Obama tackles race anger in major speech

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by EE-BO

Anyone- like me and many of us here- who has ever spent a significant period of time affiliated with a church knows full well that you become intimately familiar with the preacher's general position and tone.

This is Obama's "Swift Boat".

Obama has made this worse for himself by promoting himself as very, very close to this church and Wright. When you add in the fact he STILL has yet to offer much substance in his speeches- Wright's rhetoric is all the more damaging because it is something people can understand real fast and associate with a candidate who has yet to really lay out his general philosophy in a realistic and pragmatic way.

I am breaking up your discussion to handle my thoughts on the matter. Any quote not included means I have no comment.

IMO, this is not a "swift boat" of Obama. Yes, I can concede that he attempted to portray himself as a religious Christian person, but knew his Reverend was a loose cannon. However would Rev. Wright be outed like he was by the media.

Most African Americans shrug when they hear Rev. Wrights comments. Pretty much "And, your point is what--how is that going to get me paid?" Those Af Ams that are shocked and appalled by Rev Wright's comments are very few...

Originally Posted by EE-BO

Obama is not responsible for the racist lunacy of Rev. Wright- but today's speech sounded a few decades out of place. And all the pundits on the news comparing Obama to Dr. King are being terribly disrespectful to the very REAL courage Dr. King had and the very REAL danger he and his followers faced daily. People like me look at that and are turned off because we feel Obama is being shoved down our throats even more than before. Noone is talking about what he can actually accomplish- but are rather making excuses for him.

Obama is responsible for not having started off his campaign being more open, pragmatic and substantive in his presentation to the voters. And this is what will cost him the election- as well it should.

I think that is another hurdle placed in front of someone like Obama that he has consistently shown to surpass. This man is not a dummy, he graduated from the Ivy League. He will have strong counselors when it comes to how to handle a particular position. The United States has NEVER gotten this far in politicized race relations before and notably everyone is scared, because where will it put us? That is what causing people to be so enamored with Obama at this time. Can I hate Black people when they rob my house (like they are doing right now) but still be confident in voting for Obama to I don't seem like a racist pig? I that is a simpleton's mind on a very complex issue...

Originally Posted by EE-BO

Obama is caught between appeasing the African-America power structure who feel you defend your own at all times and at all costs (NOT the African-American community at large since I still believe most African-Americans are just as appalled at Wright as I am), and the rest of the party. And a big new demographic in this party is the Hispanic vote who are not going to be sympathetic to Wright or the association with Obama.

Rev. Sharpton himself in the last election made a big issue of how Democrats have taken the black vote for granted and worked to court Hispanics and swing voters.

We are now at a point where many issues, immigration the big one, create an enormous conflict between major voting groups within the Democratic Party- and this spells disaster as long as the CBC and other African-American power structure groups continue to play the game of "give us what we want all the time or we will turn on you in a heartbeat".

That may have worked 10-20 years ago, but the demographics of the US have changed and it won't play anymore.

And that is a shame for everyone since it creates division that is totally unnecessary.

The irony of the African American "power structure"--there is no structure... If you want to put one out there, then hey, it's the Crips and the Bloods--or with some level of Bracketology... There are African Americans INVOLVED in several levels of a power structure that is a part of the American structure--but one person of the "Head Kneegrows In Charge" No--that is just in Blaxplotation films and rap music videos. Hayle, the Bourgeousie does not respect BET anymore and they have let money than Puffy Diddy or whatever he's calling himself these days...

If anyone wants anything to go down in the 'Hood--you have to go to the state pen for that...

Demographics have changed, but not THAT much... And there are a LARGE contingent of folks totally overlooked on their opinions that are realizing their voting rights and power and it is NOT Blacks nor Hispanics--but various ethnic groups of Asia... They wield ALOT of leverage that their vote once not considered... NO ONE is really catering to them to the level that I think they ought to...

The other issue an ethnic group that use to taunt African Americans until 9-11 has realized the blind bigotry that American wields. And that is of folks who are of Middle Eastern descent. Some are American citizens who can vote. Most are not. But I cannot tell you how many Middle Easterners, some Muslims, who have told me the pains they have suffered to ignorance and bigotry.

What I want to know is do we WANT racism and bigotry to be directly placed where it ought to be, in psychiatric care? Or do we want to fight these things politically and legislate out hatred based on looks? Is it that simple?

Personally, I think this place is the ONLY place where we can have a discussion, sometimes not being civil, but for the most part being instructive.

[EE-BO]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

The irony of the African American "power structure"--there is no structure...

This is a fair point and gets to perhaps another common disconnect between racial groups.

Maybe it is the media's doing- but I and many others who are white get the sense that the CBC and a handful of leaders like Sharpton and Jackson frame the national discussion on African-American issues.

In real life and in person I know it does not work like that (I have yet to meet one African-American who I have known well enough to talk politics who had anything nice to say about Jesse Jackson), but there is definitely a sense that there is a leadership there which will make all judgement calls about how a person is to be treated based on their political orientation and not by some objective moral criteria- using the race card when in fact it is politics and not race that is in question.

But again, maybe the media is creating that to stir people up. I have to admit I do not know the answer.

[DSTCHAOS]

To hell with this "brand new race talk." America isn't going to address race any differently after this damn speech or if Obama is elected.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

To hell with this "brand new race talk." America isn't going to address race any differently after this damn speech or if Obama is elected.

I'll agree to that in general and at the present time, but I think what we can hope for is different conversations 15 to 20 years from now when grade school kids have grown up with an african american or a woman in the White House and that's what they've known. Their attitudes might be different and thus their conversations will hopefully change. People learn what they live, supposedly, so if they live with a not-a-white-male leader of the country, that's what they'll learn.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by EE-BO

T

Maybe it is the media's doing- but I and many others who are white get the sense that the CBC and a handful of leaders like Sharpton and Jackson frame the national discussion on African-American issues.

Therein lies part of the problem...the media and most of it white run, when they want a comment on race issues, go straight to them first, as if Jesse and Al are the voice for us all when tere are so many others out there that just as versed if not better versed on issues in the Black communities....when is the last time has white media called on folks like Tavis Smiley, Cornell West or many others to speak on certain issues?

If they left those same two alone, maybe they wouldn't have the general public hating them so much...

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by EE-BO

This is a fair point and gets to perhaps another common disconnect between racial groups.

Maybe it is the media's doing- but I and many others who are white get the sense that the CBC and a handful of leaders like Sharpton and Jackson frame the national discussion on African-American issues.

In real life and in person I know it does not work like that (I have yet to meet one African-American who I have known well enough to talk politics who had anything nice to say about Jesse Jackson), but there is definitely a sense that there is a leadership there which will make all judgement calls about how a person is to be treated based on their political orientation and not by some objective moral criteria- using the race card when in fact it is politics and not race that is in question.

But again, maybe the media is creating that to stir people up. I have to admit I do not know the answer.

Well, having met Jesse Jackson in person a few times and a close friend of mine having gone to Howard with his son, the reality is everyone and he probably capitalized on the fact that when MLK was assassinated, he was right there with him and know all his intimate details of his "dream"... The reality is he doesn't, but he leveraged that throughout his pursuit of greater good.

He is a great motivator for young people. Kids who are unsure on themselves and what they can do. His leadership ability is absent. Which is different from Obama.

Obama is NOT part of "the establishment" or the Bourgie class. The AfAms you probably interact with are "MAYBE" a part of that... Nowadays, everything is all different from when I grew up, so I don't know, it depends.

I am part of the post-Civil Right's babies... Grew up during Affrimative Action
Days but still suffered under bigotry and racist attitudes by authoritative figures--like doctors, teachers and yes, sometimes police. The humiliation from those encounters are seared into my memory. But, I have worked to forgive people to. My hope and goal is to "judge someone by the content of his or her character".