Signal columnist and anti-immigration activist Roger Gitlin loves to send emails. Getting snagged onto his list is the stuff of local legend. Rub shoulders with the guy and before you know it, your inbox is getting peppered with his nativist screed on a weekly basis. Some of these unwitting recipients will take note the nuttier messages and pass a copy along to me.
Last week, I received a forwarded message of Gitlin’s that caught my attention. It contained a large attachment, a .wmv file, which doesn’t play nicely with my Mac. After a tussle, I managed to get it working (pro tip: Flip4Mac).
What followed was a disgusting, bigoted rant that recalled the rhetoric of an uglier time. This four-minute-clip features a man, Grady Warren, with a neo-segregationist screed disguised as anti-Obama piece. Let’s jump to the money quote:
Who are the pissed off people in our country? Well, the pissed off people, sir, are the white people. It’s the white people, stupid. It’s taken 50 years for things shoved down our throats that we now have had enough.
Whoa. What’s been shoved down our throats for 50 years? Equal protection under the law? There’s also this:
You have declared war on the white man in America, putting the wants and needs of moochers, leeches, looters, and criminals ahead of the producers and workers of America. And we don’t want 15 to 20 million illiterate Mexicans and Chicanos as our new welfare society, living like rats in our neighborhoods.
My jaw hit the floor, my stomach turned. This is white supremacy, plain and simple. Lest I pull us into the illegal immigration debate again, I should point out that “Chicano” means an American of Mexican descent. This is pure racism.
There’s more:
You’re an angry negro and you have now broken the hearts of more Black Americans than any white man ever could. You have now proven you are an enemy of the United States….
…if you’re a Black American, it’s time you need to decide: are you an American first, or are you an African or Black American first?
Watch for yourself:
Having viewed this, Mr. Gitlin though it worthy of sharing. Here’s a copy of the email that preceded the clip:
From: RAGITLIN@aol.com
Date: July 31, 2010 3:42:38 PM PDT
Subject: Re: Barack the angry NegroBeautiful and honest !
I will share this with patriots everywhere. Please send this to all on your e mail contact list.
It is time to unite. This country is under regime control. The Constitution means nothing to these ideologues who are hell bent on destroying the United States.
Let this powerful video blanket America.
Roger A. Gitlin
SCVIMM
“Beautiful and honest”? “Let this powerful video blanket America.”?
To those of us who sensed that Gitlin’s single-minded preoccupation with immigration had a more sinister motivation, we can regretfully claim vindication.
Santa Clarita is largely a community of decent people – a multiethnic town where coexistence is the norm. I don’t mean that to be mushy. It’s true. We ought to reject Gitlin’s promotion of hate speech, unequivocally. Are you with me, Mighty Signal?
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Gitlin the right wing activist shows his true colors. Why anyone would think it is ok to use the term NEGRO is beyond me.
Damageinc, I’m not at all objecting to your sentiment, just trying to answer your question. The “magic negro” label refers to an LA Times column by David Ehrenstein, who painted then-candidate Obama as a “benign” black figure who could be supported in a way to “assuage white guilt.” Ehrenstein was critical of what he perceived to be a lack of racial authenticity, and said “If he were real, white America couldn’t project all its fantasies of curative black benevolence on him.”
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-ehrenstein19mar19,0,3391015.story
I imagine that the YouTube guy probably heard “magic negro” when popularized by Rush Limbaugh, who mocked the LA Time piece for being racist and ridiculous. He also played a parody song “Barack the Magic Negro” to the tune of “Puff the Magic Dragon.” Obviously the YouTube guy took it much too far and says many other demeaning things. But his language grew directly or indirectly from Ehrenstein’s LA Times column–either that or he’s sufficiently well-versed in contemporary American Literature to allude to the archetype of “the magic negro”.
I thought it was Spike lee who coined the phrase for the magic/wise black character that seems to be in many movies.
Either way… it is unacceptable to refer to the president of the United States as a “NEGRO.”
In this case, you have unironic use of a term in a play on an ironic play on an ironically labeled archetype. Even if you accept Limbaugh’s excuse (I don’t), it doesn’t apply in this case.
I am so disgusted I had to take a shower….
The Signal should dump Roger Gitlin now. Refuse to publish his columns. He is not representative of the good people of the SCV, he is not up to the standards of that newspaper, and he should not be given a platform to publish his crypto-racist filth.
Oh come on, Jeff. Controversy sells papers. Didn’t you ever see Citizen Kane?
TMS is affraid of controversy.
Holy.CRAP! Hey, at least Glenn Turner (AKA “This year’s winner of the “Larry Tate Lookalike Contest”) is being honest about his rampant, repugnant racism. I mean really, we all knew those true colors (er…colorless pigmentations) would come out of the woodwork. I’m not surprised.
I say keep it up, Mr. Gitlin. Show the world what cracker, racist, hate-filled *ssholes you’d like to have voted into office. You are right, and we are all wrong. What were we thinking with those crazy, fruity, worthless ideals of judging each other on the content of our character, rather than on the color of our skin…or where we were born…or our creed, religion, or other sick, perverted lifestyle choice.
That video might have been poorly disguised as an “Anti-Obama piece”, but the only things missing were the white robe and hood, and a nice, brightly burning cross in the background.
I meant Grady Warren, not Glenn Turner. Must’ve reminded me of The Turner Diaries or something equally scary. Either way, the rest still applies…
So this Gitlin guy sends emails like this around to people? If he’s willing to pass on and praise racist videos like this, one wonders what he’s doing behind the scenes?
It’s disgusting that he has column space in the Signal. I’m seriously considering cancelling my subscription to the paper unless they drop him.
It amazes me that there are people around us that espouse those thoughts, shame on you Signal for giving this guy a forum to keep mouthing off his hate.
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The Magic “Negro” (it was actually a more derogatory word than Negro) was coined by USC professor Todd Boyd. It refers to a passive and subordinate black character in movies who is blessed with either magical powers or intuition that helps a white character redeem him or herself during the course of the story arc. The black character is usually dumb and incapable of managing their lives without the benevolence of the white character and serves as a simplistic plot device for the aforementioned redemption of the white character.
Limbaugh was doing much more than mocking the LA Times, his language was also used to stoke racism in a swath of his viewers and listeners who subcribe to those feelings.
Gitlin forwarding this tripe and granting his unequivocal blessing is the most egregious offense here — it properly overshadows the distraction of the etymology of the word “negro.”
This is disgusting. Roger A. Gitlin is a terrible excuse for a human being. It it sad when someone has nothing else to be proud of other then their race.
Looks like a pitch for tee shirts to me. Can’t tell for sure ’cause I had a hard time understanding him. Me no speakee Stooopid!
Gee..I was kicked off the SIGNAL because I wa told I was to “strident” and not in touch with the SCV from Virginia. THis gy isn’t in touch with reality.
Daryl:
I thought you got kicked off because all you did was complain about the County and Mike Antonovich! (hee hee)
Tim- You’re right!
BTW – I bet Church Street in Castaic still hasn’t been paved as promised by LACO
The next time this Fascist Roger Gitlin writes an opinion column asking if he is racist, as he did in The Signal July 25, 2010, I’d direct him to his own e-mails for the answer.
And this man was teaching our children.
Perhaps this is the unfortunate truth revealed. The video, minus the Negro comment, represents the view of many in the silent majority. BTW, why is Negro a bad word?
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12627a.htm
cash: do you endorse this message?
Yes, Cash do you endorse these message? Did the Silent majority want segregated schools and less equality in America?
What if the “silent majority” really wanted to outlaw guns and allow gay marriage and wanted crazy cranks to shut it.
I think there is truth in both points of view. For example I don’t not support segregated schools, etc.
Double Negative…?
At least you are honest in your racism. Cash
It depends on whether the word is being used as a noun or an adjective.
I’d love to see his reaction to the workshop I led my Gay-Straight Alliance club officers through the other day, entitled “Building Anti-Racist GSAs.”
That’d be a fun video.
What does everyone think about the 14th Amendment and it’s participation in the growth of children born to illegal immigrants? I ask this on the heals of an article I just read that said 5% of children born in the U.S> are born to illegal immigrants.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-08-11-illegal-immigrant-childrenl_N.htm?csp=34news
Could anyone explain how this differs with the desire for a Master Race? We see the same type of lies and distortions and I know from studying my history what comes next.
America establishes an enemy that the last gasp of white supremacy can rally against. The right wing candidates will play off that building hatred and xenophobia and we will elect an Ultra-Nationalist president to implement the ‘legal’ cleansing. Sherrif Joe already has his mini Manzanars in the Arizona desert just waiting for the green light to fill them up. The power of propaganda on stupid hateful people.
Will America need a violent revolution to overthrow this regime and restore equality and sanity?
Americans are so damn stupid they never learn lessons from history. Just twisted Beck, Hannity, Limbaugh, et al. versions.
Are we a United States? Do we want to be?
Quit feeding the Gitlins!
Brian, I think it is quite disingenuous and even dangerous when supporters of unmitigated illegal immigration in the U.S. say that us evil white people are out to create a master race. Was your intention to insult or are you just so racially insensitive that you think every white person will simply take this shit from you?
Anyone else gonna step up and correct this asshole or am I the only one who see how this ramps up racial division rather than cooling it? This is absolutely appalling behavior.
Brian, yeah, nobody is talking genocide.
Kevin, are you going to step up and criticize Roger Gitlin for ramping up racial division rather than cooling it?
Korenthal likes to overlook the breadth of the racial hatred espoused by the angry white tea baggers and other so-called patriots.
Try to build a Mosque.
Maybe we should forget the Tea bag protest sign of President Obama as an African witch doctor.
This is about more than our southern border. It’s a propaganda whipped up firestorm of hatred.
Brian, you are right they only talk about freedom and the Constitution when it fits their agernda. God forbid any one mention gays getting married.
Mike, this is not a racial issue. This is an issue of borders and citizenship. If our border were secure and laws like those that allow automatic citizenship to the children of illegals were not in effect, we would even be having this problem.
You pose this debate as if we are trying to rid the country of blacks, Latinos. Asians and every other non-white person. All we want is a secure border and laws that enforce orderly migration and citizenship.
Roger Gitlin is doing what he thinks is best to bring to the national conversation a topic that you Democrats are simply unwilling to address. Massive amounts ofd American welfare services, wealth and hospital resources go to illegal aliens that pay no taxes and use these resources at an alarmingly high level. You can disagree with the rhetoric Roger is using, but it in no way equals even the baseline of attack from his opposition. Roger feels Mexicans are invading the U.S. because their own country is such a mess. It is a mess because Mexicans don’t care about their country. Their abuse of America’s immigration system tells me that they are no more respectful of their country than their own.
Kevin,
If you watched that video and read Gitlin’s email and your reaction is to *defend* Gitlin, I’m at a loss for words.
Tell me where to return those flyers. I’m off the bus.
Hey Brian, how many Christian Churches are their in Mecca today?
what has Mecca got to do with the US and our Constitution, we don’t live there.
You posted my argument exactly!
I didn’t know Saudi Arabia had a Bill of Rights either.
I am so tired of racism and war. I grew up with this and I am sick of having to relive it!
Kevin, you are way off base here, there is no way to support Rogers position here and yours without souding like a racist. You guys wave the Constitution at everyones face to support freedom unless that freedom is in relations to someone you don’t like or approve of (gays getting married, the 14th amendment)
Mike, if that is how it is going to be then, email me and I’ll arrange to take the materials back. All I have said here is that I do not think this is a racial issue and regardless if I agree with Roger or not, I am for ending the Anchor Baby laws and sealing the border.
Does that make me a racist? Then insert Bob Kellar’s famous comment here.
Actually guys, with this whole 911 mosque deal going down, I have never heard the Constitution brought up more! Antisemetic, women-abusing terrorists should not be able to wrap themselves in the rights of our nation while they espouse REAL RACISM and violent hatred.
Kevin, did you watch this video and read Roger’s email? I suspect you haven’t, since it has hardly a thing to do with immigration and nothing to do with “anchor babies”.
If not, please do so, and let’s discuss.
I’m down for the cause knowing that we have a litany of political disagreements. But if you approve of this video, yes, it’s a step too far.
Sealing the border. There’s yet another futile budget buster for ya! Do you even have a clue how impossible that would be?
Perhaps your method would include machine guns and mine fields! That should slow them illegals up a little.
Immigration is a problem which the right has had no solution for. Now it’s the Presidents fault. You don’t see how stupid that makes you guys look, do you? It’s about accountability which is sorely lacking and finger pointing which you have in excess.
Find a better solution, genius!
Now as for the “Mosque deal……”. You’re a good Christian, aren’t you Korenthal? Your compassion for your fellow humans is overwhelming! You’re just another religious zealot throwing stones. Jerk! And yes, your opinions are racist in nature.
So what are you suggesting, Brian? That we open the borders and make no attempt to limit who or what comes into our country? Maybe we should legalize murder too. We certainly can’t stop it and housing criminals is another budget buster.
There has to be some sort of common sense here. Unfortunately, there are idiot extremists on both sides of the argument who detract and distract from reasonable discussion of the issue. I put Grady Warren in that category and Gitlin’s decision to forward video was stupid at best. On the other hand, those who cry “Nazi” at any mention of securing our border or enforcing our laws are every bit as stupid.
Nobody has suggested open borders. It’s just that the current suggestions are expensive and ineffective.
Now, the main deterrent is rejected by the right wing screamers. That would be to heavily fine the employers who provide the financial incentive for many of the crossings. No job, no stay, as our current economy is showing a decrease in immigration with the economic downturn. Big business likes cheap labor and will threaten to outsource if the employee roles are checked. Nice. Real nice!
My problem is when the discussion of the policy turns personal against individuals. This leads to vigilantism like the Minutemen.
I don’t feel most of these people are the sharpest knives in the drawer, actually able to understand a complicated issue like immigration beyond “build a wall and ship them back”! It just ain’t that simple. Otherwise Bush would have fixed it!
Bush didn’t want to fix it because, as you noted, cheap labor is good for big business. Unfortunately, it is the American middle class paying the price.
Kevin,
There are no “anchor baby” laws. There’s only the 14th Amendment, specifying that all persons born in the U.S. are citizens of the U.S.
Why do you conservatives hate the Constitution so much? You attack the First Amendment when you argue for not allowing mosques, and you attack the Fourteenth Amendment when you argue that those born here shouldn’t be citizens. Is there any part of the Constitution you conservatives actually like other than the 2nd Amendment?
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You (Today at 7:02pm)
So what’s up? You still gonna walk the precinct.
You (Yesterday at 10:11pm)
I think it, the video says that Roger, like the guy in the video is in combat with the opposition using similar over the top rhetoric as the opposition. This is something I do not resort to because I am articulate in my opposition to Obama. The guy in the video though creepy and clearly divisive in his speech is not racist. I define racism as judgment solely on race. The guy in the video offered a compelling rebuke of Obama ideology and policies. You know who I think is racist? Everyone who voted for Obama because he is black.
Hoosier: Those that placed the 14th amendment in the Bill of Rights could never have envisioned that this most politically progressive right would be used to reward those that come to this country is illegally. Why do you liberals hate this country so much that you would refuse to protect it from those that come here to steal the American dream away from those that were here first?