Yvette Carnell: Lessons in Tokenism from Juan Williams

by Yvette Carnell

During the FOX News debate, Newt Gingrich put Juan Williams on display, and in his place, by extending and prolonging his Latino first name. Gingrich made a short little one syllable name like Juan sound like J-U-A-N. It was almost as if the words hung in the air, like Jordan seconds before the dunk. It was beautiful, and it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving fellow.

Of course, Juan IS Latino. His family extends from Panama, but most people don’t think much about that or know much about that since FOX brands J-U-A-N as its authentic African American voice, giving him carte blanche to speak out on all pressing black issues of the day, even our history in this country, a history that, for the most part, doesn’t extend from Panama.

I, however, have no issues with that since a) The issues and interests of black and brown people intermingle and b) We’re a mixed bag. There is no such thing as being authentically black and I’m not much interested in purity tests. Going back down the road of paper bag tests and one drop rules is not the direction I’d like to see black and brown people head down, certainly not in the 21st century. For me, Juan Williams definitely presents as a black man and that’s just as good a reason as any for him to speak on black issues. Plain enough?

The person who has an issue with Juan, the man who stretched out his name in some sort of contrived demonstration, is Gingrich. And this I find surprising considering that Juan is a center-right pundit who has done an excellent job of carrying the water for the Republican establishment over the years.

In this instance, no good deed goes unpunished. And although racists are very often good pretenders, they’re still racists. This explains why Newt Gingrich chose MLK Day to let loose on black people in general and Juan Williams in particular. Racists are not “down” with you because you share their ideology. They’re not your brothers in the Lord because you share the same religion. And they’re certainly not above using your black face to exploit their agenda when the opportunity presents itself.

Racists never forget. They never forgive. They’re in it to win it. They’re in it to realize your full subjugation under the banner of Old Glory. And it would certainly help the cause of freedom if black people like J-U-A-N wouldn’t aid them in doing their dirty work. Because in the end, there is no reward for the token, only betrayal and jocular ridicule. Let this be a lesson.

Yvette Carnell is a former Capitol Hill and campaign staffer turned writer. She is currently an editor and contributor to Yourblackworld.

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Rasheed

say word ….
http://profile.yahoo.com/VPCROXEH2CN2PIOKPNRHKV6JXI Herb

Ms. Carnell,

You are entirely too generous…polite. Juan Williams is a Tom from way back. No serious thinkers, black, white, or otherwise, take him seriously. He comes from a well worn tradition of “race traitors”, such as those who gleefully betrayed each of the major slave revolts for a few crumbs from their masters’ table. He understands quite well that he is being used….and he likes it.

David2001

He (Juan Williams) not only likes being used he’s getting paid well for it by Fox news. That’s the main reason blacks like him support the republican party. The line is a lot shorter and it’s a lot more lucrative. I don’t agree with the writer that this was some sort of lesson for Williams. IMO he was in cahoots with Newt before the debate began. Gingrich knew exactly what questions Juan Williams was going to ask. They both served up black people as red meat to a white racist crowd at that debate.

Jwoods1044

The fact that Juan continues with Fox is more disturbing than how he was treated by Newt. I really don’t understand.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Olin-Ross/546574576 Olin Ross

I ignore words coming out of the mouth of a sleazebag…
WizardG

Many “blacks” from other countries neither share our history nor our pain! They are often chosen to represent us. That is exactly why they chose Mr. Obama. His history is not our history, but he represents us only in external features. The same for Colin Powell and his background, and why they favored him.

I guess it’s all the same, because we have been so fractured and disenfranchised as a community that we cannot see who we really are or where we are supposed to be. We tend to harm each other just as badly, and in many cases worse than the “Uncle Toms”. We all help the Anglo-elite in some fashion shape or form whether we intend to or not!
In many cases we are forced into helping them by paying their penalty enforced taxes while it seems they scheme their way out of paying taxes themselves. What a crazy insane country! The politicians are not worth the spit we use to utter their names and our police and military will turn on us the minute the Anglo-elite and their government officials give the orders. And of course many of our own are on those policing forces and in the military. So we’re damned if we do, and damned if we don’t, in this catch 22 ‘nut house’ we call the USA!

http://www.facebook.com/mychal.odom Mychal Odom

Man, Juan Williams’ family along with my part of my family, moved from English West Indian countries still under the heel of colonialism to live in the Panama Canal. At that time, the Canal functioned under a de jure and de facto system of Jim Crow. Our families who built the canal were paid less and treated poorly. The reason they were sought was because they were Black, spoke English and had a history slavery. And 30,000 of them died building that canal, many of whom are still buried in the dirt down there.

Juan Williams’ issue is not that he does not udnerstand a history of pain, it is about his present-day financial motivator for him to forget it. That effects black folks born in the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa and the US. Gwen Iffil is also Panamanian of West Indian descent and she does not act like Juan does.

Puro Mestizo

While the author doesn’t question Mr. Williams blackness, the posters have obviously felt inclined to do so. Didn’t realize there was a committee designed to choose who was and wasn’t “black” enough. Guess I’ll take my half and half butt over to the Puerto Rican side.

teabaggers are idiots

@Puro Mestizo. Good riddance, you wont be missed on this “black” blog. No committee needed in Juan Williams case. Williams long since made it clear he wasn’t “black enough” when he started spewing the same white racist rhetoric about blacks as racist whites over at Fox news. Some are just calling as they see it. Sometimes the truth hurts.
http://www.facebook.com/mychal.odom Mychal Odom

I agree, we all came on the same ships, just got dropped off on different stops while our other relatives remained back home.

http://www.facebook.com/mychal.odom Mychal Odom

Juan Williams’ family is just like mine, West Indian immigrants whom oved to Panama a century ago to build the canal but then later moved to the United States. We are West Indians, Latinos and African Americans (and proud to be all three). Juan Williams, before his conserative turn was the producer of Eyes on the Prize and other important volumes in African American history.
Anonymous

“In this instance, no good deed goes unpunished. And although racists are very often good pretenders, they’re still racists. This explains why Newt Gingrich chose MLK Day to let loose on black people in general and Juan Williams in particular. Racists are not “down” with you because you share their ideology. They’re not your brothers in the Lord because you share the same religion. And they’re certainly not above using your black face to exploit their agenda when the opportunity presents itself. Racists never forget. They never forgive. They’re in it to win it. They’re in it to realize your full subjugation under the banner of Old Glory. And it would certainly help the cause of freedom if black people like J-U-A-N wouldn’t aid them in doing their dirty work.”

Thank you for stating this in your article. I attempted to post a similar thought on Black Voices and Black Voices censored my post. Juan Williams is not alone but is one in a line of GOP token men of color which include Bobby Jindal, Micheal Steel, Herman Cain, Rev. Jesse Peterson (he wants us back on the plantation), etc. They brown nose the GOP so often that when it comes to actually confronting racism in their party, no one takes them seriously as was clear in the debates. Gingrich backed by a predominately white crowd told Juan to go to his room and don’t come out again until he is called for. Yet men like the ones mentioned here will never learn, they will continue to carry the haterade. The RNC was void of black folk in 2008 except Cowboy Bob. 2012 aught to be a real hoot. Vote my black people, please vote and insult them racists by making them have to call Barak Obama “Mr. President” for another four years.
CLARENCE GRANT

I AM VERY PROUD OF JUAN WILLIAMS AS A PANAMANIAN HERE IN THESE UNITED STATES. HE HAS CONDUCTED HIMSELF WITH DIGNITY AS HAS A RI9GHT TO HIS PERSONAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND POLICIES.
“IN THE LAND OF MY BIRTH I HAD NO WORTH” M.MAKEBA . THAT IS STILL THE CLIMATE IN THE 21ST CENTURY IN THE REP. OF PANAMA. PLEASE SEND ME 2 LIC REAL ESTATE BROKERS/ NOTARY PUBLICS WITH W.I. NAMES.

LABOCAGRANT50@YAHOO.COM
JanerL

All news stations have been showing a clip of Mr. Gingrich Town Hall, one of many. In this particular one a White Woman stands up and says the following

“Mr. Speaker, I’m so glad you put Juan Williams iin his PLACE” What he said is just ludicras”

That really says it all

Mr. Gingrich Response

Agreement!

Unfortunately Black folk and regardless of where Mr. Williams hails from he’s still BLACK in this country. The law even 200 years ago any Black Blood=Black “PERIOD”

Blacks who knowingly carry the water for Racist usually getting well-paid know that it’s a matter of time before one of two things happen, they are Hung Out To Dry when their Racist Masters need to Use them as Examples or Sent Out to Pastuer, like Armstrong Williams who still has not learned one thing.