‘Your disrespect of Kamala Harris is part of a tradition of disrespect’
Vanderbilt African American Studies professor Michael Eric Dyson recently used the (mis)pronunciation of VP Kamala Harris’ name to accuse a Republican congresswoman of “racism.”
Dyson, who earlier in the month used the n-word in a speech to a group of Alabama educators, told South Carolina U.S. Representative Nancy Mace she was part of the “legacy of white disregard for the humanity of Black people” for saying “Ka-MA-la” instead of “KA-ma-la.”
In the August 15 CNN segment (video below), Dyson and others on the panel immediately jumped in to correct Mace, who responded “you can call her whatever you want.”
Mace subsequently is called “disrespectful,” with Dyson adding “We don’t call you Nancy ‘Mah-chee.'”
“I know you don’t intend it to be that way, that’s the history and legacy of white disregard for the humanity of Black people,” Dyson continued, according to Raw Story.
Mace retorted “Oh, so now you’re calling me a racist? That is b.s. That is complete b.s.” with Dyson then responding “You don’t have to intend racism to accomplish it. Your disrespect of Kamala Harris is part of a tradition of disrespect.”
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“You are intending that I am racist and that is offensive and it’s wrong,” Mace said, talking in unison with Dyson.
When Dyson insisted he wasn’t calling Mace a racist, she doubled down: “You are. You absolutely are and that is disgusting.”
Later in the clip, Dyson insists Mace pronounce Harris’ first name right. When she doesn’t, the panel in unison shouts: “Kah-muh-la!”
Democratic strategist Keith Boykin then shouts, “You’re doing this on purpose congresswoman!”
Dyson further accused Mace of “normalizing” a kind of “viciousness,” according to The Hill.
After he said Mace’s “disrespect” was “disgusting,” Mace countered with “You know what, you know what’s disgusting to women is her disrespect of women. She doesn’t know what a woman is.”
The professor then challenged Mace to pronounce Harris’ name correctly. After she did not, Dyson said “You’re a white woman disrespecting a Black woman,” with Boykin adding “You’re doing this on purpose, congresswoman!”
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IMAGE: Vanderbilt U.
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