race-baiting 「人種差別的な攻撃」

前回の Juneteenth に続いて、アメリカのメディアで最近目につく人種問題関係の単語として race-baiting を取り上げたい。

以下は、いずれも「ニューヨーク・タイムズ」のオピニオン記事にあった例である。

- As Donald Trump gave his race-baiting speeches over the Fourth of July weekend, hoping to rile his base and jump-start his flagging campaign for re-election, I was forced to recall the ranting of a Columbia University sophomore that caught the nation's attention in 2018.
("Tell the Truth and Shame the Devil" The New York Times July 5, 2020)

- Trump sees clearly — more clearly than most of his party — that racism is the main thing he has to offer. There’s good reason to think that he’s misjudging these suburban voters. Polls show that a growing number of them, particularly women, are repelled by Trump’s race-baiting and divisiveness.
("Trump’s reelection message is white grievance" The New York Times July 6, 2020)

bait というと「エサ」「わな」を思い浮かべるが、辞書をみると、「悪意のある言葉でいじめる」「無力な人を苦しめる」という動詞の意味があることがわかる。

そこで race-baiting は「人種攻撃」を指していることになるが、これを載せているオンライン辞書を見る限りそれほど多くないようだ。ネイティブスピーカーにとっては取り立ててひとつの言葉としてとらえる必要はないのかもしれないが、非ネイティブはこうした表現として覚えたしまったほうがいいように思う。

- the making of verbal attacks against members of a racial group
(Merriam-Webster.com)

- The use of racially derisive language, actions, or other forms of communication in order to anger or intimidate or coerce.
(Wiktionary)

- intentionally encouraging racism or anger about issues relating to race, often to get a political advantage:
They called him a race-baiting demagogue who tried to fan racial hatred.
He accused his opponent's campaign of race-baiting in saying the tax cut will not help minority families.
What he has said and the way he has said it is tantamount to race-baiting.
(Cambridge Dictionary)

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