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Liberal Gay Blogger Pulls A Dr. Laura

08/26/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Satire, stupidity, or crass racism. Ben Carver decided to amend the recently done graphic aimed at helping those people who will be attending Glenn Beck’s ‘rally’ in support of himself on 8/28. Instead of being sarcastic, Carver used the opportunity to be crass, possibly racist, and even to use homophobic slurs which, like it or not, actually obliterate the point he was trying to make, which is the racist and homophobic nature of the followers of Beck.

To make matters worse, he use the same crass and racist term a seventh time in defending himself against the meager criticism that did show up with regards to his graphic.

Carver stated in the caption to the ‘map’ of the DC metro (bottom of post as per request)

“What I haven’t seen yet is an attempt to provide them with a map of D.C. that explains the city in a language they understand. Being of southern descent and inclined to hospitality, I decided to make one tonight. I was inspired after coming home this evening and finding that my boyfriend had received a letter from the Heritage Foundation, a hysterical right-wing organization. He took this multiple page screed, corrected it in ink (both grammar and ideology), and sent it back to them in the mail. While I don’t see the benefit in his actions, I was inspired by his riteous anger.

“Welcome, you highly fed and lowly taught failures of the American education system. Despite your attempt to recreate the nazi party, I hope your trip to our fine city is a pleasant one.”

Of course, Carver decided to blast those who objected to his material by stating “I knew the message would be lost on those who lack the ability to think critically, whether a right-wing or left-wing ideologue. Ultimately, the tea partiers and the politically correct alike suffer from the same disease. They put emotion before thinking.”

Actually, even those of us who can think realize that what Carver was trying to do amounted to a stupid attempt to be sarcastic and all he did was edge over into being offensive. Well, perhaps tumbled over into being offensive. Fell of the cliff into the sea of offensiveness?

Carver went on to say “For the dull, let me explain: This is sarcasm. It’s intent is to show the smallness of thinking employed by those who choose to scapegoat others based on their fear of the world. Those who see enemies behind every corner and minimize the worth of others based on categories such as race, sexual orientation, religion, or political ideology.”

Perhaps one should point out that this is not sarcasm. Sarcasm requires more whit than Carver shows in what is, honestly, a simplistic attempt to be crude. Perhaps he should take some time out to read some of the best satirists in the English language such as Jonathan Swift, Terry Pratchett, and Oscar Wilde. Repeated use of racist and homophobic epithets does not make one’s work sarcastic. True sarcasm requires the ability to put together words which will be both cutting and witty. It requires subtlety, which is lacking in those who rely upon racist epithets in order to attempt humor.

Carver went on in his rather inane and rather unfortunate rant of a defense by stating “Someone recently asked me ‘If a black person who had their face bashed in while being called a n***** saw that, would it be OK?’. Typical of the type of person I’ve just described, but let me answer:

It is not ok to bash a black person in the face. It is not OK to call them or anyone else hateful names. One should also defer from using hateful words casually in common speech, as they are loaded. If said black person saw my image and was upset, I would tell them that I think it an outrage they were bashed in the face and that justice should be served.”

On the one hand, he makes a very persuasive point, it is not alright to bash a person- any person- in the face, nor is it alright to call them hateful names. It is, however, with this statement that Carver, unfortunately, shows just how far he is willing to tumble into the sea of offensiveness and even show some of his own racism: “This is all, of course, assuming that said oppressed black person wasn’t rational, and didn’t immediately love this image because of its riteous anger and corrective intention.”

While I have disagreed with the use of the terms ‘White Privilege’, ‘Straight Privilege’, and ‘Male Privilege’, I have always acknowledged the fact that there are inequities within the society with regards to oppressing groups and oppressed groups. When Keith Olbermann went after Dr. Laura Schlessinger recently for her on air rant, he did not go after her for her repeated use of a specific racist epithet. Rather, he went after her for the racism implicit in the rest of what she said.

Given that the rest of the public comments on this image are hardly what one would say are attacking Carver as a racist, one has to wonder where the defensiveness is coming from. Indeed, had Carver simply pointed out that, yes, he was using these words to make people uncomfortable and it was a deliberate choice, instead of going on a rant which showed an obvious bent towards racism, he may have come out of this whole debacle rather more intact.

“I realize that the humor and sadness of this comment is overshadowed by it’s irony. Debating rational thought with those who don’t have the capacity to understand what I’m saying. It’s in these times I feel most certain that we are all doomed. Jesus, take the wheel,” Carver concluded.

In truth, those of us who do have the capacity to understand are still offended because it is painfully obvious that Mr. Carver does not want to acknowledge his own racial issues as is shown by his rant in defense of his image.

C.D. Kirven, the co-founder of Get Equal Now, put out this statement

“No lie lives forever! It is a lie that my community does not suffer from the infection of racial discrimination. This truth is carried by people of color and is a part of our everyday existence as a member of the LGBT community. It is never and I repeat never appropriate to use the “N” word. I’m extremely hurt by the Tea Party map but unfortunately not surprised because of the overt racism that continues to go unaddressed. I request the blogger release a public apology and that other LGBT community leaders denounce this blogger’s use of the “N” word which is not uncommon. I’ve been ignored and mistreat by many in my community because I took a stand against racial injustice. But ignoring it only allows the hateful bigotary to infect the minds and poison the actions of future LGBT leaders. I don’t care how you feel about me but the use of this word by a gay White blogger is painful and no comments by readers calling him out on his racial ignorance is shocking. I’m hoping this incident is an eye opener for those who think we are a post racial community. I’m publicly requesting action from others to break the silence and to stop the silent approval of this type of language. I plead with those in the LGBT community who have experienced discrimination to understand my outrage. How can we join together and fight for LGBT rights if behind my back you call me the “N” word because you think I’m beneath you? The fact that this blogger chose to use that word to disrespect Glenn Beck is crazy but ultimately he only manages to insult thousands of Black people who are also apart of the LGBT community. I will be contacted and people will attempt to change the subject by pointing out how others are treated in the same manner but I will not be distracted from this insult because the use of this slur has been used for years by White Americans against Black Americans. We as a nation are still trying to heal from racial wounds around Sherry Sherrod and Dr. Laura. I urge the blogger to apologize for using it and others to focus on our community wide racial problem. This problem will not be resolved unless we talk about it and take active steps to end it. How can you ask for homophobia to end when you do nothing to stop the racism in the LGBT community? I ask all people of color in the LGBT community to join me in requesting GLAAD, HRC, Gay & Lesbian Taskforce, NBJC, Courage Campiagn, Equality orgainations by state, EAA, Get Equal and others to not only denounce this bloggers use of the “N” word but to begin to take action to address racism in the LGBT community. I tried to stop Shrley Q’s welfare queen black face performance on Juneteenth but recieved minimal support from LGBT leaders. We will not end homophobia in the hetrosexual community until racism in the LGBT community is acknowledged as a nationwide problem.”

(Author’s note, I have redacted the offensive term from the quote from Carver’s rant.)

Source Image can be seen on Carver’s site.

Update:

Upon request, the picture in question is this: