I'm not a bigot, but.....

I’m not a bigot, you guys know the posts I’ve written about Asian stuff, but not long ago I was traveling to Hawaii, and the pilot was dressed in Japanese garb.  Well he wasn’t actually, and I don't even know if he was Japanese, but his eyes where, well…you know, and he looked like he might be Buddhist, or something.  Anyway,    If I see people who look Asian and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Asian, I get worried. I get nervous.

See, the Japanese – who are Asian - used airplanes to attack Pearl Harbor, so it’s not insensitive to be assume that a pilot with Asian eyes might be a Kamikaze, right?   If I could name a prominent Japanese American Republican in Congress, I’m sure they would agree.

I want to stress that I am not talking about all Asians when I criticize some and that America is not at war with Asia anymore. Blaming all Asian people for the actions of extremists is like blaming all Muslims for the actions of the 9/11 bombers.

Really, I’m not a bigot, but whenever I visit Washington DC, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in ‘British garb,’ I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as British, I get worried. I get nervous.

I mean for crying out loud, the British burned down The U.S. Capitol and The White House during the War of 1812.  It’s not unreasonable to assume that someone with an English accent and ‘British garb’ might want to do the same again.  I’m sure Margaret Thatcher would understand.

I want to stress that I am not talking about all British people when I criticize some and that America is not at war with England anymore. Blaming all British people for the actions of extremists is like blaming all Muslims for the actions of the 9/11 bombers and all Asians for the actions of Tojo.

So you see, I'm not a bigot, but I went to the bank yesterday to see about making some investments, and the guy looked like Bernie Madoff.  Well he didn't look exactly like Bernie, but he was wearing 'Jewish garb.'   If I see people who are in ‘Jewish garb’ and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Jews, I get worried. I get nervous.

I mean it’s not racist to recognize that the single largest crime perpetrated against investors in American history was committed by a Jewish person who served as a mentor and major contributor to Yeshiva University.  I’m just saying that it’s okay to be sensitive to these facts when banking.  Even Rupert Murdoch couldn’t claim this statement is racist, could he?

I want to stress that I am not talking about all Jews when I criticize some and that America is not at war with Judaism. Blaming all Jews for the actions of extremists is like blaming all Muslims for the actions of the 9/11 bombers, all British for the actions of King George’s armies, and all Asians for the actions of Tojo.

No, really I’m not a bigot.  But I live in Harlem, where the preponderance of crime is committed by African American males, so if I see a ‘Juan Williams type’ walking down the street, if I see a guy in ‘African American garb’ and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as African American people, I get worried. I get nervous.

That isn’t racist by any stretch. I’m sure Juan would agree - he’s from Bed-Sty where the crime stats are similar.

I want to stress that I am not talking about all African Americans when I criticize some and that America is not at war with African Americans. Blaming all Black people for the actions of criminals is like blaming all Muslims for the actions of the 9/11 bombers, all British for the actions of King George’s armies, all Asians for the actions of Tojo, and all Jews for the actions of Bernie Madoff.

I really, really mean it. I’m no bigot.  You guys know the posts I’ve written defending people’s rights.   But when I get go to Oklahoma, I got to tell you, if I see people who are driving trucks in ‘Christian garb’, like Timothy McVeigh was that fateful day, and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Christians, I get worried. I get nervous.

How can anyone think that statement is racist?  The greatest act of domestic terrorism in the United States was committed by  Tim McVeigh, a self avowed Caucasian Christian who drove a truck.  Certainly, Mike Huckabee would concur with this assessment.

And again, I want to stress that I am not talking about all Caucasian Christians who drive trucks when I criticize some and that America is not at war with truck driving Caucasian Christians. Blaming all Caucasian Christians people for the actions of extremists is like blaming all Muslims for the actions of the 9/11 bombers, all British for the actions of King George’s armies, all Asians for the actions of Tojo, all Jews for the actions of Bernie Madoff, and all Black people for the actions of the Juan Williams.


Where was I?  Oh, yeah…I’m not a bigot, but…..


(crossposted at Once Upon a Paradigm)

MSNY 102210