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>>> THIS WEEK ON "MOYERS &
COMPANY," HOW DOG WHISTLE
POLITICS USE RACE TO INFLUENCE
YOUR VOTE.
HISTORIAN IAN HANEY LOPEZ BREAKS
THE CODE.
DOG WHISTLE POLITICS DOESN'T
COME OUT OF SOME DESIRE TO HURT
MINORITIES.
IT COMES OUT OF A DESIRE TO WIN
VOTES.
IT'S RACISM AS A STRATEGY.
IT'S COLD.
IT'S CALCULATING.
IT'S CONSIDERED.
IT'S THE DECISION TO ACHIEVE
ONE'S OWN ENDS, HERE WINNING
VOTES, BY STIRRING RACIAL
ANIMOSITY.
>> Announcer: FUNDING IS
PROVIDED BY --
ANNE GUMOWITZ, ENCOUNG
RENEWAL OF DEMOCRACY.
CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF
NEW YORK, CELEBRATING 100 YEARS
OF PHILANTHROPY, AND COMMITTED
TO DOING REAL AND PERMANENT GOOD
IN THE WORLD.
THE FORD FOUNDATION, WORKING
WITH VISIONARIES ON THE FRONT
LINES OF SOCIAL CHANGE
WORLDWIDE.
THE HERB ALPERT FOUNDATION,
SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE
MISSION IS TO PROMOTE COMPASSION
AND CREATIVITY IN OUR SOCIETY.
THE JOHN D. AND
CATHERINE T. MACARTHUR
FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO
BUILDING A MORE JUST, VERDANT
AND PEACEFUL WORLD.
MORE INFORMATION AT
MACFOUND.ORG.
PARK FOUNDATION, DEDICATED TO
HEIGHTENING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF
CRITICAL ISSUES.
THE KOHLBERG FOUNDATION.
BARBARA G. FLEISCHMAN.
AND BY OUR SOLE CORPORATE
SPONSOR, MUTUAL OF AMERICA,
DESIGNING CUSTOMIZED INDIVIDUAL
AND GROUP RETIREMENT PRODUCTS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE YOUR RETIREMENT
COMPANY.
>>> WELCOME.
A DOG WHISTLE DOESN'T SOUND LIKE
MUCH TO YOUR EARS OR MINE, BUT
IT WILL MAKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD
CANINES COME RUNNING FASTER THAN
YOU CAN SHOUT LASSIE OR
RIN TIN TIN.
THIS WHISTLE SENDS ITS SIGNAL AT
A FREQUENCY ONLY DOGS CAN HEAR,
WHICH MAKES IT AN APT METAPHOR
FOR THIS NEW BOOK, "DOG WHISTLE
POLITICS," BY MY GUEST
IAN HANEY LOPEZ.
HE'S BROKEN THE CODE ON THE
RACIST POLITICS OF THE LAST
50 YEARS, AS POLITICIANS
MASTERED THE USE OF DOG WHISTLES
TO TURN AMERICANS AGAINST EACH
HERHILEURNI AMERICA OVER
TO PLUTOCRATS.
THE DOG WHISTLE OF RACISM, SAYS
IAN HANEY LOPEZ, IS THE "DARK
MAGIC" BY WHICH MIDDLE-CLASS
VOTERS HAVE BEEN SEDUCED TO VOTE
AGAINST THEIR OWN ECONOMIC
INTERESTS.
IAN HANEY LOPEZ IS NOW A LAW
PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, AFTER
TEACHING AT YALE,
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, AND
HARVARD.
"DOG WHISTLE POLITICS" IS HIS
THIRD BOOK.
WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GLAD TO BE HERE.
>> SO WHY DID YOU USE THIS FOR
THE TITLE OF YOUR BOOK?
"DOG WHISTLE POLITICS."
>> WELL, THINK ABOUT A TERM LIKE
"WELFARE QUEEN" OR "FOOD STAMP
PRESIDENT."
ON ONE LEVEL, LIKE A DOG
WHISTLE, IT'S SILENT.
SILENT ABOUT RACE.
IT SEEMS RACE-NEUTRAL.
BUT ON ANOTHER, IT ALSO HAS A
SHRILL BLAST, LIKE A DOG
WHISTLE, THAT CAN BE HEARD BY
CERTAIN FOLKS.
AND WHAT THE BLAST IS IS A
WARNING ABOUT RACE AND A
WARNING IN PARTICULAR ABOUT
THREATENING MINORITIES.
AND THE IDEA THAT I'M TRYING TO
GET ACROSS HERE IS, RACISM HAS
EVOLVED.
OR, IN PARTICULAR, PUBLIC RACISM
HAS EVOLVED.
THE WAY IN WHICH RACISM, THE WAY
IN WHICH RACIAL DIVISIONS ARE
STOKED IN PUBLIC DISCOURSE HAS
CHANGED
AND NOW IT OPERATES ON TWO
LEVELS.
ON ONE LEVEL, IT ALLOWS
PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY.
THIS ISN'T REALLY ABOUT RACE,
IT'S JUST ABOUT WELFARE.
JUST ABOUT FOOD STAMPS.
AND ON ANOTHER, THERE'S A
SUBTEXT, AN UNDERGROUND MESSAGE
WHICH CAN BE PIERCINGLY LOUD,
AND THAT IS MINORITIES ARE
THREATENING US.
AND SO WHEN PEOPLE DOG WHISTLE
ABOUT CRIMINALEL CS,
TERRORISTS, ISLAM, SHARIA LAW,
OSTENSIBLY THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT
CULTURE, BEHAVIOR, RELIGION, BUT
UNDERNEATH ARE THESE OLD
STEREOTYPES OF DEGRADED
MINORITIES, BUT ALSO, AND THIS
IS IMPORTANT, IMPLICITLY OF
WHITES WHO ARE TRUSTWORTHY,
HARD-WORKING, DECENT.
>> WHEN I TALK TO PEOPLE, I'M
DOING A GROUP DISCUSSION
SOMEWHERE, IF I ASK WHITE PEOPLE
IN THE AUDIENCE IF RACE IS STILL
RELEVANT IN YOUR LIVES, THEY SAY
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE COLORBLIND, IS
OFTEN WHAT YOU HEAR.
>> RIGHT.
ABSOLUTELY.
>> AND THEY BELIEVE THAT, DON'T
YOU THINK?
>> THEY DO BELIEVE IT.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THEY BELIEVE
IT.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO
RECOGNIZE THAT THEY BELIEVE IT
AND THAT IT'S GENUINE.
LOOK, HERE'S A HARD, DIFFICULT
TRUTH.
MOST RACISTS ARE GOOD PEOPLE.
THEY'RE NOT SICK.
THEY'RE NOT RULED BY ANGER OR
RAW EMOTION OR HATRED.
THEY ARE COMPLICATED PEOPLE
REARED IN COMPLICATED SOCIETIES.
THEY'RE FULLY CAPABLE OF
GENEROSITY, OF EMPATHY, OF REAL
KINDNESS.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE IDEA SYSTEMS
IN WHICH THEY'RE REARED, THEY'RE
ALSO CAPABLE OF DEHUMANIZING
OTHERS AND OCCASIONALLY OF
BRUTAL VIOLENCE.
AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT TRUTH.
MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT RACIST OUT
OF SOME SORT OF A SICKNESS OF
THE SOUL.
THEY'RE RACIST BECAUSE OF THE
SOCIETY IN WHICH THEY OPERATE.
>> HOW SO?
>> WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT
RACE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE WAYS IN
WHH WEE EXAINED Y
CERTAIN GROUPS GET CERTAIN
PRIVILEGES AND ADVANTAGES AND
WHY OTHER GROUPS DON'T GET
PRIVILEGES OR ARE EXPLOITED OR
ARE EXCLUDED FROM THE COUNTRY.
THIS OPERATES NOT JUST IN TERMS
OF CLASS RELATIONS AND GROUP
RELATIONS, THIS OPERATES IN
TERMS OF A COMMON SENSE
UNDERSTANDING OF WHO'S
TRUSTWORTHY, WHO IS DECENT, WHO
IS LAW-ABIDING, AND IN CONTRAST,
WHO'S LOATHSOME, WHO'S DISEASED,
WHO'S DANGEROUS.
THAT COMMON SENSE OF RACE USED
TO BE OPENLY EXPRESSED THROUGH
THE 1950s, LET'S SAY.
NOW IT'S NOT OPENLY EXPRESSED.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE GREAT
TRIUMPHS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOMENT.
WE OUGHT NOT TO GAINSAY THAT.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IT DIDN'T
ALL GO AWAY.
IT'S STILL THERE UNDER THE
SURFACE.
NOW IT DOESN'T -- WE DON'T HEAR
IT IN THE LANGUAGE EXPRESSLY OF
RACE, BUT WE HEAR IT IN THE
LANGUAGE OF CULTURE AND
BEHAVIOR.
>> THERE ARE SOME ASSUMPTIONS IN
SOCIETY, A GENERAL PROPOSITION,
UNEXAMINED, THAT BLACKS PREFER
WELFARE TO WORK, THAT
UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS BREED
CRIME, AND THAT ISLAM SPAWNS
VIOLENCE.
THOSE ARE DOG WHISTLES, ARE THEY
NOT?
>> I THINK THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY
DOG WHISTLES.
THEY'RE DOG WHISTLES IN THE
SENSE THAT THEY'RE STEREOTYPES.
A STEREOTYPE IS A SORT OF
CULTURAL PRESUMPTION OF MINORITY
INFERIORITY.
BLACKS ARE LAZY.
LATINOS ARE DIRTY OR FILTHY.
MUSLIMS DON'T RESPECT HUMAN
LIFE.
THOSE ARE STEREOTYPES.
DOG WHISTLES ARE WHEN
POLITICIANS USE CODED LANGUAGE
THAT TRY AND TRIGGER THOSE
BES.
BUT THEY'RE NOT THE STEREOTYPES
THEMSELVES.
AND, IT'S IMPORTANT, BECAUSE DOG
WHISTLING IS NOT ABOUT BIGOTRY.
IT'S ABOUT THE MANIPULATION OF
BIGOTRY.
IT'S ABOUT THE MANIPULATION OF
STEREOTYPES.
>> SO YOU MAKE IT CLEAR IN THE
BOOK THAT THIS IS SORT OF AN OLD
SPORT, POLITICIANS COMMUNICATING
WITH SMALL GROUPS OF IMPASSIONED
VOTERS AND A KIND OF CODE THAT
ONLY KINDRED SPIRITS UNDERSTAND.
NOTHING ESPECIALLY TROUBLING
ABOUT THAT.
BUT IT'S WHEN IT COMES TO THE
ISSUE OF RACE THAT YOU SEE A
REAL INJURY.
>> WHAT MAKES RACE DIFFERENT?
TWO THINGS.
FIRST, THE MESSAGE THAT
POLITICIANS ARE TRYING TO
COMMUNICATE, WHEN THEY DOG
WHISTLE IN RACIAL TERMS, IS A
MESSAGE THAT RUNS DIRECTLY
COUNTER TO WIDELY HELD VALUES
AND NORMS OF RACIAL
EGALITARIANISM.
THE TRIUMPH OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT IS TO TEACH US, TO
TEACH AMERICANS THAT WE'RE ALL
HUMAN, WE'RE ALL IN THIS
TOGETHER.
AND SO FOR A POLITICIAN TO COME
FORWARD AND SAY, I WANT YOUR
SUPPORT BECAUSE MINORITIES ARE
THREATENING AND I BELIEVE THAT
YOU OUGHT TO VOTE IN SOLIDARITY
WITH WHITES.
NO ONE CAN SAY THAT EXPRESSLY.
THAT WOULD BE THE END OF A
POLITICAL CAREER.
SO THEY USE A DOG WHISTLE TERM
AND THEY SAY, I WANT YOU TO VOTE
IN A WAY THAT CUTS OFF FOOD
STAMPS AND LIMITS WELFARE AND
GETS TOUGH ON CRIME AND SLAMS
THE BORDER ON ILLEGAL ALIENS.
IT'S A RACIAL APPEAL, BUT IT HAS
TO HAPPEN IN CODE.
THAT'S ONE DIFFERENCE.
THE MESSAGE THAT'S BEING
COMMUNICATED IS A MESSAGE THAT
VIOLATES CORE, COMMON MORAL
RMS.
SECOND DIFFERENCE, YES, THERE
ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT CULTURAL
PROVOCATIONS THAT ARE EXPRESSED
IN DOG WHISTLE TERMS.
RACE IS ONE OF THOSE.
BUT I WANT TO ALSO SUGGEST IT'S
NOT JUST ONE OF THOSE, IT'S THE
PRIMARY CULTURAL PROVOCATION
THAT HAS BEEN USED BY
CONSERVATIVES OVER THE LAST
50 YEARS.
RACE IS SPECIAL BECAUSE IT DOES
SO MUCH DAMAGE NOT ONLY TO
PEOPLE OF COLOR, BUT IN THE WAY
IT RESTRUCTURES OUR SOCIETY AS A
WHOLE.
>> GIVE ME A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF
THAT.
>> SO WE KNOW RONALD REAGAN USED
TO TALK ABOUT WELFARE QUEENS.
BUT HE ALSO HAD THIS OTHER STUMP
SPEECH THAT HE WOULD GIVE.
HE WOULD SPEAK TO HIS AUDIENCES
AND HE WOULD SAY, I UNDERSTAND
HOW FRUSTRATING IT IS FOR YOU
WHEN YOU'RE STANDING IN LINE AT
A GROCERY STORE WAITING TO BUY
HAMBURGER AND THERE'S SOME YOUNG
FELLOW AHEAD OF YOU BUYING
T-BONE STEAK WITH FOOD STAMPS.
NOW, THE FIRST TIME HE TOLD THAT
TALE, IT WASN'T SOME YOUNG
FELLOW.
HE SAID, SOME "YOUNG BUCK."
AND A YOUNG BUCK WAS A
RACIALLY-CODED TERM THAT STOOD
FOR A STRONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN
MAN.
AND SO THAT TERM, THAT MOVED
FROM BEING A DOG WHISTLE TO AN
OUTRIGHT RACIAL PROVOCATION.
REAGAN BACKED OFF AND HE STARTED
TALKING ABOUT, SOME YOUNG FELLOW
BUYING A T-BONE STEAK WITH FOOD
STAMPS.
THINK ABOUT THE CHARACTERS IN
THIS STORY.
THE FIRST CHARACTER IS THE
PERSON BUYING A T-BONE STEAK
WITH FOOD STAMPS.
AND THAT'S CONJURING THE IMAGE
OF THE LAZY MINORITY WHO'S
STRONG, WHO COULD WORK, BUT WHO
DOESN'T WANT TO WORK, AND
PRS E ELFA
BUT THE OTHER IMAGE IS THE YOU
IN THAT STORY, WHO REAGAN'S
TALKING TO.
AND THE YOU IS OSTENSIBLY THE
VOTER, THE HARD-WORKING
TAXPAYER, THE LAW-ABIDING
AMERICAN.
THAT VOTER, THAT HARD-WORKING
AMERICAN IMPLICITLY HAS A RACIAL
IDENTITY.
AND THAT'S WHITE.
SO THERE YOU CAN SEE THIS RACIAL
NARRATIVE.
YOU, REAGAN IS SAYING TO WHITE
AUDIENCES, YOU'RE BEING TAKEN
ADVANTAGE OF.
THERE'S A THIRD CHARACTER HERE.
GOVERNMENT.
IT'S GOVERNMENT OSTENSIBLY THAT
IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF WHITES,
THAT IS TAKING THEIR MONEY
THROUGH TAXES, AND THEN GIVING
IT TO THESE UNDESERVING
MINORITIES.
SO WHAT DID REAGAN SUGGEST?
HE SUGGESTED TAX CUTS.
WE SHOULDN'T, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE
TO PAY TAXES TO A GOVERNMENT
THAT'S JUST TAKING YOUR MONEY
AND GIVING IT TO MINORITIES.
AND INDEED, WHAT DID HE DO?
HE ENACTED TAX CUTS.
IN THE FIRST YEAR OF HIS TAX
CUTS, $164 BILLION WENT TO
AMERICAN CORPORATIONS.
OVER THE 1980s, THE REAGAN TAX
CUTS TRANSFERRED A TRILLION
DOLLARS TO AMERICA'S TOP 1%.
YES, VOTERS GOT THE TAX CUTS
THEY THOUGHT WERE AIMED AT
CUTTING OFF UNDESERVING
MINORITIES.
BUT IN FACT, IT WAS A POLITICS
THAT WAS SHOWERING MONEY ON THE
VERY RICHEST AMERICANS.
WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE WAY IN
WHICH SOMETHING HAS
FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED IN
AMERICAN POLITICS.
WE USED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE
BIGGEST THREAT IN A POLITICAL
LIFE WAS THE POWER OF
CONCENTRATED MONEY.
THE POWER OF BIG MONEY AND OF
CORPORATIONS TO HIJACK THE
MARKETPLACE AND TO HIJACK
GOVEMENT.
BUT NOW, REPUBLICANS FOR
50 YEARS HAVE BEEN TELLING
VOTERS, THE BIGGEST THREAT IN
YOUR LIFE IS THAT MINORITIES ARE
GOING TO HIJACK GOVERNMENT.
THAT GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN TAKEN
OVER AND NOW SERVES THEM.
SO WHEN WHITE VOTERS VOTE
AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT, THEY
THINK THEY'RE VOTING AGAINST
MINORITIES.
BUT IN FACT, THEY'RE VOTING TO
GIVE OVER CONTROL OF GOVERNMENT
BACK TO THE VERY RICH, BACK TO
THE BIG CORPORATIONS.
>> MITT ROMNEY, DECENT MAN, 47%.
>> THERE ARE 47% OF THE PEOPLE
WHO WILL VOTE FOR THE PRESIDENT
NO MATTER WHAT.
ALL RIGHT, THERE ARE 47% WHO ARE
WITH HIM, WHO ARE DEPENDENT UPON
GOVERNMENT, WHO BELIEVE THAT
THEY ARE VICTIMS, WHO BELIEVE
THAT GOVERNMENT HAS A
RESPONSIBILITY TO CARE FOR THEM,
WHO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE
ENTITLED TO HEALTH CARE, TO
FOOD, TO HOUSING, TO YOU NAME
IT.
THAT THAT'S AN ENTITLEMENT.
AND THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD GIVE
IT TO THEM.
AND THEY WILL VOTE FOR THIS
PRESIDENT NO MATTER WHAT.
AND I MEAN, THE PRESIDENT STARTS
OFF WITH 48, 49, 48 --
HE STARTS OFF WITH A HUGE
NUMBER.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO PAY NO
INCOME TAX.
47% OF AMERICANS PAY NO INCOME
TAX.
SO OUR MESSAGE OF LOW TAXES
DOESN'T CONNECT.
>> WAS THAT A DOG WHISTLE?
>> I THINK IT WAS.
I THINK IT WAS.
AND I'M SO GLAD YOU RAISED THIS
EXAMPLE, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY
STRIKING.
HERE, ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU HAVE
A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WHO'S
DISMISSING 47% OF THE COUNTRY.
WHAT TERMS DOES HE USE?
HE SAYS, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO
ARE DEPENDENT ON GOVERNMENT, WHO
REFUSE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THEMSELVES, WHO WANT FREE
STUFF.
NOW IT'S A DOG WHISTLE ON ONE
ELAUSES MITO
USE THE TERMS THAT ARE TYPICALLY
ASSOCIATED WITH MINORITIES, AND
HE'S ATTACHING THEM TO HALF THE
COUNTRY.
SO IN A WAY, YOU'RE GETTING THE
POOR ARE BEING RACIALIZED.
SO EVEN WHEN THEY'RE WHITE, EVEN
WHEN IT'S HALF THE COUNTRY, AND
HE'S TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO
DON'T PAY INCOME TAX, HE'S
SAYING, THESE PEOPLE ARE LIKE
MINORITIES.
SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DOG
WHISTLE.
BUT MORE FUNDAMENTALLY, IT'S A
DOG WHISTLE IN TERMS OF THIS
LARGER UNDERSTANDING OF THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PEOPLE AND
GOVERNMENT.
HE'S SAYING, IF YOU NEED
GOVERNMENT HELP, YOU DON'T
DESERVE IT.
WE SHOULD ALL BE IN THIS ON OUR
OWN.
WE SHOULD ALL BE RUGGED
INDIVIDUALS.
IF YOU MAKE IT, YOU SHOULD BE
CELEBRATED AND YOU DON'T OWE
ANYBODY ANYTHING.
AND IF YOU FAIL, TOO BAD FOR
YOU, BUT WE CAN'T WORRY ABOUT
YOU.
AND THAT'S INCREDIBLE IN THE
MESSAGE.
HOW COULD THAT MESSAGE RESONATE?
NOW REMEMBER, HE'S GOING TO WIN
A STRONG MAJORITY AMONG WHITES.
HOW COULD THAT MESSAGE RESONATE
WITH SO MANY WHITES?
IT COULD ONLY RESONATE BECAUSE
WHITES ARE STEEPED IN THE IDEA
THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS
ONLY HELPING MINORITIES.
IT'S ONLY HELPING LOSERS, AND
THEY DON'T WANT TO UNDERSTAND
THEMSELVES AS LOSERS.
>> I'VE WATCHED THAT VIDEO TIME
AND AGAIN, WONDERING IF HE
REALLY KNEW WHAT HE WAS SAYING.
BUT IS IT POSSIBLE HE DIDN'T
THINK OF THAT AS A DOG WHISTLE?
>> HE'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT HE
THINKS IT'S THE NARRATIVE THAT
HIS AUDIENCE WANTS TO HEAR.
I'D SAY ONE MORE THING ABOUT
THIS.
AFTER HE LOSES THE ELECTION, HE
ETS ON A CONRENCCALLO
EXPLAIN TO HIS MAJOR DONORS WHY
HE'D LOST THE ELECTION.
AND HE GIVES THEM THE SAME SORT
OF ANALYSIS.
HE SAYS -- AND HE DOESN'T
UNDERSTAND THAT THE "L.A. TIMES"
IS LISTENING IN -- HE SAYS,
BARACK OBAMA PROMISED TO GIVE
THINGS TO PEOPLE.
HE PROMISED TO GIVE THINGS TO
POOR PEOPLE, TO YOUNG PEOPLE, TO
BLACK PEOPLE, TO HISPANIC
PEOPLE, AND THAT'S WHY WE LOST.
IT'S THE SAME BASIC NARRATIVE.
THAT A GOVERNMENT THAT TRIES TO
TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE IS ACTUALLY
THE ENEMY OF THE COUNTRY AND THE
BIGGEST THREAT IN OUR LIVES.
AND THAT, IN PARTICULAR, IT'S
THREATENING BECAUSE IT'S TAKING
CARE OF MINORITIES.
>> SO WHEN I SAY THAT PEOPLE
LIKE GEORGE WALLACE OR
BARRY GOLDWATER OR RONALD REAGAN
OR MITT ROMNEY, THAT THEY'VE
ENGAGED IN DOG WHISTLE RACISM,
OFTEN THE RETORT IS, THESE ARE
DECENT FOLKS.
THEY'RE NOT BIGOTS.
AND I WANT TO SAY, I'LL GRANT
THAT.
I'M HAPPY TO GRANT THAT.
SO WHAT?
THIS ISN'T ABOUT BIGOTRY.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT "HATE EVERY
BLACK PERSON" ANIMUS.
INDEED, DOG WHISTLE POLITICS
DOESN'T COME OUT OF ANIMUS AT
ALL.
IT DOESN'T COME OUT OF SOME
DESIRE TO HURT MINORITIES.
IT COMES OUT OF A DESIRE TO WIN
VOTES.
AND IN THAT SENSE, I WANT TO
START USING THE TERM STRATEGIC
RACISM.
IT'S RACISM AS A STRATEGY.
IT'S COLD.
IT'S CALCULATING.
IT'S CONSIDERED.
IT'S THE DECISION TO ACHIEVE
ONE'S OWN ENDS, HERE WINNING
VOTES, BY STIRRING RACIAL
ANIMOSITY.
AND THAT'S THE DECISION THAT
GEORGE WALLACE MADE.
THAT'S THE DECISION THAT
RONALD REAGAN MADE.
THAT'S THE DECISION THAT
MIOMMA
>> BUT WE WERE TALKING IN MY
OFFICE YESTERDAY WITH THE YOUNG
PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN READING YOUR
BOOK.
AND THEY SAID, BUT WAIT A
MINUTE, IF IT REALLY WORKS, HOW
DID BARACK OBAMA WIN TWO
CONSECUTIVE RACES FOR THE
PRESIDENCY BY FAIRLY COMFORTABLE
MARGINS?
>> SO IF YOU WANT TO SEE HOW IT
WORKS, THINK ABOUT THE
DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY TODAY.
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TODAY IS
90% WHITE IN TERMS OF WHERE IT
DRAWS ITS SUPPORT AND IT'S
98% WHITE IN TERMS OF ITS
ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE IS ALMOST
65% WHITE.
YOU DON'T ACHIEVE THAT LEVEL OF
RACIAL HOMOGENEITY BY ACCIDENT.
IT REFLECTS 50 YEARS OF USING
RACE TO MOBILIZE VOTERS.
OR AGAIN, BACK TO BARACK OBAMA,
OBAMA WON, BUT NOT AMONG WHITES.
AMONG WHITES, MITT ROMNEY WON
THREE OUT OF FIVE WHITE VOTES.
NOW YOU MIGHT JUST SAY, WELL,
MAYBE HE WON AMONG WHITE MEN.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE REFRAINS.
NO, HE WON AMONG WHITE WOMEN,
TOO.
OR YOU MIGHT SAY, WELL, MAYBE
THIS IS JUST A FUNCTION OF THE
DEEP SOUTH.
TRUE, HE DID BETTER IN THE
SOUTH.
BUT MITT ROMNEY WON A MAJORITY
OF WHITE VOTERS IN 46 OUT OF
50 STATES.
OR YOU MIGHT SAY, MAYBE THIS IS
JUST AN OLDER GENERATION.
MAYBE THIS IS GOING TO DIE OFF.
NO.
MITT ROMNEY WON A MAJORITY OF
THE WHITE VOTE IN EVERY AGE
COHORT OF WHITE VOTERS,
INCLUDING THE VERY YOUNGEST.
THERE IS TREMENDOUS SUPPORT IN
THE WHITE COMMUNITY FOR
POLITICIANS WHO WARN THE PUBLIC
ABOUT THE DANGERS CONFRONTING
THEM BY MINORITIES.
WHO WARN THEM ABOUT A FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT THAT IS OSTENSIBLY BY
AND FOR MINORITIES.
YES, BARACK OBAMA WON.
BUT WE SHOULDN'T DELUDE
OURSELVES INTO THINKING WE DON'T
HAVE A BIG PROBLEM IN OUR
COUNTRY WHEN 60% OF WHITES ARE
VOTING, ARE WILLING TO VOTE FOR
A POLITICIAN WHO PROMISES TO
SLASH TAXES FOR THE RICH, TO
DEREGULATE THE ECONOMY, TO SLASH
SOCIAL SERVICES, AND INDEED, TO
DEFUND LARGE PARTS OF THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
>> SO AT ONE POINT, I TRIED TO
WRITE A LITTLE SUMMARY OF WHERE
I WAS IN YOUR BOOK.
AND I WROTE DOWN, WHAT HE'S
SAYING IS THAT CONSERVATIVES USE
THE DOG WHISTLE TO GET THE
SUPPORT OF THOSE STILL HARBORING
RACIST SENTIMENTS AND THEN
CONVINCE THEM TO GO ALONG WITH
OTHER POLICIES THAT FAVOR THE
RICH EVEN THOUGH THOSE POLICIES
HURT EVERYONE ELSE, THEMSELVES
INCLUDED.
>> I THINK SO.
I THINK SO.
NOW, I WOULD SAY IT SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENTLY.
I'M TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S
HAPPENING WITH WHITE VOTERS.
BUT I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ALL
WHITES.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT EVERY
PERSON OF EUROPEAN DESCENT,
LET'S SAY.
I'M TALKING ABOUT VOTERS FOR
WHOM BEING WHITE IS CENTRAL TO
HOW THEY THINK OF THEMSELVES AND
HOW THEY THINK OF SOCIAL
RELATIONS.
AND THIS MAY BE CONSCIOUS, BUT
MORE LIKELY IT'S UNCONSCIOUS.
>> HOW CAN IT BE UNCONSCIOUS?
>> IT'S UNCONSCIOUS BECAUSE OF
HOW RACE WORKS IN AMERICA.
OKAY, SO WHY DO WE THINK IN
RACIAL TERMS?
THERE'S A BIG PUSH TO SAY, FOCUS
ON COGNITION.
FOCUS ON THE WAY WE THINK.
PEOPLE THINK AUTOMATICALL
TERMS OF GROUP CATEGORIES.
WE TEND TO PREFER IN-GROUP
MEMBERS AND TO DISPREFER
OUT-GROUP MEMBERS.
FINE.
THAT'S HARD-WIRED IN HUMAN
COGNITION.
BUT IN A SOCIETY STRUCTURED
AROUND RACE, RACE BECOMES THE
CATEGORY THROUGH WHICH WE DO A
LOT OF OUR AUTOMATIC THINKING.
AND NOW HERE'S THAT LAST POINT.
OUR ENVIRONMENT CONTINUALLY
TELLS US THAT RACE IS RELEVANT.
>> HOW SO?
>> THINK ABOUT THE SUBURBS
VERSUS THE INNER CITIES.
THINK ABOUT ELITE UNIVERSITIES
VERSUS POOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THOSE ARE RACIALIZED SPACES.
THEY ARE OCCUPIED ALTERNATELY
ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY BY WHITES, OR
INSTEAD BY A HETEROGENEOUS MIX
OF NONWHITES.
AND THAT SEEMS TO CONFIRM THESE
DEEPER STEREOTYPES ABOUT WHAT
RACE IS AND ABOUT HOW RACE
REALLY DEFINES FUNDAMENTALLY
DIFFERENT GROUP CHARACTERISTICS.
ALL OF THIS IS OPERATING AT AN
UNCONSCIOUS LEVEL.
AND WHILE RACE -- THERE'S BEEN A
LOT OF RACIAL PROGRESS AND THAT
HAS OPENED UP ROOM FOR ELITES
LIKE BARACK OBAMA, LIKE MYSELF.
IN FACT, RACISM HAS ADAPTED IN A
WAY THAT CONTINUES TO DAMAGE
MINORITY COMMUNITIES.
I THINK ABOUT MASS
INCARCERATION.
I THINK ABOUT MASS DEPORTATION.
I THINK ABOUT THE CONDITIONS IN
MANY POOR AREAS OF OUR COUNTRY,
RURAL AND URBAN.
BUT ALSO, AND HERE'S THE
IMPORTANT POINT, RACE HAS
EVOLVED IN A WAY THAT HAS
DAMAGED THE BROAD MIDDLE CLASS
IN THIS COUNTRY.
>> THAT'S THE SUBTITLE OF YOUR
BOOK, "HOW CODED RACIAL APPEALS
HAVE REINVENTED RACISM AND
WRECKED THE MIDDLE CLASS."
>> AND HERE'S THE CORE POINT
THAT I'M TRYING TO GET ACROSS.
THIS HASN'T BEEN JUST ABOUT
MINORITIES.
YES, MINORITIES HAVE BEEN
DEMONIZED.
YES, WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT
MINORITIES ARE CRIMINALS IN A
WAY THAT HAS LED TO A RAPID
EXPANSION OF THE CARCERAL
SYSTEM.
YES, WE'VE BEEN TOLD THEY'RE
ABUSING WELFARE IN A WAY THAT
HAS LED TO MASSIVE CUTS IN
WELFARE.
THAT'S ALL TRUE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THIS
DEMONIZATION OF MINORITIES HAS
LED PEOPLE TO DEMONIZE THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND INDEED, TO DEMONIZE
GOVERNMENT GENERALLY.
SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE
SHUTDOWN OF THE GOVERNMENT THE
HOUSE REPUBLICANS KEEP PURSUING,
WHY DO THEY PURSUE THAT?
WHY WOULD ANYBODY SUPPORT A
SHUTTING DOWN OF GOVERNMENT?
BECAUSE GOVERNMENT ITSELF IS NOW
SEEN AS A PROBLEM INSOFAR AS
IT'S SEEN AS BY AND FOR
MINORITIES.
SO THIS IS THE BEAUTY OF DOG
WHISTLE POLITICS.
ON ONE LEVEL, IT ALWAYS ALLOWS
PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY.
BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS GIVING A
REASON THAT IS SEEMINGLY
RACE-NEUTRAL.
AND YET, ON ANOTHER LEVEL, IT'S
ALWAYS TRIGGERING RACIAL FEARS.
NOW I WANT TO BACK UP AND SAY
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT PEOPLE HAVE
CONCERNS THAT ARE NOT CONNECTED
TO RACIAL POLITICS AND INDEED
AREN'T STRATEGIC, THAT ARE
COMPLETELY GENUINE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY, LOOK,
THIS IS A COMPLICATED SOCIETY.
THERE'S LOTS GOING ON.
THERE'S GOING TO BE BASIC
DISAGREEMENTS ABOUT THE ROLE OF
GOVERNMENT, THE ROLE OF PUBLIC
SCHOOLS, THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN
SOCIETY.
I HAVE ALL OF THAT.
I DON'T WANT TO BE UNDERSTOOD TO
BEING IT'S ALWAYS RACIAL
PROVOCATION, IT'S ALWAYS DOG
WHISTLE POLITICS.
BUT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE
MIGHT BE THESE OTHER FACTORS IS
NOT THE SAME THING AS
ESTABLISHING THAT DOG WHISTLE
POLITICS ISN'T A POWERFUL FORCE
IN OUR SOCIETY.
>> AND IT WORKS.
>> AND IT WORKS.
IF WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE
GOT TO LEVELS OF WEALTH
INEQUALITY WE HAVEN'T SEEN IN
100 YEARS.
IF WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
PRODUCED THE GREAT RECESSION AND
WHY SINCE THE GREAT RECESSION
95% OF THE RECOVERY HAS GONE TO
THE TOP 1%, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON
HOW RACE IS SHAPING CONTEMPORARY
POLITICS.