Is Obama a “Magic Negro”?
posted at 1:43 pm on March 19, 2007 by Allahpundit
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Indeed, says David Ehrenstein. For those new to this genre, the “Magic Negro” is a term used to describe an angelic black character who appears in movies to help a white hero in his time of trouble. Hollywood loves ‘em: “The Green Mile,” “The Legend of Bagger Vance,” pretty much anything with Morgan Freeman. Sometimes they have supernatural powers, but not always; sometimes their wisdom is childlike, but not always. Their hallmark is their absolute goodness, untainted by any of the flaws that trouble actual (white) human beings.
It’s the racist stereotype of blacks as simple and spiritual repackaged in a “positive” way for modern audiences. Ehrenstein says it reminds him of someone.
Obama’s fame right now has little to do with his political record or what he’s written in his two (count ‘em) books, or even what he’s actually said in those stem-winders. It’s the way he’s said it that counts the most. It’s his manner, which, as presidential hopeful Sen. Joe Biden ham-fistedly reminded us, is “articulate.” His tone is always genial, his voice warm and unthreatening, and he hasn’t called his opponents names (despite being baited by the media).
Like a comic-book superhero, Obama is there to help, out of the sheer goodness of a heart we need not know or understand. For as with all Magic Negroes, the less real he seems, the more desirable he becomes. If he were real, white America couldn’t project all its fantasies of curative black benevolence on him.
“But what about his admitted coke use?” you say. Ah, but that was a youthful transgression. Morgan Freeman’s character in “Shawshank” also committed a youthful transgression — murder, in fact — and that didn’t halt his beatification. So there’s a caveat: flaws are acceptable so long as they’re shed before maturity.
Kidding aside, Captain Ed is right to be irritated by the insinuation that whites who support Obama do so out of guilt and “positive” racism. I’d take him in a heartbeat over either Edwards or the Glacier, not because of his magical melanin-derived healing powers but because Edwards is a greasy jackass who panders to the left’s lowest common denominator and Hillary’s, well, Hillary. Ehrenstein would have been on firmer ground if he limited his critique to media coverage of Obama, where there’s some truth to what he says. The reason the “Magic Negro” meme has purchase in Hollywood has less to do with racism, I suspect, than sensitivity to the accusation of racism, for which they overcompensate by assigning the most cartoonishly noble and good-natured roles to black actors. That was part of the joke in having a black actor play God in that Sarah Silverman bit that got everyone so exercised. It’s not hard to imagine the media responding the same way, policing itself for unconscious racism so intently that it ends up here, with Obama seemingly capable of raising the dead if he just concentrated hard enough.
Exit question: Are there some youthful, politically unpopular character flaws that aren’t actually character flaws that even the Messiah won’t admit to?
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Wasn’t that a Peter Paul and Mary song… “Puff the Magic Negro”?
E L Frederick (Sniper One) on March 19, 2007 at 1:47 PM
Favorite Magical Negro: Fred “Rerun” Berry
Second Favorite: MLK
amish on March 19, 2007 at 1:50 PM
Can the Magic Negro make himself disappear?
Please.
fogw on March 19, 2007 at 1:51 PM
Debbie disagrees, Obama is a muslim. I agree with Debbie,
CrimsonFisted on March 19, 2007 at 2:01 PM
Exit followup question: Do “Magic Negroes” have the ability to duck an apostasy fatwa?
Kid from Brooklyn on March 19, 2007 at 2:02 PM
Is Wayne Brady gonna have to choke a b**ch?
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3126420115983680408&q=Dave+chappelle
RightWinged on March 19, 2007 at 2:04 PM
The magic negro? hahaha
Obama “hey hillary, watch me pull a nomination outta my ass”
csdeven on March 19, 2007 at 2:13 PM
I guess we shouldn’t be surprised in an era of Entertainment Tonight and all the other non-news news shows. Now what would happen if the “magic negro” visited the “chocolate city?” It makes one’s head spin.
So let me get this straight, we’re going to elect a guy who was raised a Muslim to fight the war againt Islamofascism. Riiiiiiiight. ^_^
Mojave Mark on March 19, 2007 at 2:13 PM
So if being Muslim isn’t a character flaw, then there should be no reason for Obama to deny it, unless it’s just not true. Right?
Unless you’re being coy…nah.
honora on March 19, 2007 at 2:13 PM
I do not appreciate the racist(particular attention to one because of his/her race) post.
Ouabam on March 19, 2007 at 2:14 PM
No. If he thinks it would make him politically radioactive, which it shouldn’t and hopefully wouldn’t, then he might deny it even though it is true. Did you read the L.A. Times article I linked to in that earlier post? They’ve got his childhood friend saying they used to pray together in the mosque, albeit in a going-through-the-motions sort of way.
Allahpundit on March 19, 2007 at 2:15 PM
One of the Chappelle Show’s top 5, for sure.
Game. Blouses.
Kid from Brooklyn on March 19, 2007 at 2:16 PM
Wasn’t that a Peter Paul and Mary song… “Puff the Magic Negro”?
E L Frederick (Sniper One) on March 19, 2007 at 1:47 PM
Thanks for making this non-Magic Negro laugh.
baldilocks on March 19, 2007 at 2:18 PM
I’m with ya. This makes as much sense as having a guy with German ancestors head up the 44 invasion.
honora on March 19, 2007 at 2:20 PM
I did read the article. Seems to me that this is a no win for Obama with certain parts of the electorate–if he says he is, he’s an (my smelling salts please)Islamfascist–see above; if he says he isn’t, well he’s a liar. And an Islamfascist. Tough crowd. ;^)
honora on March 19, 2007 at 2:23 PM
Islamofascist, sorry. Epitaphs are so hard to keep up with.
honora on March 19, 2007 at 2:24 PM
The people who think he’s an Islamofascist because he went to mosque a few times before he could add aren’t going to vote for him anyway. If I were him, I’d just cop to it: “yeah, my stepfather was Muslim, my introduction to religion was Islam, but I came to Christianity in my youth and it’s always felt right for me.” Game over.
Allahpundit on March 19, 2007 at 2:26 PM
Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
natesnake on March 19, 2007 at 2:28 PM
Luckily your not his campaign manager. That makes sense.
E L Frederick (Sniper One) on March 19, 2007 at 2:29 PM
Aw, dammit, here we go with the Obama “Spooky Muslim” Hussein Obama carp again. Can we forego this tired nonsense, please? He’s a socialist liberal tool, that’s enough reason to keep him out of the White House, right?
Bad Candy on March 19, 2007 at 2:29 PM
Wasn’t this the subject of a Steve Sailer article? Except there he called them “Spiritual Negroes”. There’s ample evidence to support this conclusion. Watch any movie or television show and you’re likely to see the spiritual negro offering sage advice to a angst ridden white folks. On MTV, it’s likely a weepy young white woman who’s the recipient of the spiritual negro’s sage advice. It’s all incredibly, breathtakingly racist.
An aside: should we start referring to “spiritual homosexuals” after their depiction in “American Beauty”? Remember that flick? The only normal people in the entire film was a homosexual couple that lived in the neighborhood.
jaleach on March 19, 2007 at 2:30 PM
BO’s pretty much…
BO’s not so much – he has the media and some of us fooled really good. This guy is not as lacrima cristi as he acts.
Entelechy on March 19, 2007 at 2:31 PM
Except for this:
Kid from Brooklyn on March 19, 2007 at 2:02 PM
Entelechy on March 19, 2007 at 2:34 PM
Why the hell won’t this stupid thing lemme post…
I posted twice…
Anyway, can we drop the whole Obama/muslim thing? He’s a leftist, that’s enough for me.
Bad Candy on March 19, 2007 at 2:36 PM
Entelechy on March 19, 2007 at 2:34 PM
Context. :)
Kid from Brooklyn on March 19, 2007 at 2:46 PM
Except that his “Christian” church appears to be a black separatist church.
RightWinged on March 19, 2007 at 2:51 PM
Only if you’re a traitor and can’t ID our enemy. Duh.
Andy in Agoura Hills on March 19, 2007 at 3:00 PM
Correction: Not Christian. Negro racist cult. Ooops! I wrote the n-word.
Andy in Agoura Hills on March 19, 2007 at 3:02 PM
As are epithets!
Jim Treacher on March 19, 2007 at 3:05 PM
But what if that is not, well, true? Part of the magical negro rules is not having a discernable past. To explain a come-to-Jesus moment, would be too revealing for Prince Obama, and would ruin the magical negro moment.
btw, shouldn’t ace be given credit for the magical negro phenom?
billy on March 19, 2007 at 3:07 PM
I couldn’t agree more. Why let people choose their religion? Wouldn’t it just be a lot easier to just line everybody up and let the all-knowing Debbie Schussel tell them what God they worship?
JaHerer22 on March 19, 2007 at 3:07 PM
This is the internets buddy.
We don’ need no steenkin’ spelling.
billy on March 19, 2007 at 3:09 PM
He isn’t black….he is liberal.
He isn’t black….he is a Democrat
He isn’t black….he is just another left-wing hack.
I’m not white…..I’m IRISH!
Limerick on March 19, 2007 at 3:10 PM
He must be magic; he’s been so hard to find.
Kralizec on March 19, 2007 at 3:18 PM
I don’t necessarily believe Obama is a Muslim. However I believe he goes to church only for politics, until it was discovered that his “Christian” church is actually a black separatist group.
That said, why should anyone believe him that he’s not Muslim JeHerer22? Again, I don’t think he is, but you’re arguing with someone for having a different opinion about it, when in fact they have a stronger leg to stand on, considering Obama has a history of lying about his life… Unless you have figured out time travel and can explain how Bloody Sunday lead to Obama’s birth, even though he was born 4 years earlier.
Again, I don’t think he’s a Muslim, but your comment basically says “he’s not, because he says he’s not”, to which I’m saying he lies about his past, so that’s not an argument.
RightWinged on March 19, 2007 at 3:30 PM
Since we weren’t fighting ‘German-ness’, but Nazis, it made great sense. If you looked at the soldiers’ ancestry, you’d probably find that more of them had German ancestors than any other group, encluding English.
No, this is more like whether we should let someone who used to be in the Nazi party run the invasion. Or at least someone the Nazis thought was in the party.
From what I know of BHO’s childhood attendance at mosques, the people who believe apostasy warrants death would say he’s covered under that particular rule. Assuming that only 10% of Muslims are in that group, it’s over a hundred million people who would actively seek the death of Senator Obama, if they but knew of his crime. If he were to become (Vice) President Obama, the number would certainly increase. If he gets the Dem nomination, we should pay very close attention to his running mate.
BTW, I’m one of those Americans of German extraction, whose ancestors conveniently got here after we had abolished slavery, but well before the Jew-killing thing got started. And I’m about as far from a Nazi or slavemaster as you can get. I therefore don’t have any racial guilt to clear up with Racial Offsets.
The Monster on March 19, 2007 at 4:04 PM
“Eisenhower” ain’t exactly Irish is it?
billy on March 19, 2007 at 4:08 PM
Oh is my face red!! (And this is not the first time I have confused these two….sad state of affairs)
honora on March 19, 2007 at 4:14 PM
Gee it’s been, what? Almost a week since some clown called me a traitor. Was afraid I was losing my mojo.
honora on March 19, 2007 at 4:23 PM
‘Cept this will hurt him with the left.
- The Cat
MirCat on March 19, 2007 at 4:29 PM
And oh, by the way, if someone does assasinate the President of the United States for renouncing Islam for Christianity, Osama will get his wish, and we really will have a crusade against his jihad.
Hundreds of millions of moderate moslems will die in that war. Right after Vice President Clinton takes the oath of office as President, she’ll order the armed forces to bomb the crap out of some cities on general principles.
The Monster on March 19, 2007 at 4:31 PM
The Steve Sailer article at http://www.amconmag.com/2007/2007_03_12/print/featureprint.html
gives a nice analysis of Obama.
It also kind of hints at the balancing act he will need to play; for the primaries, claim as much from his black heritage as he can for the primaries, without ostracizing whites at large and for the general election go back to the uniter theme.
I’m sure Hillary’s people have read his books and articles such as this and are quietly raising the sincerity question within the white quarters of the democratic party. Nothing that will ever have a traceable fingerprint from her of course.
Bradky on March 19, 2007 at 4:33 PM
“Magic Negro”. OMG. That reminds me of that Julia Roberts movie-you know, the one with the bad, nastly polluting company…she was a law student. GA-what was it called? That definitely follows the formula.
WriterMom on March 19, 2007 at 4:35 PM
Ok, I’ve said this before on Ace’s blog, but I think I’ll say it hee too. It is not a “magical negro” if the part just happens to have been filled by a black actor. I don’t know if Red in Shawshank was written as a black man (though that “maybe it’s because I’m Irish” joke wouldn’t make sense if he wasn’t written as black), but Morgan Freeman as God in Bruce Almighty I’m almost positive wasn’t written as black. I think they were just looking to cast an actor that was universally acknowledged to be able to radiate wisdom and compassion.
It’s the same thing with Morpheus. Do you really think the Wachowski brothers were exclusively thinking of black actors to fill that part when they were writing him? There’s nothing in the part itself, his words or deeds, to suggest that he was written to be a black man.
Mark V. on March 19, 2007 at 4:57 PM
WriterMom-
She was a law student in the Pelican Brief, but in Erin Brockovich, she was just a legal assistant.
Mark V. on March 19, 2007 at 4:58 PM
What’s a Negro?
Coronagold on March 19, 2007 at 4:58 PM
it’s amusing how some see any sign of black solidarity as a threat.
A group which has been systematically enslaved and/or discriminated against for hundreds of years banding together to represent their interests while worshipping God? Racist.
crr6 on March 19, 2007 at 5:07 PM
What exactly was so noble and good-natured about the black God in the Sarah Silverman bit ? I must have missed that part.
Maxx on March 19, 2007 at 5:32 PM
Rhymes with Osama.
This is his biggest asset in the minds (sic) of the Left, as it helps them relieve their guilt. If his name was actually Osama instead of Obama they’d be even more for him, as it would prove how open minded they are.
There’s not much more to his candidacy than that, and that’s why he has no chance.
Halley on March 19, 2007 at 5:41 PM
I want to be the first “Majic Honky” on the block…….
PinkyBigglesworth on March 19, 2007 at 6:00 PM
Ironically you named two books (On by Stephen King and the other by the man who wrote “Gates of Fire.”) It’s not racist, though, it’s just perceived that way by people who haven’t read into the meaning of the books themselves. Stephen King’s heroes aren’t usually your normal heroes (Blind men, retards, black women, and crippled people to name a few). To interpret Obama, not as one of these characters, but as a caricature of one of these characters manipulated to fit your own view, is flat out ignorant.
Ha, you mention another King book, a surprise. And in describing the character Freeman plays in the movie you almost pin down just about every main character King writes (black or not).
Bottom line – Seeing Obama as a type of “Magic Negro” or as a way for white people to attempt to overcome their racism is wrong. Even trying to allude the entire mess to how Hollywood wants to appear as if they aren’t racist purposefully (as if every production team in Hollywood goes to meetings) is wrong too. Obama is simply a man, running for President, who’s captured the attention of many people.
Nonfactor on March 19, 2007 at 6:02 PM
Exit question: Because God in “Dogma” was female does that mean that Kevin Smith was trying to prove that he isn’t a misogynist?
Nonfactor on March 19, 2007 at 6:03 PM
It’s amusing you think its not racist. Either you are a liar or you are ignorant.
Andy in Agoura Hills on March 19, 2007 at 6:16 PM
I didn’t know we could still say negro without going to rehab.
Maxx on March 19, 2007 at 6:28 PM
Normally you would be correct but N’word’ was already taken.
Wade on March 19, 2007 at 7:06 PM
he turned me into a newt!
jummy on March 19, 2007 at 7:20 PM
Funny how lefty lib Dems wanna vote for a black dude ’cause of whitey guilt and righty con Pubs wanna vote for Condi and Steele because they’re … righty con Pubs. Things that make ya say Hmmmmmm.
Tony737 on March 19, 2007 at 7:24 PM
Funny how you make assumptions about why someone would want to vote for someone else.
Nonfactor on March 19, 2007 at 7:51 PM
Not that Tony needs me to stand up for him… but he’s not assuming why Democrats would vote for Obama, he’s right. The only reason to vote for Obama is to vote for a black guy. He offers nothing more than anyone else, other than his blackness… even though he didn’t have the traditional inner city “black experience” or anything remotely close.
The only thing he offers beyond his skin is fake accents and lying about what lead to his birth.
RightWinged on March 19, 2007 at 9:02 PM
They may let you get away with making a claim like this where you’re from, but when you’re talking with me I’m going to need to see some evidence when you make a claim about what’s “right” or not.
Because politics plays no role at all in whether or not people vote for someone. And charisma plays no role at all in whether or not people like a guy. Right? I mean the only reason people would vote for this guy is because he’s black right? I mean, it’s obvious! Right? Why else would someone vote for him? Right?
Because this is so important when looking for a candidate for president! Are you insinuating that any black person who hasn’t lived in the “inner city” hasn’t lived the “black experience”? My dad was a black man who grew up in Compton. He was shot at age 17 while working at Jack-in-the-Box. When he started a family he didn’t want his kids to go through what he went through so he moved to Orange County when he had kids. Are you saying that if my brother or I ran for President in the future the only thing we’d have to offer would be our “blackness” and we’d have to be criticized by white people like yourself because we haven’t lived the “traditional inner city ‘black experience’ or anything remotely close”? Give me a break.
Nonfactor on March 19, 2007 at 9:48 PM
No, you give me a break you distorting slimeball. The “black experience” comment ties in to my belief (which I think is obvious) that the only thing Obama offers is his skin color. Liberals would just love to pat themselves on the back for voting for a black guy, when there are plenty of equally charasmatic people who share the same politics (which outside of being anti-war is just the usual promises anyway) they could like.
Just like there are a lot of people who will vote for Hillary because she’s a woman, though admittedly there are a lot of Clinton “fans” too. How many times have we heard “it’s about time for a black (or female) president”? I’ve heard it hundreds of times. Then compare it to how many times you’ve heard a Democrat say “it’s time for a qualified candidate”? Rarely if ever.
I couldn’t care less what color a candidate is, but it will NEVER be the primary reason I’d vote for them… but I can see liking a candidate IN SMALL PART if they were able to pull themselves out of a ghetto or something. You can say it’s my opinion all you want, but deep down you know that his skin is the only reason people like him, and the only reason he’s even where he is today. What do you think got him the spot at the DNC in 2004?
So to go back to your middle sarcastic paragraph. Of course politics plays a role in why people vote for people… Just much less frequently in the Democratic Party, and especially when it comes to such an average guy as Obama. Can’t you just see hundreds of thousands of college kids proudly walking out of the voting booths feeling good about themselves and bragging to their parents that they voted for a black guy with an Islamic sounding name. Oh what a joy one must feel to be so progressive and accepting. Screw his average Democratic politics and his inexperience, he’s black and that’s all the reason I need to vote for him!
So stop spinning and distorting (chuckles at the thought of that ever happening), I wasn’t saying that growing up outside of the ‘hood disqualifies a black candidate from running… Though your displays at HotAir make the thought terrifying. The “black experience” portion ties in to the fact that he’s running as a “black man”, and that’s the only thing that makes him stand out (you know the “charisma” is just the media hype he’s gotten… who else has gotten the kind of coverage he has? He even admits it. Anyone can campaign guy).
If he’s running as this “black candidate” he should be able to empathize with them. Otherwise, he should just run as a race-neutral “candidate”. (Hint: Hillary isn’t running as a white person). His wife can go on network news puff interviews and say “as a black man” he could get shot going to the gas station and he can go and lie saying that Bloody Sunday lead to his birth (even though he was 4 at the time), but it doesn’t mean sh** unless you’re a complete idiot (which I guess is why you guys love him).
Okay, this bores me now… I’ll wait for you to come back, act like you have the reading comprehension of a 6 year old and distort what I’m saying to some way make me sound like anything I’ve said is racist.
RightWinged on March 19, 2007 at 10:34 PM
Some are getting way too wrapped up Obama. Unless you are registered as a democrat and plan to vote in the primaries what possible reason is there to get so upset? Let Hillary and Obama duke it out.
But that is unlikely to happen and there will be plenty in the republican party who will continue to harp on the minute things like his name, is he really christian,could he be an islamic plant, ad nauseum. If he does win the democratic primary you have already laid the ground work for any valid criticisms to be deflected as racist and lost the moderate white democrats who may have been inclined to listen if more important things like the issues were discussed.
Bradky on March 19, 2007 at 10:57 PM
uh huh. Well thought out counter-argument. I’d love to hear your rationale for that church (which you undoubtably no nothing about outside of an H&C hit piece) being racist. This is probably a waste of my time but try thinking of it this way…in a social vacuum a pro-black or pro-white church would be pretty racist, because there would be no reason to further either agenda if both races had equal opportunities, racial history etc. Pro-white or pro-black would have to mean an agenda for superiority, not equality.
crr6 on March 19, 2007 at 11:08 PM
There’s the RightWinged we know and love, starting off with an ad hominem.
You’re assuming to know why people vote for certain people and also assuming that people would only vote for a black Democrat because he’s black and not maybe because they like the guy or like his policies (Would people only vote for Hillary because she is a woman? Would they only vote for Romney because he’s Mormon? No; just like people wouldn’t solely vote for Obama because he’s black). Give me a wide-spread example of people voting for a candidate solely on physical appearance and I might buy into your assumption, until then, wise up.
Yet you assume it will be the primary reason people vote for Obama.
Deep down? Really? How far deep? What does my soul tell you, RightWinged? I’m dying to know.
You act like this is fact when it’s really just your opinion. Get used to me calling you out when you start saying things like this.
No, I can’t picture that because I live in reality. I can picture a couple people possibly doing it, but I know that the majority of college students vote not because they “want to feel good about themselves and brag to their parents,” but because they actually believe in the politics of the candidates they voted for (see Nader).
Then what exactly were you saying?
Maybe to you, but not to Obama and many of his supporters. And I think when it comes down to it the only opinion that matters on the subject of “why he’s running” or “what type of candidate he is” is Obama’s. He’s running on a campaign of “hope,” I’m sure you’ve seen that word before.
And you end with an ad hominem.
Nonfactor on March 19, 2007 at 11:12 PM
contd from above… posted early
but..guess what?we don’t live in a social vacuum! Blacks have a history of slavery and de jure discrimination stretching back before this nation was even founded…so an agenda which supports blacks (who currently have unequal oppourtunity in America) is simply an agenda hoping for future equality amongst blacks and whites. One of the reasons blacks were able to get equal legal rights is because they banded together, can you blame them for continuing to do so? Yes there is an argument that this type of ideology is becoming outdated, much of the intensity of it is left over from the civil rights movement, but to call it racist? That’s just well…”ignorant”. Buut I have a feeling you’ll subscribe to the typical,thoughtful nuanced conservative line of “most racists are black, a white history month would be racist thats bullshit etc..” but try and think instead of the social context. Unfortunately, you probably won’t.
crr6 on March 19, 2007 at 11:15 PM
Wow, you distorted my words again. I explained it like 3 times that you TOTALLY misunderstood (actually, you understood it find, but chose to distort it) the part about the black experience. I’m not going to re-re-re-repeat it other than to say that he’s running as a “black” person, rather than as a person, which is stupid in his particular case. It’s not like he came up the way most black Americans did or that he can identify with them because of his upbringing, but that is the image he wants people to have (in addition to the fact that he lied and wants people to believe he was only born because of Bloody Sunday, despite being 4 years old when it took place).
Lol, campaign of “hope”… You Obama people just love saying that don’t you.
That all said, I’ll repeat what I’ve said.. there’s nothing unique about Obama other than his skin and that is why people are voting for him. You can think I’m wrong all you want, but that is my opinion and it seems obvious to me. I SPECIFICALLY ANSWERED YOUR REPEATED “POINTS”. You’re just saying the same thing, while ignoring that I specifically addressed that people do vote for politics, etc., but in Obama’s case they could vote for plenty of other people, but choose him because he’s black. Oh, and I almost forgot… “Hope”. Lol, nevermind… he’s got my vote. He had me at “hope”, and really had me when I saw video of him asking a crowd “gimme fi dollis”…. Fo sho dog.
RightWinged on March 19, 2007 at 11:36 PM
Well he certainly has that Jedi mind-trick thing going on with the MSM. They adore him.
(waves fingers) “You will praise me and cover up all my faults”.
thedecider on March 19, 2007 at 11:47 PM
I liked how you didn’t quote a word I said so you could be as intentionally vague as possible.
That’s your opinion, not the truth. In reality and according to Obama himself he isn’t running as a black person. If you mean that the media (or yourself) assumes that he’s running as a black person you may be right.
Clinton didn’t grow up in what you view is the “traditional black experience,” but he still managed to identify with black people nationwide.
It’s a lot better than your perceived campaign of blackness.
I’ll repeat – you know this, how? It’s all assumption. How do you know people will only vote for Obama because he’s black? It’s as ludicrous as me saying people will only vote for Romney because he’s Mormon.
There’s your problem.
Your attempt at comedy fails. I actually shook my head in embarrassment for you when I read that.
Nonfactor on March 19, 2007 at 11:53 PM
yeah, so why is it that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton never had the kind of popularity in their presidential runs Obama enjoys? They’re both both black, and in fact have had more of a traditional black upbringing (by your definition) than Obama, so why didn’t us liberals adore them?
crr6 on March 19, 2007 at 11:55 PM
You bet your a** I have. The result? Eight years of Bill Clinton. Heck, he even came from a place called Hope, remember? Bleeechh.
Hope is fine and all as a sort of touchy-feely nostrum, but I’d much rather vote based on positions and solid ideas.
jaleach on March 19, 2007 at 11:55 PM
Then you completely missed his point – as you do the points of view from everyone. Sorry RW – you don’t need any help from me but NF just comes in to pick apart everything anyone says in the most excruciating way for no reason but some underlying need to feel “right” and takes no time whatsoever to reason or even try to see another point of view. It’s a pointless waste of time for which I’m guilty of having engaged in the past.
thedecider on March 20, 2007 at 12:02 AM
It wasn’t an attempt at humor, it was an attempt at mocking Obama for trying to talk “street” when asking the crowd for “fi dollis”… You can be embarassed for me all you want, by my ass is far from bare. Those are HIS words, just like claiming to Bloody Sunday lead to his birth, even though he was 4 when they happened. He’s a lying panderer.
Uh, maybe because they’re total clown candidates, reverends, and race baiters – not policy makers. Apples and oranges dude.
RightWinged on March 20, 2007 at 12:02 AM
Well why don’t YOU explain it?
thedecider on March 20, 2007 at 12:02 AM
And before you attempt to play dumb NF, here’s what I’m talking about:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGxzqwRJUzM&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fhotair%2Ecom%2Farchives%2F2007%2F03%2F02%2Fbaltimore%2Dsun%2Dmessiahs%2Dancestors%2Downed%2Dslaves%2F
“I want errbody hur to pony up fi dollis”
Fo shizzle.
RightWinged on March 20, 2007 at 12:05 AM
Actually, my bad, that’s probably just his white Hawaiian accent coming out right? (Rather than pathetic pandering in an attempt to “sound black”.)
RightWinged on March 20, 2007 at 12:06 AM
Sides. Hurt. I can play that again, and again, and again, and I still laugh out loud every time I hear it.
thedecider on March 20, 2007 at 12:12 AM
i totally agree, they were bad candidates, but thats exactly my point,people didn’t vote for them BECAUSE they were shitty politicians,independent of their color. In the same sense people will vote for Obama because hes a good candidate, independent of his color. If people could run and do well just on being black than we would have had many legitimate black candidates already, but Obama is the first who’s been talented enough to develop a large following. Why? Because he’s a great orator and he connects very well with his constituents.
dude you should have read his proposed jokes for the 1/2 hour news hour…
crr6 on March 20, 2007 at 12:18 AM
It is sad to watch the kind of comments you are making RW. Unless you are a democrat why do you care so much? Let it go. White people who can’t resist saying things like that are a big part of the reason many blacks don’t really feel the love from the Republican “big tent”. Believe me, living in Louisiana, I see this behavior almost every friggin day. You mention his church several times — one of the most segregated places in America is the church. Does this make every congregation that is largely white inherently racist? If the answer is no, then apply the same standard to black churches.
Obama is a POLITICIAN, nothing more nothing less. He is not a manchurian candidate, islamofascist, or the other conspiratorial things people like to imagine. The rule for politicians is “You pander, I pander, we all pander.”
Get over yourself.
Many of your posts have a kind of theme about injustices to whites at the expense of blacks. Why the unnecessary anger?
When the white republicans who share your sentiments (not the majority of republicans in my opinion)finally decide to really see blacks for individuals and not solely as a prize to be picked for political purposes, you may see more black voters take an interest in what Republicans have to say.
You certainly have the freedom to say whatever you like but at least have the honesty to acknowledge that words can hurt and repel entire groups of people.
Bradky on March 20, 2007 at 12:24 AM
I know you are addressing a comment from RW, but this:
Because you posted the comment, I’ll go ahead and assume you’re serious. I’m curious from where this opinion derives. I read your comment about living in LA, but that’s not enough. I think you really have to look hard at the black political leadership (Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, etc…) to understand why blacks aren’t “feeling the love” in the Republican party. Come on. Black Americans are fed a constant stream of racial hate-baiting from the likes of Jackson, et. al., and told the Republican party excludes them. Yeah – the party Lincoln built. There are some break-aways (Dr. Thomas Sowell comes to mind for one) but largely this is a community that is held down by its political leadership who, shamefully, provide popular talking points instead of genuine leadership. Mainstream Black Americans are taken for granted in the Democratic party – who hasn’t done anything for them but accept their votes and feed them a constant stream of ideals of how they are being held back by “white America”.
thedecider on March 20, 2007 at 12:35 AM
The part I was referring to was when you said “Fo sho dog.” Mocking is an attempt at humor, usually a bad attempt as was proven in this instance.
Bradky nailed it pretty well.
Nonfactor on March 20, 2007 at 12:37 AM
For anyone to assume that Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson speak for all black people is insane. And for Republicans to base their view of black people on Sharpton or Jackson is equally crazy.
Now it sounds like you’re assuming black people can’t think for themselves and need people like Sharpton and Jackson to give out talking points.
I’m not a Democrat because I was brainwashed by Sharpton or Jackson, I’m a Democrat because I believe in what the Democrats stand for. Republicans need to understand that black people can think for ourselves and we aren’t really being tricked by the Democratic Party.
Nonfactor on March 20, 2007 at 12:41 AM
Ah, but I do understand that NF. Indeed they can. Unfortunately the black leadership in power does not support your opinion. Why is that?
thedecider on March 20, 2007 at 12:46 AM
The leadership doesn’t support my opinion that black people can think for themselves? I agree that Jesse Jackson and Sharpton think too much of themselves, but I do think that they think all people are capable of thinking for themselves.
Nonfactor on March 20, 2007 at 1:02 AM
I’ll let you slide on the fact that you “think” this. Everyone entitled to their opinion. My opinion – as you might imagine – differs. What I see from them is nothing more than race-baiting. Al Sharpton, himself, who, incredibly, argued that Bush was engaged in a type of “ethnic cleansing” from the hurricane Katrina episode stands out in my mind as typical of comments from todays black leadership who have nothing of substance to offer but race-baiting. Why are these men still in power? Why do Jackson and Sharpton enjoy so much popularity among black voters?
thedecider on March 20, 2007 at 1:19 AM
Good question – I’ll try to explain my opinion on this. Sorry it is kind of long.
I don’t think that the black community at large really trusts the Republicans to have their best interest at heart.
For one thing there are many dissenting voices within the community — it just doesn’t get played in the media at large. I think this is partly due to an unwillingness to air internal dirty laundry. Look at how some whites overplayed the comments Bill Cosby made – rather than ask how they could help, they replayed the comments in a kind of “see I told ya so” manner.
Most people learn their politics much as they do religion – from their parents and family. These are values not easily or willingly changed. To change from say Methodist to Buddhist would be a significant change in someone’s life. Changing political loyalty is similar in that a person will ask themselves “Have I had it wrong the whole time?”
After the civil war era, the strongest bond within the black community was the church. Until the 60’s black families were some of the most stable and loving in the country. Parents encouraged education in spite of the segregationist laws of the time – not because they were hopeless but because they refused to stop hoping their children would have a fair society to live in. For a variety of reasons, the black family has suffered greatly and splintered since the sixties. The community has been left in a vacuum trying to figure out how to get back to that strong sense of community and purpose. Churches are trying to pull the community back together. Splintering the community even further is not what people want. Unfortunately some in the white community have been too busy opining on the causes rather than solutions.
Finally, there is a bit of a backlash coming from the 40-60 year age group of whites. This group has lived almost its entire life trying to integrate, understand and accept. Most have raised their children to not hate. Unfortunately, when a race baiter from the black community gets airtime, some whites take great offense, thinking things like “Is there ever enough – what more do they expect of me”. I believe this has fueled some of the frustration we see in some recent comments. And to be fair when a race baiter ala David Duke says his idiotic comments, there is a similar reaction from within the black community. At this point in time it becomes a vicious circle – comments supported by minority opinion in either community but causing disproportionate defensiveness among the majority of the communities.
So what is the answer? IMHO the first order of business is for whites to just shut up and be willing to help when asked – not presume to tell the black community how to solve its problems. Since I believe most whites want to do this I think it is not a stretch to expect that as more whites call out the loud mouthed minority, it will begin to establish a little more trust between the communities. Actions not words and all that jazz.
When the black community begins to enjoy similar economic demographics as the white community I think you will see some slow splintering begin to occur along political lines. Herman Cain, Sowell, etc. are making inroads in these areas as you noted.
Over 40 years ago I began Kindergarten in Southern Georgia. Some of the first things I learned to read were the segregated laundromat and drinking fountain signs. We have come a long way, but there is still a long road ahead. I am saddened by the realization that I probably won’t live long enough to see us get past this juncture. Another 40 years may be the reality.
I really believe strongly that voting demographics split evenly down the middle serve the country the best because it makes the parties really compete for the vote in terms of issues and not rhetoric.
Bradky on March 20, 2007 at 1:20 AM
Don’t apologize; I’m very glad you went into this much detail. I understand what you’re saying to a large degree. I think there’s still a generation of people out there that are holding society back. Some are in positions of political leadership, and some are just mainstream voters. One day, they will die off and this issue will be put behind us as the today’s newer generation becomes the old generation. It’s a kind of evolution. I get it. I’m just frustrated (impatient?) over what I see as a very slow progress, and in particular when I see black politicians like Jackson and Sharpton who are pandering to a mindset that represents nothing more than a throwback to the 60’s. I would like to see the dialogue move forward, but I don’t see a black leader who can yet arise and do that. Obama? Ugh! If he can stop pandering. We need a new breed of MLK but…when is that gonna happen? It doesn’t exist as long as people want to buy in to the rhetoric that exists in politics today. It’s hard to even have an intelligent discussion on the subject with being labeled as racist.
thedecider on March 20, 2007 at 1:34 AM
Sheesh, all that from my little comment?
Nobody HAS to believe it if they don’t want to, and I never said ALL, but yes, white libs WILL vote for Obama out of whitey guilt. White libs are closet racists. All of them? No, don’t be silly, some are openly racist. But they (again, not ALL) are soft, *covert* racists. They think blacks need welfare, can’t fend for themselves, etc. But us eeevil PubbieCons know blacks CAN and DO make it EVERYDAY in this country, as do members of every other “group”.
We don’t see blacks as a “victim” group, Americans are Americans, not hyphenated victims. Yes, there is still *overt* racism out there, sad but true. But over all, everybody has the same opportunity in this nation, hence the flood of immigrants for over 200 years. (Yes, I know Africans were brought here as cargo).
We see people as individuals, libs view everybody as a member of a sub-division. Libs are latching on to Obama because he’s articulate and smart (Biden). They’re not used to that. They (not all) think blacks are what they see on TV, in the movies and gangsta rap videos because they have no real life interaction with blacks.
I can’t claim to know the minds of ALL libs but I have a lot of lib friends and we talk openly about these topics. I’ve learned a lot about the thought process of white libs. They’re not racist in a an overt, mean kinda way. It’s very subconscience, they don’t even KNOW it. They think it’s compassion but in reality it’s destructive.
I voted for Alan Keyes in the ‘96 and ‘00 primaries. Because he’s black? No, because he was the most conservative of the bunch. But some of my white libs friends tell me they’ll vote for Obama, and when I press them, they know nothing about the guy, but hey, have ya heard him speak? They don’t say it exactly, but what they mean is: ‘He talks like he’s white and that makes him ok’ and ‘Oh look at me, aren’t I wonderful ’cause I’m gonna vote for Obama? See how tolerant I am?’
I want Condi in ‘08. Why? Because she will continue the war on terror, period.
Tony737 on March 20, 2007 at 1:36 AM
Someone will come along, have faith. Also recall that MLK was never a politician. And if a person is willing to examine their words and actions to answer the question “I know I am not racist but could I have phrased my point better?” they will do just fine. But don’t fall for the trap of getting offended. As my mom always tells me “Kill em with kindness”.
Bradky on March 20, 2007 at 1:44 AM
I totally get it. Thanks Tony! Condi in ‘08! I’d vote for her so long as she’s the best candidate. Oops! Did I say that right? I might be a racist.
thedecider on March 20, 2007 at 1:47 AM
Thanks for an intelligent discussion on the subject. It’s so rare.
thedecider on March 20, 2007 at 1:49 AM
So you can definitively speak for all republicans and democrats – there are no shades of gray in either group? interesting. Your other comment almost sounds like that old canard “one of my best friends is black”.
You were in the Air Force so we have many common experiences and I am reasonably sure that is not what you really meant… but it comes off that way.
Bradky on March 20, 2007 at 1:53 AM
thedecider on March 20, 2007 at 1:49 AM
Thanks to you as well.
Bradky on March 20, 2007 at 1:54 AM
This whole paragraph is insane. Going by your logic I could say: Republicans are fascist and get away with it as a logical argument if only I said as an afterword “not all Republicans.” It isn’t a rational argument and doesn’t deserve to be in a rational argument. It’s a fallacy.
Welfare isn’t just for black people. As a black person I get mad when I see white people make statements like this. It’s an assumption that welfare is a conspiracy to keep the poor poorer for some reason or the other.
Problem is many blacks are victims or have been victims of society. To ignore that fact is part of the reason why people like you aren’t supported by a larger ammount of black people.
To act as if liberals somehow don’t “see people as individuals” is just plain ignorant. I might let you get away with it if you say “some” liberals (see first response).
A majority of people in power don’t have “real life interaction with blacks,” but that doesn’t mean that the people in power automatically believe blacks are some stereotype. Unless of course you have any proof of this, but I haven’t seen even Joe Biden walk up to a black man and say “DY-NO-MITE!”
“They don’t know they’re racist, and they don’t really do anything racist, but I know they’re racist.”
Give me a break. These are people you could even ask yourself, but you don’t. Instead you choose to assume what they really mean.
Nonfactor on March 20, 2007 at 2:05 AM
Brad, how many times did I say “not all”? Obviously not enough.
“One of my best friends is black” Where did I say anything like that? Besides, that’s a typical lib (soft racist) thing to say. In reality, I have more black friends than white friends. I also have more female friends than male. On purpose? No. It just happened that way because of my job. Just like, I married a flight attendant because, well, that’s my dating pool. Same thing.
Of course there are shades of grey. I thought I made that obvious. Perhaps you need to reread my post.
What we’re talkin’ about here is this: White libs will vote for Obama knowing nothing about him other than he’s a well spoken black dem. (I don’t see the word “all” in that sentence). Why? Because he’s articulate and light skinned, another topic we haven’t discussed yet. White, subconscience racist libs will vote for the kinda guy other blacks might call “Snowflake” more so than they’d vote for Jackson or Sharpton ’cause they’re more comfortable with it and then they can tell all their friends how progressive they are. When I voted for Alan Keyes, his dark skin had no impact at all, other than thinking he might shave a few percentage points off of the 90 percent the dems always get from black voters. The point is, I voted for him for his far right politics. Obama’s rapid shooting star is proof that his popularity has more to do with his image than his record. Once people get to know him a little more, he’ll drop some.
Tony737 on March 20, 2007 at 2:15 AM
Don’t presume to know the answer as to how all people (whom you don’t even agree with) think. I don’t pretend like I know why 30% of people like George Bush, I could make a guess, but I don’t act like my opinion is fact.
And you too are assuming that people won’t vote for Obama out of politics, but rather physical appearance. You have evidence on this how exactly? The election hasn’t even happened yet.
Nonfactor on March 20, 2007 at 2:33 AM
Non, no, I don’t assume, actually we do get really deep into the conversation. Again, these are my friends I’m talking about. Over many years we’ve had many discussions and I probe them and cause them to articulate their answers. Maybe it doesn’t apply to YOU directly, but it does apply to many people, it can’t be just them. Just like if all of your Pubbie friends like Nascar, chances are, so do many others. (Not me, BOR-RING!)
Question, are you saying NOBODY will vote for Obama just because he’s black? That’d be just as insane as me sayin’ they would, yeah?
“I could say: Republicans are facist” Well, you could, but you’d wrong. Fascism is a form of big govt totalitarianism, but that’s a whole ‘nother topic. :-)
“just plain ignorant” Are you gonna tell me that the dems are NOT all about group politics?
“Welfare isn’t just for black people” No, and I don’t recall ever saying it was. (?) Statistically there are more whites on welfare than blacks but more blacks percentage wise … so? I reread my post, nope, never said welfare was only for blacks. But I’ve argued many times with many friends and coworkers who think the govt SHOULD be giving out as much welfare as possible to “balance out” the economic racial divide, not realizing that it does more harm than good.
Tony737 on March 20, 2007 at 2:37 AM
Non: “…as to how all people…vote”
Good God, how many times must I say NOT ALL? And I never said nobody would vote for Obama because they agree with him politically. You’re making way more of this than it is … and I think it’s on purpose … but I don’t assume to know, it’s just an opinion, just like everything else I’ve written.
Tony737 on March 20, 2007 at 2:42 AM
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