--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We focus on that really repulsive…" description: "\"We focus on that really repulsive minority of racists. But then there's a continuum that goes all the way to, you know, what used to be called the whit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/george-packer-2917_backlash_we-focus-on-that-really-repulsive-minori_810202.jpg" --- # We focus on that really repulsive minority of racists. But… ![“We focus on that really repulsive minority of racists. But then there's a continuum that goes all the way to, you know, what used to be called the white backlash or to, you know, the feelings of some white people that they're losing out and that the jobs and power and sort of the culture is…” quote by George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/george-packer-2917_backlash_we-focus-on-that-really-repulsive-minori_810202.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/george-packer-2917_backlash_we-focus-on-that-really-repulsive-minori_810202.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/george-packer-2917_backlash_we-focus-on-that-really-repulsive-minori_810202.jpg) > “We focus on that really repulsive minority of racists. But then there's a continuum that goes all the way to, you know, what used to be called the white backlash or to, you know, the feelings of some white people that they're losing out and that the jobs and power and sort of the culture is drifting away from them and toward people who don't look like them, who don't - who they don't know very well. And that's not necessarily - I don't equate that with the hardcore ideological hatred of self-identified racists.” [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights a spectrum of white resentment, from overt racism to subtle feelings of loss and cultural displacement, urging recognition of this continuum. **In simple terms:** White resentment ranges from overt racism to subtle cultural loss feelings. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and address the full range of grievances. Themes race identity politics social change culture Mood concerned reflective critical Type analytical observational When to use this quote - political discourse - community dialogue - media analysis - policy making Key Concepts systemic inequality group threat perception identity politics Questions to Reflect On - How does the "white backlash" differ from extremist racism? - What policies can reduce perceived cultural loss? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify complex socioeconomic factors behind white grievance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backlash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backlash/) [Continuum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/continuum/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Drifting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drifting/) [Drifting away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drifting-away/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Hardcore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardcore/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Identified Racists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identified-racists-246916/) [Ideological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideological/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Losing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/losing/) [Losing out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/losing-out/) [Minorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minorities/) [Minority Racists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minority-racists-246915/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist/) [Racists Continuum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racists-continuum-246912/) [Repulsive Minority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repulsive-minority-246913/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Used to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-to-be/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White Backlash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-backlash-246914/) [White people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-people/) ## Related quotes > [Part of the challenge of the Barack Obama campaign was to try to neutralize that white backlash, and of course, he was masterful in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/part-of-the-challenge-of-the-barack-obama-campaign-was-to-try-to/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [The white backlash has been at work for a long time. It's been part and parcel of the Republican Party for the last 25…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-white-backlash-has-been-at-work-for-a-long-time-it-s-been-part/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [One in three Canadian teens are bullied. That's nearly two million young Canadians who are teased and excluded. Nearly two million who are silenced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-desman/one-in-three-canadian-teens-are-bullied-that-s-nearly-two-million/) [Shawn Desman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-desman/) > [I am not quite sure what the advantage is in having a few more dollars to spend if the air is too dirty to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/i-am-not-quite-sure-what-the-advantage-is-in-having-a-few-more/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [ \[The internet has\] already had a huge impact in the sports world, and the play-by-play guys that are not paying attention to it are… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-eagle/the-internet-has-already-had-a-huge-impact-in-the-sports-world-and/) [Ian Eagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-eagle/) > [As a species, we're not only wired to choose today over tomorrow, but we hate to feel like we're losing out on something. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/as-a-species-we-re-not-only-wired-to-choose-today-over-tomorrow-but/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [In the past I was very open and very generous, and I found that it just exploded in my face. A lot of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/in-the-past-i-was-very-open-and-very-generous-and-i-found-that-it/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [Somehow, something is always suffering. Someone is always losing out somehow. If you pick one kid up, you're not picking the other one up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-rossdale/somehow-something-is-always-suffering-someone-is-always-losing-out/) [Gavin Rossdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-rossdale/) > [You are losing out because Mexican rapists are taking your job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/you-are-losing-out-because-mexican-rapists-are-taking-your-job/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [Every one is special. Especially after the disappointment of last year, losing out on the last day, it is a great achievement by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/every-one-is-special-especially-after-the-disappointment-of-last-year/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [“Failing may not necessarily mean you're losing out - it may be your defining moment. So, dare to fail forward!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olawale-daniel/failing-may-not-necessarily-mean-you-re-losing-out-it-may-be-your/) [Olawale Daniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olawale-daniel/) > [But if we play it safe, the problem is that we may be losing out, and I believe we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-chaitin/but-if-we-play-it-safe-the-problem-is-that-we-may-be-losing-out-and-i/) [Gregory Chaitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-chaitin/) > [Sure, you can choose the safety and predictability of the cage, forfeiting the adventure God has destined for you. But you won't be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/sure-you-can-choose-the-safety-and-predictability-of-the-cage/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [It's important to recognize your own self-destructive behavior and be honest about it. You're only hurting yourself or losing out on your truth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-aguilera/it-s-important-to-recognize-your-own-self-destructive-behavior-and-be/) [Christina Aguilera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-aguilera/) ## More by George Packer > [I don't think they need to be nice to reporters, but the White House seems to imagine that releasing information is like a tap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/i-don-t-think-they-need-to-be-nice-to-reporters-but-the-white-house/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [So many writers grew up in tortured isolation, in revolt against their families. I and my sister were in a house where writing was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/so-many-writers-grew-up-in-tortured-isolation-in-revolt-against-their/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Afghanistan can't police its borders, and its neighbors give sanctuary and assistance to insurgents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/afghanistan-can-t-police-its-borders-and-its-neighbors-give-sanctuary/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Hillary Clinton's such a classic Democratic political figure and believes so much in institutions and in gradualism in the old way of reaching compromises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/hillary-clinton-s-such-a-classic-democratic-political-figure-and/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [“In other words, Foxx represented what Sarah Palin (speaking at a campaign fundraiser in Greensboro three weeks before the election) called “the real America,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/in-other-words-foxx-represented-what-sarah-palin-speaking-at-a/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [America's vast population of working poor can only get so poor before even Walmart is out of reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/america-s-vast-population-of-working-poor-can-only-get-so-poor-before/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [The Olympics are never just about sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/the-olympics-are-never-just-about-sports/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > ['The Assassins' Gate' is a very tightly controlled story of the ideas that led to the war and the consequences of those ideas in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/the-assassins-gate-is-a-very-tightly-controlled-story-of-the-ideas/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Amazon's identity and goals are never clear and always fluid, which makes the company destabilizing and intimidating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/amazon-s-identity-and-goals-are-never-clear-and-always-fluid-which/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Ideology knows the answer before the question has been asked. Principles are something different: a set of values that have to be adapted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/ideology-knows-the-answer-before-the-question-has-been-asked/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Everything seems set up for success in digital journalism - money, eyeballs, software, brands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/everything-seems-set-up-for-success-in-digital-journalism-money/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Climate change joined immigration, job creation, food safety, pilot training, veterans' care, campaign finance, transportation security, labor law, mine safety, wildfire management, and scores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/climate-change-joined-immigration-job-creation-food-safety-pilot/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Much of the international unease with the Sochi Games has focused on the threat of terrorism, Putin's domestic repressiveness, and the Russian campaign of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/much-of-the-international-unease-with-the-sochi-games-has-focused-on/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [I've been interested in American politics since I was eight. That was in 1968. It was an interesting year. I was a huge Eugene…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/i-ve-been-interested-in-american-politics-since-i-was-eight-that-was/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [When I interviewed Paul Bremer in his office, he had almost no books on his shelves. He had a couple of management books, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/when-i-interviewed-paul-bremer-in-his-office-he-had-almost-no-books/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) [Explore all 144 George Packer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) ## More Backlash quotes > [I tend to get reactions just by being on screen, because I guess I'm physically queer-coded or something. Especially with 'Star Wars;' I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-o-brian/i-tend-to-get-reactions-just-by-being-on-screen-because-i-guess-i-m/) [Katy O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-o-brian/) > [I'm the one who will take chances, not worry about the backlash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/i-m-the-one-who-will-take-chances-not-worry-about-the-backlash/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) > [Yes, I do realize that men in sports media also face criticism and backlash, but the vitriol that is directed at women, especially women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jemele-hill/yes-i-do-realize-that-men-in-sports-media-also-face-criticism-and/) [Jemele Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jemele-hill/) > [You can be the outcast or be the backlash of somebody's lack of love. Or you can start speaking up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/you-can-be-the-outcast-or-be-the-backlash-of-somebody-s-lack-of-love/) [Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Just days after Mitt Romney suggested he might run for president, there's been a backlash. The backlash is led by Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/just-days-after-mitt-romney-suggested-he-might-run-for-president/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Israel must never be expected to jeopardize her security: if she was ever foolish enough to do so, and then suffered for it, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/israel-must-never-be-expected-to-jeopardize-her-security-if-she-was/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [In specific terms I don't think I could make any suggestions, but in general terms I believe that it is because Canadians have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/in-specific-terms-i-don-t-think-i-could-make-any-suggestions-but-in/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [God save the Queen and a fascist regime … a flabby toothless fascism, to be sure. Never go too far in any direction, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/god-save-the-queen-and-a-fascist-regime-a-flabby-toothless-fascism-to/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Part of the challenge of the Barack Obama campaign was to try to neutralize that white backlash, and of course, he was masterful in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/part-of-the-challenge-of-the-barack-obama-campaign-was-to-try-to/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [There's a backlash against womyn that's really bad right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/there-s-a-backlash-against-womyn-that-s-really-bad-right-now/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [Of course there's a backlash. Of course. Look, half the country voted for Donald Trump. But I think one of the things that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-che/of-course-there-s-a-backlash-of-course-look-half-the-country-voted/) [Michael Che](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-che/) > [I get so much backlash in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-nash/i-get-so-much-backlash-in-hollywood/) [Jason Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-nash/) > [Every time a militant Islamist terrorist shoots somebody up, what does Barack Obama do and the Democrats? They come out and they demand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/every-time-a-militant-islamist-terrorist-shoots-somebody-up-what-does/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“We seem to be in a continuing feedback loop of repeating a past that our country has yet to address. Our history is one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/we-seem-to-be-in-a-continuing-feedback-loop-of-repeating-a-past-that/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) [Browse all 161 Backlash quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backlash/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We focus on that really repulsive minority of racists. But then there's a continuum that goes all the way to, you know, what used to be called the white backlash or to, you know, the feelings of some white people that they're losing out and that the jobs and power and sort of the culture is drifting away from them and toward people who don't look like them, who don't - who they don't know very well. 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