Turns Out We're Racists After All
This may come as a shock to you, but I didn’t vote for Barack Obama in 2008, but, to tell you the truth, I wasn’t all that upset when he won. For one thing, I wasn’t totally enamored of the Republican ticket and, secondly, I knew that electing an African-American was an itch this country needed to scratch at some point. True, I would rather have scratched it with someone like Condoleezza Rice, but I was happy that we could, at the very least, put these “America is the most racist nation in the world” accusations behind us.
Well, he was elected—comfortably, by today’s standards—and there was, I think it’s fair to say, a reasonable reservoir of good will in the country, discounting the usual grumbling of the losing side. That reservoir began drying up, however, as he broke campaign pledges, rammed unpopular legislation through a Democratic Congress, stayed in perpetual campaign mode, and then appeared tone-deaf as the voters rebuked his party in the recent midterms. Now, with his approval ratings continuing to drop as gas prices continue to rise, it turns out we are the most racist nation in the world. The ironically-named PBS host Travis Smiley says the next election will be “the most racist in the history of this Republic," and similar charges of racism have become commonplace on the Left, both in media and political circles.
So in 2008, I voted against a candidate because I feared his policies would take us in what I deemed to be the wrong direction. Those fears having been borne out, I will likely vote against him again in 2012. The difference, I come to find, is that my vote next time will be the vote of a racist. What a difference four years can make.
| > |
- Comment (23)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (4)
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
Comments :
Dec '10
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
I'm told that my 2008 vote was due to racism as well, along with every vote I've cast before or since.
Apr '11
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
Racism is a complicated issue Pat. Modern racists are far craftier then the old time racists of the 60's and 19th century. Modern racists have come to disguise their true motives by, on the surface, seeming, speaking and acting completely non-racist. Yet, deep in their white subconscious they still dream racist thoughts that guide their actions in subtle ways. Ways that almost seem like reasonable differences of opinion, between citizens in a democracy, but don't be fooled. Their actions are no different then if they lit a cross on fire and tossed it in front of Obama's house.
These racist actions include but are not limited to:
1. Not Voting of Obama
2. Thinking he has no plan to handle the debt
3. Thinking his health reform bill is 2000 pages of bunk.
4. Knowing he has no foreign policy (except for whatever Bush left him)
5. Thinking his Energy policy will drive the price of gas to 5,6, even 7$ a gallon.
6. Thinking the Republicans can't possibly do worse then him.
7. Wanting to give African American children a chance to get out of failing public schools and into good charter schools.
Nov '10
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
I think I just heard your producer's head exploding.
Jun '10
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
I think Obama will win reelection. If needed to win the election, the race card will be played. I don't see any way out of this and it could get very ugly. How does his Republican opponent deal with this topic? Is Herman Cain the only way forward for us? Or would it work to nominate a woman?
May '10
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
It's hard to tell if the Left actually believe their charges of racism. If they do, then they have to ignore, first, the temporal problem you describe, Mr. Sajak (somehow, a good portion of the country turned racist over the last four years), and second, the idea that Republicans can enthusiastically support Clarence Thomas, Allen West, Condoleezza Rice, Alan Keyes, et al while somehow reserving our racist animus toward President Obama.
If they don't believe these charges, then it's just a cynical use of the race card designed to score political points -- effectively using racial minorities as pawns in the Left's game of electoral chess.
So it boils down to a question of stupidity versus malevolence. Or, considering the likes of Nancy Pelosi and Barbara Boxer, a fair measure of both.
Aug '10
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
Less than two months after Obama's election, Attorney General Eric Holder courageously reminded us that we're "..a nation of cowards" to boot. From CNN:
'Holder told Department of Justice employees at an event celebrating Black History Month:
"Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial, we have always been and we -- I believe continue to be in too many ways essentially a nation of cowards," '
Isn't 'progressivism' just so wonderfully.... intelligent, open minded, and forward thinking? Soon we'll have a veritable Renaissance.
Apr '11
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
Ironically, I think a good case could be made that America is actually one of the LEAST racist nations on Earth. Not that we have no racism, of course. But compared to most other countries we do remarkably well.
In January I was eating lunch with a British co-worker, who pointed out self-righteously that the upcoming Martin Luther King holiday was one Americans "really needed to celebrate". I asked him who the last black Prime Minister of Great Britain was.
Jul '10
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
Ottoman Umpire:
If they don't believe these charges, then it's just a cynical use of the race card designed to score political points -- effectively using racial minorities as pawns in the Left's game of electoral chess.
A cynical use of the race card -- is there any other kind? But when that's the only one left in the deck, that's the one you play. Shelby Steele pointed out the left pulled a fast one on blacks in the 'Sixties. "We'll throw you a bone like affirmative action if you'll just let us reduce you to your race so we can take moral authority for 'helping' you." He also says white guilt and the political correctness spin-off that is like a slow poison in the nation's bloodstream are among the biggest problems we face as a society.
Jan '11
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
Seriously, now, if you had the perfect sales pitch, would you be likely to give it up, even if there was no substance to it? It continues to work, so why is anyone still surprised that the RACIST! charge is still in political play? Can anyone really imagine a day when black politicians and the likes of Jesse Jackson or Jeremiah Wright or others who make their living at that game give up the golden goose of politics?
Are there still racists in this country - and in the world? Of course there are. Given the spectrum of human nature, and the many who profit from that game, are we ever likely to see the end of racism? Of course not; to think otherwise, however hopeful that may be, is delusional.
Dec '10
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
But Pat, 2012 will be the most racist election in US history. It's just that the racism will all be on the Left: they will completely ignore Obama's incompetence, cowardice and aimlessness and focus solely on the color of his skin.
Dec '10
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
Larry Koler: If needed to win the election, the race card will be played. I don't see any way out of this and it could get very ugly. How does his Republican opponent deal with this topic?
He hits him between the eyes with it.
Obama or his supporters play that game, you come out and hit them hard over it.
"Why do they assume his skin color matters to me? Because it obviously matters a great deal to them."
You throw it back in their face and you do it without saying you're sorry.
If you do that consistently, you will rock them back on their heels.
Liberals aren't used to having to explain why they're not racists, so the very suggestion will cause them to pause, and the optics of that can really be used.
"Why do you care about the president's skin color!?!" Two second pause. "[shrieking answer]!!!!"
The commercials write themselves.
Aug '10
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
Ich bin ein cracker ?
Oct '10
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
Isn't this more evidence that a Herman Cain candidacy would, as he claims, "remove race from the table"?
Sep '10
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
There are surely actions in the past of all our candidates that could be deemed "racist". We need serious oppo research on each one of them so that effective counter arguments can be prepared.
Apr '11
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
When Sarah Palin was the VP nominee, her status as a woman was questioned. Whenever a black person runs on the GOP ticket - or is even nominated, just to pick a random example, for the Supreme Court by a Republican President - his status as an authentic black person is questioned. Nothing, but nothing, will remove race from the table. So I agree with CoolHand: we have to go on offense on this issue. Defense will not work.
Jun '10
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
Coolhand and James Jones: Where and when have you ever seen any Republican willing to do what you think needs to be done? McCain explicitly took Jeremiah Wright off the table for his campaign. It was electoral gold and he refused to use it. Why? Because he (as do most Republicans) worry more about what the NY Times will say about them than their fellow Republicans. This is moral cowardice.
Republicans should set the record straight and call the Democratic Party the party of slavery, the KKK and Jim Crow.
Offense would be wonderful but I don't see it being tried. My point is that if it is tried then we will see the gloves come off big time. There will be a full court press against the Republicans and the thugs in the street will run wild. The race card is really a threat of violence against the country and the Left will not take the blame for unleashing it because they still have sufficient control over the media to win the narrative war -- especially on race.
Obama wins reelection easily. It's easier to just let him have it than it is to take the heat.
Apr '11
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
Larry: I think we agree that they should, but that they won't.
I suppose there is a third alternative: put forth a candidate who is relatively immune to race-baiting and try to jiu-jitsu the Left and the MSM (but I repeat myself) into over-reaching and thereby turning off the critical independent voters. It could work.
I've said it before and I'll keep saying it: Draft Christie!
Dec '10
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
How do you muster the energy to get out of bed in the morning?
I mean, what with defeat on every front being a foregone certainty, and all.
Jun '10
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
CoolHand
How do you muster the energy to get out of bed in the morning?
I mean, what with defeat on every front being a foregone certainty, and all. · Apr 27 at 10:45pm
Not on every front. Just ones that are configured in this way. When the Republicans allowed themselves to be labeled as the anti-Black party they didn't at the time know how important it was. Each year that goes by it makes it harder to make the case against the Dems. It's now been 4 or 5 decades of racism being charged with no basis. McCain's cowardice on this front convinced me how serious it is at his level of politicking.
Edited on Apr 28, 2011 at 8:39amApr '11
Re: Turns Out We're Racists After All
Pat, I WISH I could have believed that the "raycess" charge would get buried under Obama's (admittedly) historic Presidency. But I figured (and have been proven right, I mean honestly, never doubt the demagogues on the left) that they would NEVER get rid of the most valuable arrow in their quiver. The Left knows that it is nearly impossible to argue against charges of racism, and by making the charge they can gin up support among their most devoted constituency. It makes me so frustrated, and honestly, extremely despondent about the future. I just can't foresee an end to the continual class and race divisions that the Left exploits for electoral victory.