As
in “whitey.” The Chicago Sun-Times reported last week on the City Club of
Chicago forum at which Wilson spoke, and is to have said, “to the whiteys here,
I’m letting you know I ain’t prejudiced.”
WILSON
TRIED TO pressure the Sun-Times into taking back that quote, but the newspaper
(to its credit) refused to do so. For what it’s worth, John Kass of the Chicago
Tribune wrote in his Sunday newspaper column that Wilson privately admitted to
him that he said “whitey” and was sorry if anyone was offended.
But
I’m wondering just what kind of person would really be offended at use of the
word “whitey.” It comes across as so buffoonish to think that is really a slur.
In fact, I suspect the only people who are offended by the phrase are certain
white people whose own speech is laced with racial and ethnic slurs but who
take offense at anything aimed at themselves.
Some
people have recalled the Richard M. Daley moment of his first successful
mayoral campaign where he is alleged to have used the phrase “white mayor” to
describe what he thought the city of Chicago needed in order for government to
be successful.
He
tried using the same defense that Wilson is now using – perhaps his dialect
just isn’t clear to certain ears. Then again, some people freak out whenever
they hear a black public official of any type say “axed” when trying to say “asked.”
WILSON’S
SPEECH IS laced with a tinge of southern drawl, and it is clear he’s not
exaggerating when he says he has only a seventh grade education. Just like
Daley (who was a DePaul law school graduate) never overcame the speech patterns
picked up by growing up amongst Bridgeport neighborhood immigrants for whom
English might not have been the first language.
As
in it’s our fault for not understanding what the candidate was trying to say.
Although
when I first heard about Wilson’s alleged “whitey” moment, my mind flipped back
to George Jefferson, as in the character created by actor Sherman Helmsley to
be the primary foil of bigoted Archie Bunker on the “All in the Family”
program.
Those
of us of a certain age remember Helmsley’s constant barking of “honky” at any
white person who managed to annoy him – and George was easily offended by just
about everybody who came into his sight.
THAT
WAS DONE for laughs, and I have to admit to having the same reaction to Wilson’s
so-called moment of rhetorical nonsense. It’s too ridiculous to take seriously!
Just
as I don’t think this will hurt Wilson’s campaign in any significant way. The
kind of people who will take offense are the kind who weren’t going to vote for
him under any circumstances.
The
rest of the electorate got its chuckle.
It
also reminds me of the “All in the Family” episode where George Jefferson tried
running for political office himself, spouting out high-minded ideals of public
service while his real intention was to get to approve a city permit for his “cleaning
store” to knock out the flower shop located next door.
I’D
HATE TO think the Wilson campaign that talks high and mighty about representing
the interests of all Chicago has equally selfish purposes in mind!
Besides,
the part of Wilson’s quote that bothers me isn’t the “whitey” reference. It’s
the part where he says, “I ain’t prejudiced” that riles me up.
Many
people may speak more informally than they would read or write something – some
like Gov. Bruce Rauner apparently do it on purpose, thinking it makes them
appear to be more like the masses. That upsets me more than anything Wilson
might have done.
But
even someone who only went to school through the seventh grade should have
learned that “ain’t” ain’t a word.
-30-
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