Ian Lopez

I seriously underestimated how much Dog Whistle Politics: How Coded Racial Appeals Have Reinvented Racism & Wrecked the Middle Class Ian Haney Lopez would affect me. As I started reading, I expected a rehashing of contents I already knew. While there was some of that, there was also information about the history of racism in the United States that I never fully knew. I expected to read the book quickly without the need to pause and think about what I read. Instead, the book took me quite a show more while to read as I pondered the contents. As I read an examination of policies I'd long heard explained with twisted logic that never sounded quite right, I realized I've been mislead by half-truths and misrepresentation of facts. This particularly surprised me in regards to some historical policies that were conveniently glossed over or completely absent from my history classes. This book also answered questions for me about how people I think of as generally non-racist and who consider themselves non-racist say and do things that are so obviously race driven. This deeper understanding made me stop and think about my own life and how I perceive the world around me. As I read Lopez's words skewering Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, and liberals as well as those who forego any of those labels for engaging in dog whistle politics, I felt despair at times and hope at other times. Lopez encourages us to recognize dog whistle politics and dog whistle attitudes that incite needless fear, so perhaps we can begin to grow past the divisions that are so constantly thrust upon us. Still the question remains... Can we? Lopez points out the problems we face in a book that challenges preconceptions of what it means to be "colorblind" and "post-racial" as he points out the use of fear and stereotypes to keep people separated. As I read Dog Whistle Politics, I felt sickened at times, hopeful at others, angry at times, and filled with love at others. I hope this book reaches an audience beyond those who already understand and agree with its contents. In this examination of the history and continuation of dog whistle politics, Lopez asks us to seek understanding and make a plan for a better future together. Even as Dog Whistle Politics attempts to examine and educate the effects of dog whistle politics on the United States from myriad points of view, Lopez never apologizes for taking a stance against the use of dog whistle politics to keep us separated and unequal. show less

What starts off as a historical review of communicating racism via covert political language to win elections, AKA dog whistle politics, eventually transforms into a plea for more public discourse on race in general. Lopez's biggest point of contention is the trend toward a belief that we have graduated to a post-racial, colorblind world. His critique of this view further inflames the controversy, as probably intended. While many see colorblindness as the natural end-goal of race relations, show more Lopez considers it another form of unintentionally coded racism. This naturally provokes the already-uneasy peace many have made with the issue.

I'll admit I was one of those who regarded colorblindness as the morally superior position. And now the author has got me second-guessing that assertion. The solutions he proposes don't seem right to me, but now neither does my current belief on race. I recommend Dog Whistle Politics if you're willing to concede that the issue of race in America is much more complex than previously thought. show less

This book can be summarized as How to get middle class America to keep voting against their interests! Although this was written in 2014 , it is disturbingly prophetic in why America will succumb and keep faltering along these fractured lines .

Lopez traces how racism as metastasized over the decades – from hooded, cross burning, horse riding clans to structural racism in 60s laws like “Redlining” , “Bussing” & Jim Crow and finally using coded racial appeals how it used in show more contemporary political scene “Suburban House Wife” , “Super Predator” ,”Welfare queens” etc.

If you cannot link these seemingly innocuous words or phrases or why should not have anything to do with race – then you must be awaking up from a long comatose. And slicing through any vestigial remnants of logic and reasoning like scalpel in the hands of seasoned surgeon they will ensure that you will connect the dots to race.

It goes back to George Wallace back in the 60s and later by Nixon christened as the “Southern Strategy” – where racism is masked behind race neutral words, only “audible” in the subconscious of the target, a mechanism to trigger fear and hatred. This is not restricted to the GOP, politics on both sides of the aisle have used this although it was pioneered in the deep south and further sharpened in the Republican era.

It should be obvious the book is very critical of the Tea party tactics but Lopez also sites examples in the Democratic years when chances were squandered in repairing the damage done.

Although perfected here and propagated by subservient political punditry and media channels, is yet to be caught on in developing nations like India ; where it is still crude and predictable with middle class and lower strata population kept infatuated with usual theme - Hindu vs “Pick any religion” while disastrous socioeconomic and foreign policies by probably the most incompetent govt in the history of free India that have wreaked havoc and continue too as voters cannot (or will not) see beyond religious (instead of race) lines in case of India. show less

I found Dog Whistle Politics utterly fascinating, horrifying and heartbreaking all at the same time. López defines dog whistling as “inaudible and easily denied in one range, yet stimulating strong reactions in another.”López dissects how dogwhistling started in the 1960s and let to the Republican party becoming the white man’s party. He is even handed though and takes Democrats to take as well.

His explanation and analysis of why being “color-blind” is actually harmful is one of show more the best I’ve ever read. My biggest take away from this book is what Lopez states repeatedly throughout – racism does not equal malice. It is our narrow, modern day definition of racism as overt words and deeds that have led many to believe that we are living in a post-racial society.

In the wake of recent race linked events, like the killing of unarmed suspects by police, this would be an excellent book to recommend to your friends that you would like to educate on what white privilege is and how being color-blind is actually not helpful. I consider myself pretty versed on race issues and I still learned a lot. Highly recommended for everyone. show less