Overuse Makes Racism Charge Sound Silly [OPINION]

It once meant something to accuse someone of being a racist. Now the term is so overused that its impact has been all but diminished.

Racism does exist in America but truly racist Americans are relatively few in number, despite what the media and some politicians would have you believe. You know that from your own day-to-day life, yet allegations of widespread and rampant racism continue to be projected across social and mainstream media every day. It sells soap. It also allows a politician to define his or her foe in an unflattering way.

Not long ago, the racist tag began being applied to Donald Trump, someone who had been admired by many in the African-American community for his charitable contributions and the economic opportunities he created for minorities. Once Trump declared his candidacy for the presidency, he was branded a racist and shunned by blacks who are generally loyal to the Democrat Party. It is a political strategy that is common in the identity politics routinely employed by the Democrats.

Since that time, however, the term racist has been more broadly applied by some to include everything from milk to patriotism. Now, the Democrats have begun to call each other racist. It has reached a level of absurdity and utter silliness. It seems anything or anyone you disagree with these days is fair game for the racism tag. Even Speaker Pelosi has been called a racist by members of the radical wing of her own Democrat Party–ironically, on the same day that she was referring to Trump as a racist.

Some even find it appropriate to refer to Trump and ICE and Border Patrol agents as Hitler and Nazis. Those are also terms that have begun to lose their sting due to overuse.

The misuse of terms such as racist, Hitler, and Nazi indicates a considerable ignorance of world and U.S. history which is unfortunate. To refer to border detention centers as concentration camps is tragic and misguided. It is also divisive and intended to divide the population against itself. You know, divide and conquer.

Sadly, as long as the media gets giddy every time someone tosses the racist charge out there, it will continue to be used. Make no mistake about it, each time it is used the impact is diminished.

Wake up, America. There are forces looking to divide this nation by creating hatred, mistrust, and violence. It has worked elsewhere and will work here if we don't get smart.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.