Everyone who knows me knows that I spend an inordinate amount of time on Twitter. Yes, I have cut back considerably, but it is my primary social media platform and it is tons of fun so I still like to play around on the app. But sometimes, my Twitter exchanges reveal certain realities that might be helpful to other conservative types – especially when it comes to debates over the issues of the day.
Let’s take racism and the “N-word” for example.
As you know, comedian Joe Rogan is the subject of controversy once again. This time, they are trying to cancel him for having on guests who dispute the Democrat-approved narrative regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines. Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and other musicians have pulled their music from Spotify in an effort to pressure the company into dropping Rogan’s podcast.
But instead of refuting the comments made by Rogan’s guests, at least some of these individuals have resorted to their usual mode of operation: Calling him racist.
On Monday, Nikole Hannah-Jones, founder of the 1619 Project, did her usual schtick and claimed Rogan peddled “racist tropes” because of course she did. She tweeted:
Does working class, like ever, include people who aren’t white? Do these conversations always have to be so sophomoric? Rogan dabbles in racist tropes and y’all are fine with that because apparently the opposite of woke is racist?
Does working class, like ever, include people who aren’t white? Do these conversations always have to be so sophomoric? Rogan dabbles in racist tropes and y’all are fine with that because apparently the opposite of woke is racist? https://t.co/aFKWP9loJk
— Ida Bae Wells (@nhannahjones) January 31, 2022
Of course, me being who I am, I posted a tweet wondering why the left hasn’t figured out how to get more creative with their dishonest smears:
Can’t progressives come up with more creative ways to dishonestly smear their opposition?
Hasn’t calling everyone racist gotten stale yet?
Can't progressives come up with more creative ways to dishonestly smear their opposition?
Hasn't calling everyone racist gotten stale yet? https://t.co/oFgOpNC5wc
— Jeff Charles (@JeffOnTheRight) February 1, 2022
A couple of users took issue with my tweet. One of them posted a video of Rogan using the N-word on numerous occasions, claiming this is proof that the podcaster probably spends his weekends burning crosses:
Perfectly reasonable for anyone to think he’s racist, stop gaslighting
Perfectly reasonable for anyone to think he's racist, stop gaslighting https://t.co/K9Wfbv6A0n
— 🌹Not A Very Nice Guy 🏁 (@bryarcrose) February 1, 2022
Another user chimed in as well.
Good lord, @JeffOnTheRight
Would it kill you to do an ounce of research to WHY would call him that
As opposed to just blindly going with what the media tells you lol
— Barry Younger (@KPaddy19) February 1, 2022
If you listen to the clip, you can tell Rogan is only using the slur when he is quoting someone else. He does not actually call anyone the word. Those on the far-left argue that anytime a non-black person uses the N-word, regardless of context, they are racists. These people want to encourage black folks to be so hypersensitive that they can’t even stomach hearing the word even if it is not being used in a derogatory manner.
But, as is typical with these types, there is a serious problem with their argument. The problem is that they don’t really believe what they say. They don’t actually care whether whites use the word or not, as I proceeded to prove in my response. I responded with a clip of President Joe Biden when he was a senator repeating the N-word over and over again. Of course, he was not using the word in a derogatory manner – he was simply quoting someone else just as Rogan was.
Here’s my tweet:
Uh huh.
Let’s see if you mean what you say.
What do you think of this?
Uh huh.
Let's see if you mean what you say.
What do you think of this?https://t.co/6wtf4aEuDz
— Jeff Charles (@JeffOnTheRight) February 1, 2022
One of the users responded by acknowledging Biden is an a**hole. But he stopped short of calling him a racist:
He’s an asshole too?
I mean I’ve pretty much always thought he was an asshole lol
He’s an asshole too?
I mean I’ve pretty much always thought he was an asshole lol
— Barry Younger (@KPaddy19) February 1, 2022
The other deflected, pointing out that folks on the right call Biden a racist so they are not “reaosmabl” to say the same about Rogan:
Don’t people call Joe Biden racist all the time? So logically that would mean it’s reaosmabl to think Joe Rogan is racist for doing the same thing… Right?
Don't people call Joe Biden racist all the time? So logically that would mean it's reaosmabl to think Joe Rogan is racist for doing the same thing… Right?
— 🌹Not A Very Nice Guy 🏁 (@bryarcrose) February 1, 2022
I asked both of these individuals if they believed Biden was racist for using the N-word. As of this writing, I have received nothing but a chorus of crickets in response.
I knew this is what would happen. Why? Because I do this all the time on Twitter and I’ve seen that many – if not most – progressive types don’t actually care about racism. They don’t actually care about non-black folks saying the N-word.
The way to see if someone honestly holds a belief or a principle is to look at how they apply it when it involves someone who is on their “side.” If they only hold people who don’t agree with them to certain standards while constantly giving folks on their “team” a pass for the same behavior, then they don’t really believe what they say they believe.
Here’s the bottom line: These folks don’t care if white people use the N-word. They care if a white person they don’t like uses the N-word. Their principles only apply when it benefits them politically. It really is that cut and dried.
But let’s apply this to the broader world of politics. When you look at politicians, media figures, and other members of the chattering class, one can see this tendency played out almost every single day, and it is not exclusive to the left.
The fact that political discourse has become so fraught with anger and vitriol compounds the problem and creates what I call a “team sports mentality” which causes people not to apply their principles and standards consistently. Indeed, it is a tendency that is only deepening the divide and causing more hostility. The rift will never be healed until there are more people on both sides of the political divide who are willing to call out folks on their own side as consistently as they do on the other. Unfortunately, this is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
