Liberals’ ‘Uncle Tom’ Card Is Dead
Michelle Malkin /
Here is a short list of prominent conservatives and independent thinkers who’ve been accused by their critics of being an “Uncle Tom” or some other vitriolic variation on the overplayed left-wing theme of being a traitor to their race or gender (“Aunt Tomasina,” “Uncle Juan,” “Aunt Jemima,” “Uncle Wong,” etc.):
- White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
- U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley.
- Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson.
- Rapper Kanye West.
- Lt. Col. Allen West.
- Former Louisiana GOP Gov. Bobby Jindal.
- Attorney Miguel Estrada.
- Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
- Judge Janice Rogers Brown.
- Author and filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza.
- Author and CRTV host Deneen Borelli.
- ACT for America founder and author Brigitte Gabriel.
- Former Secretary of State and national security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.
- Former GOP vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
- Attorney and author Ann Coulter.
- Former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke.
- Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.
- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.
- Economist Thomas Sowell.
- Economist Walter Williams.
- Scholar Glenn Loury.
- Turning Point USA activist Candace Owens.
- Conservative radio talk show host Larry Elder.
- Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson.
- Author Erik Rush.
- Actress Stacey Dash.
- Former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain.
- Former University of California regent and businessman Ward Connerly.
- Former ambassador and GOP presidential candidate Alan Keyes.
- Conservative activist Niger Innis.
- Tea party organizer Lloyd Marcus.
- Author and columnist Star Parker.
- Author Shelby Steele.
- Social media stars Diamond and Silk.
- ESPN’s Sage Steele.
- Radio host Charlamagne tha God.
- Me.
Surveying this short list, you’ll notice that all of us public enemies of the progressive diversity-mongers possess an incredibly diverse array of life and work experiences.
We are black, white, brown, native-born citizens, immigrants, and naturalized Americans.
We are Republican, libertarian, moderate, hard-right, and unaffiliated.
We are politicians, diplomats, academicians, writers, economists, entrepreneurs, entertainers, lawyers, doctors, and pastors.
Like I said, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Pretty much any “person of color” who doesn’t adhere militantly to Democrat Party orthodoxy has or will face the barbed charge of self-loathing or tribe betrayal.
And legions of women, famous and obscure, wealthy and poor, have been labeled “female impersonators” or “Stepford Wives” for embracing everything from unborn life to gun ownership, high border walls, low taxes, and local control.
According to the self-appointed arbiters of color-coded and chromosomal fealty, if you marry outside your race, you’re a traitor. If you adopt your husband’s name, you’re a traitor. If you’re happy with stay-at-home motherhood, you’re a traitor. If you straighten your hair, or culturally appropriate some other culture’s hair, or bleach your hair the wrong color, you’re a traitor.
Lord, what dreary killjoys these PC police be.
I catalogued my favorite malicious mutations of the Uncle Tom card for years on my blog, from “white man’s puppet” to “Tokyo Rose” to “Manila whore,” “Subic Bay bar girl,” banana, coconut, and Oreo. Instead of dissuading me from espousing heretical opinions, these insults spurred me on. Now, the increasing exposure and public ubiquity of unapologetic and unorthodox women and minorities seems to have triggered the collectivists’ bile production at the highest levels.
Most recently, the White House Correspondents’ Association gave “comedian” Michelle Wolf a lofty platform upon which to denigrate Sanders’ womanhood by sniping:
I’m never really sure what to call Sarah Huckabee Sanders, you know? Is it Sarah Sanders, is it Sarah Huckabee Sanders, is it Cousin Huckabee, is it Auntie Huckabee Sanders? What’s Uncle Tom, but for white women who disappoint other white women? Oh, I know. Aunt Coulter.
Ultimately, the problem with the whinnying Wolf’s schtick isn’t that it’s mean and divisive. It’s that it’s boring, unfunny, and ineffectual. When everyone qualifies as an “Uncle Tom” in the eyes of the left’s raging resistance, there will be no one left to pretend to laugh at their anemic jokes.