Here is what Jimmy Carter said in an NBC interview: (link)
"I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he's African American,"
I for one agree with the 39th President. The intense opposition to Barack Obama and the childish name calling that it has produced, is nothing more then thinly disguised racism. The wonderful Gale Mullings made similar observations in her post yesterday: (link)
Are we making you uncomfortable? You of the WASP middle class. You who see change as scary, as evil, as a lose of control. You who would endlessly bash the black man in the White House (not your man Bush who made the mess in the first place, that would be unpatriotic, UnAmerican, the troops, support the troops), but not because he is black, no no no, we shan't appear racially intolerant, some of my best friends are black, I love Will Smith, Tiger Woods, Katt Williams makes me rofl. Nope, lets instead, call the President a Socialist, a Fascist, a Commie, Hitler or the Devil incarnate, those words are fair, but gasp we won't use the 'N' word, nope we are all above that, right?
Carter calls white people racist when Obama himself is white.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the charge can be taken more serious when you have a man who was not birthed by a white woman and raised by white grand parents in Hawaii of all places.
His grand parents were white anglo saxon protestants, his momma was white anglo-saxon.
It seems like the race obsession is among the left
Good post, Joseph; just saw reference to Mr. Carter's comments earlier this morning.
ReplyDeleteAnd your commenter, John, is blithely ignoring the fact that historically, in the US, someone with even as little as 1/16 "Negro blood", or even less, is considered black. Look at Mr. Obama's face - most white people look at him and immediately see him as black, regardless of who his mother was and who raised him. Look at who he's married to. Look at his children. I think Mr. Obama considers himself African-American as well. And it's fine. To many many people, that is.
But not to the haters, the birthers, and the tea-baggers. They just need other labels to disguise what it is they REALLY don't like about him.
Thanks for commenting. Explain to me then the obsession the 'birthers' have with his birth certificate? Or Glen Beck's strange rants about how Obama hates white people? Kinda like Kanye West's Bush rant in reverse.
ReplyDeleteI didn't put I right wing vs. left wing slant to my post. I think that having a black man in the White House has caused all of we (no matter political leaning) the white middle class majority to come face to face with all our deepest darkest biases.
I for one, encourage an open debate on races. Why shouldn't we expose our warts. Lets talk this out.
President Carter said what has been said in kitchens/livingrooms across the US, but no one in the political limelight (on either side of the coin) had the nerve to put it out there. Truth. He's one of the most honorable presidents of our time. And he's right,President Obama is made of the right stuff too, he will rise above the idiosy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post Joseph. Its time we looked this in the eye.
Hiya Karma, thanks for the comment and the kind words. It would be easy to make this into a right vs left debate (US politics/society is kinda like that) but it is not. This is a post about racism. Which, yes transcends political leaning.
ReplyDeleteThanks Terri. I think Obama is a good man, a smart man, and yes he might, if given the opportunity be a hell of President.
ReplyDeleteWhy not use the historically and socially significant election of a black President to examine race relations? Seems to me that it is now or never.
You should see if you can find a copy of the famed Jimmy Carter Law Day Speech. Any fan of this great American would surely appreciate what he has to say about the legal and judicial system, and it was one of HST's favorite speeches of all time to boot...just to give you an idea of it's trajectory.
ReplyDeleteHi ya Matt. I am sure I could find it in one of my HST paperbacks, Kingdom of Fear perhaps. I will do some Googling, if I find it, I will email it too you. Looking forward to the Friday Release.
ReplyDeleteCheers
J
Great post. Most people are vain but find a good long look in the mirror to be painful. Sadly, the most racist individuals who desperately need to examine themselves lack self-awareness. I agree with you, now is perhaps the best time to force America to take that look in the mirror. The era of political correctness managed to sweep the dirty history under the rug. As much as people like to think we're "past it" or post-racial, the negative effects of the institution of slavery on which the nation was built remain very much alive. Sadly, the name calling is but the first phase of what I think is going to become a much dirtier and dangerous fight.
ReplyDeleteThank you It nice to see a post with humanity in it.
ReplyDeleteClass and integrity doesn't belong to the colour of a person's skin It belongs to the individual In the current U.S president I see someone who is a humanist and working for the rights of everyone regardless of political stance and at the same time fighting the injustices of the former president Who saw human lives as toy soldiers on his chest board
Of course he isn't perfect but then again who is? You have a good man in your president Obama Rock on!
I agree. Obama won not because he was a black man, although there are those on the right that would have you believe that Obama won because of pent up liberal racial guilt, no, Obama won because he was clearly the best person for the job.
ReplyDeleteWhat followed his election is what troubles Jimmy Carter, and a lot of us who try to see current events devoid of sides... yes, I lean left, but I am also a Canadian, I think that gives me some measure of impartiality. But where was I, yes, right, the tone of debate since Obama became President. Thinly disguised racism. Oppositon is healthy, checks and balances, that whole thing. But the mad push back against Obama has little to do with his policy issues. If it were, then the right would have an alternative to Obama's healthcare reforms. The tea party movement would actually be a Ron Paul lead Libratarian enterprise, that is actually concerned about smaller government, and lower taxes. But it is not, they are motley get togethers of the racially and socially scared. Who because of the confidence afforded those in a mob, feel comfortable making signs of the most despicable kind.
But I digress, racism is not only the property of the right. The fuzzy middle, and the left also suffer from ingrained racial biases. The middle and the left tend to hide their biases under the warm blanket of political correctness, but they are still there.
My hope is that with a black man in the White House a new era of dialog will commence. It is not going to be fun, it is in fact going to be really ugly. Feelings will be hurt, toes stepped, noses will be bloodied. But the thing is we are all in this together. Peace.
Thank you for the response I actually believe it should be posted as one of your articles it so eloquent and to the point I agree with you 300%
ReplyDeleteHA, imagine me being long winded. I could do a cut and paste job, but I think I will let it stand as a response for now. Thanks Jana for joining in on the conversation.
ReplyDelete