To Play The Race Card....The True Meaning of the phrase

[poet]

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/285100.html





Play the race card

Meaning

To attempt to gain advantage in an election by pandering to the electorate's racism. Also, more recently, to attempt (by a black person) to gain advantage by accusing another (usually a white person) of racism.

Origin

This term is now more often used in the USA than in other countries, but was coined in England in the 1960s. It alludes to the playing of a trump card in card games like whist.

Following an influx of immigrants into the UK in the 1950/60s there was known to be a degree of racist discontent amongst the (largely white) indigenous population. Reputable politicians avoided acknowledging this openly and there was an informal gentlemen's agreement not to benefit electorally by pandering to this racist element. Peter Griffiths, the Conservative candidate in an election for the parliamentary seat of Smethwick, was accused of using the slogan 'If you want a nigger neighbour - vote Labour', in an attempt to capitalize on the electorate's fears of being 'swamped' by immigrants. He was said to have 'played the race card'.
The more recent meaning, which refers to someone attempting to gain advantage by drawing attention to their race, became commonplace in the USA around the time of O. J. Simpson's trial for the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. Several US newspapers used the phrase to describe the tactics of Simpson's defense lawyers; for example, this piece by Roger Simon in The Daily Herald, October 1995:


"Why was playing the race card necessary in order for O. J. Simpson to go free? Because it was the only way for the defense to deal with the massive physical evidence against him."



Now. Use the phrase, "properly", as it doesn't mean that every time the subject of race, discrimination, bigotry, or racism is brought up by a black person, it means that one is "playing the race card". That's not what it means. Sometimes, some folks are just actually racist, and it needs to be pointed out. I suggest what advantage is to be gained by pointing out that a person is racist, when they are not? What advantage is gained by pointing out an actual racist? The racists of this board, routinely deny their racism and bigotry , while exercising it. What is that? Denial? Or subterfuge?

 

[Lowaicue]

Personnally I think the term 'racist' is something of a misnomer. I do not believe people labelled as racist have the wit or desire to engage with strangers who may be of a different race.
At a glance they can see colour and that connects with all the propaganda fed to them by parents and society so they equate colour with race. None have personal negative experiences more than anyone dealing with any group of people.
I would love to know if these people would treat an albino African in the same way as a black African. Certainly they do not appear to carry the same fear/dislike of the 'yellow' races or the south American races.
In Europe the black face carried negative connotations from before slavery. We used to have the term, now archaic, 'Blackamoor'. That was self explanatory. It referred to the Moors, mostly of the Iberian peninsula. Shakespeare's Othello, the Moor of Venice, being amongst the best known.
Black was used to portray miners and labourers in days gone by, in Yorkshire, and other coal mining areas, we had what was called 'black-back miners', these were miners who never washed their backs for fear their strength would ebb.
American prejudice is quite different and far more unacceptable in my view, but I think slavery was not the original connotation, it came at the 'right time' and simply fed existing prejudices. The devil, in old plays, was often portrayed as black, goblins and evil spirits too. At that time people were drawing fanciful creatures with their heads in their chests as being representative of Africa. This illustrates, I think, that much of the 'black' myth stems from ancient ignorance at a time when it would not have a 'malicious' meaning.
People like DamnYankee and Alias would, I'm sure, be in grave danger of physical assault were they to express their views in public.
And no one could say they didnt have it coming to them.

 

[poet]

Personnally I think the term 'racist' is something of a misnomer. I do not believe people labelled as racist have the wit or desire to engage with strangers who may be of a different race.
At a glance they can see colour and that connects with all the propaganda fed to them by parents and society so they equate colour with race. None have personal negative experiences more than anyone dealing with any group of people.
I would love to know if these people would treat an albino African in the same way as a black African. Certainly they do not appear to carry the same fear/dislike of the 'yellow' races or the south American races.
In Europe the black face carried negative connotations from before slavery. We used to have the term, now archaic, 'Blackamoor'. That was self explanatory. It referred to the Moors, mostly of the Iberian peninsula. Shakespeare's Othello, the Moor of Venice, being amongst the best known.
Black was used to portray miners and labourers in days gone by, in Yorkshire, and other coal mining areas, we had what was called 'black-back miners', these were miners who never washed their backs for fear their strength would ebb.
American prejudice is quite different and far more unacceptable in my view, but I think slavery was not the original connotation, it came at the 'right time' and simply fed existing prejudices. The devil, in old plays, was often portrayed as black, goblins and evil spirits too. At that time people were drawing fanciful creatures with their heads in their chests as being representative of Africa. This illustrates, I think, that much of the 'black' myth stems from ancient ignorance at a time when it would not have a 'malicious' meaning.
People like DamnYankee and Alias would, I'm sure, be in grave danger of physical assault were they to express their views in public.
And no one could say they didnt have it coming to them.

Well-said. Everyone knows that bullies have a whole lot of bluster and bluff, until it comes to "brass tacks" and they are forced to reveal their true, cowardly selves. I have recommended on numerous occasions, that if they are all that they claim to be, having no fear, to go to the nearest mall, "in da hood", and say all that they say here. We'll be singing hymns and commenting on all the nice flower arrangements.

 

[Cancel 2018. 3]

so poet admits that he, obama and many lefties play the race card

good job!

 

[Alias]

Well-said. Everyone knows that bullies have a whole lot of bluster and bluff, until it comes to "brass tacks" and they are forced to reveal their true, cowardly selves. I have recommended on numerous occasions, that if they are all that they claim to be, having no fear, to go to the nearest mall, "in da hood", and say all that they say here. We'll be singing hymns and commenting on all the nice flower arrangements.

Why would decent people go to "da hood" where the democrat plantation keeps their voters? I'd like to see you walk up to Black conservative Americans and call them an "Uncle Tom" or a "House Niggar". Coward.

The democrats built their ghetto apartment projects for the Black Democrat voters to keep them on the plantation for when they're needed on election day.

 

[NOVA]

Post 3 is a shining example of how to play the race card.....obvious and subtle at the same time, very clever....excellent...

A coward is more apt play the race card just to be an asshole than an actual victim of racism...

 

[Alias]

Post 3 is a shining example of how to play the race card.....obvious and subtle at the same time, very clever....excellent...

A coward is more apt play the race card just to be an asshole than an actual victim of racism...

Poet used it in his very first post here...."I'm a black gay male". He was saying up front......"I will use race and sexual identity to hide behind"

 

[poet]

so poet admits that he, obama and many lefties play the race card

good job!

Poet admitted nothing of the kind. Try, impossible as it may be, not to be obtuse. You are a waste of oxygen.

 

[poet]

Why would decent people go to "da hood" where the democrat plantation keeps their voters? I'd like to see you walk up to Black conservative Americans and call them an "Uncle Tom" or a "House Niggar". Coward.

The democrats built their ghetto apartment projects for the Black Democrat voters to keep them on the plantation for when they're needed on election day.

Decent people? What's decent about you? The challenge was for you to say the same crap that you say here, in some place where you'd feel the consequences from your boldness.
You wouldn't dare do it, because you're the poster child for cowardice. Bitch, please. I'd say it to their face as quick as I say it here. What are they gonna do? And the term is "house negro", not nigga. I don't use racial pejoratives, as you do. I'm not the racist. You are.
Get out of my thread.

 

[Alias]

Decent people? What's decent about you? The challenge was for you to say the same crap that you say here, in some place where you'd feel the consequences from your boldness.
You wouldn't dare do it, because you're the poster child for cowardice. Bitch, please. I'd say it to their face as quick as I say it here. What are they gonna do?
Get out of my thread.

Make me get out of your thread, you sissy queer Negro. Why don't you go back to your street corner in da hood where you turned tricks.

 

[poet]

Post 3 is a shining example of how to play the race card.....obvious and subtle at the same time, very clever....excellent...

A coward is more apt play the race card just to be an asshole than an actual victim of racism...

If only you knew what you were talking about. Get out of my thread.

 

[poet]

Poet used it in his very first post here...."I'm a black gay male". He was saying up front......"I will use race and sexual identity to hide behind"

Bitch, how more open and honest could I have been. What I was saying, "up front", was, don't fuck with me about my race or my sexuality. And what did you do, but exactly that.

 

[poet]

Make me get out of your thread, you sissy queer Negro. Why don't you go back to your street corner in da hood where you turned tricks.

No, see, your mama turned tricks....and one of the results was you. I never had to search "high and low" for love or affection...and always had gainful employment, so as not to have to resort to selling myself. And I actually never lived "in da hood". My growing up was akin to The Cosby Show. Hello?

Sissy queer negro. That is so funny. Is that the best you got? LMAO. Oooh, I'm so offended.

 

[Cancel 2018. 3]

Poet admitted nothing of the kind. Try, impossible as it may be, not to be obtuse. You are a waste of oxygen.

yes you did. you are guilty of the latter....

To attempt to gain advantage in an election by pandering to the electorate's racism. Also, more recently, to attempt (by a black person) to gain advantage by accusing another (usually a white person) of racism.

 

[Alias]

Bitch, how more open and honest could I have been. What I was saying, "up front", was, don't fuck with me about my race or my sexuality. And what did you do, but exactly that.

Exactly and now you've admitted it. Thanks. No one would know what your skin color is or would even care unless you made it an issue, which you did right off the bat. You came here with a chip on your shoulder. This is exactly the type of crap you crave.

 

[poet]

yes you did. you are guilty of the latter....

To attempt to gain advantage in an election by pandering to the electorate's racism. Also, more recently, to attempt (by a black person) to gain advantage by accusing another (usually a white person) of racism.

And what would the advantage be, I ask for the second time? Do you think you're up to discussing it in detail? Explain how I'm guilty of the latter. How?

 

[Cancel 2018. 3]

And what would the advantage be, I ask for the second time? Do you think you're up to discussing it in detail? Explain how I'm guilty of the latter. How?

you use it to try and gain the upper hand in a debate or discussion. you use it to demean your opponent's position. sometimes you are right and there is true racism, but you routinely call racism where none exists in order to gain the upper hand.

 

[Alias]

No, see, your mama turned tricks....and one of the results was you. I never had to search "high and low" for love or affection...and always had gainful employment, so as not to have to resort to selling myself. And I actually never lived "in da hood". My growing up was akin to The Cosby Show. Hello?

Sissy queer negro. That is so funny. Is that the best you got? LMAO. Oooh, I'm so offended.

You're offended 24/7. Drama queen.

 

[poet]

Exactly and now you've admitted it. Thanks. No one would know what your skin color is or would even care unless you made it an issue, which you did right off the bat. You came here with a chip on your shoulder. This is exactly the type of crap you crave.

I do it in each and every forum I've joined. No one, up until this point, has made an issue of it. So, that means that the chip is on your shoulder, not mine. You have problems with blacks, irrespective of their ideology, "deep down". You're only pretending to support Herman Cain, over the likes of any other white GOP candidate, so as not to appear like the racist you are. But we know, "deep down", that you'd embody the type of redneck that would drag a drunken black man, chained to the back of a pickup truck, to his dismembered death.
Another of my white friends, just popped in, to invite my partner and I to her home for dinner on Friday night. Quiet as it is kept, smart white people don't invite rabid black racists to their homes for anything. When's the last time you had a darkie over for dinner? Not even in your dreams.

 

[poet]

you use it to try and gain the upper hand in a debate or discussion. you use it to demean your opponent's position. sometimes you are right and there is true racism, but you routinely call racism where none exists in order to gain the upper hand.

I'm through. If this is your attempt to explain yourself, I'm dealing with someone mentally deficient. Goodbye.