frank Newport, Gallup Politics, July 25, 2013.
3. ”Racism vs. reality,” Richard Cohen, Washington Post, July 16, 2013.
4. “Richard Cohen’s Extensive History Of Racism, Sexism And Homophobia," Zack Beauchamp, Think Progress, November 12, 2013.
5. “PHOTOS: De Blasio Family Celebrates New York City Mayoral Victory ,” Catherine Thompson, Talking Points Memo, November 6, 2013.

That's as bad as Diane Sawyer calling them the new modern family.
These people do their best to control and create public opinion, the public eats it up.

If there were no racist intent why would it matter?
The man either has a family or not, it's either a good relationship or it is not.
Why bring it up in the first place.

Copies of the Washington Post would make for a really nice bon fire, maybe that would make a better statement than a petition.

Most racists don't even  know they are racists, Moons. If no racial intent, why indeed would it matter? 

Most people don't know what they are, until someone else tells them.
I don't know why I've never had this problem but I'd rather decide for myself than subscribe to the mob mentality.
Things like race have never mattered to me, nor do I lump people into groups, except when they run in a mob.
The individual is the only thing that really matters in the end.

I like the bon fire thing, reminds me of burning draft cards....I even remember seeing women burn bras........LOL
Nothing like a good fire to set things right.

Human nature.  Most people will attack what is different from themselves. My first memory of this was from my kindergarten class.  We had one Chinese kid, kind of slight.  He was picked on the very first day.  These were five year olds, hardly enough life experience to be jaded. I got in a lot of trouble for that kid, as leaving my chair and pounding on the aggressors without explanation to anyone became a regular occurrence. 

 

Ha,ha,haaaa....only you Moons would have a really good point in a well worded statement and end it with burning bras....

Moons is his own person and I'm glad .

I was not a bully, I was bullied. I was the smallest kid in every class and paid the price. It is tragic; if it's never happened to you you cannot fathom what is does to a kid. Consequently,  had either of my kids ever bullied another kid, hard telling what I'd have done to them, but it wouldn't have been just a slap on the wrist. Never use the "n" word and never make fun of anyone who is is "different" in any way. Race doesn't matter, it's the person. My last day in church was the day that a racial mixed couple was denied membership.

We all are responsible for our own actions. This country MUST get over the racial prejudice, it is eating us alive.

racism is something to "get over"???

that is being a racist without knowing it.

Kids will always pick on someone, always have, it goes back to the parents, and it goes back to the schools.
But still the lesson should include strength because even as adults there will be times, and unless you've learned to be strong your still that child.
Instead of learning strength our children and many adults want someone to hold their hand, want a support group to join, thinking that is an answer.
It is not.

Strength comes from character, something that cannot be taught except by example, we set the example.
It's that simple.

I still like the fire approach, anytime you want to make a point, fire makes a powerful statement.
A flag, a monk, a cross, a book, a riot, even a bra..... if you choose.


Glad you liked that LadyFrost, it just popped into my head.