This Week in Racism - The Fourth of July Is America's Day Off from Racism

Welcome to a special Fourth of July edition of This Week in Racism. I’ll be ranking news stories on a scale of one to RACIST, with “one” being the least racist and “RACIST” being the most racist.

–Famous American abolitionist Frederick Douglass once said of today's holiday, "What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim." Whoa, talk about a bummer. I bet no one invited him to a BBQ ever again!

In an effort to refrain from being a massive killjoy and reminding America of its history of systemic prejudice, I'm getting in the spirit of the season and projecting all of my frustrations with this country on foreigners! It's the American way, after all. That means no racism stories about the good ol' US of A. You win this round, Opie and Anthony.

First up is the Australian woman who called a fellow train passenger a "gook" because no one would stand up to give her a seat. I'm sure her back was hurting from carrying all those illegal immigrants all day. As is now commonplace, the incident was filmed and the video went viral. The woman has since apologized publicly, but potentially faces legal repercussions under Australia's Racial Discrimination Act. Section 18c of the law bans words and actions that "offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate" someone due to their background. The government of Prime Minister Tony Abbot is doing all it can to repeal Section 18c, and Australian Attorney General George Brandis was quoted saying, "People do have a right to be bigots, you know." Oh, I know. I know. RACIST

Photo via Flickr User West Annex News

–Toronto Mayor Rob Ford blamed his alcoholism and drug addiction for racist, homophobic, and misogynist comments that were leaded to the media back in April of this year. He used the words "wop" and "dago" to refer to Italians, which is a big no-no. Ford went to rehab and is now claiming he's clean and ready to start over, but not before turning the tables on his significant opposition.

Doug Ford, Rob's brother and a city councilman, called high school teacher and Ford critic Joe Killoran a "racist" for his displeasure with Rob's behavior. Does that not make sense to you, because it doesn't make sense to me either. Doug believes that you can be racist against someone for being an alcoholic or, in his words, "you can be racist against people who eat little red apples." Actually, no. Toronto, please keep electing these people. I'm loving it. 4

–Someone put a KKK flag on a light post in east Belfast, Ireland. It was subsequently taken down, but that hasn't stopped the citizens of Northern Ireland from flipping out over the possibility that racism exists quite near to them. The Guardian recently reported a spike in racist activity in Northern Ireland, with police responding to up to three racially related incidents per day. The economy in Northern Ireland is still struggling to find its footing after the Great Recession, and naturally, that leads to racial resentment and eventually, violence. One can only hope they can find a way to ease the tension. RACIST

The Most Racist Tweets of the Week:

WHAT THE FUCK JUST GO OUT WITH ME AGAIN YOU DUMB NIGGER

— (@tipsymendes) July 3, 2014

This wetback done came to work today looking like a big ass American flag hell nahhhhhhhh his shirt look like a bed sheet

— DonJuan™ (@DonJuan95) July 3, 2014

A stupid nigger followed me

— Leyo (@OhLeyo_) July 3, 2014

Sharon will forever be "little chink" in my phone. Full racism intended.

— Zachary Miller ⚓️ (@Cptn_zach) July 3, 2014

im sorry, but if you're mexican and you're here illegaly all you are to me is a beaner, sorry.

— Sega (@SegaTheGoon) July 3, 2014

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