McKinney

Great post from Pam on the politics of hair and how deeply internalized racism can be. Of course, she’s got the Freeper round-up, which will, as ever, make you puke.

I like Cynthia McKinney’s hair. And, being a hair-lazy white girl whose had variations on the same haircut since I was 14, because it requires no effort whatsoever, I know if I were a hair-lazy black girl, there’s no way on god’s green earth I’d mess with relaxers and shit. I’d have the biggest fro going.

I also agree with Pam’s conclusion that the whole incident is complicated, and that “it's probably going to look like both sides are in the wrong to some extent. Yes, race probably is a factor, also on both sides (McKinney's post-incident posturing undermines cases of blatant and extreme racism that is still rampant in society).” I’d add that I’m feeling uncomfortable with McKinney’s claim that she was “touched inappropriately.” That’s a loaded phrase, which has a distinctly sexual tone. She won’t say how, exactly, she was touched inappropriately, but if she’s using that phrase to describe her arm being grabbed, she’s not only undermining cases of blatant and extreme racism with her hyperbole, but cases of legitimate sexual assault.