Obama has done it again - or so he thinks. The mainstream media are all atwitter with his latest delivery, but his speech is full of contradictions.
Again.
Obama finally admitted to being a divider, not a uniter. He divides by race, by gender, by class. He is class jealous.
He claims to want unity, but in the next breath continues to talk about the black experience, and the suffering. He has not transcended race or hate - he is promoting it.
My descendants suffered atrocities and unspeakable inhumanity. The Celtic tribes of my forefathers fought ruthlessly and brutally, enslaved women and children, and tortured and brutalized them. My relatives came to this country after the Irish Civil War looking for hope, and found themselves instead indentured servants and laborers.
I have been the recipient of outrageous sexual harassment, discrimination, jealousy, all in the workplace. But instead of calling myself a victim, I vowed to make something of myself, work harder and smarter, and not let the loosers who tried to subjugate me, win. I won. And it's not because I am white or female; it's because I am not a victim and I am a fighter.
Is this any excuse to race bait, and hate? Or is it just an excuse?
Obama is a master of speaking out of both sides of his mouth. Why won't his followers actually listen to his words instead of swooning over him like hormonal teenage girls at an Elvis concert?
OBAMA SPEECH IN FULL: A MORE PERFECT UNION
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
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13 comments:
This is nothing new. As long as Demorats draw breath they'll NEVER let the divisions or differences heal. Opening wounds and keeping them open is their bread and butter.
BZ
You're comparing apples to oranges. Your Irish relatives were not enslaved to the degree that blacks were and I can't imagine that you've been subjected to a ton of racism as a white woman. Not too many Irish folks are discriminated against in 2008—head to Mississippi and ask a black woman how it works there. Sexual harassment, while upsetting and hardly acceptable, is completely different than racial discrimination. I could agree with you that when used to win elections the rhetoric gets tiring—but that wasn’t your point. I find it interesting that you vowed to make something of yourself and worked harder and smarter to get there...that must have been some first-rate jealousy that you had to overcome in the workplace.
The difference in your achievements may be in where you started from in comparison to others. To assume that you understand what racism feels like first-hand is just silly.
Hey Anonymous, just by making the assumptions you have, you are showing that you are the racist. You discount the violence and oppression of anyone other than black people. Do yourself a favor and learn history - there was oppression and slavery in the world before Americans enslaved blacks. And how about the African blacks who enslaved other blacks? That's really nice. where do you think Americans got the idea for slaves?
You know nothing of my background, yet feel you have the authiority to discount my life's experiences. You make the assumption that because I am a white woman, I have not experienced discrimination. I have traveled to every state in this country. Have you? I know what it feels like to be an outsider in another state. You don't have to be black to know what that feels like.
Address the issues I wrote about. Save your emotional issues for your therapist - or your pastor.
The comments I made make me a racist? Not sure I follow. I did not discount the violence and oppression of anyone. I simply said that comparing the perceptions/racial realities of Irish people in the US (in the mid 17 and 1800s)with the black population of 2008 was an apples to oranges comparison. I think the issues for the 2008 presidential election should at least focus on the things that are relevant for this century. Not sure how that makes me a racist.
I am also not sure how you knowing what it means to be an outsider in another state qualifies you as an expert on racism or discrimination. I believe that's more of a feeling of being uneasy in a new setting, or perhaps even a bit homesick in an unfamiliar place. Just a tiny difference there.
I'm not disputing the historical accuracy of what you wrote, just questioning the pertinence in the context of your article. I am also not discounting your life experiences, but I am absolutely challenging the way you paint them.
By the way, the assumptions I made based on your gender could define me as sexist or descriminatory against you as a woman, but hardly qualify me as a racist. I'll make you a deal...I'll study up on my history if you promise to learn the difference between race and gender.
No deal Anon. Just thought you'd like ot know how it feels to be called a racist everytime you dare to criticize a black person. I am very specific in my critique of public personas and politicians. And I don't care if they are black or white - but if they make it about race, then it's an issue.
You on the other hand, make sweeping judgments and immediately use the race card if anyone dartes to criticize your candidate.
Son't play the race card here or you'll get it right back in your face - race or gender. Black persons are not free from criticism because of the cruelty two centuries ago. And if you missed that point, you really do need to study up on history.
Because some backwoods miscreants in the deep south still harbor ill feelings to black persons means there is still slavery alive in America? Don't think so. My travels have proven that these same provencial folks feel the same about anyone from outside their world - whether it's some tiny town in the very reaches of Northern California or deep in Mississippi, provencialism is more alive then racism.
You've been in academia too long. Get out. Live a little. Talk to people outside your world. you'll find that most people are pretty nice and don't first see color when meeting people.
Identity Politics as usual begins with, "You can't know..." as if that were the criteria for decision making or even judgment - oops, no judgment, judgment not allowed!
Closed-loop systems generally fail and we're seeing that with the Democrats playing the various limited hands of Identity-Politics Trump Cards in search of a SuperDelegate: Ethnicity! Gender! Go Fish!!
I agree that most people are generally good and don't always see color first. But to say that only "backwoods miscreants in the deep south still harbor ill feelings to black persons" is laughable. You can't be that naive.
I am not playing the race card. I disagreed with what you wrote and have told you why.
For the record, I am white and do not plan to vote for Obama.
Anon,
you suffer from white guilt. Read anything written by Shelby Steele... he's a successful black man who recognizes white guilt.
And no, you didn't tell me why you disagreed with my argument. Yours is entirely emotional - white guilt, or written by a militant black. Read back on your own comments.
A swirling mist of confusion surrounds them, cascading torrents of emotion fill their lungs...
He's a "sucessful" black man, eh? Would you call John Grisham a sucessful white man? In the context, I would think you might say that Shelby Steele is a black author--his success, or lack thereof, really doesn't add any value. Then again, as you said before, you don't see color first.
Thanks for making my point.
...and wispy vapor trails cascade across the bright blue sky. Somewhere palm trees sway on an ocean breeze.
...you are cracking me up dirtcrasher
...unlike Anon, who is just plain annoying, ignorant, autocratic, haughty, insolent and, well, arrogant. It's like trying to have a discussion with an egotistical college professor... There's no discussion when one person already knows everything.
I'm a nobody, "a typical white person" as I'm lead to believe, "bred with a reaction of fear of someone I don't know, that don't go away."
What a mouthpiece, throw grandma under the bus again, but don't say, uh just leave-out that uh, the story he writes in his book about his grandma being harassed and nearly mugged by a black homeless person at a bus stop. THAT is what her fear was based on.
No, just irrational and "typical white" fear-based reaction, bred-in...anonymously of course.
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