Racial Undertones
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Was America Ready For A Black President?
Former President Jimmy Carter is being blasted by Republicans for stating that much of the opposition to the policies of President Barack Obama is based on race rather than policy. While certainly not everybody who opposes the policies of President Obama can be labeled as a racist in any way, there are undertones of racism in the message objecting to Obama's health care plans and other policies. Not every Conservative American is a racist, but most racists in America today consider themselves a Conservative.
More importantly, there are those that are using the undertones of racism that still exist to stop the President from doing anything to help the Country. These same forces have stopped at nothing to create the perception that Obama is an illigitimate President. While it is true that nobody uses the traditional racist language, the meaning is just the same.
The Healthcare Debate
The most controversial issue facing President Obama today is Health care. The President promised during the campaign that he would fundamentally change Health care in America as it is both a moral issue and an economic issue. Now that he is President, Obama is doing exactly what he promised to do.
Yet, conservatives in this Country have come out in thousands to protest the Obama Health care initiative. They have shown up at town halls and screamed at their local members. They have taken to the streets in thousands following Glen Beck to Washington. They have called Obama a Socialist.
Is this all because these Americans care about Health care? For some, health care is an important issue. But as explained by Tea Party leader, Mark Williams on CNN, the opposition to the health care debate is much bigger than health care. Williams stated that the Health care opposition is rooted in the belief that President Obama, who he calls a "an Indonesian Muslim turned welfare thug turned anointed " must be stopped.
Stopped from what one may ask? He doesn't really say except for the standard tirade about Socialism. But the normal right wing pundits help put some clarity on the issue. From Glenn Beck, who led the March on Washington, singing in "Blackface" on his show to Rush Limbaugh repeatedly referring to the President as an "halfrican American" and "Barack the Magic Negro." While not blatantly racist, the undertones are there and these phrases pacify and rile up a large group of people in America who still hold prejudice views. And it is these undertones that have taken over the Healthcare debate instead of policy. And the Republicans are allowed to sit back, offer nothing, and applaud the noble Americans taking to the streets.
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Obama Is Not American?
Since it appeared that President Obama was actually a threat to be the next President, the right continually tried to portray the President as "un-american" or not an American at all. The first attack were the Birthers.
The Birthers are a group of conservatives that have continually charged that Barack Obama is not an American citizen. The group alleges that Obama was not really born in Hawaii as he and the State of Hawaii claim, but rather was born in Kenya. Despite the best efforts of the State of Hawaii to confirm his birth, the Birthers remain. The claim: Obama is not an American.
Then there are those who continually call Obama a Socialist. This began with Obama's statement to Joe The Plumber about redistribution of wealth. Since that fateful day in Ohio, the Right has continued to claim that Obama is a Socialist who will turn this Country into a Socialist state. What the Right forgets, and the left simply does not know is that Obama is not the first African American leader to be pinned as a Socialist.
Throughout the late 20th century, African American leaders throughout the world have been burdened with the term Socialist. J. Edgar Hoover often used the term Socialist to describe other un-americans such as A. Philip Randolph and Martin Luther King, Jr. The term Socialist was also used to describe Nelson Mandela, Jesse Jackson and other African American leaders around the world. However, what most at the tea party members do not know is that J. Edgar Hoover and others use the term "Socialist" as a code word for other derogatory terms about African Americans. That's right, in many circles that remain today, the term Socialist is Code Word for Nigger. The Claim: Obama is un-American at the least, or worse. Perhaps parents should be careful about having their children carry signs in protest.
Then there is the school speech. The President of the United States wanted to talk to school children about working hard and staying in school. For so many conservatives across the Country, this was akin to a child molester wanting to invite kids over to his house for cookies. They pulled their kids out of school. They protested school boards. All because the President wanted to tell kids to stay in school and work hard. Funny note, one school district in Texas refused to show the speech at the behest of many parents then the next week bussed the children to Texas Stadium to hear former President Bush speak. No racial undertones there.
The reaction to President Obama's school speech hearkened back to the days when African Americans were first let into schools with white children. In Little Rock, when black children were let into the schools, parents pulled their children out of school, protested and put pressure on local school boards. They simply did not want their children to be talked to by a black man, or a socialist. The Claim: Obama cannot be near my children.
Was America Ready?
When Barack Obama was elected by a large majority to be the next President of the United States, it appeared that the United States had taken a huge step forward in terms of race. But only months after President Obama was inaugurated, the question must be asked again: Was America ready for a Black President? The right certainly doesn't seem ready. The extremes have gone to great lengths to make President Obama seem illegitimate. They question his citizenship, religion and loyalty. Moderate Republicans refuse to give him the same respect any other President receives. They scream at him and call him names during a speech in front of Congress. More importantly, the moderates refuse to denounce the more extreme elements in their party. And the Republican spin machine continues to feed fuel to the fire by continually playing on conservative fear and hatred, and yes racist undertones.
The Republican Agenda appears to be to to breed intolerance to satisfy their base in order to derail the Obama Presidency. The Conservative reaction to Obama, Sotomayor and other minorities now in power has been one of contempt and hate. What many at the town hall meetings are objecting to is the picture of a Black President living in the White House. But they cannot put it in those terms. So instead, they rail against a Healthcare plan they don't understand but many of them need. They call him a Socialist without knowing what it really means. And they refuse to call him the President.
What Percentage Of The Opposition To President Obama Is Racially Motivated?
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When I heard President Carter's remarks about the racial component in the many protests against our President, I jumped up off the couch "yes,Yes!" Finally someone had the courage to just call it what it is. Racial relations in this country are not going to improve if so many people have their heads in the sand
or perhaps they don't want relations to improve
The libs are playing the race card again. I think the libs are injecting racism as the trump card. Everytime race was interjected, it was by the libs.
Who woke up Jimmy The Nut. Jimmy crack a couple more nuts, and go back to sleep.
Well, attacking Jimmy Carter isn't going to answer the question. And I agree that usually liberals interject the race card, but not here. The Republicans have interjected the race card over and over again. They blasted Sotomayor for stating it was possible that a latina could be smarter than a while male. They claim Obama is a racist. In fact, Obama has stayed away from the issue.
I agree that Carter was brave to speak out the way he did. You didn't have to like Carter as President, but it is hard to reject his record on Human Rights and Equality. And he never speaks out like this. He hardly said a word during the Bush years. Really says something.
Thank you all for the comments.
I just wonder who actually keeps the race card alive.
What is the answer?
It seems to me the race card will be played as long as race is in issue.
But if the racial issues are actually racial issues, then is that considered playing the race card?
Obama says its not about race don't you believe him? If you don't you are probably not ready for a Black President.
Of course Obama says that it is not about race, he is trying to show he is President of all the people, including the preachers who pray for him to get killed.
But I have noticed this for the last few months. I don't think I am imagining it.
Its too bad that his handlers and people screaming racism are trying to make him the "Black President!" To his credit he recognizes this is a mistake and is fighting against it.But like everything else he does he did not say anything until it backfired.
His handlers aren't saying it. Others are saying it outside him inner circle. He shouldn't comment on it. Mostly because it is not the reason for a much of the opposition to his plans.
But the elements are there. And there are some in the media, and yes I mean Fox News, who are riling up the minority of conservatives who are either blatantly racist or have racist tendencies.
But he hasn't played the race card, and I think right now the race card is being played more by white America than anyone right now. I don't know if it is fear or just politics.
You are right about White America that is if you mean a former White President. I was saddened to see Bill Cosby fall for this straw man argument but whatever, there are those on the right who are racist and I am sure that they hate the man simply because of his skin color, but they are a minority.
There are just as many Democrats that hate him for the same reason. This charge of racism has been going on a long time and Obama is just now speaking against it. He was happy for it to go on as long as he thought he could get some political mileage out of it.
I agree, they are a minority, but a very vocal one. But I don't think Obama was happy to sit by and listen to it. It hurts him more than it helps. Worst of all, it hurts everyone. I think we both would agree it is dissapointing to see that we aren't past race yet, not that electing him was a cure all, but perhaps it wasn't as transforming as we all hoped.
I don't know about vocal I don't hear anyone talking about race except for Democrats/Liberals. Obama was elected because he said he would bring a new style of leadership, he has not delivered and it is costing him big early into his Presidency.
If people voted for him because of his skin color then they should have their rights to vote stripped! This country is bigger than one man and certainly bigger than race, the divide will be there until we elect leaders who put Country first! That was not an endorsement of John McCain!
I think he has brought a different type of leadership, it is just not very effective yet. And he has yielded too much power and details to the democrats in Congress who are spineless and not very inspiring, I know you would agree with that.
I think he is starting to disregard the democrats in Congress and think he should go at it alone. His ideas are good, his leadership qualities are good, he just needs to start using them. I will give George Bush credit for one thing, when he beleived he wsa right he didn't care who disagreed with him. Sometimes that is what a leader has to do.
And John McCain is a good man and the only Republican right now that I see putting ideas out there. The state lines argument on healthcare is a good one.
He should disregard the Dems in congress! spineless? Thats the nicest thing I could say about them. I have not seen leadership from Obama yet, he has no record of leadership and I believe he is just the prop the Dems use to further idiotic legislation!
Republicans are not any better, McCain is certainly no conservative and that is what I want to see leading this Country! Bush was a clusterf@#k and I will never vote for another one! Have a good day Pappa, I gotta get ready to see Texas kick the crap out of Texas Tech! Hook Em Horns!
Take it easy A Texan, and once my fighting Gauchos at UC Santa Barbara get a football team, we are taking UT down.
Sweet!
Papa, when George Bush came into office, the Democrats had a 'let's give him a chance' additude. When the war started to dray on, when we found out that we were drawn into a war by a lie...we never saw the vitriol that we are seeing today. When people yell that they don't think a sick or injured person has a right to medical care because they are illegal...the race card is there and Pres. Carter is right.
I listen to the Right Wing talk shows. They claim that Pres. Carter is inciting racial hatred. It's just pathetic. It's gotten to the point, what with the lies lies lies, that I am afraid for our country.
DM, I agree, President Carter isn't inciting racial hatred, he is pointing it out.
Its amazing how much hatred (racial or not) has arisen is only a few months. You are right, democrats gave Bush a chance at first, even with the disputed election. They gave him everything after 911. The when people took to the streets to protest an illegal war (in my opinion) they were called unamerican by the Bush Administration and loons by Fox News (Hannity and O'Reilly)
Now they are patriots and concerned Americans.
thanks for the comment.
Dolores..."we never saw the vitriol that we are seeing today" Let's see, Air America consistently made reference to "The Bush crime family". On how many occassions did we hear "war criminal" and "child killer" and similar tags? This is not in any way in support of Bush...nor a condemnation of Obama...just setting the record straight. The vitriol flows regardless of who is in the office...and none of it does any of us any good. But emotions rule us...whether we want them to or not. It is easier to feel than it is to think. That is why it is easier to start a war than make a peace.
Writer
I agree, the left showed some anger towards Bush. But it was nearly as angry as today. People protested against the war, but they didn't storm tall hall meetings. Nobody brought AK47s where Bush was speaking.
And those people who showed up at the anti-war rallies were called traitors by the Bush Administration.
But I get your point and it is a good one. It is hard for either side to listen when both sides are screaming.
Thanks for the comment
You seem like a somewhat reasonable person, so allow for me to preface that which I am about to say, with having said, Joe Wilson should have been lightly fined for his outburst and I am a conservative "Right-wing extremist." The same outburst in any other arena would have resulted in some type of fine.
I don't agree with our current president on much of anything. Having said that, he is our president. I guess I would have made a great secret service employee. Although I did not vote for either Obama or Clinton, we as Christians, are called upon to pray for our leaders.
If it's pork belly spending that you want to talk about -- let's get it on. *Why do we continue to support dead-beats? (Those who, even if offered a job, would turn the proposition down)
*I understand that we, when necessary, need to take care of their bastardized children but dead-beat adults; white or black, do not deserve our attention or our finances.
I believe a good lead question would look something like this: Where were you when unemployment was at 2.5%, were you working? If not, chances are, you are our weakest link. I've created two new t-shirts that beg the question.
Take care,
Tackle This
if you can look at the pictures and listen to fox news and think its not about race then you are fooling yourself,it doesn't matter what president obama does there will be lies and obstacles thrown up everywhere the true face of the republican party has been revealed for the world to see.beck and limbaugh are leading the republican party into a pit filled with hate,and when its over all the republicans that have sense will have left either they will join the democrats are they will create a third party the republican party will be left to the nutcases.you are witnessing the death of the republican party live on fox news.
Tackle This,
Thanks for the comment. I think the Joe Wilson thing has been blown out of proporition a bit. I thought it was a stronger statement when he quickly apologized and Obama quickly accepted. Shows everyone the power of an apology.
But people should not make the big deal they have out of it. That being said, I agree, we should all at least respect the office, if not the man. And that is Wilson's failure. He can say what he wants in public while talking to his constituents, but in the House of Congress is too far.
Bill Yon,
Thank for the comment. You (and me) have to be careful to not paint to broad of brush over the Republican Party. Not every Republican is racist, in fact most Republicans are fair minded people who have every right to disagree about policy.
But right now those are the people I am speaking off. You are right, there is the fringe element out there that are racists. And those are not who I am talking about either fully. It is the ones who don't know why they hate Obama. They just do and they are lashing out at everything trying to figure it out. They call him a Muslim, Unamerican, unpartriotic, a socialist. They hate that he is different but cannot put their finger on it. Perhaps they don't know they are racist, but many in the right wing media are tugging at them to protest, and so they do. And they stand next to those who are blatant about their beliefs.
Maybe a new party is in order. History tells us these same people were once a fringe element of the Democrat Party but left in the late 1940s and created the Dixiecrat Party. Their presidential candidate was Strom Thurmond. They then became Republcians.
bgpappa, thank you for your decency. I do believe that Rush and Beck have made comments that were uncalled for. Having said that I hope we don't move toward that "slippery slope" of which party should be allowed to have media stations in their corner and which should not. CNN, ABC, NBC and others haven't always acted justly, which brings me back to a couple of my original arguments. I wonder if Bill Yon believes that those "Evil right-wing extremists are largely responsible for violent crime in America. Take care, I'm off and thanks again for the civil debate.
Tackle This,
I try to offer one place where there is civil debate, but admit I am guilty sometimes myself. But all we can do is try.
I agree, news stations should be objective (written a few hubs on this) and MSNBC is almost as guilty as Fox, although at least they offer Morning Joe. But it shouldn't matter which side you are on, where can you find facts and not spin?
Thanks for the comment.
You are absolutely correct... Morning Joe is the only program that I will watch -- in terms of MSNBC's programming.
Tackle,
I watch it too. Actually fair and balanced, and dare I say reasonsble
Tackle this I didn't say anything about evil right wing extremist,and who is responsible for all the violent crime in america?tell me.did you know that your beloved fox news have been busted for faking the news?did you know that all these grass roots tea-parties and what nots was started by insurance companies trying to derail the health care bill?do you understand that the republican party is looking like hate-filled fools live on T.V. for the world to see?
I agree the tea parties are sponsored by Fox News and Insurance Companies, but then again the Insurance Industry stands to profit from Obama's plans.
Thanks for the comment
Hey Billyon, my mother informed me the other day that if they decided against a public option the government could actually levy a fee/penalty against them. Furthermore, she mentioned a figure that hovered somewhere around $4,000. *My dad worked for for 39 years -- often working overtime. He never once complained. Having said that "Bell Systems" decided that they would cover his health until he expires. Why should my father be forced between a rock and a hard place? I would like to hear bgpappa's thoughs on the matter.
It would be insane for us as a nation to continue supporting or indefinitely supporting dead-beats. (White or black) If you are for that spend away sir but we're not following. *Notice that I have NOT said that we should not care for bastardized children.
Sure, under Obama's plans, your father's healthcare plans do not change. Show me some authority (other than your mother who I assume is a smart and honest woman) that says otherwise.
The fee/penalty is in the Bakas plan, which does not reflect the president's views. However, even under that view it is a penalty assessed to employers who stop providing insurance to their employees because there is a public option. The public option is only supposed to cover less than 5% of the population and is not supposeed to be a substitute for the employer based healthcare system we have today. It is an option for those who have no means of getting healthcare insurance now they can afford.
Not everyone is a dead beat. Some can't afford it, some choose not to get it. But either way, we are paying for them already when they go to the emergency rooms. Insurance premiums include emergency room visits for those without insurance. So you are already paying for them whether you like it or not, and you are doing so through a private system, not a government one.
The sad thing about the all the noise and disrespect is that it keeps us from talking about the actual issues. We just talk about the conditions for talking, and even that doesn't go well.
What bothers me about the health care plan is that both Bill and I had insurance, had a single ER visit each, and ended up with over five thousand dollars in medical bills anyway--he wasn't even there 24 hours, and most of that was waiting.
The last time I had a plan I had $50 deducted from each paycheck as my share. The deductible was $2500 with 80/20 after that and an HSA. Now I just have the HSA. It has $42 in it. Corporations are really pushing these high deductible HSA plans now and so is the insurance industry. They're not good plans though.
I don't want to be forced to buy another plan like that. Even when I still had a job I could barely afford that one, and when I had to use it, it paid for almost nothing.
Pgrundy,
Thanks for the comment. I don't understand why anyone is fighting for status quo. I pay $450 a month in premiums and still pay a lot out of pocket. And I have to wait, tests are rationed and I can't change insurance plans because of a medical condition.
But change is hard to come by because, as you point out, no one listens, everyone just screams. Hopefully, common sense will previal.
Thanks for the comment.
your second sign, the one that says "Don't tax me bro!" has absolutly nothing to do with racism not even an undertone or racism. here is the reference you where probably unaware of:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkkLUP-gm4Q
the clip where he said "DON'T TAZE ME BRO!!" was on video websites for months and became a very popular in online forums as a running joke.
see Internet meme:
Well, thanks for the links. But there were other signs as well. I think the "witch doctor" poster is a bit disturbing.
Thanks for the comment.
The Health care plan is to favour the poor. Coloured people forms the vast majority of those who would benefit from the plan. And the leading percentage of those without plans are black. Obama is seen as indirectly attempting to use public funds to give free health care to his fellow black brothers.Hence the strong resistance.But nobody have the courage to state it this way. This may be the reason for the outburst.
Well technically the bill in the Senate in its present form requires people to buy private insurance and there is NO public option. I don't want to confuse the big issues with facts, but those are the facts as of this moment. Personally I hope it gets voted down.
I don't have insurance. My son doesn't have insurance. The last time I looked in the mirror, I wasn't a black person and my son isn't black either. My son makes $9 an hour and works over 40 hours a week as a cook. He's had the same employer for four years. Neither he nor his employer can afford to buy private health insurance. His employer is also not black. Most of the patrons of the restaurant are wealthy and attend a big private university nearby. I don't know if they have health insurance or not.
I think that underneath the racist rhetoric is a fear that without a default social privilege based on race it will be impossible to keep up with rising costs, falling wages, and changing governmental policies. If you scratch hate you find fear. But what these angry folks should be focusing on is corporate welfare. The money that goes into the pockets of poor blacks is a minute fraction of what we just gave away to Wall Street.
Pgrundy, good points all.
What is wrong with the helping the working poor? Black, White, green whatever. From a financial standpoint, those without insurance still use emergency rooms which is the most costly type of medical treatment and this raises the costs of healthcare premiums already. And if the vast majority of them are black, which I don't know if that is true or not, what is the difference. If a majority of them are white, would you be ok with that?
I was watching Bill Maher the other night and he asked an interesting question: Where is a bleeding Mexican supposed to go in this Country? Remember, Joe Wilson was upset because he doesn't want illegal aliens to get any health coverage, even if they buy a plan.
Thanks for the comments.
james agbogun there are a lot more poor white people out there without health insurrance than blacks so don't say its made for blacks are "coloured" people.thats the problem right there.
Well said Bill Yon. I thought that was the case, looking for statistics on the percentages. But in the end, it doesn't matter. If access to healthcare is a right, then it should be easily available to everyone, regardless of color.
Thanks for the comment
I've been told access to healthcare isn't a right. It's a privilege, I guess, that you buy with money. If you can't earn enough, then you're either a dead-beat irresponsible loser and/or not lucky enough to have been born into a well-off situation. Tough luck on you. Mind you, I am just paraphrasing what I've heard out there.
Great hub BG, very well written, very reasonably put. Yes it's true that we haven't seen too many overt demonstrations of racism, but I promise you, it's happening in private conversations.
People would prefer to pretend that the mere span of 40 years has completely wiped out the tensions in race relations in America. Get honest, 40 years ago blacks weren't welcome in white peoples' schools, restaraunts, places of business, etc., and today a mere 40 years later a segment of our population remains who do not want black people in the white house either.
A couple other points I'd like to offer to the discussion based on someone's comment that the poor are largely black. That too, is part of the problem. That segment of our population isn't just upset with the black president, they're upset with what they choose to perceive as a hand-up to blacks. Just like the welfare issues in the 80s and 90s, the perception is that whites have to pay to help take care of lazy, unlawful black people. Some people in positions of power and/or influence are exploiting those viewpoints.
Healthcare isn't just about helping the poor. Medicaid already provides a social program designed for that. Healthcare reform is about doing something to resolve the situation of ever increasing medical expenses which threaten to overtake middle class Americans. Premiums rising four times faster than wages, to buy insurance that offers less coverage, and requires higher copays, deductibles, and prescription costs, with lower annual benefit limits. We're paying more for insurance that requires us to pay more for care. This is hurting -or has the potential to hurt- every working middle class American citizen in America. This is about protecting Americans, and providing for the general welfare of the population.
One last thing. I don't know the statistics on this, but let's assume that not all black people have quite been able to pull themselves up by the bootstraps yet, so to speak. Yeah, whites are tired of affirmative action, I understand that some of the measures therein may be misplaced today, and I certainly agree that there should be no such thing as BET.
But once again let me point out that it's only been 40 years since we had to force (some, many) whites to accept blacks in their schools, and less than that since equal opportunity truly existed. People learn from their preceding generations. Just as many whites are still recovering from being prejudiced, some blacks are still recovering from being oppressed for 300 years.
And there are a hell of alot of lazy, unlawful white people as well. In fact, I'd bet moreso.
Thanks for the hub BG. It's another good one. I gotta give it two thumbs up, to try and counteract the many thumbs down from the haters.
Wow, things what a considerate thoughtfull remark.
I think the underlining debate on healthcare is what is points out. Is Healthcare (or access to it) a right or priviledge. But nobody wants to talk about that issue because it is hard and really questions who we are as a people.
As for the racial undertones, I agree they are out there and the signs are there. Perhpas coming to grips with the hatred would be a good start. No doubt progress has been made in the forty years, but we are not there yet and perhaps farther away than we all thought in January.
Again, thanks for the comment.
Great hub! I can't wait to come back when I have time to truly share my 2 cents.
thanks for reading
bgpappa,
Interesting HUB. I have written on this subject as well.
After writing my HUB, reading yours and having some candid discusstions with T_Augustus on this issue I have come to the following conclusions:
1. Racism is not the primary source of the President's critics.
2. It is scary to think how easily we draw sides along racial lines. We, as a Nation have struggled greatly to salve the wounds caused by our past. People in general can and will forgive, but they don't forget. Its hard to live with those memories. It can be harder when we generalize from either perspective. I have simply ignored the posters and signs I have seen on TV that certainly display racial undertones. I discounted these people as ignorant aggitators. I did so because of the primary message that I heard, less government more freedom. When you step back and look at the pictures though, I don't know if racial undertones even begins to describe what those pictures represent. While these people are a minority, they are getting the most attention.
Agree that for the majority of the President's critics, it is not about race. But for some it is. And I believe those are the ones that are being agitated right now by the Right Wing Media. I believe they are being played by pressing that button. Fear makes them oppose everything he does, not policy.
But I appreciate your points and taking the time to comment.
To make a long story short (yeah right)...race is an issue in everything that involves anyone. It is racist to have a United Negro College fund. Why? Try having a United Caucasian College fund. Basketball is a Black man's sport because white men can't jump. Hockey is a white man's sport because blacks don't like the cold and can't skate. If a white kid walks around and acting like he is from "the hood" he is a wanna be. A black kid studies hard in school and gets an academic scholarship they are "too white".
Racism is not a black or a white thing. It is a black AND white thing. It is a street that runs both ways and there is heavy traffic on both sides of the street. Until the Black man quits blaming the white man for what his ancestors may or may not have done, (Not denouncing slavery but rather that not every white person has a slave owner ancestry.)and every white person feels that they are being forced to accept the black population then Racism will be alive and well. They best and quickest way to do that is to keep race out of politics. Meaning statements made by people such as Sotomayor need to be dropped not publicized. When jesse jackson and Farakahn (I know not correctly spelled)speak racism as a cause for the arrest of every black man or the assault on every black man, it should be dropped not publicized. When the Klan or David Duke speak or rally it should be dropped not publicized. The confederate flagged should be taught as a Part of history, not as a part of racism. Slavery was only a part of the Civil war. The confederate flag is part of the caucasian heritage just as it is a part of Black heritage. If the Government drops racism from the ballot it would only be a matter of time until the people, white and black alike, would get over it. It is like a mosquito bite, the more you scratch it the more it itches, leave it alone and it will disappear. Realize it or not everyone on everyside of every racial issue it partailly to blame.
P.S. I didn't vote against Barack Obama but rather Barack Obama's stance on the issues. White, black or any other color on the spectrum between the two would not have mattered based on the issues.
Thanks for the comment.
You have every right to vote for Not Obama and not be called a racist. But slavery was not just a civil war issue. Just because the institution was abolished does not mean the foundations of slavery did not last much longer. It was not until the 1960s that Civil Rights really meant anything.
That being said, blame is not the answer. But we can't just ignore the problem hoping it will go away if we don't talk about. Talking about, rejecting it whereever it exists, and making it the very fringe is the way to defeat it. I don't think Sotomayor's comment was racist in the context, but I will give you Farrakahn without dispute. And you know what, liberals should speak out against him as well. But there are racial undertones in the current debate about President Obama. Not all are blatant. Not all are even aware of it. The majority are not racist. But the right wing media is riling up the very miniority of the Republican Party. And that needs to be pointed out as well.
I thank you for your thoughts and taking the time to post an articulate comment.
I still have to agree to disagree with you on the talking about it point. Mainly because you can not talk about it with the majority of people openly. If you do something you say or something they say will be constured as racist by someone. I can say with utmost cretainty that there will always be racism in the world. The issue is how do we control and deal with it.
Fair point.
Thanks for the comment.
My respect goes out to anyone who can keep their cool overseeing a political debate. I do believe racial issues are involved in the tea party deal, and in the constant attempts to stop any program supported by our president. But I see the issue as much larger than that of merely having a black president. white conservatives honestly believe the poor don't want to work, and this was expressed right here on this site. They believe the poor are mostly black people who don't want to work, and they see capitalism as being almost a religious belief. I hold a Masters Degree, and worked for many years on full time jobs; I am now working part time for minimum wage, and drawing food stamps. I am white, and support President Obama. This socialism deal is also annoying to me, because anyone who can afford to worry about socialism, probably already has more money than they need. Some of us have real problems like the need for healthcare benefits, and to pay our electric bill. We don't have time to fear that some of our high incomes might go to feed the hungry, or to help take care of those less fortunate. We worked at hard and as long as these conservatives who insist THEY are "entitled" to all the luxuries their high incomes offer, and all the best opportunities. No one needs to live like a king while others don't have enough food to eat, or enough money to pay for gasoline to look for a job. They haven't lost their jobs, YET, but they still could, at which time their thinking would change. Today, on my part time job at Curves For Women, I heard two employed school teachers complaining about cuts in their business expense money. That I could sympathize with, but when I heard them say that the parents of children (who weren't paying taxes) should help with the expense of classroom supplies, because their kids get free lunches, and the parents don't pay tazxes, I remained silent, but screamed inside. Has it ever occurred to these privilidged still employed people, that the reason they don't pay taxes is because they have no money? Or has that concept somehow escaped them. Captitalism needs to be regulated, and regulated closely, to keep a few people from having all the benefits and opportunities, and the rest of us being treated like we are their slaves. Slavery can exist through minimum wage jobs that offer nothing to the worker who is padding the bank account of those who own the business. Sorry, but they can take their religion of captitalism and stick it where the sun don't shine. I've paid taxes, and school taxes, though I never had children of my own. Let them help me with health insurance, now that the state cut the budget for services I offered, and left me under-employed. The remarks made on my job today were aimed at black parents and children, assuming that because I am white, I would have no problem with them. Yes, racism is a problem with many conservative Americans, and they assume that the color of your skin makes you one of them. I'm not, and i'm frustrated with the greed I'm seeing, as well as the shouts of "socialism" about a president who is only attempting to regulate a capitalism that has caused our present recession. Thanks for writing this hub. (: v
Valerie,
First, I am sorry about your ordeal. Many good hard working people are having a tough time financially right now. I agree that a part of what is going on is people not wanting to help their neighbor, hard to believe these people are Christians.
Thanks for the comment.
B.S.
When all else fails, throw the race card. Unfortunately, many people are so afraid of being called or considered a racist simply because they do not approve of this Administration's plans, they say they approve of things they know are rotten to the core.
Who started this B.S.? Well - Michelle for one - and her husband who has NO past - and it goes on and on from there. Obama has this racism thing as background music whenever there is an issue, such as Obamacare, which demands that working peoples' money must now go to pay for dandy health care for those who sit on their porch not having worked a day in their life. I'm sick of paying for people who don't care to improve themselves, don't want to work and have child after child so their benefit increases. (I worked in the business for 15 years so don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about.) Then these 15 y.o. "mothers" jaywalk slowly across the street in front of my car and flip me the bird - they know I don't look like the kind of person who would run down a child for the hell of it.
Tell everyone on Welfare it's over - support yourselves for once and no more $$$$ no matter how many kids you have. If you can't handle them don't worry, we'll take 'em and give them a shot at a good life. How 'bout you? How many will YOU take?
I've had it. If you think you can do better - show me.
Wow, you know its funny, all these people are so appalled to be called racists then they spout racist stereotypes. Yes, I think much of the hatred about Obama has racial undertones. If you had actually read my post, which you obviously did not, you would see the point is media such as Fox News (if you could call it that) plays to racist undertones as a means to achieve an end.
But keep on spouting your remarks, and please next time run over the 15 year and her kid. But god forbid that we all pay a little to help her out. Force her to have the kid, then refuse to help her. Refuse to fund her kid's school. Refuse to allow her to see a doctor. Perfect example of compassionate conservatism right there.
All of my comment did not get in and now I see none of it but I would like to add that illegal immigration is what has our country bankrupt and people without jobs and they are the ones draining our whole economy, when will people ever wake up!? They get welfare...oh yes they do! They get welfare, including free housing, food stamps, a check, medical, and all this while working! In many cases the husband and wife and some are also on SS! We are talking millions of them, or else America would be thriving an wonderful as it should have been! Obama is all for this and why does he care, his pockets are well lined I am sure from all the billions he has handed the rich. How can people be such fools just because they are super-glued to a party! As I said I voted cheerfully for him, fool that I was, but once a fool does not mean always a fool! Or does it?
Polly, if you think illegal immigration has caused the financial mess, you really have not been paying attention. I notice, you provide no stats to back up your numbers.
Thanks for reading
Oh I will find you some, I am sure it is not being advertised but I know what I see with my own two eyes and others do, too. Check in the questions and answers here and you will see many here that know of this, I guess you have never been by your social service office, try walking in, are these citizens who cannot speak English but having their kids translate? I thought citizens had to know English? I guess they changed the rules, huh. I guess you don't know about the special order 40? There are plenty more for those who want the real truth our government would like to keep hid...and both parties I must say. I would say wake up and smell the coffee...but it is too late.
http://www.ihatethemedia.com/70-percent-of-illegal
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,79013,00.html
http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/mac_donald
http://www.city-journal.org/html/14_1_the_illegal_
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Order_40
Fox News and Wikipedia huh, well if you are going to bring out "real" sources. Let me ask you this, when you talk about illegals, whom are you referring?
fishskinfreak2008 2 years ago
Well, Carter was only A PEANUT FARMER before joining the military whereas Obama and many in his cabinet and even First Lady Michelle Obama is a lawyer so we can't really hold him accountable for the intellect gap and his latest comments