The Iowa GOP is Defining Racism Now. Oh, Boy.

Ever wanted to know if you're racist? Well, don't worry, the Iowa GOP is on it. And they are definitely the most qualified people to know because the GOP in Iowa has lots of experience being racist themselves. Like, lots of experience. Way too much. So clearly they are the most qualified to know these things, right? And that's why they made a handy-dandy flowchart that they posted to their Facebook page to help you determine if someone is racist. Sounds great right?

Needless to say, this chart didn't go over well. It has since been deleted from the page, and an apology has been issued, but the heart of the matter is that this chart reveals, more than anything, how much Republicans don't understand racism. The chart itself doesn't actually make a lot of sense – until you realize it makes perfect sense if you consider racism to only be an accusation hurled at people you don't like rather than a real, pervasive, hugely problematic force in our society. Because apparently being racist just means you aren't white and people don't like you.

Cue the face palm.

Seriously, though, this chart reveals a lot about the attitude of all too many people in our country. For the benefit of anyone out there who thought this flowchart was funny or on point, I'll say this slowly, so pay attention: Racism is not an accusation used to oppress and persecute white people; racism is a system that continues to actively oppress and persecute people of color.

We live in a country where people of color face discrimination everywhere. Racism happens all the time, again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again. And please note that those links are just a sampling of incidents from within the past month. So to everyone who seems to think racism ended when Barack Obama took the oath of office, just... no.

The Republican Party, also known as the people with an even worse track record on racial issues than the Democratic Party, do not get to make jokes about how they are called racist all the time. They simply do not. Because despite getting all this feedback about how offensive the party has been in the past, despite desperate pleas by party leadership to please for the love of God not piss off everyone who isn't white, straight, and male, despite speculation that racism might turn the entrenched Republican stronghold of Texas blue in the foreseeable future, still it seems like the party members as a whole just can't help themselves.

So as long as Republican candidates use racially coded language to talk about President Obama, as long as Republican legislators compare immigrants to bird dogs, as long as anyone in the GOP is still taking Rush Limbaugh's phone calls, Republicans do not get to chuckle at how often they get called racist instead of recognizing that they are actively supporting a system of oppression against and source of pain for tens of millions of Americans.

The only thing this flowchart got right was the final note. Because, no, it isn't funny, and yes it is racist.

Image: Iowa GOP/Facebook