July 28, 2009
A Post-Racial President?
by Thomas Sowell
Many people hoped that the election of a black President of the United States would mark our entering a "post-racial" era, when we could finally put some ugly aspects of our history behind us.
That is quite understandable. But it takes two to tango. Those of us who want to see racism on its way out need to realize that others benefit greatly from crying racism. They benefit politically, financially, and socially.
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Those who were shocked at President Obama's cheap shot at the Cambridge police for being "stupid" in arresting Henry Louis Gates must have been among those who let their wishes prevail over the obvious implications of Obama's 20 years of association with the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Anyone who can believe that Obama did not understand what the racist rants of Jeremiah Wright meant can believe anything.
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What does a community organizer do? What he does not do is organize a community. What he organizes are the resentments and paranoia within a community, directing those feelings against other communities, from whom either benefits or revenge are to be gotten, using whatever rhetoric or tactics will accomplish that purpose.
To think that someone who has spent years promoting grievance and polarization was going to bring us all together as president is a triumph of wishful thinking over reality.
Not only Barack Obama's past, but his present, tell the same story. His appointment of an attorney general who called America "a nation of cowards" for not dialoguing about race was a foretaste of what to expect from Eric Holder.
The way Attorney General Holder has refused to prosecute young black thugs who gathered at a voting site with menacing clubs, in blatant violation of federal laws against intimidating voters, speaks louder than any words from him or his president.
Originally posted by zeeblebot July 28, 2009
The way Attorney General Holder has refused to prosecute young black thugs who gathered at a voting site with menacing clubs, in blatant violation of federal laws against intimidating voters, speaks louder than any words from him or his president.
Originally posted by zeeblebot Those of us who want to see racism on its way out need to realize that others benefit greatly from crying racism.
Your whole post is "crying racism", so what are you benefiting from it may I ask?
In my experience, even though such problems as racism never just 'go away', the actions and attitudes of leaders has a very significant effect on public opinion. In Zambia, we had a change of president, and the new president spoke out against corruption. It was amazing how peoples attitudes to corruption seemed to change overnight.
Or first president (Kenneth Kaunda) always spoke out against tribalism, and as a result we had far less issues with tribalism in our country than most of our neighbors have had. Mugabe took advantage of racism, tribalism and even xenophobia and as a result has made those problems far worse in Zimbabwe than they were previously.
It was naive of anyone to think that electing a black man as president would somehow make the USA "post-racial." Obviously it only shines a brighter light on any perceived racial slight or focus.
The reach into Obama's friends to this extent is also expected. What would have come about if such the same glaring tact had been used against Bush, Clinton or other presidents? Certainly the press would have found blemishes.
Why would racists want us all to move into a 'post-racial' phase? Surely racists like racism. The racists I know all feel quite righteous about their racism, although they try to disguise it to varying degrees. The gleeful cut and pastes. The exaggerated tut-tutting. The instinctive dehumanization. The gormlessness. RHP provides a nice little platform for impish racists to snigger snigger and pull up short of getting banned (or not, as the case may be) and yet it's relentless. Relentless misanthropy. Relentless posioning of threads. Relentless robotic cut & pastes from blogs and professional sneermongers. There's more money to be made in fostering and celebrating racism than addressing it and trying to overcome it.
Should've been arrested on the spot, Philly police were asleep at the wheel that day. Probably were afraid of being called racist.
correct me if I am wrong sam but I believe they were arrested but Holder let them off .They were black panthers.Them along w/acorn are the administrations "brown shirts"
Originally posted by utherpendragon correct me if I am wrong sam but I believe they were arrested but Holder let them off .They were black panthers.Them along w/acorn are the administrations "brown shirts"
***Warning*** breach of pc hull imminent. Irony attack in full swing- color coded nazi gambit on the offensive cloaking racial vilification by means of clumsy fascist device. Stand by, we should be teeming with the usual suspects at any nano second as the event horizon fills with rhetoric coming out of [time**] warp.
We will take a giant leap towards a post-racial society once racism gets called out by all groups who engage in it and stop making it the exclusive domain of whites. Some of the most racist people I know happen to be minorities. Their attitude is that minorities cannot be racist so on and on they rant. In the Cambridge case Obama was guilty of racially profiling the police, but the press does not seem to see it that way. Hard to move on when the press fans the flames.
Unrelated to topic, but what kind of wimp wait staff brings one beer at a time instead of all four? What was served for munchies? Arugula and frommage?
Originally posted by scacchipazzo Some of the most racist people I know happen to be minorities.
And what tangible economic impact does the "racism", of these 'minorities' you speak of, have on the status and prospects of the 'whites'?
You people who try to fob "racism" off as harmless name-calling and insignificant prejudice are little better than apologists. The "racism" that needs to be eradicated is the racist discrimination that perpetuates real life concrete injustice and inequality of opportunity.
Originally posted by FMF And what tangible economic impact does the "racism", of these 'minorities' you speak of, have on the status and prospects of the 'whites'?
You people who try to fob "racism" off as harmless name-calling and insignificant prejudice are little better than apologists. The "racism" that needs to be eradicated is the racist discrimination that perpetuates real life concrete injustice and inequality of opportunity.
what does this statement of yours have to do w/ the price of tea in China?
Originally posted by utherpendragon what does this statement of yours have to do w/ the price of tea in China?
It was a response to scacchipazzo. If you can't follow, that's your affair. But I rather think you do follow, but don't want to addess what is being talked about.
Originally posted by FMF It was a response to scacchipazzo. If you can't follow, that's your affair. But I rather think you do follow, but don't want to addess what is being talked about.
"economic racism" which involves the various ways (both conscious and subconscious) in which one group of people are unfairly disadvantaged in their effort to get a job, buy a house, or otherwise raise their material standard of living.
AND
"social racism" which involves the various ways in which one group of people is shamed, excluded, threatened, or dehumanized.
seems to me that both of these things are bad, and that the existence of one form of racism tends to make the other more likely as well
Originally posted by utherpendragon where did he talk about economics?
You wear your cluelessness on your sleeve, it seems. Mmm. I wonder why. Or is it an affectation? Which is worse: people's feelings being hurt by racist rants? Or groups suffering economic disadvantages because of institutionalized racism and the internalized racism of dominant groups? I wonder why you insist on 'not understanding' this differentiation. What could be your motivation for feigning an inability to 'get' this?
Originally posted by FMF You wear your cluelessness on your sleeve, it seems. Mmm. I wonder why. Or is it an affectation? Which is worse: people's feelings being hurt by racist rants? Or groups suffering economic disadvantages because of institutionalized racism and the internalized racism of dominant groups? I wonder why you insist on 'not understanding' this differentiation. What could be your motivation for feigning an inability to 'get' this?
What groups are suffering here in the U.S. FMF through racism? What group are you referring too whose feelings are being hurt by racist rants?What groups are being oppressed and suffering economic disadvantages BECAUSE Of racism in the States in the year 2009? Please enlighten me from your sisters spare bed room in Indonesia
A Post-Racial President?
03 Aug '09 05:23
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