A typical e-mail reads like this: Field how can you side with those racist republicans who are jumping all over Harry Reid? You are nothing but a House Negro, field. That is House Negro behavior on your part. There is no way you can compare this to what Trent Lott did. That man was calling for segregation.......and on it goes.
I am going to post this again so that I don't have to respond to individual e-mails or comments.
What. Harry. Reid. Said. Was.Ignorant.And. Racist. What.Trent.Lott.Said.Was.Ignorant.And. Racist. Why are we playing this your racist is worse than mine, game? Black people, WTF? If I see one more pretzel logic style article defending this clown I will renounce my black card and put in an application with the Native Americans tomorrow. And now you have the CBC putting out a statement about this bullshit.
I swear, when it comes to your politics you Negroes will take anything from massa. (See the alleged comments Bill Clinton made about his O ness and the silence from you people as example A. If you think about it, it's worse than Reid's, but not a word.) Well, not me. F%$k Harry Reid! To me, he is no different than Lott, Imus, Rush, and all those other clowns.
He should not get a pass anymore than Lott should have. I understand the need for dumbocrats to circle the wagons and defend this clown because the republicans-of all people-smell blood. They have, all of a sudden, become sensitive to us poor black folks and how we feel. I know, I know, it's laughable. And every time I see one of these clowns on television screaming Harry should go because of racism, I want to pull my hair out. OK, I don't have any. But I get really really mad.
Still, let's stop defending Harry; call the repukes out on their bullshit. Trent wanted to go back to a time when Niggers knew their place. Nuff said. No need to bring that up to defend what Harry Reid said. The two acts speak for themselves. It's not comparing oranges to oranges, but it's not comparing apples to oranges, either. It's more like comparing oranges to grapefruits if you get my drift.
Dumbocrats shouldn't get a pass on racial insensitivity just because we are ideological soul mates on most issues. We should denounce them as loudly as we denounce the repukes when they go all David Duke on us. Trust me, they will be giving you a lot of opportunities to do just that for the next four years. -A leopard can't change his spots-. Take the high road now and when the inevitable happens you will be able to call them on it without having to worry about them saying: Why didn't you take that position when Harry Reid had his little racial issue? They will accuse of being a hypocrite, and you know what?.... They will be right.
167 comments:
Right on! Ditto!
I think Reid should step down from the leadership, for all the same reasons that Field does. I also think he should step down because he is a crappy, uninspiring "leader".
He has been an embarrassment for years, now he is a shame.
Goodbye, Harry. You had a chance to make a difference over the past nine years but you pissed it away and now the only thing will remember about you is your knowledge of "negro dialect".
Field, was that diatribe yours, or are you quoting from a rabid e-mail written by a deranged correspondent? Is this a sly bit of humor on your part that I am missing?
I don't think there was any malice in what he said, just racial insensitivity. Perhaps the product of being 70 years old and part of the out-of-touch beltway establishment. His comments did bring up a good national discussion about colorism.
However, with Lott and Limbaugh's comments, you can make a much better case for malice behind their words. That's where I make a distinction.
The reason that there wasn't much said about Bill Clinton's statement is that he is out of office; we can't make him resign anything now!
Actually, there has been some comment about the former President's statement, but Senator Reid is the one who's currently in power, so he gets more attention.
Is what Lott said worse? Yeah. So? Reid ought to be tossed out, IMHO. There is no place for shit like this.
Dana,I can see folks ignoring Blago's dumb remarks-he is blacker than Obama-for that reason, but not Clinton.
"I don't think there was any malice in what he said, just racial insensitivity. Perhaps the product of being 70 years old and part of the out-of-touch beltway establishment. His comments did bring up a good national discussion about colorism."
Anon. I agree with the second part of that comment.That it did.
This entire situation just goes to show you how silly Negro democrats can be.
come on what ya thinking
would Obama stand a chance
without his perfect diction
if he was wearing baggy pants
it's all about perception
and how you are perceived
Obama made the connection
and somehow we all believed
Harry Reid actually said nothing
that wasn't evident to us all
he pointed out the obvious
now they're calling for his fall
it's always divide and conquer
just look at Harry Reid
this country has bigger problems
like the banksters and their greed
in this backward situation
who has the most to gain
if we let those bastards win
we're in for a world of pain
Other than the anachronistic wording, the only questionable thing he said was to attribute any of Obama's appeal to his light skin. I don't think that ever made a difference.
But maybe I'm wrong about that, in which case there wasn't anything wrong with what Reid said.
The question is what if all white folks in public office who believed similar things as Reid were required to resign? How many do you think we'd have left? 10 percent? Five..maybe?
What. Harry. Reid. Said. Was.Ignorant.And. Racist. What.Trent.Lott.Said.Was.Ignorant.And Racist.
Ignorant? Stipulated, Counselor.
Racist? Personally I disagree (in the case of Senator Reid, but clearly YMMV); but for the sake of discussion let that also be stipulated.
Do you believe that this is indicative of a personal animus against blacks as a people? If so, why? Are there any other elements to the Senator's public history (say, rousing support for neo-Confederates, like former senator George "Macaca" Allen) that lead you to believe this animus exists? In what other ways do you believe Harry Reid's personal (or political) animus against black people has been expressed?
In the case of Senator Lott, do you believe his statements indicated support for the economic and political advancement of blacks as a people? If not, why not? What policies, positions, or statements did Senator Lott take that led you to believe that he, as a conservative legislator from Mississippi, was interested in and supportive of black economic or political advancement?
And if you don't believe that Reid's statement is indicative of personal animus against black people, then just what the fuck is the problem?
FIELD I am SICK and TIRED of your MESS, you allow WHITE FOLK'S to come on this BLOG and talk about our people like a dog! and now you want to talk about what HARRY REID said!, PLEASE! you don't have a LEG to stand on!
I refuse to come down on HARRY REID, I wish I would! just to please a bunch of so called (FIELD NEGRO'S) first of all, you really DON'T know what it took for a TRUE FIELD NEGRO to survive during SLAVERY, they were SHREWD, STRATEGIC and they PRETENDED to be STUPID!
FIELD NEGRO'S worked in the FIELD'S, this gave them plenty of time to THINK! they lived and breathed SURVIVAL! this was their meal ticket out of the FIELD'S, some made it OUT and some did NOT! you don't become a FIELD NEGRO because you put up a BLACK BLOG and say (FAITHFUL FIELD NEGRO) alway's on call!
FORTY ACRE'S and a MULE, that's what HARRY REID'S FORFATHER'S owe us, this WHITE MAN worked day in and day out to get those WHITE SENATE VOTE'S and if he had not, BLACK FOLK'S would have said (see, he want's the PRESIDENT to FAIL)he didn't work hard enough! WHITE RACIST would be doing what they are doing now! being RACIST!
Since when did RACIST FOLK'S care about, what someone said about the PRESIDENT? NEVER! and they want HARRY REID to step down, please, these people have said the most HATE FILLED MESS any human being can say about a PRESIDENT!
What will it take for BLACK MEN to stop falling into the WHITE MAN'S TRAP? if the PRESIDENT can accept his apology, then why can't you?
SHARTON ain't stressing, ROLAND ain't stressing, the BLACK CONGRESS ain't stressing, and do you know why? cause they know the WHITE MAN'S trick's a long way off, you just don't know them, but, you should by now, why is it taking you so long to GET IT!
like FARRAKHAN said, the WHITE MAN got our mind, he got our mind, and in your case FIELD, it's sad to say, it's true!
iseeisee
Context. Context. Context. If you cannot see this in context, then you are simply being simple.
Cosign. He is a racist jerk just like Rush and the Lott of them!
Well I thought Ta-Nehisi Coates summed up the contrast between Reid and Lott nicely...
I think you can grant that, in this era, the term "Negro dialect" is racially insensitive and embarrassing. That said, the fair-mind listener understands the argument--Barack Obama's complexion and his ability to code-switch is an asset. You can quibble about the "light skin" part, but forget running for president, code-switching is the standard M.O. for any African American with middle class aspirations.
But there's no such defense for Trent Lott. Lott celebrated apartheid Mississippi's support of Strom Thurmond, and then said that had Thurmond won, "we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years.'' Strom Thurmond run for president, specifically because he opposed Harry Truman's efforts at integration. This is not mere conjecture--nearly half of Thurmond's platform was dedicated to preserving segregation. The Dixiecrat slogan was "Segregation Forever!" (Exclamation point, theirs.) Trent Lott's wasn't forced to resign because he said something "racially insensitive." He was forced to resign because he offered tacit endorsement of white supremacy--frequently.
Claiming that Harry Reid's comments are the same, is like claiming that referring to Jews as "Hebrews" is the same as endorsing Nazism. Whereas a reputable portion of black people still use the term Negro without a hint of irony, no black person thinks the guy yelling "Segregation Forever!" would have cured us of "all these problems."
So there you have it. All ignorant and racist statements are not created equal.
I agree with Field that Clinton's remarks were in fact, much worse, vindicating the worst suspicions people had about the Clinton campaign. The fact that Hillary wanted to use Obama's teenage drug use as a weapon sez it all. But the media seems oddly uninterested in THOSE parts of the book. (including the part that accuses Bill of still sleeping around, amazingly) I guess they need a buzz phrase like "Nappy Headed Hoes" or "Negro dialect" to catch their attention. Can't read between the lines for shit.
Malcolm (RIP) was spot on
Field, I could not agree more. Stay on the case.
Harry Reid needs to go. I'm not going to defend him just because the wingnuts are attacking him. He was incredibly stupid for saying what he said OUT LOUD where it could come back to haunt him. There is a long pattern of him doing similarly stupid shit. He is an ineffectual leader and a suck up to the likes of Joe Lieberman who ACTIVELY CAMPAIGNED AGAINST Reid's own party. What has he gotten out of his Lieberman butt kissing? Just more humiliation.
Resign right now, Harry Reid, and go back home to that OTHER land of legalized prostitution you call home.
What was racist about what Harry Reid said, and why?
"The question is what if all white folks in public office who believed similar things as Reid were required to resign? How many do you think we'd have left? 10 percent? Five..maybe?"
Let's clarify that: Fed. level,state,or local?
Ivan,I understand his public record. I understand his friendship with O. I get the fact that he is a dem. and for that, some people give him a pass.
But how do you know what's in his heart? I will stipulate to the fact that I don't knnow if you do the same. Here is the thing; all I have to go by when it comes to what's in HR's heart is his actions. Not his public actions for the world to see, but his private ones. If it's one thing I learned about some folks in A-merry-ca, it's that they know exactly how to act not to seem racist...present company excluded of course.
"FIELD I am SICK and TIRED of your MESS, you allow WHITE FOLK'S to come on this BLOG and talk about our people like a dog! and now you want to talk about what HARRY REID said!, PLEASE! you don't have a LEG to stand on!"
Iseeisee, do you see the irony in that statement?
"What will it take for BLACK MEN to stop falling into the WHITE MAN'S TRAP? if the PRESIDENT can accept his apology, then why can't you?
SHARTON ain't stressing, ROLAND ain't stressing, the BLACK CONGRESS ain't stressing, and do you know why? cause they know the WHITE MAN'S trick's a long way off, you just don't know them, but, you should by now, why is it taking you so long to GET IT!"
~~~~~~~~I wish I had a Red Stripe right about now. OK, so Rev. Inc. isn't stressing. Roland isn't stressing...so yep, that about does it, I shouldn't stress, either.
i think you are in the minority and thinking he should resign. i am not seeing much support for this position among members of the white or black media--esp. the black media.
HARRY REID need's to stay where he is, why should he RESIGN? give me a long list of reason's why this WHITE MALE DEMOCRAT should resign? has he been on TV calling the PRESIDENT a MONKEY? has he called the PRESIDENT a RACIST! has he called him a MAGIC NEGRO? NO, what he said is mild compared to some of the thing's, I have heard from some of you so called, DEDICATED to your RACE FIELD NEGRO'S!
On a bad day, FIELD call's the PRESIDENT his O'ness, some of you so called PROUD AFRICAN AMERICAN'S have called the PRESIDENT CRUEL name's! some have said ( oh, he is NOT REALLY BLACK)! and now you people want HARRY REID to step down please, you people need to go and hide your face in SHAME! you could care less about the PRESIDENT! if he had some of you people to depend on, he would be in an Insane ASYLUM! as if, you are insulted about what HARRY REID said!
MICHAEL STELLE a BLACK MAN, came against the health care bill, that would help his people! HARRY REID, a WHITE MAN, is fighting to get the HEALTH CARE BILL PASS that will help BLACK PEOPLE! now you tell me who really care's about the our people?
field, you don't even have enough RESPECT for the PRESIDENT, to let this thing DIE OUT! NO! you want to keep it going on and on, and why? just to get people to comment on your BLOG! SHAME!
ISEEISEE
Field, I guess the original post wasn't some sort of joke. So, tell me, why was Reid's statement racist? You've declared it to be racist, but explain why. I'm not joking.
I agree. And don't you just love how Obama is defending him.
I too, am amused by Iseeisee's suggestion that Al Sharpton and Roland Burris are great, legendary Black leaders.
house is in the house! LOL! and "you people" better get it! LOL!
"Field, I guess the original post wasn't some sort of joke. So, tell me, why was Reid's statement racist? You've declared it to be racist, but explain why. I'm not joking."
Let me try to use an analogy by flipping the script for you:
(I am pretty sure this won't work but I will give it the old college try)
Let's say, for argument sake, that A-merry-ca is a predominantly black country with a horrible history of oppressing white folks. White guy wants to run for president, but given the attitude of many blacks towards whites in A-merry-ca, the white guy isn't sure that he can get enough votes to win. Black politician who supports white guy tells another black guy: Yep this white guy might be able to pull it off. He doesn't speak with that Caucasian dialect and he has a much better tan than all those pale skinned whites.
Racist?Ignorant?Or both?
"And don't you just love how Obama is defending him.'
Well...
Grinder, I think we all know that Field's role is that of the "racism hunter". One of the inevitable downsides of constant vigilance is that it leads to False Positives. So of COURSE when there's a incident that's debatably racist, FN is gonna "err with caution" and assume its racist.
That's his thing. Its what I come here for. There are many black blogs out there. But when you want to see some good ol' fire and brimstone against racists, you visit The Field Negro.
So yeah, it surprises nor discourages me to see Field hop on Harry's ass like white on rice.
"Grinder, I think we all know that Field's role is that of the "racism hunter". One of the inevitable downsides of constant vigilance is that it leads to False Positives. So of COURSE when there's a incident that's debatably racist, FN is gonna "err with caution" and assume its racist."
)))LOL(((@Swiff, I might actually resemble that remark.
art maggot: you dead ass wrong! LOL
I understand the need for dumbocrats to circle the wagons and defend this clown because the republicans-of all people-smell blood. They have, all of a sudden, become sensitive to us poor black folks and how we feel. I know, I know, it's laughable.
CHUUUCH!! When this mess dropped I swear every teabagger in amerrykkka was going to drop their posters of the POTUS as hoodoo witchdoctor in shock and disbelief! NOT! LOL!
paul mooney preachin bout it!
See Field, this is exactly why I became an Independent five years ago...I stop being a Dem after I ran into one to many racist in the party. And I could never be a Republican because they were there racism proudly...
I keep telling Black folks become Independents....Leave both these Parties there a joke now days anyway.
what lott said was a lie!
what reid said was true!
therein lies the difference
http://aliciabanks.vox.com/library/video/6a0123ddb39306860b0123ddff453a860d.html
And uh, OF COURSE Obama and the CBC, etc are gonna defend him. Are people surprised by this? Why should Obama want Harry Reid to RESIGN in the middle of the biggest legislative fight of our generation?
Forcing out Reid would be a GREAT checkers move but a lousy way to setup a checkmate.
anon @ 11:36 PM - I was registered independent until I switched to vote in the primary. Before that, I think I voted for one Republican, ever. I imagine your voting history isn't too different. America has a 2 party system and any 3rd party will either cripple one of the 2 parties or replace said party completely. Dem's da facts. Parliamentary systems aren't a whole lot better, since they just encourage the crazies to form their own parties. Example: Israel.
what bubba said was also true
he was speaking of obama's thin/blank white political resume
not his yellow skin
and
if bubba had said the very same words about his own wife or sarah palin
all sexists would agree
and BOTH sarah and hc's political resumes eclipsed obama when bubba spoke this blunt truth
only lott is the racist here
and that crusty old jungle fevered kkk geezer he adored strom...
http://aliciabanks.vox.com/
http://aliciabanks.vox.com/library/video/6a0123ddb39306860b0123f195535c860f.html
"Malcolm (RIP) was spot on"
Which Malcolm? Nation or post-Nation?
Let's clarify that: Fed. level,state,or local?
Feel free to give me your opinion on any of them
Let me just say that I'm not qualified to judge the racism of Reid's statement. But I definitely think the Senate could be a better place without him. Sure, it would upset things for a while, I think it'd be nice to have less of a pushover/more of a progressive as the Senate leader.
I think I'll put up a simple solution for everyone: instead of talking, just vote him out. In fact, vote out most of the Congress. I get tired of hearing people just say, "we just have to work with what we got." Since when do politicians get a to just stay in office because they want to? We called for a change for President, so not change everything else?
This whole episode is so ridiculous. But the rethugs know exactly what they are doing. How dare they who have done essentitally nothing for black folk suddenly are sensitive to racist statements? Once again, we have allowed them to control the conversation.
It is certainly fine for us to vent in the electronic security of the field, but in doing so, we can't forget the elephant in the room.
Reid's comments were ignorant, they were racist. Were they malicious? I actually doubt it, but we don't know. We don't know what was in his heart and head. But the reality is that his comments were also true--painfully true. It is the pain that allows us to fall so easily into the trap that misses what is truly important and focus on the superficial.
Who of us can honestly deny the color-bias within the race and between races? Who can deny the fact that in majority America, the ability to be "successful" for those all ready behind the eight ball(pun intended)is often influenced by the ability speak in the articulation the majority accepts. Our genius is that we have been able to do both. All of us who post here could not be successful, no matter whether we are employee or owner, if we could not present ourselves in the manner best able to accomplish what we need. My ability to calm a patient that looks like me will require me to speak the language they understand. But when in the operating room, doing my best to give them the best treatment possible, I must communicate in the language that will help me accomplish that. Field, I can only assume that your communication with some of your clients is not on the same level as that which you use to communicate with the judge.
Perhaps the more productive dialogue would be how do we facilitate a progression to a society where this is no longer an issue. How do we as black folk eliminate our own color bias? What do we do to create a society and culture that would be comfortable electing any person of color, and not think the one that finally is there is the Messiah that has to fix every social ill that we have been the victim of in less than a year? The conversation should not be about whether comments are racist or not, but the disparities that make comments like that racist. We have not yet arrived.
There are certainly consequences to actions and words, but we have forgiven a whole lot more. Obama isn't going to throw Reid under the bus. He and the rest of the Dems need him, no matter how impotent he may be thought to be. He did pull off the health care reform thing--good or bad. W and his boys wanted to get rid of Lott, so they didn't circle the wagons around him.
@ Fine Frog:
You made the most valid point in this whole discussion...people who are hustling to make ends meet care less what an old white man that's trying hard to maintain his livlihood says or thinks...his time is up and he knows it. Bravo for the poem!
Peace.
~agape2010~
The author of the book "Change the Game" speaks from his heart:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/05/halperin-white-men-need-not-apply-for-scotus-vacancy.php
Let's say, for argument sake, that A-merry-ca is a predominantly black country with a horrible history of oppressing white folks. White guy wants to run for president, but given the attitude of many blacks towards whites in A-merry-ca, the white guy isn't sure that he can get enough votes to win. Black politician who supports white guy tells another black guy: Yep this white guy might be able to pull it off. He doesn't speak with that Caucasian dialect and he has a much better tan than all those pale skinned whites.
Throughout my life, anyway, I have always valued an honest man more than a smooth one. People will commonly agree with a statement like that, and then turn right around and stomp the shit out of someone who told the truth in a clumsy way.
Reid is guilty of nothing more than clumsy syntax. There are two problems, and I think very real ones, with playing the race card in situations like this.
One is that when you label clumsiness as racism, you devalue the accusation of racism, even when genuine. Want to know why millions of people, and not just white ones, instinctively roll their eyes when they hear about an accusation of racism? Part of it is surely defensiveness, but part of it is also the playing of the race card when there really wasn't any racism in the picture.
Secondly, this sort of thing makes a shitload of whites wary of even trying to engage black people or issues at any level, for fear that they'll say it wrong. Field, I am telling you that you and a lot of black people underestimate this factor by a major degree.
I don't care who you are, if you look at an area and think that there's a big risk that you'll be damned if you do and damned if you don't, you just stay away if you can.
You can't have it both ways. Not in the real world. You can't ask people to be honest and forthright about race, while simultaneously demanding that they always be on their tiptoes. This tempest in a teapot over Reid's words just sends the message that getting involved with blacks, or even with Democrats at all, is going to be nothing but a hassle.
People go where they feel comfortable. Me, I'm comfortable arguing on the Internet, but for every one of me there are 100,000 whites who say, "Fuck it, no way I can do anything but lose by talking to those people." And there are times when I can't disagree.
Just try to build a broad multi-racial coalition with this sort crap in the background. How on earth do you expect to find any more than a handful of whites to sign on?
@ Fine Frog:
You made the most valid point in this whole discussion...people who are hustling to make ends meet care less what an old white man that's trying hard to maintain his livlihood says or thinks...his time is up and he knows it. Bravo for the poem!
TOTALLY AGREE!
I tell you folks with their ulterior motives are something else these day. Oh well, let the Republican have their way come election time. People think the last eight years were something else, wait until they see what is up ahead if you let them get a foothole back into power. Like that old saying goes, "You ain't seen nothing yet". They are a revengeful party, always have been, even their strategy is full of revenge. Think about it!
You think people are struggling and doing bad now--the economy is shredded to pieces. We must not being doing bad enough. Oh but they will find out what doing bad really is and that's a promise!
Back a few blogs ago the topic last year was about blacks using ebonics and not speaking proper English. Correct me if I am wrong. There were many blacks on here downing and ridiculing their own people about not using proper English. I believe, if I remember correctly, SagaciousHillbilly was one of the only ones that spoke up in black's defense and he is a white man. That's why I like him because he is fair and he gives me the impression that he understands the less fortunate circumstances and why they are like they are. I remember agreeing with his assessment because that was how I felt about it as well.
Then came another topic about light-skinned and black skinned folks. I didn't see any blacks denying that light-skinned folks were treated different from dark-skinned ones by whites on that topic. Oh I remember how the conversation went along the lines of how whites feel threaten by dark skinned blacks, etc. Nope! Y'all had plenty to say about that and said basically the same thing Reid said. How can you deny a fact that this is the way it is in America? Not only does it happen in America but other countries seem to practice that too. I'm not saying that it is right because it is not! My mother is dark skinned but my father was so light until people thought he was white.
And now you want to call a white man out because he voiced the same thing that all of you said on those two topics because a white man who believes blacks are inferior who has an ulterior motive said so in an attack book. Okay, let me get this straight, Reid didn't say " He's a black "nigger" that does not speak ebonics." Had he put it in that context, I would be all over him. Nope, he said light-skinned negro, the term negro used by this blog and by MLK, Malcolm X, and even the bloggers on here, which is all of a sudden offensive.
The President is a light-skinned man, a negro, he does articulate well. Is that not true? So, now if what he said was racist, then I take it, so are the comments on here when the word "Negro" is used and you basically say the same thing.
Negro dialect is a polite way of saying ebonics. When whites used the term ebonics, they usually use it to ridicule black speech.
The word dialect = A regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary, especially a variety of speech differing from the standard literary language or speech pattern of the culture in which it exists. Asian, Hispanic, French, etc., dialect is diffent.
Stupid? Yes. Ignorant? Maybe. But substantively wrong? No.
BHO couldn't have won the White House if he spoke non-standard English. He also couldn't have won if he looked like his Kenyen brother. That's the racist reality. And we've also all heard BHO speak "white" to a white crowd and "black" to a black crowd. What about Reid's comments are not accurate?
I read two "black" blogs -- this one and Undercover Black Man. Both of you appear to be smart, accomplished and thoughtful black men. Yet you two have exactly opposite opinions on whether Reid's comments were racist or not. You say Reid's statements were "ignorant and racist," while he says Reid's statement "wasn’t insulting, wasn’t shocking... and was likely true."
Obviously, everyone has his or her own opinion, regardless of race. I'm with Undercover Black Man on this one.
G
TIME's MARK HALPERIN: McCain should consider racist attacks on Obama.
Stupid? Yes. Ignorant? Maybe. But substantively wrong? No.
Stupid? No. Ignorant? Nope. Wrong? Debatable with respect to "light skinned." Racist? No way. Clumsy? Yup.
Wow, who'd have even thought that a white man might be inarticulate?
I'm so aggravated with the common men and women swearing party allegiance. Racism is racism, and I don't want a national leader that makes distinction on color and dialect when determining a peer's future.
Disgusting. And any of you that think this is okay, or what he said was true, or whatever...are equally despicable.
Maybe some of you can see "good" or "acceptable" racism, but I can't.
I have lived through and experienced the times back in the day when blacks did not have any rights. How well, I remember not being served or allowed in restaurants, having to sit up in the balcony in theaters, living in substandard housing because of redlining and "Do not rent to Negroes" signs, having to walk miles to school while whites children rode buses, the "no blacks allowed" signs. Or the only time you'd see a black face on television was when they were cast as maids, butlers, and buffoons and later on in time on the Ed Sullivan show at the end of the program and yet they were not allowed to enter in the front door.
I lived through a time when the word "nigger", "boy" and "gal" flowed freely from white folks lips as a way of life. Yup! I lived through an era of Jim Crow when we had to eat so much Jim Crow until you could taste it and its a wonder we didn't turn into a Crow. Oh yeah, and I remember how my cousin and eight other teenager children tried to integrate Central High and because of death threats to them and their family they had to leave in the middle of night to go and live in other states with strangers to finish their education. I remember watching on the television the mobs that came out calling them niggers and saying and doing all sorts of mean-spirited things towards them all because they wanted a good education. And these were adults threatening kids with violence and ropes to hang them. Sometimes I wonder if anyone ever stop to think how frightening an experience that was for them at that age.
In addition, I remember how we were always taught to make sure if we brought something to make them give us a bag and receipt with our purchase because if we didn't some bigoted white folks would lie and accuse us of stealing while keeping our money. I can remember how black folks were barely eating or could barely clothe their children because of the pauper wages being paid to them and sometimes cheated out of and not paid to them at all, or how some black mothers would come home so exhausted from cleaning another woman's toilet, house, doing their laundry, watching their children, and then having to walk miles back home with blistered and swollen feet.
I learned how to make baby formulas and change diapers before I was 7 years old and wash clothes on a scrub board because all black children had to do their part in helping out their parents who work for less than minimum wages in order to be able to put some type of food on the table. Back then, it wasn't much, but it was the best they could do considering the segregation climate. When there were no jobs, we would take flour and water and fry it. Slap a little butter on them and it tasted just as good if you were hungry enough. I can recall the time when a doughnut was a luxury.
While white kids got toys for Christmas, we made ours. I remember making a doll out of a coke bottle and some rope, soap bubbles out of a bar of soap and water, a ball out of a stuffed socks and using a pieces of board for a bat. Not too many black folks could afford those things and were making just enough to keep a roof over our head and to keep us from starving to death.
Forget about going to the Doctor if you got sick. You had to be close to death to be able to see a doctor, which by the way would be miles away, and most of them didn't treat blacks. We were treated with old home remedies passed down through the ages and to be honest most of them worked better than some of the medication they give us now and you didn't get side affects.
After years of experiencing it to the fullest degree and even now experiencing it in subtle forms, I can smell it, feel it, and taste it and it is not a good feeling. So thinking that there is a good and bad racism that should be accepted because of a political party never even entered my mind. Therefore, you can rest assured that Im definitely not seeing racism as good and bad. However, I do see through the ulterior motive of the authors of the book that all of a sudden brought it out just before election time and the Republicans who are the main ones calling for Reid's head but are more guilty of outright blatant racism which is extreme in nature openly.
Nevertheless, I'm through with it and leaving it alone.
Granny, holy cow. When and where did you grow up? Not doubting you in the slightest, just asking.
Right here in California and the South.
the injustice of jim crow
has dealt a mighty blow
that can never really mend
no matter how we pretend
granny you may not believe
but some of us do grieve
about the horror of it all
racist bastards need to fall
and I think it's sad to say
there may never come a day
when all this shit will end
no matter what we do my friend
just never let them forget!!
Thank you SOOOO much for the link to the Scholar Ladies video. It made me so happy that I got all teary.
I can't wait to show it to my daughter.
Reid can stay. If we dump every white that says something insensitive, they'd all be back in Europe.
Racial offenses are hierarchal. They're not all alike. If and when Reid crashes through that black ceiling with a regrettable, and unforgivable offense, I will know, and I'll call for his ouster so loud, the ears of America will ring.
Granny, your remarks are sidebar worthy. There's much these whelps don't know about how it was.
You know what? You might as well believe this shit if you believe that other. Ted Kennedy told me that the only reason Obama ran for President was because he's Bill Clinton's son and that was the only way to get his daddy's attention. Hillary was secretly on Obama's side trying to get Bill to take responsibility for his high school affairs.
What think I'm full of it? THAT IS THE SAME AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE HALPERIN HAS AGAINST BILL CLINTON. A PARAPHRASED ANONYMOUS SOURCE. AND A DEAD MAN WHO CAN'T CALL OUT AN OBVIOUS LIE.
THE SAME HALPERIN WHO IS ATTACKING REID BY PRESENTING HIS COMMENTS IN AN INFLAMMATORY WAY.
THE SAME HALPERIN WHO SAYS OBAMA HATES AND HAD A TEMPER TANTRUM ON BIDEN.
THE SAME HALPERIN WHO THOUGHT IT FUNNY TO CALL SENATOR BLANCHE LINCOLN A WHORE ON TIME's WEBSITE AND PHOTOSHOP SPERM IN HER HAIR AND POSTED THE PHOTO BECAUSE SHE VOTED FOR HEALTH CARE.
THE SAME HALPERIN WHO WROTE AN ENTIRE BEACH SCENE HE NEVER WITNESSED.
THE SAME HALPERIN WHOSE WORD ROCKS YOUR WORLD.
How many allies, democrats, and progressives you want to bleed for his lies? How about we go ahead and fracture the whole damn party because of Halperin?
--j
Black Diaspora:
Nah, they don't know.
GrannyStandingForTruth "THANK YOU" for speaking the truth.
Have fighting racism come to Professor/copgate and someone words that offend. What about the shooting of unarmed black men, high unemployment among blacks, and big time banks pushing sub prime loans on people of color. Main stream media will not touch those stories. We can keep eating the crumbs main stream media throw at us or we can keep our eyes on the big picture.
"But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way". Matthew 13:25
Some (not all) of the social ill in the African American community is because the enemy has plotted against us while we sleep.
correcting myself:
Has fighting racism........
Another way to skin the cat on Harry Reid: It's not that he was racist, because he wasn't. It's not that he was offensive, because he wasn't. And it might not really be "clumsiness" like I said it was.
Maybe it's that the guy is just wildly out of touch. I mean, he used idioms from 50 or 60 years ago. Once Reid is defeated this November, maybe the Democratic Party should think about picking a Senate (minority?) leader who's a little closer to this century than to the middle of the last one.
But I still think it's absurd to hang the racist tag on him. Senile, maybe.
Thanks for your insight, granny. I'll try to be less emotional and more observant in the future.
God bless, all.
Sorry - what Harry Reid said was true. It may hurt, but it is true.
When we talk about context, we have to look at the totality of the statement. Harry Reid is 70 years old. When he was an adult it was still common to call Black people "colored." He used Negro.
I once attended a fund-raising dinner where the speaker was the President of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. She informed the diners that their first client was a white woman who had been denied a job because she had children. The woman sought out the NAACP LDF because she knew that a black organization would recognize discrimination.
Now Trent Lott wanted a white segregationist to be President which is a long way from inelegantly championing a Black president.
Harry Reid should retire because he is going to lose (he would have lost with or without this statement). The Democrats should stop naming vulnerable Senators from Republican-leaning states to be Majority Leader. Because those Senators cannot lead - they can only tepidly follow.
As for Bill Clinton, we don't even know that he said that. Ted Kennedy is dead and there is no one to corroborate the statement. Could Bil Clinton have said it? Sure. But then you're joining forces with the folks who think that the Bush/Cheney administration could have had something to do with 9/11 simply because we all know those two (and many of their supporters) could have done it.
What Harry Reid said wasn't racist. It was true. Now to Black people Obama isn't "light-skinned," but Harry was talking about white folks and to them, he is. And he is, as Joe Biden said, "articulate and clean."
Let's stop being manipulated by the media into spending time and attention on trivia. Surely there is something else more important happening out there.
Thank you for your post, Granny.
I get the fact that he is a dem. and for that, some people give him a pass.
No, no, no, and no.
I don't know about others, but I'm not giving him a pass because he's a DEM-- I'm giving him a pass because he's shown in his actions that he is NOT a neo-confederate asshole like our "friends" across the aisle.
Bugger his political affiliation-- what has he done that's been bad for black folks and other folks of colour? Not a single goddamn thing as far as I can see. YOU CANNOT SAY THAT OF TRENT LOTT AND THE REST OF THE NEO-CONFEDERATE ASSHOLES WHO ARE TODAY'S MOVEMENT CONSERVATISM.
Is that so difficult to decipher? We've let the neo-Confederate assholes hijack the discussion over "whether what so-and-so said" was "racist," and lost sight of the fact that mere words don' mean shit. Words that are indicative-- genuinely indicative-- of racist asshattery-- should oughta be called out as further evidence of racist asshattery, not just as 'offensive words.'
"Let's clarify that: Fed. level,state,or local?
Feel free to give me your opinion on any of them"
Fed=15% state=5% local=20%
How is that?
I think many people are missing the larger issue here, what if Reid is right? What if the only electable black man is a light-skinned man without a 'negro dialect'? People from across the political spectrum have condemned Reid's words, but nobody has actually adressed the issues of race that he brought up. Fear of the black man is still very much entrenched in the white psyche, Reid is just vocalising it because he's an old ass motherfucker who doesn't know that its not polite to point out the white elephant (or ,rather, black elephant) in the room.
Of course the white media establishment can quickly take our attention away from the elephant by constantly repeating that Reid is a bad man and pretty soon we will all forget that what he said is what most of white america is thinking. Don't fall into the trap, Field, bloggers are the only dissident voices left in the media, you need to realise that there's more to this than one senile old bastard.
"Wow, who'd have even thought that a white man might be inarticulate?"
Grinder,grinder,grinder, those kind of comments make me realize why you didn't see anything wrong with what Harry said.FYI, I have heard quite a few "inarticulate" white folks in my time. PLENTY!!
BTW, you didn't answer my hypothet. Just more of the same from the majority side. You didn't try to put yourself in a different position...interesting.
Sooo, what we are saying, I guess, is that if the man is a racist, but outwardly he helps us along the way with his policies etc. by promoting our agenda, it's cool?
Is that what we are saying?
George, I co-sign. Reid's ignorance and racism is symptomatic of a larger problem in A-merry-can society. So he spoke he truth. So f*&&%^g what? He is still a part of the damn problem. You know why he spoke the truth? Because that's how he feels. He is part of the reason that it's a true statement. Period.
'He is part of the reason that it's a true statement'
that is true in the sense that he is one of the many people who is scared of black men, but thats kind of abstract at the individual level. I think his main role now is as a scapegoat, he voiced a VERY mainstream opinion and now politicians and media turds who privately agree with him (and probably have even worse opinions of blacks) can score points by denouncing him. By focusing on the individual the larger issue is ignored, the mainstream media will offer a few platitudes (oh, isn't reid impolite! we all love black people here on CNNFOXNBC!) while burying the ugly truth of his words. I guarantee you there will be no discussion of the content of his words in the MSM.
I'm not saying that Reid should be given a pass, but that his opinions should be seen as a symptom of white fear, not the cause of it. You can't see the forest for the trees, man.
Having re-read my comment I realise I may be over-reacting about this a bit. I have been reading a lot of Chomsky lately, so you know, take my postings with a pinch of salt.
From No More Mister Nice Blog:
As a white person, I'll accept Harry Reid's apology"
And on that- I'm done with Senator Reid.
You a cricketer, Field?
FN,
Sooo, what we are saying, I guess, is that if the man is a racist, but outwardly he helps us along the way with his policies etc. by promoting our agenda, it's cool?
Is that what we are saying?
Think Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon.
What you want is for your representative to do is " to do the right thing." If Black folk had waited for racist not to run for office, then we would have not been able to exercise our newly won right to vote.
Thank you granny for that wonderful post! I soo identified with it! I can still taste it too, unfortunately.
I had such high hopes for the Obama presidency, as has been stated here, I hoped for change, and while I realize that things do take time...well, I'm still waiting. My only hope right now is that his health reform will be truly efective and provide health care to those of us so desperately in need of it! Sad that in America so many still have no adecuate health care. Shameful really.
HEY FILLED NEGRO!!!!
[quote]Field how can you side with those racist republicans who are jumping all over Harry Reid? [/quote]
Do you mind if I posit my analysis of the e-mail you are getting?
Do you recall Malcolm X said that the NEGRO is a political football in the game that is played between White Liberals and White Conservatives?
Well the author of the e-mail has PUT ON A JERSEY and is playing the TEAM SPORT.
In his "us vs them" mantra not only is he willing to 'TAKE ONE FOR HARRY'.......this same type of consciousness has us putting THE TEAM into office over our LOCAL SCHOOLS and while the schools CONTINUE TO FAIL we must SAVE FACE and DEFEND THE PRESENT ESTABLISHMENT because those RACIST WHITE FOLKS and REPUBLICANS might say "We failed"!!!!
If someone where to write a management science book on what NOT TO DO in an organization IF the goal is POSITIVE CHANGE - people who think like this should be prominently featured.
In their IGNORANCE they are more interested in PROTECTING THE TEAM, with the goal of having everyone (purportedly) focused on the big picture and not getting distracted.
IN TRUTH, they focus as cover for the bus driver who DOES NOT KNOW WHERE HE IS GOING. Any questions from the passengers about where they are going gets snuffed out by this person. At the end of their journey from Philly to LA, when they end up in the barren desert of Texas, having run out of gas and money - look no further than the IGNORANT amongst them who worked as the enforcers - SUPPRESSING dEMOCRATIC challneges to the people leading the way.
[quote]FIELD I am SICK and TIRED of your MESS, you allow WHITE FOLK'S to come on this BLOG and talk about our people like a dog! [/quote]
IseeIsee:
IF I contacted the top 20 Hip Hop Rappers and got them to sign up for a Blogger account and THEY came to this board and VERBALLY ASSAULTED BLACK PEOPLE as many of them do in their songs - WOULD YOU have a problem with their content posted on Filled Negro's blog?
It is CLEAR that your problem is NOT with the words that are posted. It is ONLY with WHO you allow to assault you.
someone please show me proof of reid's racism. if all you are hanging this on is this comment, that's a fail.
most blacks are owned by the Democrat Party. Period. You think you somehow preserve some dignity by coming up with flimsy rationalizations on why that's okay.
A typical example is cactustose, who is ignorant enough to think that health care will be GIVEN to poor people. The Democrats' bill only says that the poor will be forced to BUY health insurance from private companies, with a partial subsidy. This bill is the dreamchild of hospitals and insurance companies - and the Democrats who are getting paid to pass it into law.
Jody:
I've got your CONTEXT for you!!!
Many of you keep focusing on OBAMA and the color attributes that Harry Reid assigned to him.
While Obama accepted Reid's apology - after all HE IS NOT DARK and thus Reid was not negatively talking about HIM - what about the DARK SKINNED AMERICANS who know know that they had better not run for President UNLESS they also purchase some fade cream?
THEN THE NEXT SLIGHT OF HAND is with the Negroes who say "IT IS TRUE!!! AMERICA IS RACIST. They don't like dark skinned Black people".
I struggle to understand if this person is ONLY talking about WHITE FOLKS and thus they feel more comfortable with this outward attack.
BLACK PEOPLE have a skin color problem amongst ourselves as well. Do you include Blacks in this indictment?
WHITE PEOPLE tell each other "dude get a tan" in response to a "pasty white" person that they might see.
For some of you - you are willing to have a conversation about RACE only when YOU have the strong hand to deal - making charges against someone else.
We need to look at the BIGOTRY INSIDE OF YOU AS WELL and put you on trial right next to the person you seek to indict.
Hell Field, if we could record the private conversations of the members of the United States Congress three-fourths of them would have to step down.
Sorry, I don't see any malice in what Reid said.
I've heard black people pretty much say the same thing.
Lott was at a podium in front of TV cameras pining for the good ol days of segregation.
Big difference.
hey Steve, elitist Harry Reid wants his shoes shined so get over there pronto. Be a good boy for your master and get on your knees.
here's a roundup of some media coverage. read the transcript of the CNN conversation.
http://www.mije.org/richardprince/much-press-failed-linking-lott-reid#Reid
[quote]most blacks are owned by the Democrat Party. Period. You think you somehow preserve some dignity by coming up with flimsy rationalizations on why that's okay[/quote]
Anon - as a Black Conservative Independent I DISAGREE WITH YOU.
You are framing this with reference to the Democratic Party and what you need to do is BRING IT BACK HOME.
The majority of Black people vote for the Democrats BECAUSE of the strong latent force WITHIN that promotes UNITY over EFFECTIVENESS. There is no point in time where WhiteBowieSteve will ever be called a "Democratic Party Sellout" for having placed his party interests above his racial ones. (by calling out the FOOLISHNESS in Baltimore, for example).
The problem is that there is little inclination for the BLACK ESTABLISHMENT to articulate our INDEPENDENT PERMANENT INTERESTS and manage them into fruition:
* Safe Streets
* Quality Education
* Thriving Local Economy
* Healthy Lifestyles
They prefer to PURSUE these things in the executive and legislative chambers in some far off capitol building instead of COMING BACK HOME TO THE PEOPLE and expressing these standards by BUILDING UP THE BLACK MASSES. They have a CONSUMER mentality.
Thus as long as this consumer needs to be SERVICED - the thought is "Which party or ideology is going to SERVICE me most abundantly?"
Then my friends L.A.C. and Ernesto go to work and make note of the SHARED RESOURCES that are contained within this nation and how PROTECTION OF ONE'S PRIVATE PROPERTY from government confiscation amounts to SELFISHNESS.
The gross failure of this ideology is that it promotes DEPENDENCY AND STRUGGLE in pursuit of this living standard. Instead we need to promote ORGANIC COMPETENCE at the PERIPHERY so that each community is strong enought o MANAGE itself into maintaining this standard amongst the people. When their community fortunes are aggregated then - THE city of PHILADELPHIA looks propserous because it has prosperous COMMUNITIES within. PA looks prosperous because it has prosperous CITIES. And Obama's America looks prosperous because the STATES are living in abundance.
Thus the conflict between TOP-DOWN or BOTTOM-UP development and resource flows.
It is my opinion that the ideology that I stand against believes that certain people are INFERIOR. Their goal is to get these people to trade their VOTES for FOOD. The thing that my friend IVAN doesn't understand is that:
The VOTE is made EQUAL by societal mandate. The INDIVIDUAL doesn't have to possess any unique quality of VALUE to be seen as equal.
In the COMMERICAL ENTERPRISE, however - the INDIVIDUAL must possess some ATTRIBUTE THAT THE "CONSUMER OF LABOR VALUES" for him to be able to TRADE his one unit of labor for something else of value.
When L.A.C. and Ernesto and Ivan learn this lesson and focus on working WITH THE PEOPLE instead of ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE who they assume as INFERIOR - we will see a net change within.
Black people are not OWNED by the Democrats.
Black people are made DESPERATE by the Negro Leaders who refer to us as "THE LEAST OF THESE".
[quote]Lott was at a podium in front of TV cameras pining for the good ol days of segregation..[/quote]
WhiteBowieSteve:
Do you find it ironic that in 2009 in TRENT LOTT'S Mississippi more Black people were killed by NEGRO STREET PIRATES than by the "Radical Right Wing Militias" that Democracy Now and Al Jezeera are now talking about?
For some reason you have a SUPERIOR reference to the "Good ole days" of the KLAN but there is NO NEGRO alive today that could EVER murder enough BLACK PEOPLE on the streets to be seen as the EQUAL THREAT that is inside of you per the KLAN from BACK IN THE DAY.
What happened to you as a little boy that caused your mind to be molested so?
"hey Steve, elitist Harry Reid wants his shoes shined so get over there pronto. Be a good boy for your master and get on your knees."
I will when I'm finished with your mom and she gets up off of hers.
"The problem is that there is little inclination for the BLACK ESTABLISHMENT to articulate our INDEPENDENT PERMANENT INTERESTS and manage them into fruition:
* Safe Streets
* Quality Education
* Thriving Local Economy
* Healthy Lifestyles"
Yo CF,
Have the Republicans produced these results for their electoral supporters?
If so, how?
"Do you find it ironic that in 2009 in TRENT LOTT'S Mississippi more Black people were killed by NEGRO STREET PIRATES than by the "Radical Right Wing Militias" that Democracy Now and Al Jezeera are now talking about?"
What I do find ironic is how shamelessly you are willing to coon and buckdance for white racists.
Mississippi is a red state so your "Democratic policies cause black people harm" bs doesn't exactly fit here, does it?
What exactly is the cause of your self-hatred CF?
Did the Philly homeboys beat your ass on the way school everyday when you were growing up?
Love your blog...Now, with that out of the way....I've read a lot of "conservative" blogs since this story hit. They go on and on about how they don't understand why most blacks in America are Democrats. After all, it was the Democratic party that formed the Ku Klux Klan.
Another one is how LBJ's underlying motive for pushing the Voting Rights Act through was so "he'd have N-word voting Democratic for the next 200 years".
And let's not forget the one they love to toot their horn about....and that's the fact that Martin Luther King was a Republican.
Fine...facts are facts and fiction is fiction. So, where do I fit in. Apparently the democratic party is full of bigots...and the republican party is walking around praying for Obama's death, bringing stuffed monkeys with Obama tee shirts on to McCain/Palin rallies, and spewing all types of venomous hate and calling it a Tea party.
This two party system is not the answer. Choosing the lesser of two evils i.e. Democratic party just won't do anymore. But the harsh reality is...Lott, Reid and others got CAUGHT. There are hundreds if not thousands of other who feel the same damn way.
I guess I'm just a brown chick without a country....woe is me....
"This two party system is not the answer. Choosing the lesser of two evils i.e. Democratic party just won't do anymore."
But the Democrats elected a black man as President!!!!!
And Reid was one of the first Senators to come out in support of Obama's candidacy.
The Dems aren't perfect but there is NO COMPARISON between the parties when it come to race.
The GOP is full of nigga hatin rednecks who would revoke the 14th Amendment tomorrow if they could.
And black Republicans fall into one of two categories.
Race hustlers or outright fools.
Nice to see the morning news starting the day with this dead horse, by the way we are still getting our asses kicked by China and India.
I'll go one further than Harry Ried: I don't think Obama could have been elected if he wasn't bi-racial. Just think back to the election, when Obama was accused of "reverse racism" every 5 minutes. The white side of his family was essential to his narritive amd him ""being acceptable" (ugh) to white voters. And like it or not, whites are still the majority in this country. I think Ried was speaking the truth, although only in a "I don't really have many black friends" kind of way.
Race hustlers or outright fools.
Or both. (CF, you stupid bastard, I'm still starin' at you.)
Hello anonymous! I know nothing is "given", nothing good anyway! If we're forced to buy subsideized insurance, I for one would WELCOME that! Because as it is now, for me and thousands of unemployed people here in PR, we or our employed relatives are paying for medical services, medicines and labs anyways!
You know It works both ways.Until blacks take the hate out of their hearts toward whites,nothing,I mean nothing is ever gonna change!
next subject.
Does it bother anyone that we are fighting over a health care bill,We are going to have to start paying for it,yet we DON"T even know what we are getting?Whats in the caddy plan?one extra asprin?We have government saying you will have to pay for a plan,but we don't know whats in the plan?Isn't this a little ass backwards or are we just that dumb!
The only reason why republicans are making such a huge deal about a non-issue because it is political red meat. It is there job to strike an emotional cord with people. They want Harry Reid to step down so that the healthcare reform bill go by the wayside. It is the larger picture. Harry Reid may have use the wrong term to convey what everyone know to be true and it is not the same thing as what Trent Lott because the intent makes the difference. Nonetheless, Reid has being the king maker in the healthcare reform process.
Yes the word negro can be sometimes offensive depending on the intent. I think there is a larger issue that no one will discuss and it is not about the word, but more about having a real discussion about race that black and white people will not discuss. I think there are times when some people benefit from being emotionally outrage that actually finding solutions.
Ignorant? Maybe. Racist. I'm not so sure. Many people I know talk differently with certain people than with others. For instance, my 86-yr-old mother was born and raised in South Philadelphia. When she talks within the family, you can hear her South Philly "dialect." She can also turn it off when she wants to. I don't think it is even a conscious thing anymore. I do the same thing. I worked in a company that had a lot of African-American employees. They talked differently among themselves than they did when there were other people present who were not African-American. That's just a fact of life. It's NOT racism. Using the word "negro" is not accepted anymore. For someone of Reid's age, it was considered the "right" word. To "side" with Republicans who say that praising someone who was an ardent segregationist is nothing, while Reid is a racist, is absolutely ridiculous.
"Nice to see the morning news starting the day with this dead horse..."
This brings up another issue. The Republicans, after losing two straight national elections BADLY, are a minority party. Yet they still control the national debate. How is this possible?
Every major political news story comes with a right-wing slant. How can the major media be so uniformly similar in their reporting?
What this story boils down to is an election year money fight. Republicans are trying to impede Democratic fundraising, so they hired this Halperin dude to dig up some dirt and Harry Reid was an easy mark because he apparently never left the 1950s in his choice of racial terms. Once again Harry Reid helps the Republicans, an all too common story.
Even given the hilariously disgusting sight of Republicans becoming "racism chasers" (hey CF, why aren't you complaining about that?) I cannot in good conscience defend the inneffectual, vacillating, neo-con enabling, so quick to sell out Harry Reid.
Let's stop making excuses for this guy and let him retire like Chris Dodd. He is hopelessly sold out, like any other Senator that's been in there more than one term and has had to raise over a million dollars to get re-elected.
Couple other points:
What Reid said wasn't technically true. Obama is not any lighter-skinned than Jesse Jackson. You ask the majority of caucasians and they would say Obama is "regular black".
Grinder, you said that LBJ used the n-word in front of black people. LBJ used the term "nigra", which was "negro" with a Texan accent. There was no racist intent. LBJ also had a backbone and was a very effective Senate leader, which distinguishes him from Harry Reid.
Field you're hilarious. I never thought about it like that, but you're right. What Harry said was pretty gosh darn stupid.
That's why I love this blog.
And that's why I'm going to try not to rib you too much about that fraud of an Iggles team that lost to my Cowboys. Win some. Lose some. But did you see Dubya at the game? What the French?!?! Toast!
But if we don't defend Harry, what should we do? Listen to the Repukes and tell him to resign? Isn't that playing into their hands? Should we even care?
Fed=15% state=5% local=20%
How is that?
I'd say those numbers are a little high.
After reading just a few comments. it seems to me that a woman can be "a litle pregnant" in some of your eyes. I agree with Field, call a spade a spade (oops). Remember "friends don't let friends drive drunk" not matter how made they get!
i'm still waiting:
where is the evidence that reid is racist?
wow, I could listen to Granny's victim stories all day. It's all so incredibly beautiful. That doesn't happen just by chance, either. It comes from a lifetime of practice.
For all of you who have children, you should print out her victim stories so that your children can study them all the time. Then they, too, can have the lifelong experience of being mired in victimization, in resentment and yes in frustration and anger. Granny is a true role model. What a wonderful way to spend a lifetime. Learn her lessons well.
LOL @ 1:02pm Anonymous
Sharing life experiences equals a philosophy of victimization?
Grinder,grinder,grinder, those kind of comments make me realize why you didn't see anything wrong with what Harry said.FYI, I have heard quite a few "inarticulate" white folks in my time. PLENTY!!
My comment was pretty obviously sarcastic, and you're taking it literally. Come on, Field, even when I disagree with you I don't willfully misinterpret or twist what you write here. If I'm not certain of your meaning, I ask you to clarify it first. Show me the same respect, would you?
BTW, you didn't answer my hypothet. Just more of the same from the majority side. You didn't try to put yourself in a different position...interesting.
I really thought I did answer it, but maybe I wasn't direct enough. My answer is that I would have valued the honesty of what was said and ignored the clunkiness of the wording.
Sooo, what we are saying, I guess, is that if the man is a racist, but outwardly he helps us along the way with his policies etc. by promoting our agenda, it's cool? Is that what we are saying?
That's not what I am saying. I don't think there was any racism in what Reid said. His linguistic form was awkward and outdated, but I simply do not see how he can be called racist for those words.
The man is in his late 70s. He is 25 years older than me. For the first 40 years of his life, black people were called "Negro" in polite society. True, the common terms now are black and/or African American. But there was no slur evident in his using "Negro."
The rest of what he said was political analysis that was hardly original or controversial. I think it's just absurd to label Reid a racist for his comment. I think you're just wrong on this one, and I am not alone here in that view.
Field: I am somewhere between those who are blindly supporting Reid and the Republikkkans who are calling for his resignation. My thinking is this -- and I haven't had a chance to scroll through the comments so someone has probably made this point -- would you rather have someone smile in your face, and vote/create policy like Lott? Or would you rather have someone make the occasional "ignorant.racist" comment, yet vote for those things that move us forward as a community and nation? Honestly, there are probably many, many more white males in Washington who feel exactly like Reid but haven't gotten caught saying so, so this should surprise few. Yes, I know this is the lesser of two evils argument...
Now on the color thing. So, this past weekend after I got my high top fade shaped up, me and my girl went to go see "School Daze", and -- wait a minute, that was 1988! OMG, this is 2010! We're still having this conversation? Wow...
Since most of you hate Obama, I guess you would want to hang out to dry the one guy who supported him from the beginning. Reid was supporting Obama when most of you were calling him an Uncle Tom. Some of you still are.
Furthermore, what Reid said was the truth.
Clinton's comments were quite different. His comments smacked of supremacy basically saying that Obama is barely good enough to shine his shoes.
As for comparing Trent Lott to Harry Reid, more proof that black people are incapable of critical thinking.
The left is getting played again. You should ask your dumbass selves why these comments are published now and who stands to gain from the dissention they cause.
But carry on with your knee jerk "Oh, no he din't" bullshit and enjoy President Palin. Under her administration, you can wear your victimization in all of its self-pitying glory.
This confirms that black people don't want change because you wouldn't have anything to bitch about.
@ Anonymous: "As for comparing Trent Lott to Harry Reid, more proof that black people are incapable of critical thinking."
I was just making that argument earlier today. This whole campaign is aimed at "low information" consumers who don't look beneath the surface...
Well Granny's "victim stories" are shared by quite a few people, myself included, so I would suggest to you that you open your eyes and ears to the world and maybe step out from behind that white picket fence while you're at it. Wake up and smell the racism, like the rest of us have! :)
Field,
You know you my man 50 grand and all (did you like how I dropped that Negro dialect?). And since you said Reid's comment was racist. Forget the republicans and the democrats and who's more racist than whom. The real question here is:
Would it have been racially offensive if what Reid's comment were made by someone black?
I'm only asking because from where I'm sitting I'm hearing a lot of "yeah, but.." from a lot of our folks. Could that be because of the Obama factor? You know, the blind support for anything he touches by "our" folk?
I mean a lot of people, black that is, are centering in on Reid's comment negatively when they too admit that what he said was true.
Wassup with that bullshit?
Ain't na'an Negro is outraged at what Clinton said which was blatantly racist and unfavorable of Obama, and I find that odd.
Oh well, maybe that has something to do with him being the first black president?
I have a theory on this, and it's called:
The Mis-Education of the Neo-Negro: Yaphet Kotto, Gucci Mane & Harry Reid
Check it out and lemme know what you think.
I still don't see any plausible case for Reid's comments being racist.
not even implausible. what arguments OF ANY KIND have been presented?
One other thing: there is a difference between racism (i.e., systemic, policy-based, element of power) and simple bigotry. Which do you think Trent Lott is?
If nothing else, Reid's comment has stimulated some conversation about race. On an earlier post, I stated my belief that his words (although offensive) were not racially motivated.
For those of you who think he's racist, I haven't read anyone deny the essential truth of his words. Do you really think a dark skinned brother who speaks non-standard English will step into the role of leader of the "free world" today? Really!?
When field negros, house negros, white people and people of all colors and combinations under the sun are able to accept truth (hard, raw and ugly as it may be, then we may get to that mountaintop of being the humans God created us to be.
We have to be able to stand flat footed, toe to toe and look truth square in the eye. Only then, can we confront it, wrestle with it, and maybe birth a new truth.
A new truth, a new reality that is beautiful and that the next generation will be proud to carry forward and would want to bring out into the full sunlight of day.
In the meantime, the ugly, inbred baby we call racism, breathes on. We don't want it and we don't like it. And people of goodwill want to cast it from amongst us. But let's not throw it into the arms of every person who says something we don't like about race - when the words are true.
If we don't like the reality - let's work to create a new one.
It's really pointless trying to argue race and racism with white people. They will NEVER get it or understand. To me it's not about Democrats or Republicans. They're all mostly old, out of touch white men who could care less about poor people or black people unless it's election time. Black people need to stop all blindily voting democratic. Not because of what Reid said but because since they have allowed us to vote we have always overwhelmingly been democratic and where exactly has that gotten us?
Haven't posted in a long while. Still check in to see if the run is happening (the wife has given up waiting and just spends her time googling "interracial"; not sure what that means).
Speaking of the run, I do remember that you yourself didn't believe that even this light-skinned gentleman with the nice diction could get elected in these here US's of A. Isn't that what you said? I sure wouldn't have used Harry's words myself, except in jest, but I really don't see anything more in them than "yes, he can", and probably a realization that Yaphet Kotto might still be just a little too much for some white folk. That will change, too.
Could someone clarify whether Reid was 1.) stating his own personal beliefs about BHO (and, indirectly, black people in general) or 2.) stating a known fact about white america's view on the electability of a dark-skinned black man that said white people think "sounds black"?
Doesn't the answer to this question make a huge difference in how you judge Reid?
"It's really pointless trying to argue race and racism with white people. They will NEVER get it or understand."
oh, i see. well, thanks! it's a pretty short discussion when there are no facts or evidence presented, isn't it?
i think what reid said was shocking and weird, and wonder about the CONTEXT. but there is nothing that i have read about his actions or words to indicate he is a racist.
and huffpo reported two pages that accompany this statement, saying reid urged obama to run. you might want to read although, of course, it was posted by a white man about a book written by two white guys.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/12/game-change-harry-reid-wa_n_420017.html
[quote]Have the Republicans produced these results for their electoral supporters?
If so, how?[/quote]
WhiteBowieSteve:
A few points:
1) Can you point to any group of "likely Republican voters" that VOTE FOR THE GOP UPWARDS OF 90% of the time REGARDLESS of how badly they screw up?
2) Can you point to any other voting block in America that has their RACIAL DEVELOPMENT couched up on the SUCCESS OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY?
The sorriest part about you Steve is that as you get closer to your FRONT END GOAL (having all 40 million American Negroes voting for the Democrats) you are forced to amplify your intellectually dishonest argument in which you DEFEND this VOTER NULLIFICATION by running out and pointing to what WHITE FOLKS DO.
[quote]What I do find ironic is how shamelessly you are willing to coon and buckdance for white racists.
Mississippi is a red state so your "Democratic policies cause black people harm" bs doesn't exactly fit here, does it?[/quote]
WhiteBowieSteve:
In the year 2009 fewer "WHITE RACISTS":
* MURDERED any Black people
* Suppressed the academic performance of any Black people
* Imposed their force which resulted in Black businesses to close
THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME IN OUR HISTORY.
Despite this fact - your infection with "Non-White White Supremacy" has you focused more on THEM than you do the "Street Pirates", "Ineffective Progressive Elected Officials" and the "Sold Out Negroes" like yourself who run cover for them all.
Tell me White Bowie Steve - why do you figure that a 'RACIST' is more deadly in 2010 than a "Street Pirate" who gets a FREAKING TEAR DROP tattoo as evidence that he has MURDERED someone?
He is confident that YOU are not coming after him and thus he doesn't mind flaunting his murderous deeds to you. He knows that YOU believe that it is "not his fault" that he does what he does.
I was trying my best to stay out of the fray, but here goes.
I don't care if Harry Reid is a racist or not. He could very well be, since I suspect that most whites are.
Here's a hard truth: America is a racist country, preoccupied with race to a pathological extent.
Since we live in their midst, their pathology became our pathology, and we became the recipients of Proximity Degradation.
Proof: Colorism, and Uncle Tomism. Enough said.
Because this is a racist society, I have lived in the midst of racists all my life--worked with them, went to school with them, lived next door to them, and, at times, have sat down and broken bread with them.
Racism for me is nothing more than the belief that one's race is superior to another. I don't embellish it with sociological slight of hand, but draw a very narrow distinction.
Not all racists are intent on the destruction of the black race, or their ouster from this country (white supremacists), nor are they intent on keeping us down (some liberal folks), although some are dead set on keeping all advantages unto themselves (many Republicans), and mostly keeping blacks in their sociological place (on the bottom of the economic rung, and subservient to them politically, and socially).
This is a rather simplistic and general assessment, but, it allows us to discuss what is both black and white, with many shades of grey, and a few polka dots thrown in for good measure.
Now, I will call out racism when I see it, whether it's structural or personal. Mainly because it does harm to the perpetrator as well as the recipient.
But, I'm more desirous of changing behavior than I am in changing hearts. A person's heart is his own business, as I have little control over the inter-sanctum where racism dwells.
For example, my neighbor is racist. As long as he keeps it to himself, we're fine. I don't speak to him, and he doesn't speak to me. He keeps to his side of the yard, and I keep to mine.
Over the years, many of my neighbors have been racist. It's a cold, hard reality of living here in America.
I have met them in the military. In stores. In theaters. On the streets where I walk for exercise.
As long as they don't use their racist beliefs to burden me, to block my passage, and my progress along life's busy highway, we can live in peace, or with a loose alliance, or a with a mutual social contract.
It's up to them.
Do I wish it was otherwise? Sure. Will I take the first step to change it? No. Racism, as I've stated here, again and again, is not my problem, unless someone makes it my problem.
So we (white and black) will do what we have always done, exploit race, and use it to serve our various needs.
As Republicans use Michael Steele, and Steele uses them, to advance a Republican ideology or to line his pockets, Harry Reid becomes useful to us, too, as we navigate this rotten political process we call our congress, and the other branches of government.
It's all smoke and mirrors. But we don't seem to care all that much, because we can't come together in large enough numbers to change the mess.
It's the people against the corporations. It the military, industrial complex against our wishes for peace. It's states rights against a Federal agenda. It's global warming against the global expansion of economic power. It's Islamic terrorist against Christian Messianic hopes. It's human greed against human benevolence.
It's to the victor belongs the spoils, might is right, and survival of the fittest, all the mythologies that we have invented to keep us separate and apart, believing, in the end, that God is on our side, and right is right and wrong is wrong--as long as we get define which is which.
not even implausible. what arguments OF ANY KIND have been presented?
None at all. Just the assertion that he's racist, as if to be accused automatically makes it true.
It's really pointless trying to argue race and racism with white people. They will NEVER get it or understand.
Ah, I see. White people CANNOT see racism. Hmm. Is that a genetic defect, perhaps?
Racism for me is nothing more than the belief that one's race is superior to another.
Would the belief that one race has a superior ability to recognize racism, or that a different race has an inferior ability to recognize racism, be an example of racism?
I am still waiting for someone here to directly explain how Harry Reid's comments were racist. You see, I am white and inherently stupid, so you'll need to help me out. In 50 words (preferably 25) or less, if possible.
ROSCHELLE --
Which "conservative" blogs have you gone to?
Any "Black Conservative" who rests his hat on the notion that "King was a Republican" is just as TIRED to me than any "Black Quasi-Socialist Progressive-Fundamentalist Racism Chaser" who believes that OBAMA and the Federal Democrats are going to do for the NATION what they have failed to do for the various metro areas where their MACHINE is the only one standing.
Why do you equate "conservatism" with a political party?
[quote]This two party system is not the answer. Choosing the lesser of two evils i.e. Democratic party just won't do anymore.[/quote]
Roschelle - from the context of the Black Community can you proclaim that there is any more 'TWO EVILS' that are still in place?
I just did a post on another blog about Chicago. Take a look at WHO RUNS CHICAGO:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Alderman
New York City has 47 of 54 Democrats.
Detroit and Baltimore and Atlanta are 100% DEMOCRAT.
When you reach these levels the claim of the "Lesser of Two Evils" simply can't apply any longer.
At this point one must look at the EVIL that they chose to sleep with and the STD they got as a result.
FN,
All these folks are explaining your KFC post and the lack of knowledge you apparently have on world matters. I hope that you take this info, become better, and don't shoot off your blogs before you know what's going on FN. Don't bring us Australians into your racism chasing mess. It's funny how you posted the blog, were proven wrong then never came back. Idiot (and yes, Australians can be rude when you pull us into your lies). Lamar
@Grinder: "Would the belief that one race has a superior ability to recognize racism, or that a different race has an inferior ability to recognize racism, be an example of racism?"
Grinder, it's a matter of experience. I'm willing to bet that you have a "superior ability to recognize" homophobia than I have.
Granny, went so far as to say she could "smell" it.
I don't believe that you have an "inferior ability" to recognize racism, it's just that you haven't had much practice at identifying it.
You see, you're not the recipient of racism.
[quote]I am still waiting for someone here to directly explain how Harry Reid's comments were racist. You see, I am white and inherently stupid, so you'll need to help me out. In 50 words (preferably 25) or less, if possible.[/quote]
Grinder the word "racist" has been so diluted due to the "Boy Who Cried Wolf" syndrome that it is hardly even worthwhile to try to peg someone as such these days.
FOR ME - Harry "Woodrow" Reid's comments were less damning of BARACK OBAMA than they were an IGNORANT STATEMENT about dark skinned Black people.
Today as I heard President Obama excuse away Reid's words, saying that they were COMPLIMENTARY of HIM but made use of "unfortunate words" I saw that OBAMA was just fine knowing that HE WAS NOT LUMPED IN with the DARK SKINNED BLACKS whom Harry "Woodrow" Reid was slighting.
IF Barack Obama WAS the "Black Consciousness leader" that many thought him to be instead of accepting the apology he would have used this time to MAKE THE CASE THAT THERE ARE NO "CHARACTER OR COMPETENCY ATTRIBUTES" associated with being DARK SKINNED.
Here is my point Grinder: Back in 2008 when the Rev Wright controversy THREATENED to derail Obama's campaign - WE GOT A 'RACE' SPEECH out of Obama.
In 2010, upon seeing that HE IS NOT DARK SKINNED and thus Reid was not assigning any negative attribute to him - OBAMA merely accepted the apology.
Why didn't Obama use this time AS PRESIDENT to tell of the IGNORANCE of people seeking to make assumptions based on DARKNESS OF SKIN?
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU GRINDER - I would much prefer to have a front page story about all of THE BLACK HOMICIDES that took place in 2009 and what is going to be different in 2010 than to talk about this B.S.!!!!!!
If we focused on the Homicides then the Congressional Black Caucus would no longer be able to CROWN anyone as the "Champions of Civil Rights". They have more CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS taking place in each of their respective districts than any other districts around the nation.
They are not LABELED CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS only because the appropriate colored KILLER is not involved to trigger such a label.
HEY IVAN!!!!!
I know you are DEPRESSED but at least you can UPDATE YOUR BLOG!!!
March 2009? Come on man!!!
[quote]Depression and anxiety are a cast-iron bitch, mm'kay? Between the electrical problems (for which I had to shell out shekels I can hardly spare right now-- oh, thank you "ownership society!") and recognizing that most of the openings that cross my path isn't really a job-- just a resume-sink-- sigh, anyway--
I'll try to update more in future, aaaiiiight? [/quote]
I don't think ill of you enough to not hope that you have found a job by now. I do wonder if the difficulty that you are having is more related to character and integrity than any other factor.
Swiff, way up, got it right, in my humbly white opinion.
so, only black people can be the recipients of racism?
and you don't know what it is unless you've been a victim?
and there are no blacks who are racists towards white?
just whites toward blacks? so no white person has ever felt racism towards him or her?
you're not seriously making these claims, are you?
you have just totally written off the entire white race and expressed the superiority of blacks. i guess this follows that we will never "get" racism, shouldn't try to and shouldn't talk about it.
@BD, I agree with what you wrote, but it's different than what a different commenter here ("Nina Simone") wrote.
She said: "It's really pointless trying to argue race and racism with white people. They will NEVER get it or understand."
That would be the equivalent of me saying that straight people can never get or understand homophobia, which flatly isn't true.
Straight people might not feel homophobia in the same way I do, but to say that they can "NEVER get it or understand" would be an example of anti-straight bigotry. It's something I wouldn't argue, even when I was pissed off.
Back to Harry Reid. I have no problem at all saying that his choice of words was awkward and outdated, but I still haven't seen anyone here even attempt to explain why those words, or Reid himself, were racist.
This isn't a complicated request of mine, yet no one here has been able to answer it. The guy made the equivalent of a fashion mistake. Comical and maybe a little strange in the sense of early senility and a case of how the politicans in Washington can't even seem to speak the same language as the people, but racist?
Come on, so far there isn't any argument for that idea. An accusation isn't an argument. It's not squirrelly to ask that someone's accusation be backed up with some reasoning.
You a cricketer, Field?"
I used to play back in the day. But I bet I am still better than that fake Aussie Lamar. :)
BTW, Lamar, I didn't run away from the discussion.(I do have a life) I will be glad to debate you at any time about Aussie racism (and yes, you all can go there with the best of them) and how it relates to the world at large.
So go have another Foster's and shut the f&*k up! [Folks, I am not in a good mood.]
BD, I loved the comments @ 6:28pm.
"Could someone clarify whether Reid was 1.) stating his own personal beliefs about BHO (and, indirectly, black people in general) or 2.) stating a known fact about white america's view on the electability of a dark-skinned black man that said white people think "sounds black"?"
I will take number one, "Alex".
Anon 12:47 p.m., you are right, I guess in a post-racial A-merry-ca you can be a litte racist. As opposed to being a full blown racist. WTF?
Granny, thanks for that post. And thanks to you and folks like you who allowed me to climb up on your shoulders.
Oh, I see I ruffled some feathers with my quote. It's not nice when someone generalizes or stereotypes a group of people now is it? To me that is exactly what Harry Reid did. I never once used an outdated or even a racist term when I said, It's pointless to argue race or racism with white people because they will never get it." Yet some got offended by it. the same people that probably saw nothing wrong with way Harry Said because he was "speaking the truth, but bad choice of words" Am I not also speaking truth? If not, someone please explan to me what is "Negro dialect"? I never knew that all of us Negroes spoke the exact same way.
Field,Your family alright on the islands?
I thought I typed this before but I
looked and didn't see it. So
this is a good spot. I'm a white boy.,which may name shows. My dad was a sharechopper in Ky. moved north to work in auto's in Detroit.
I was born there.When my mother moved there,she was called a hillbilly.She told me she couldn't understand as shed had never seen a hill in her life.When I was 6yrs we moved.Neighbors didn't like as because my parents came from the south.My dad had to work out of town for long periods of time.The drunks next door,Use to yell out: man , women or child we will kill them all.We will shoot them through the windows at night.Their were four of us with three bedrooms.So my bed was on the first floor in the dining room.Two big windows right next to my bed.Mom didn't want to tell dad.Dad big man,short fuse.Finaly she did and they stopped.Next door they were white and from the north.Racism isn't always skin.
"..If not, someone please explan to me what is "Negro dialect"? I never knew that all of us Negroes spoke the exact same way."
Nina, I will wait for the answer for that one right along with you.....
gwb, thanks for asking about my fam. Actually, they are in Jamaica, but they felt after -schocks of the quake there,too.
"If nothing else, Reid's comment has stimulated some conversation about race"
Yes "pierced", there is always a silver lining to every cloud.
Oh, and thanks for your story.
maria said...
so, only black people can be the recipients of racism?
I didn't say that.
and you don't know what it is unless you've been a victim?
I didn't say that, either.
and there are no blacks who are racists towards white?
I didn't say that, nor imply that.
just whites toward blacks? so no white person has ever felt racism towards him or her?
Not often. Not here in America. To experience a thing, usually engenders a desire to change it, if found undesirable.
I admire those whites that wrestle with the desire to change, that make the effort, and are willing to be honest with themselves, and with me, about what is needed.
you're not seriously making these claims, are you?
No. I didn't, but you implied that I did.
you have just totally written off the entire white race and expressed the superiority of blacks. i guess this follows that we will never "get" racism, shouldn't try to and shouldn't talk about it.
I haven't written off anyone. You merely say that I have, and, because you say I have, doesn't make it so. They'll get it, if they make the effort. But they won't make the effort as long as they believe it doesn't exist.
There's getting it, and there's getting it.
I've never been in a military battle. The person who has, has a different experience of it than I, who has merely watched a battle in a movie, or two.
At no time would I insist that I "get it" in the way that he or she "gets it."
They, as well as you, can talk about racism all they wish. Field has created a rather safe zone here for that discussion to take place.
And, I have discussed it here numerous of times, and, in all likelihood, will discuss it again.
Racism's not going away, anytime soon.
I know. I heard that the bahamas,was under and alert ?
anyway my prayer's be with them.
@Field.
Why couldn't Reid's statement be taken as a statement of fact? I.e., given the obvious truth that many (most?) white american voters would not vote for a dark skinned man who spoke with a what a stereotyping white person would view as a "Negro dialect"; Obama as a "light skinned" African-American" who has "no Negro dialect" actually has a chance with those white voters? Is there any further context to Reid's statement that would make you discount this interpretation entirely?
He said:Negro.he's white ain't No
But's !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ditto Field....
Obama likes being happy magic negro..A good colored guy
"Can you point to any group of "likely Republican voters" that VOTE FOR THE GOP UPWARDS OF 90% of the time REGARDLESS of how badly they screw up?"
Yeah.
White male southerners.
See ,What I mean !
What a quick taste of racism.
Be white and walk into a black bar and not know anybody.
BD: you said it again:
I haven't written off anyone. You merely say that I have, and, because you say I have, doesn't make it so. They'll get it, if they make the effort. But they won't make the effort as long as they believe it doesn't exist.
no one here is denying that racism exists!
and you very clearly said to grinder that he didn't get it because "Grinder, it's a matter of experience. I'm willing to bet that you have a "superior ability to recognize" homophobia than I have. ...
You see, you're not the recipient of racism."
he doesn't agree that it was a racist statement or that reid is racist, but that's just his -- and my -- ignorance, according to you.
[quote]Because this is a racist society, I have lived in the midst of racists all my life--worked with them, went to school with them, lived next door to them, and, at times, have sat down and broken bread with them.
Racism for me is nothing more than the belief that one's race is superior to another. I don't embellish it with sociological slight of hand, but draw a very narrow distinction.
Not all racists are intent on the destruction of the black race, or their ouster from this country (white supremacists), nor are they intent on keeping us down (some liberal folks), although some are dead set on keeping all advantages unto themselves (many Republicans), and mostly keeping blacks in their sociological place (on the bottom of the economic rung, and subservient to them politically, and socially).[/quote]
Black Diaspora:
I had a question for you but your post has answered my question.
I was going to ask you: WHEN YOU SPEAK OF "RACISTS" ARE YOU LIMITING IT TO WHITE FOLKS?
Can a Black person display RACIALLY BIGOTED actions?
In addition you keep focusing upon "WHITE SUPREMACY". What you need to also look at is "NON-WHITE WHITE SUPREMACY". An example of this are BLACK FOLKS who operate with the assumption that WHITE PEOPLE ARE SUPERIOR and thus their political policies, their focus and their belief of the THREAT by White Folks exceed any threat that a Street Pirate might cause them.
Look at Steve for example. There has never been a Black man who could kill another Black AS DEAD AS what a White person could kill a Black dead.
The assumption of Black Inferiority as possessed by BLACK FOLKS is a point that you missed in your post. We are being harmed by Negroes who think as such.
CF
Your act is getting tired.
You are merely regurgitating the white racist line on race.
Every example or instance of white racism has to be redirected to a rant about street crime which has nothing to do with race.
So shuffle on Ruckus.
You don't fool anybody.
"Be white and walk into a black bar and not know anybody."
Did you ever do it? And what exactly happened?
And what happens when you are black and walk into a white bar and not "know anybody"? Do people come up to you and ask you for your autograph? :)
Steve:
Barack Obama won 43% of the White Male Vote:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15297.html
Why is it that Obama won 96% of the Black vote but there is no risk that Blacks would ever be considered BIGOTED for doing so as are the Whites?
Steve's Likely Comeback: We Blacks have voted for more White folks than we have Blacks.
My Rebuttal: Black folks PURGED the municipal regimes that had FAILED us academically, public safety-wize and economically. For some strange reason - TODAY such failure does not lead to such a purge. (See Baltimore).
Your "voter nullification' is not RACE BASED, Steve. Instead you have IDEOLOGICAL BIGOTRY that allows you to abstract your voting from the outcomes delivered to your community.
(Of course not Bowie MD. It is the closest to perfection that exists on the Earth).
Yes, yes, and yes!
CF
Obama won 43% of the total white vote.
41% of white males as your link pointed out.
I did say white male Southerners, didn't I?
But CF would you please explain why you voted for McCain/Palin?
"Black folks PURGED the municipal regimes that had FAILED us academically, public safety-wize and economically. For some strange reason - TODAY such failure does not lead to such a purge. (See Baltimore)."
No.
When white flight lead to black majority populations in the older urban centers, black politicians got elected to political leadership in those areas.
So what would change in the urban centers if the inhabitants voted Republican?
Watch.
He'll say don't place your aspirations with political parties.
And round and round we go with CF
@Grinder: "She said: 'It's really pointless trying to argue race and racism with white people. They will NEVER get it or understand.'
"That would be the equivalent of me saying that straight people can never get or understand homophobia, which flatly isn't true."
Grinder, there are limits as to how much any of us can "get it" or "understand it", unless we're on the receiving end of it-- homophobia or racism.
Hopefully, this is where empathy fills in the blanks.
Yet, I can say, categorically, you will never fully understand the scarring caused by racism, or know the fullness of what it can do to the spirit, and the soul, of those who have had prolonged exposure to it.
You haven't had sufficient exposure to it, just as you and I would have a difficult time understanding the experience of someone who was lost in the desert without sufficient food and water for an extended period of time, although we both have experienced hunger and thirst.
It's just not the same.
But if you have known prejudice, or have been the recipient of discrimination for any reason, you have an empathetic advantage over those who haven't.
By extrapolation, and the use of the imagination, you can "get it" in a fashion, and you can "understand it" sufficiently to allow you to identify vicariously with those who have been exposed to it at length--many, for a lifetime.
@maria: "and you very clearly said to grinder that he didn't get it because 'Grinder, it's a matter of experience. I'm willing to bet that you have a 'superior ability to recognize' homophobia than I have. ...
You see, you're not the recipient of racism."
Maria, read my statement to Grinder just above this one. And if you still believe I've contradicted myself, so be it.
My remarks were addressed to Grinder and he gets it. I can't score one hundred percent with everyone--a person's unique perspective precludes that.
But thanks for engaging,
Anonymous said...
"What a quick taste of racism.
"Be white and walk into a black bar and not know anybody."
Anon, you need to get out more. Your view of the world is skewed by your ignorance.
I have frequented many black bars. Invariably whites would walk in, and didn't know a soul there.
They were treated cordially, as cordially as they would have had they been black.
Many black bars have white barmaids. On the busiest nights, it's not unusual see black and white barmaids, as well as waitresses.
I know you'd like to think you're right about what goes on, since it fits your narrow view of the world, but it ain't coming down the way you've imagined.
Honestly!
Yeah, I've done that and no one asked for autographs!Yeah here's the ticket(white barmaids).Fact was
I had a drink and the bartender
pulled me to the side and
pretty much said that they didn't
want me their.That it was a black bar.I didn't know it was when I walked in and didn't care that it was after I walked in.Nice little town Gary In is.
What Harry said was stupid alright, out of touch, and maybe even racist (in the sense that he seemed to evoke surprise that Obama could be articulate) and his apology evoking the name of just about any minority he knew wreaked of that same old American kind of racism. But it was true. He was right. And you are also right about racism among Dem., it's everywhere, it doesn't matter what party you belong to. With that said, Lott is an entirely different breed of ig'nant-assed, knuckle-dragging racist.
@BD, I understand your point, and I'm going to try not to split hairs here.
The comment I objected to was from someone who said that whites can never "get it" or "understand" it. I object to the comment, even though I'd agree that, in the real world as we really live every day, racism would have a special power to those who have suffered it.
I'd say this, though: What is racism but a form of raw injustice? At that level, I think everyone is capable of "getting it" sufficiently to combat injustice, including racism.
The idea that it's not worth talking to whites about racism is absurd, offensive, and counterproductive. And racist.
Nina, I will wait for the answer for that one right along with you.
As soon as you bother to explain exactly what is racist about Reid or his remarks, I might take a stab at what is "Negro dialect."
Fraud WhiteBowieSteve:
1) I DID NOT vote for McCain. He was weak.
I DID NOT vote for Obama. I was not about to give the MACHINE that already dominates Black & Working Class America A PROMOTION as if I approved of their job at the local level.
I voted NONE OF THE ABOVE.
2) You attempt to make the difference between "White Males" and "White Southern Males". Ironically while YOU forwarded this claim of 90% support for the GOP you leave it up to me to disprove this claim.
WhiteBowieSteve - PROVE that the Southern White Male votes for the Republicans 90% of the time!
According to a political demographer who appeared on C-SPAN that I blogged about last year BLACKS are the ONLY population segment who INCOME level is no indicator of their partisan and ideological preferences. Only Jewish people came anywhere close to the Negro in this regard.
Again WhiteBowieSteve - I am NOT indicting you for being a LOYAL DEMOCRAT. You can vote for whom you choose.
MY INDICTMENT against you and other BQPFRCs is that DESPITE having your favored political machine running all of your key institutions AND you still have massive grievances against them - YOU CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM despite their failure.
This is because you and your propaganda leaders have masturbated yourselves into believing that your day will come once you DEFEAT YOUR OUTSIDE ENEMY. In focusing on this you fail to ask YOUR OWN PEOPLE to be the primary catalyst in their own fix, thus proving the lack of confidence that you have in Black people beyond trusting that we will VOTE as you want us to.
Well, CF-- in the interest of being a "class guy," I'll thank you for your well wishes.
I gave up on blogging-- it takes more energy and more thought than I'm willing to put forward; my favorite blogs (of which Brother Field's is only one) are really good and I can't play in that arena.
And yes, thank you, I have found a job. As a matter of fact, I have found a job building and selling equipment all over the world- I was in India last month; will be back there next week and in Germany the first month in February.
And let me tell you something-- those hundreds of million brown-ass Indians are movin' up. They're working their collective brown asses off building their country. They have some world class educational institutions and some of the smartest people walking the planet.
The twentieth century was the American century; but the 21st belongs to India and (imho, to a lesser extent) China.
(Folks forget that India is literally the worlds largest democracy... and that stands them in good stead in these parlous economic times.)
WhiteBowieSteve says:
[quote]When white flight lead to black majority populations in the older urban centers, black politicians got elected to political leadership in those areas.
So what would change in the urban centers if the inhabitants voted Republican?[/quote]
Hey Filled Negro:
I am not sure how long you have lived in Philly but could you tell this fool about the WELL ORCHESTRATED attempts by Negro Politicians in Philly to take over the Executive, Legislative, Judiciary and School Board Posts?
In his INFERIORIZATION attempts he ONLY is able to yield that Black control directly came from WHITE FOLKS LEAVING. Thus his indictment remains that the WHITE FOLKS LEFT US ALL ALONE. He is UNABLE to look at the seat of power and hold whomever is in it ACCOUNTABLE just as when a WHITE MAN sat in the same seat.
Ironically when WhiteBowie Steve asks me "What did the GOP ever do for Black people?" I tell him:
In the midst of a fierce battle over scarce resources THEY MOVED AWAY!! From this came elected officials that YOU FAVOR. He rejected this. He, Ernesto and L.A.C. want to see the MATERIAL charity that the GOP gave to Black people. This is their evidence that someone loves Blacks - when they feed us.
The thing that many of you fail to see is that even when the WHITE FOLKS MOVE AWAY - the conditioned state of mind that you have has you focusing on TAKING OVER THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT so that they can't escape your Taxation and "Social Justice". You FAIL to note that you now have control over the same INSTITUTIONS that you previously said they DID NOT ALLOW YOU ACCESS TO.
Gompers Elementary School in West Philly is a perfect example. Once we were denied access due to residency requirements, NOW IT IS ALL BLACK. Despite this some parents choose not to send their children there because of performance problems with the school.
Clearly it was not ACCESS TO THE BUILDING that was the problem all along.
It is provable that the "Non-White White Supremacists" wanted ACCESS TO THE WHITE FOLKS.
As much as Steve attempts to say that I am echoing White Supremacy - there is no more WHITE SUPREMACIST organization in America than the BLACK POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT because they operate off of the assumption of Black Inferiority AND unlike White White Supremacists - they are LOVED, ACCEPTED AND LISTENED to by Black people - making them MORE OF A THREAT TO US.
(Sit down punk Steve)
[quote]
You are merely regurgitating the white racist line on race.
Every example or instance of white racism has to be redirected to a rant about street crime which has nothing to do with race.[/quote]
WhiteBowieSteve:
I monitor "Democracy Now" and "Al Jezeera" news as part of my "Left-wing Watch" research.
They both are focusing on the growth of "Right Wing Militia Groups" in America. They claim the growth is due to a Black president and tough economic times.
Here is what I don't understand WhiteBowieSteve. IF these two leftist news outlets feel that this "threat" is worthy of reporting BECAUSE this assemblage of people, if left unchecked, would result in ATTACKS on Blacks and others that they would target - this brings up an important question:
WHY, Steve, has these same groups NOT done previous featured stories on CRIMINAL STREET PIRATE GANGS in Black and Hispanic America?
* Do these group KILL any less?
* Are they any less of an organized racket?
Do you see Steve - the bigger indictment against Maddow, Olbermann and the Color Of Change is WHAT THEY DON'T COVER rather than what they DO focus upon.
The Black Street Pirates have killed more Black people in the last 40 years in this country than White Racists have murdered in the last 120 years at the start of Reconstruction.
While you are trapped in your own BIGOTRY this is hard for you to accept, WhiteBowieSteve.
Thus THE REASON WHY I keep contrasting your focus on "White Racism" with the FACTS about "Street Piracy" is because I know that it runs against your own WHITE SUPREMACIST notions; it IS A bigger measurable threat to Black people today; and that YOU ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
In the year 2010 I have already seen "More Black people crying on the 6 o'clock news" due to some STREET PIRATE ATTACK than I have seen them doing so because of an attack by a White Supremacist group.
You show your own true colors Steve. You are like the little old man behind the curtain. He howls like a ghost and shakes his chains, knowing that the SCARED NEGROES that he has his PA system directed toward are going to respond as he anticipates.
You are one sorry dude.
(Folks forget that India is literally the worlds largest democracy... and that stands them in good stead in these parlous economic times.)
Doubtful... India has some of the most pressing environmental problems in the world: Severe water shortages, degraded ecology, rampant overpopulation. There simply are not enough resources on Earth for India to uplift its populations. Sure, millions will rise and are rising out of poverty, but hundreds of millions remain mired there-largely uneducated and without prospects. China has very similar problems.
CF
" I DID NOT vote for McCain. He was weak.
I DID NOT vote for Obama. I was not about to give the MACHINE that already dominates Black & Working Class America A PROMOTION as if I approved of their job at the local level.
I voted NONE OF THE ABOVE."
Then you're even worse than a buckdancing Uncle Tom.
YOU'RE A COWARD.
You might as well take a dump on the graves of Fannie Lou Hamer, Medgar Evers, and countless others who gave their lives so we could exercise the right to vote.
You make me ill.
Reid said white folks are racist. Lott wanted segregation and the rest.
Where's the parity again? The use of Negro like on the census or the UNCF? Inartful but hardly the same.
This episode has confirmed that Black people are as comfortable talking about colorism as whites are about addressing racism.
And I wonder if this call for Reid's dumping by some blacks isn't a diversionary tactic from the real issue of addressing colorism.
Reid simply highlighted the existence of a color hierachy in America. If you are lighter, you will likely get past the obstacles easier than if you were darker. This is fact! I am personally not even that bothered by his choice of words because regardless of what words he could have chosen, the fallout would be the same.
People are focusing on Reid's "racism" because looking at the real issue "colorism" would end up putting everyone including Blacks on the defensive. Screamung racism seems to have more benefits to these individuals while the real issue 'colorism' IMO is actually even more damaging to Blacks.
Ried' racist comments reflect the mindset of majority of white america,,,for Black folks it is not a newsflash nor a surprise..
It is simple garden variety racism the usual hate speech from a nation of cowards with a legacy of white supremacy and white privledge..
Field, "What. Harry. Reid. Said. Was.Ignorant."
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."
--Albert Einstein
Since all humans are basically ignorant and stupid in the scheme of things, let's give Harry a break. Sometimes the truth can sound racist but is 'nothing but the truth' without malicious intent.
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