4 ms·

Herman Cain’s life and death were more complicated than that

7 points by RickJWagner 6y ago

sashenka 6y ago
Herman Cain sucks.
rayiner 6y ago
The last few years have given me an unexpected empathy for folks like Herman Cain. At some point, I became an old Asian guy with old Asian guy values that the second generation Asians and young kids don’t necessarily agree with. And I quickly realized that one of the downsides about being a minority is that it’s very hard to have a social debate within a minority group without it getting subsumed into larger political debates occurring among the majority. A handful of young, progressive Asians get massively amplified by young progressive running outfits like the Atlantic. The Atlantic isn’t exactly reaching out to me, much less my parents, to ask them “hey, what do you think of the idea that assimilation is racist?” (They’d say that’s absurd, and I’d agree, but nobody asks us.) It was very jarring for me to realize how much power young white progressives had to communicate to the next generation what Asian identity and values mean. I wonder if Herman Cain ever felt this way. There’s plenty of Black conservatives (regardless of what party they vote for). But you hardly see those views represented in media. I think this dynamic can even drown out the majority view within a minority group. My dad—a Democrat and immigrant from a Muslim country—was commenting that he was annoyed how the media made Ilhan Omar ‘the face of Islam’ in America given how “extreme” her views are. For obvious reasons, most Muslim Americans are actually squarely in the conservative wing of the Democratic Party, and indeed a majority voted for George W. Bush back in 2000. But you’d never know that by the media coverage. Both the right and the left have decided—for the same reason—that Omar is the archetype of Muslims in America.
- bumbledraven 6y ago
  Where is the groundswell of American Muslims disavowing Omar and saying loudly that she doesn’t speak for them?
mindslight 6y ago
Every one of the nearly quarter million Americans who have died from Covid had an interesting vibrant life, and then a tragic story of getting sick, struggling, and not making it. His personal story doesn't change the fact that Cain chose to publicly spread ignorance for political gain. When you proudly set a poor example and suffer the consequences, don't be surprised that you're posthumously held up as an example of cause and effect.

7 points by RickJWagner 6y ago

Herman Cain sucks.

The last few years have given me an unexpected empathy for folks like Herman Cain. At some point, I became an old Asian guy with old Asian guy values that the second generation Asians and young kids don’t necessarily agree with. And I quickly realized that one of the downsides about being a minority is that it’s very hard to have a social debate within a minority group without it getting subsumed into larger political debates occurring among the majority. A handful of young, progressive Asians get massively amplified by young progressive running outfits like the Atlantic. The Atlantic isn’t exactly reaching out to me, much less my parents, to ask them “hey, what do you think of the idea that assimilation is racist?” (They’d say that’s absurd, and I’d agree, but nobody asks us.) It was very jarring for me to realize how much power young white progressives had to communicate to the next generation what Asian identity and values mean. I wonder if Herman Cain ever felt this way. There’s plenty of Black conservatives (regardless of what party they vote for). But you hardly see those views represented in media. I think this dynamic can even drown out the majority view within a minority group. My dad—a Democrat and immigrant from a Muslim country—was commenting that he was annoyed how the media made Ilhan Omar ‘the face of Islam’ in America given how “extreme” her views are. For obvious reasons, most Muslim Americans are actually squarely in the conservative wing of the Democratic Party, and indeed a majority voted for George W. Bush back in 2000. But you’d never know that by the media coverage. Both the right and the left have decided—for the same reason—that Omar is the archetype of Muslims in America.

bumbledraven 6y ago
Where is the groundswell of American Muslims disavowing Omar and saying loudly that she doesn’t speak for them?

mindslight 6y ago

Every one of the nearly quarter million Americans who have died from Covid had an interesting vibrant life, and then a tragic story of getting sick, struggling, and not making it. His personal story doesn't change the fact that Cain chose to publicly spread ignorance for political gain. When you proudly set a poor example and suffer the consequences, don't be surprised that you're posthumously held up as an example of cause and effect.