I think you just f****d up.
Didn't you know that there are certain things you just don't say in modern day American discourse? Now watch how all those white folks who were treating you like the latest coming of John, Paul, and Ringo, turn on your black ass. "My God honey he is sounding just like Gary Sheffield. You know, the more I see him, the blacker he is starting to look."
Your handlers should have told you to chill a little and not let the black come out of you at Hampton University the other day. I know you were in a room full of 8,000 of your closest friends, but if you are going to be a real American politician you are going to have to learn to hold back on your true feelings and watch what you say. You just can't go around talking about the plight of black people and racial stuff in America. You even got into the "K" word again for crying out loud. "Don't you know that we are way past that stage in this country? We have come very far in this country and we are damn near color blind now. I thought you were the great uniter? What ever happened to the 'audacity of hope'"?
You just can't make statements like: "These quiet riots that take place everyday are born from the same place as the fires and the destruction and the police decked out in riot gear and the deaths. They happen when a sense of discomfort settles in and hope dissipates" Half and half man you have done lost your mind using words like that in a speech. You must really want to test that new secret service protection you got huh?
Now for the record, I personally like what you did, although I don't quite agree with you. Because you spoke as if you were talking about some sort of hypothetical situation, like you were giving a theoretical problem to solve for some college class on urban problems. As if the stuff you talk about might happen in the future. Obama, I have a news flash for you; that shit is happening now. A sense of discomfort has settled in, and hope has dissipated. That all happened way before Katrina, the storm just exposed all the Third World living that was already taking place here in the land of the brave and the home of the not so free."Despair takes hold and young people all across this country look all the way the world is and believe that things aren't going to get any better." Obama I think you mean despair has taken hold. But nice try, at least you had the guts to talk about Katrina.
So anyway, I am also wondering where you got this "quiet riot" shit from. Were you a rock fan back in the day? I seem to remember that there was a group by that name. But I digress.
I was wondering, how the hell can a riot be quiet? I mean the whole purpose of a riot is to let out your frustrations and let those who have been f*****g over you 
take notice of your grievances. So if it's quiet, aren't you like defeating the purpose. I mean if you are going to be quiet, you might as well have a prayer vigil or some shit. That would make sense. Then you can at least ask for something, and be quiet at the same time. Hell if you are rioting, I think you are pretty much past the quiet stage don't you? We didn't riot after Katrina, although you could have excused us if we did. Watching poor helpless babies and the elderly suffering to death was far worse than watching Rodney King getting his black ass kicked after thinking his Hyundai was a f*****g Ferrari. And look at all the rioting we did after that sh**? All for Rodney's black ass. We should have saved some of that rioting for New Orleans.
take notice of your grievances. So if it's quiet, aren't you like defeating the purpose. I mean if you are going to be quiet, you might as well have a prayer vigil or some shit. That would make sense. Then you can at least ask for something, and be quiet at the same time. Hell if you are rioting, I think you are pretty much past the quiet stage don't you? We didn't riot after Katrina, although you could have excused us if we did. Watching poor helpless babies and the elderly suffering to death was far worse than watching Rodney King getting his black ass kicked after thinking his Hyundai was a f*****g Ferrari. And look at all the rioting we did after that sh**? All for Rodney's black ass. We should have saved some of that rioting for New Orleans."This administration was color blind in its incompetence". Wrong again Barack, I don't think they were color blind at all. Color is all they saw. That's why the frat boy did a fly over instead of going in amongst the... ahem ahem, natives.
But good speech Barack, you are that much closer to getting the field's vote for President. Its just too bad that you probably lost a few million in the process.
34 comments:
This was pretty good, FN.
I knew what he meant, FN. That nobody wakes up and says, I think I'm going to riot today. That it builds up, day after day, until it blows. You have to set up the conditions first.
It's the obvious racism in hooking 'riot' with 'the Black guy', all the while ignoring the total CONTEXT of the speech....
Just angers me...that's all.
"It's the obvious racism in hooking 'riot' with 'the Black guy', all the while ignoring the total CONTEXT of the speech....
"
Welcome to how news is carried in America. Sad isn't it?
I am glad you caught the sarcasm in my post. I think Stevie Wonder could see what was going on here, and the connection the MSM media made with the word "riot"
Speaking of MSM; have they said a word about Brit Hume and his "spear chucker" comments yet?
FN,
Want to give us a ' Welcome to Jail, Scooter' post?
LOL
Their hypocrisy about willing to put anyone Black or Brown in jail for anything....
And there they are whining about pardoning ' Poor Scooter'.
PS- crickets chirping on Brit and 'spearchucker'.
You just made my blogroll! Thanks for being insightful and a fellow "Shameless Truth Giver"
Okay, Field, get ready for the flaming you're gonna get about Obama, LOL.
I'm already used to it, having been flamed on Kos and Skeptical Brotha about Obama.
The man can't have it both ways; either he's gonna be a brotha who just happens to be running for Pres, or he's a man running for Pres who just happens to be African-American.
He straddled the fence too much and too long - you can't advertise as being "unbossed" and "Unbought" and then show that you really are.
He's right about the quiet riot, though. He just shouldn't have said that in front of a mixed crowd, cause you know how "those people" get when they imagine Black people all getting angry at the same time and burning up South Central LA.
Dick Gregory said about the Watts riots, "A man will tear up something that is NOT HIS, especially if the Government has told him he can use it, but it's NOT HIS."
When I read that, I understood why during a riot we burn up shit in our 'hood, because it's NOT OURS.
Someone should school Obama on this.
The issue here is not to
marginalize Senator Obama per se, although that is a pleasant by-product of the coverage, it is to dismiss his or any other candidate's agenda that talks about reapportioning the tax-cuts and record profits of the wealthy to help the poor. This is another of the many cases when race and class intersect. The overriding issue in America is not race, it is class. The reason it appears to be racial is of course the history of slavery and racism, but the average man black or white has more in common than either is able to admit. As long as the wealthy can continue to foster division between the races they have no fear of any change to the status quo. As long as they are able to convince whites to believe that no matter how bad things are for them, they will always be better than blacks they can keep the racial division and thus keep power. I applaud the Senator when he speaks of creating a new culture, but I realistically doubt it coming to fruition. The seeds of fear, mistrust, and false superiority are too deep between the races not only in America, but worldwide to be easily brushed aside.
It is not only Senator Obama whose “urban agenda” has been under or falsely reported, but any other candidate that promotes any real change. Of course it is easier to push the panic buttons with him because of his race, but make no mistake it wouldn’t matter what color he is if he is talking about redistribution of wealth, it is not going to be covered fairly if at all.
it demonstrates that when you venture into presidential politics the scrutiny and the inspections get a lot more detailed. I don’t think anyone can prepare themselves for this type of public undressing. I wish the senator well and I hope he is prepared, because it is going to be a long 9 months until Iowa and the other candidates haven’t even begun to weigh in yet. Welcome to the big leagues senator!
I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.- Martin Luther King
The Disputed Truth
Dick Gregory said about the Watts riots, "A man will tear up something that is NOT HIS, especially if the Government has told him he can use it, but it's NOT HIS."
I'm sorry, so whose stuff are we destroying? When we see young black men selling crack, who are they destroying if not what is ours? I understand the principle that the businesses were not ours, but when the mob mentality gets going, it will not be controlled. There is always "collateral damage" that spills over to the innocents...
I'm surprised that there has not been a BIG fallout over Obama's speech- as of yet. I believe Obama is a big boy and can handle public criticism; otherwise, he would not have said what he said. What I am watching for are the saboteurs and back-stabbers. Although I have not publicly endorsed anyone, I still believe in keeping the presidential race clean- no “plumbers’ dirty tricks” like during the time of Nixon.
Forgiven:
I was refering to Dick Gregory's book "The Shadow I Fear" when he was referring to how the Government back in the 60s and 70s built all that low-income housing (aka the Projects) where you paid to live, but the Government could kick you out at any time, for any reason, be a law-abiding citizen or not. When asked why didn't people keep up those project properties they were mandated to live in by the Government, Gregory replied that "why should they take care of something that's not theirs? A man has pride in something he OWNS, and is more inclined to take care of his property than something that is loaned to him."
When you don't own something, you're less likely to take care of it, and pride in it. That would be more like the "House Negro Syndrome" that Malcolm X so eloquently spoke of and Field has posted it in the sidebar many times.
That "collateral Damage" of which you speak is what Obama refers to as that "quiet riot" I'm thinking. We can only be asked for patience so long; we can only take ill-treatment for so long, before there's an "explosion", only the people who need to see it refuse to see it, and they will be the "collateral damage" because they refused to see the warnings we issue.
That would be more like the "House Negro Syndrome" that Malcolm X so eloquently spoke of and Field has posted it in the sidebar many times.
___________________________________
I need to clarify - I meant to say "If a person has pride in taking care of something not his, that would be more like the House Negro Syndrome of which Malcolm X referred to.
Field,
The MSM is running with this shit. Tucker accused him of "justifying" violence, Limbaugh accused him of "inciting riots" and Paula Zahn deliberately distorted his shit and let Amy Holmes compare him to Pat Buchanan.
I think my boy Barack needs to start wearing a vest.
and let Amy Holmes compare him to Pat Buchanan.
____________________________________
Your "dime piece" at work, Field. LOL.
Sorry, but I couldn't resist. It's probably time this sista got another "House Negro of the Day" honor from you.
That was so on point...I actually get what he's saying about the 'quiet' riots...well I understood SOMETHING as I read it...those itty-bitty revolts that take place amongst the black community, those not-quite enough stand-outs, stand-offs and stand-ins, if you will...none of which being enough to make a difference. Dag...I'm SOOOO mad I missed him when he was here.
Since were have one of the last primaries, we will not have choices.
It is possible if Obama gets half way through the primaries, it wont matter his thoughts on anything, because panic will set in and he will be seen as a black face to be feared. I don't think much has changed since Jesse Jackson ran for the Democratic nomination.
I had thought that the world was changing, until I wandered into the blogosphere. I guess I was living a life with blinders.
field negro,
I had to look up "spear chucker" now I feel really out of touch.
About the sidebar:
I have in fact heard quite a bit about this case. To me, the use of a white/black angle to highlight the differences in how each of these cases is handled only dilutes future illustrations of how race causes a disparity when investigating most crimes.
The main difference between Holloway and Moore is there has not been a body discovered in the Holloway case. In addition, there were several false arrests and evidence of foul play, along with false stories from the people who were last seen with Holloway. Yes, I agree Fox News and other stations suffering from slow news days did over do the Holloway story. That very fact is noteworthy and I believe is racist. If I recall there was a missing pregnant woman of color during the time of Natalie Holloway who received little to no coverage. Nevertheless, I still say Holloway and Moore is a story of apples and oranges. Granted they were ( “are” in case Holloway is imprisoned somewhere still alive) both on senior trips outside the United States, beautiful and smart, but other than that, I need to expect one to get the attention the other got, attention the other should not have gotten, is asking too much of our media. Besides, it is not as if that attention got the Holloway family anyway. If anything, some porn hound is masturbating right now using Holloway’s photo because she was blown up so big.
Not saying the Moore family should not get all the attention and help they need. Just saying, I find the cases different and not necessarily racial. Now after the autopsy and the circumstances leading up to Moore’s death, another story may develop, for example racist classmates killing her or something because she was black.
I know the Moore family is going through hell right now. I feel for them. And it makes me think of those fools in Indiana who tried to hold the diplomas of the black students whose family cheered too loud. WTF?
Regarding your post. I don't know. I feel a little hurt with you calling Obama, half and half. It seems insulting. Sorry, I could not get pass that.
Edit:
Besides, it is not as if that attention got the Holloway family anywhere.
Should the fact that there is a body in the Moore case make it a more compelling case for coverage than Holloway? And how was Holloway beautiful--or smart? You seem to believe that there is a difference in coverage of each case and that Holloway's treatment was racially determined but you think it is an exercise of bad judgment to complain about it. But you do want to protest a possible insult to Obama, a reference to him in this discreet forum as half and half? WTF.
Now we are anonymous?
I did not say no one should complain about it, I said it should not be a racial complaint until it is proven to be racial. So far there is nothing air about Moore that indicates it was racial. And if you do not think a body makes a difference, try mourning your child when you do NOT HAVE A BODY!!!!!
Big difference.
Either/Or is a game played by people in power to keep other people oppressed. I have the sense to understand grades, nuances. Everything does not and is not one thing or the other.
Calling Obama a half and half is insulting. It negates him as anything. It embraces race, hence racissm by making him somebody only if he is one race or the other. As if being human is not good enough. It is insulting. Another either/or game.
e.k. kitty.... I respect your opinion on the differences with the two caes. (Holloway & Moore) and maybe if the Moore coverage was more than a blip I would agree with you. But I swear I have not heard a peep about this case in the MSM.Sorry, it just smacks of a bias in this country that goes far deeper than just these two cases. I could give you so much more examples, but time does not permit me to do so right now.
As for my "half and half" description of Obama,I know it's a little mean spirited but that's just me. I can be somewhat of an asshole at times. I make no apologies for that. Chalk it up to being a cynical frustrated citizen living through some of the worse times in our countries existence. Not to mention my profession and the arena in which I work.
And my reference to Obama stems both from my own personal indecisions about him as well as his mixed race heritage. So no harm no foul.
Maybe I will have one of those moments (Like I did with Condi, I don't call her the "bad perm lady" anymore) and I will see the errors of my ways.
No, the administration's incompetence (or indifference) was indeed color blind. It wasn't all black people living in New Orleans. It wasn't only New Orleans that got annihilated by Katrina.
Though it was predominantly black people in NO that suffered, there were some white people there too, and along the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama, a lot of white people got f****d over too, like in the cities of Buras, LA and Long Beach, MI which were 72% and 87% white, respectively. At least America heard the black people's story in New Orleans; no one heard the white story.
The only reason it's presented as "George Bush Doesn't Care About Black People" is because the media loves a scandal. Kanye was only half-right; George Bush doesn't care about people, period.
And the federal government doesn't control AP, so the "finding/looting" thing doesn't count.
I think the comment came and went. I think Fox and whomever he faces (should be beat out Hillary) will dredge it up, but it's old news and pretty silly--even redneck white folks will likely figure itout. Indeed, I didn't see too much on the right wing blogs about this crap.
No need to hit the panic button at the moment...
PS--you also cream them with knowledge. Until basicall 1967, every ruinous riot in this nation's history has been white folks of various stripes burning and looting, killing either each other or us (Gangs of New York just gave you a tiny tiny taste). If Obama was breathing fire, he'd actaully try to trap folks like Tucker Carlson into making these dumb comments and then goafter him for being retarded. We are too cautious in this society, when it's clear that even dumb whitefolks respond to black people who speaking clearly about their feelings and don't apologize for "mispeaking."
I thought this interesting commentary by Roland Martin.
Obama may have naively believed that the media would focus on the three-dozen policy proposals in that speech in addition to reporting the "riot" word. I initially reported only on the "riot" word in his speech, but then I realized that the media was trying to manipulate us into ignoring the fact that Obama gave a very substantive speech at Hampton University, with three-dozen well-considered policy proposals to actually deal constructively with the social conditions that lead to riots.
I initially got sucked into the trap of reporting only on the "riot word" from this speech. As I said at my blog, I think Obama should e-mail these speeches to Black blogs so that we can report on the substance of what he says. Because much of the mainstream will intentionally focus on ANYTHING BUT the real analysis of Blacks' situation and Obama's substantive proposals for making things better.
But Obama should have known that the word "riot" is all that many whites would hear once he used that word.
Oh yeah. I think a "quiet riot" is when Blacks shoot each other instead of shooting at whites.
I think that is fair interpretation, Holland. That is exactly what Obama means, and this is why I am having an increasingly hard time with Obama. (I was a gong-ho supporter.) He imagines his audience is white. He speaks pass us. It is for their hearing. And, so, in this way, I believe we views blacks as subjects of his message not the target of his message--and, too, he takes us for granted by talking past us.
I found this blog because of a diary mentioning you on DKos.
I'm glad I found it. This blog kicks ass!
"As I said at my blog, I think Obama should e-mail these speeches to Black blogs so that we can report on the substance of what he says."
That's a *great* idea. Propose it and he may do it. He / his campaign are on Facebook, etc., I think they "get" the power of the medium.
I think the speech did him good. It got me more interested in voting for him, anyway. I think that the voters it may have alienated, wouldn't have voted for him anyway.
Wow, Obama is putttin it down on the Black hand side? Was he playing to the crowd? Either way he is first and foremost a politician and lets hope he didn't just commit political suicide. No matter how much substance he carries in his messages we will see as it gets closer to the primaries if they (white folk) try and slay him with his word at Hampton!
Thak you "tjtyg", and welcome to the fields. Always feel free to check in.
ensyn1, you are right about that. White folks have long memories when it comes to this sh** :)
professor zero, you touched on a bigger issue. Obama should seriously try to engage the black netroots movmenet just as he does with these movements in the majority population.
The ‘misrepresentation’ of Barack Obama’s speech in Hampton, VA this week, across the ‘Mainstream Media’, originated from an ill-written story by Bob Lewis of the Associated Press.
If you’d like to let Mr. Lewis and/or his superiors know just how disappointed you are at the outright distortions of what Senator Obama said, and how those distortions have spread across the media, here is the contact information:
John Affleck - Editor (the only Editor listed in the National Reporting Section)
Email: info@ap.org
Mailing Address:
The Associated Press
Headquarters
450 W. 33rd St.
New York, NY 10001
Main Number
1-212-621-1500
Thanks for that info rikyrah.
http://www.barackobama.com/speeches/
I luv this site, you write the truth but I believe its time that America wakes up, if Barack was to become president, he would not be the first black president, he'd be the first MIXED president,so many blacks in the public eye that have white mothers NEVER mention them. Are they ashamed of their moms?? Its obvious especiall in the NBA which players have white moms.The following is the truth.
Obama writes: "That my father looked nothing like the people around me—that he was black as pitch, my mother white as milk
Post a Comment