An old skeleton in the closet

THERE WAS a large boulder adjacent to the entrance of a hunting camp that Rick Perry leased back in the 80s. The rock once sported the camp's name -- "Niggerhead" -- before it was painted over at some point. It's unclear when it occurred to the Perry clan to remove the epithet, but apparently it took awhile, maybe even a few years. Needless to say, the controversy has blown up in Perry's face. His peeps are now busy issuing denials that their boss is a closet racist. Does Perry's evident racial insensitivity as a young man shock me? Nope. There was bound to be a skeleton or three in his West Texas closet given Perry's "traditional" orientation. That said, none of this means Perry is a racist, at least not in the Jefferson Davis sense. Wallar Overton, the son of Mr. Perry's old scoutmaster, told the NY Times, "It's just what it was called from Day One. I personally am not offended by the name, and I don't like the word. That's just what people call it." I actually believe Mr. Overton. Perry was probably of like mind. But you know, I know and they know that it is highly unlikely that any African American coming across "Niggerhead" would find it as inoffensive or "quaint" as, say, Camp Granada. So let's not go skipping off into la-la land here. The fact that the N-word as a place name is still harmless in the minds of some whites means there's still a deep-seated racial problem, even if it is mainly borne of ignorance or thoughtlessness. This episode is yet another example of racism's insidious legacy in America.

After the Washington Post broke the story, Herman Cain remarked Sunday, "Since Governor Perry has been going there for years to hunt, I think that it shows a lack of sensitivity for a long time of not taking that word off of that rock and renaming the place." Cain quickly drew flak from his fellow Republicans. Some white dude named Will Spencer tweeted: "I was liking Cain more and more ... until these idiotic attacks on Perry. Now I'm leaning back towards Rick." In a similar vein, David Hubbard tweeted: "Now an EX-Herman Cain supporter after his racial remarks about Governor Perry. It is all about the race card with those People. Perry 2012." Notice Hubbard's oblivious use of the phrase "those people." Kinda says it all. These ridiculous reactions remind me of a famous quip by Winston Churchill: “The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.” These tweeters certainly qualify as Exhibits A and B. Why Cain ever thought he had a ghost of chance with these scary folks is beyond me. Not that Cain is a tower of integrity, mind you. Feeling the heat, he is Moonwalking his comments back today and is all "I-didn't-really-mean-it," honest. The Perry matter "doesn't bother me at all," Cain said, adding, "I'm not playing the race card. I am not attacking Gov. Perry." Pathetic. He and his fair-weather fans deserve each other.