Is This Racist?

I didn't care what race he was. I don't vote for Marxists.

I wouldn't vote for him either, but that's not really the point. What do you think the media would do if President Bush, while still in office, announced a political group called Whites for (fill in the blank)?

I think there would be a firestorm of Biblical proportions and he would be forced out of office.

I am trying to understand the logic behind why we as a society seem to look the other way when an American of African descent does the same thing...

any ideas?

Context is everything, Bob. I remember the civil rights movement, and actually lived in Memphis in 1968. I don't think every comment made for political purposes is "racist", but I do think that race is an on-going and underlying problem in American society. I recall that when JFK was elected in 1960, catholics felt very proud. When Obama was elected, I remember seeing that same kind of pride in the faces of blacks - and I recall thinking, "I know what that pride feels like." Instead of being threatened by that, I was happy for black people. Living in a region, which has a large black population, I was glad to see greater willingness on the part of black people to participate in the political process.

Re: this video, Obama appeals to one of the minorities in the country. I think racial paranoia will only serve to secure minority allegiance to democrats for decades to come. I'm not for using race - on anyone's part - as a "wedge issue". Either we all sit at the same table, or I'm not interested in sitting at the table at all. If you can show me how republicans are making any attempt to gain minority support, then you could probably ask the same question about those attempts.

Btw, I'm not seeing how republicans are making any attempt to gain minority support. I may be wrong, but I'm just not seeing it.

Thanks Steve;

I tend to agree with everything you said except the attempts to gain minority support part. But that is a bit off the target I am trying to hit.

What I am interested in is this:
I don't think it is racist; I think the President is appealing to a key support demographic, and it is fair game in my view.

BUT and organization named "Whites for (fill in the Blank) would not be tolerated, and I am trying to get my arms around why that is so.

I'm not sure the premise of your question is accurate....

Thanks Steve:
I think the premise is accurate, but perhaps not very well stated.

The link you posted takes me to an ACLU press release regarding their successful effort to defend the Klan’s right to use a public facility for an event that the permits other opinion expressing activities. The government tried to deny the Klan that use, and lost. (thanks for that by the way, I one of those who tends to think of the ACLU as more active in defending leftist causes, and this gives me pause to rethink)

Anyhow;
I did not mean to imply that the government would object to, and or try to deny the President’s right to this kind of campaign appeal. I am saying I think there would be a PUBLIC outcry against it as racist if a white candidate used EXACTLY the same appeal to white voters.

I think Rev. Jackson and Rev. Sharpton would be howling racism, and be calling for demonstrations and boycotts. I think it would be the lead story on every network (including FOX) and the headline in every newspaper in the country. As for MSNBC, I think Rachel Maddow would be apoplectic, Ed Schultz would be hyperventilating, and Chris Mathews would be tingling all over his body instead of just his leg. Meanwhile, anyone who said they think it is OK, (as I did with this one) would be branded as a racist, and the campaign who dared to do such a thing would be browbeaten mercilessly until they retracted it or resigned.

So why does this one go completely unnoticed?

Do you think the above projected reactions would not occur and that no one would say a thing? Or have we, as a society decided that it is OK for African Americans to indulge in these kind of tactics as some kind of “Pay-back” for white society’s past deplorable treatment?

It’s not a trick question, I am really trying to get my head around it.

Maybe, what you're saying is that there would be a media outcry. But media is so prone to hype anything, it is hardly remarkable that media would hype a white politician soliciting support from a white constituency. Personally, I find it much more important that pundits are peeing their pants over the prospects of $5/gallon gas, while falling in line with the oil industry's mantra that all we need to do is increase domestic drilling and build pipelines. More of the same just yields more of the same. Anyway, I think that's a much more important issue.

Agreed Steve;
In my view, the media, and their focus on the superficial rather than the substantive aspects of politics is the problem that keeps us from solving all the other problems. I also agree that the price of gas and the cause for it is a much more important issue.

So I am still wondering why the media didn’t hype THIS one. Not even FOX touched it, and they are routinely accused spewing propaganda for the Republicans to try to destroy President Obama. Here was their opportunity. Why didn’t they hype it?

I am left to conclude that we, as a society, have decided that is OK for minorities to do this kind of thing; but hateful racism if the majority does it. And I think that tends to divide us even further.

I really appreciate your efforts to engage on this one. You appear to be one of the few here on Gather with a set…

No explanation on that, Bob. I guess the way I think about it is that things were so bad for blacks for so long, I don't take offense. I grew up in the south several decades ago. I remember the Jim Crow days. We used to drive old highways to visit family in Missouri, and I saw the lean-tos people used to live in. When I asked my parents why people lived like that, they had no answer. I recall black people being literally unable to look me in the eye when I would just say hello to them in passing. For me, it was gratifying to see a look of pride in many of their eyes, when Obama was elected. I was glad to see so many of them wearing Obama t-shirts. It reminded me of the pictures of JFK many of them had in their homes. At any rate, I don't mind that they have been given some advantages. I've even "suffered" as a result in some cases (not that I've really suffered that much, by comparison). There is a line in the Bible that says that the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children. I guess I don't mind that burden. Some payback has been in order, imo. Over time, I think it will all even out - and hopefully, everyone will have an equal place "at the table."

Now, if you want to talk about $5 gas....

Sounds to me like we are in agreement. It is a form of Pay-Back.

Thanks for the link. I have a bunch of yard work, and honey-do's to take care of. I will take a look at it later this afternoon.

I've seen other articles on this subject and those who deem themselves the elite of Gather accuse those who think this is racist as being a racist themselves for thinking it is racist. (Are you following me?) HA! Of course it is racist. At least the act plays on racism. Whether Obama is racist goes back to his motives and I find him to have proven himself so. Oh, and by the way, none of the elitists will answer the obvious question.

Sorry I was so late getting here, my article listing is not updating. I used your suggestion this morning :).

Thanks...

So who wants to take a cut at why the media has not jumped on this?

Are they racists too? Or afraid of being accused of racism? Or just so far in the tank for President Obama that they avoid any stories that might look bad for him?

Mari, I agree with all that you've said. The most sad thing is, those who think they're being helped by this mentality are really being enslaved by it. That is how the Democrats keep them voting Democrat. It is a most evil thing IMO. It is just as sad that blacks who do see what is happening are called despicable names by Democrats simply because they do see what is happening. The Left will do anything to try to silence those voices, because the only way they can enrich themselves is by fooling others. More and more are speaking up and I hope more and more continue to.

A GREAT video here!

Bob, third time is a charm: "[The media is] just so far in the tank for President Obama they avoid any stories that might look bad for him."

Without a doubt. Did you hear much about the Justice Dept's Racism either? (Not.) Or the black man that union thugs beat up outside a Town Hall meeting opposing Obamacare? (Not.) Or ... the list is endless.

I agree, but there must be something deeper.

FOX didn't pick up on it either, and I don't think they are in the tank for the President.

I really don't get it!

Bob, everyone sees Fox leaning more Left these days. You're just used to seeing the radical Left go off the deep end with their whaling and whimping and whining for days at a time at their mere misconstrued suggestion of such a possiblity by the Right. LOL. "This ain't Kansas, Toto." Plus Conservatives aren't the whiners and whimpers and chaos-spinners that the Left is.

I believe it is as simple as mainstream media not running it. If the public at large can't see it, how can they possibly speak out against it? There've been a lot of articles about it on here, so clearly it does upset people who do know about it. I think it's the whole Dem media trick at play.

Bob, just an FYI, saw this story highlighted on Fox last evening.

Bummer... I missed it!

I'll check the website. Thanks