DISQUS

Anon 2:24,


Thanks for your post. I agree with your comments both about Obama's positions of these two critical issues that disapportionately affect Black folks, and also the unwillingness of many Black folks to want to discuss these issues and why Obama is in support of them.



I was totally shocked when he said he agreed with overturning the ban on guns in Washington, DC and as for the death penalty -- WOW. Yes, it is an abomination to rape a child, but death? How many black folks have and are on death row for crimes that did not commit, or were put to death proclaiming their innocence for crimes they did not commit.



Tavis was correct and that many in our community have not fully vetted Obama on many of his positions and how they will affect THIS community. I know that he is a politician trying to get elected, but if he truly believes many of the things he is saying to get votes, regrettably, we will continue to be treated by the Democrats as we always have; a inconvenience to be used during election time, only to be discarded when no longer needed. Let's see how long our expiration date is if Obama is elected.



As you stated is this the change we can believe in, because I can't.

Hmmm,


While taking his illegal drugs does Rush bend over and grab his knees while...?



Just asking.

It didn't take long for that social phenomenon we all know, the scared threatened little white boy came out of hiding to throw his rocks at Black women.


A woman he can't control, intimidate, or scare. One he sees on a daily basis who could whup his ass with one hand tied behind her back.



The same scared little white man who tries daily to scare white women about the evils of Black men, and will lock a Black man up for the slightest infraction. They haven't figured out how to lock up a lot of Black women yet, and have not been able to shake our defense of Black men, so they hide and throw their rocks.



These pathetic poor excuses for manhood.

The fact that she isn't considered, "Our Kind of People" should be a compliment.


When will Black folks stop hatin' on each other with all these artificial barriers?



Somebody help me. Are they proud of being Black or are they some type of sub-racial group in between Black and whatever? Help me.



What are they?

Welcome!


I look forward to your post.

"Why is an accomplished professional, Double Ivy-League graduate, loving wife and devoted mother NOT WORTHY OF DEFENSE BY THE FEMINIST ESTALBLISHMENT?"




Rachel,



The above paragraph in the post pretty much sums it up for me. There you have it. She is not one of them. No matter how accomplished she is still an accomplished BLACK woman. This political race is exposed a lot of the ism's that had been forced behind closed doors, including the large schism between Black and White women that has existed forever. That this had opened your eyes and minds says a lot about what has not been said openly and earnestly. As JJP stated, Black women have always been feminist because we HAD to be, there was no choice. To equate feminism with the daily grind that is/was the lives of Black folks is not being honest when white women could always get special privileges not accorded to Black folks.



Thanks again for your post, unfortunately many of your sisters because of willful denial cannot/will not accept that there continues to be a double standard when it comes to Black women. When white women truly want to be inclusive of us in the struggle for equal rights fully will Black women choose to participate, after they realize that we are not to be patted on the head used when convenient and then tossed aside when they get what they want.



Feminism should be a two-way street, which at this point it is not, and I for one choose not to part of it.

What did you expect, competence, humility, forthrightness, clarity, judiciousness?


Sadly, the NAACP is no longer an effective group that truly cares about the concerns of everyday Black folks, just the ones who preen and prance as part of the accepted group of African Americans that I would not want to be a part. These folks in the rarified air in which they live don't have an inkling as to the lives of the people who are suffering as they hold conventions in swanky overpriced hotels, conferences where the talk to each other, slapping themselves on the back in self-congratulatory kudos for the wonderful things they are doing. Where, what, how has the NAACP been effective anywhere? Someone else starts a movement to change something in the community and once the press shows up here comes the late and wrong NAACP to cash in and get their share of the glory. Sad but predictable. No wonder they have continually lost members. I would be surprised if they had 50,000 nationwide.



Sad, sad, sad.

To say that if someone was talking about you, it doesn't apply. That's a tired old trick used by people who want to make a comment about an entire group which includes you, and then slyly say they were not referring to you. They wait for your reaction to see if you identify as part of that group which was offended or insulted. If your response is to say they were not talking about me then they know that you can be used as a sounding board for every type of vicious comment about that group as long as they add the tag line ... we are not talking about you. You feel accepted and now in their eyes are no longer a threat to whatever they possess: power, authority, etc.


Now had you called them on their attempts to villify an entire group, you would then be labeled, angry, outspoken, radical, militant, pick one. I am sure that most posters to this blog at one time or another been called one of those names for standing up and being included in the maligned group.



So I would be very careful about being proud or special when some of these people say to you, "Oh I wasn't talking about you."



That was not a compliment.

Caribbeanlioness,


Take a valium and calm down. By your moniker alone you identify yourself as from the Caribbean in apparently and obviously your perception of the African-American experience in THIS country is probably seen in a different prism from mine.



Saying that I will say this. I thought about whether to respond to your vile, and dare say, overly-sensitive response to a valid criticism of Barack Obama. He is not God. He is man who has and will continue to make mental mistakes when addressing not only this issue which was influenced by his upbringing by white parents which I dare say skewed even if unconsciously his views regarding black men and what he heard growing up.



The attitudes of many in the Carribbean regarding African Americans in this country is another topic that should be explored, which i will not go into here, but suffice it to say, I in my humble attempts to remain relevant, offering MY opinion of this speech and any other actions taken by Barack Obama which my affect my ability to live in this country will not stop, even with the vitrolic, unnecessary name-calling. I am not a liar because I offer a difference of opinion. He did state Black men and did reference some as boys. Now where does that come from.



On a day when we should be cherishing the outstanding contributions of fathers to their families, this was not the place or time.



To compare my comments to Fox News now that is truly an insult as well as offensive. Check yourself before posting, you are embarassing yourself.

Anon,


He wasn't pandering to the Black community, he was pandering to the so-called white conservatives who heard him denounce and repudiate ALL Black men and they said - AMEN!



As one of the writers in the post said, he actually is outdoing white folks in demonizing black people to get elected.



If he keeps this up, these Black folks he is taking for granted will stay at home on election day, and let him depend on all these white folks he is sending coded messages. He better stop it, because Black folk know when they are being played.



As somebody mentioned, hopefully, somebody will take him aside and tell him he went too too far.

Marc,


Without putting words in my mouth,

you said it, you don't understand.

Marc,


We weren't the ones the target of the pander. Mr. Obama knew exactly what he was doing.



It worked.

----------------------------------

so, in the end, obama wins over a white guy who anyways thinks him to be a good candidate.

-----------------------------------

Marc,


Congratulations on your whiteness, as you tell us how he was not negative.



I suggest you go to the Chicago Tribune or any other paper that carried the story of Obama's speech and read the post from many of your fellow white folks who were impressed by how Obama spoke truth to power to the Black men in our community who needed to hear the truth. How he was impressive, forthright, truthful, said what needed to be said, all the while not plucking that plank out of their eyes.



I sat amazed at the arrogance and condescending attitudes of SOME people when referring to others they deem as less (inferior) to them (superior) when referring to responsibility.



You have read most of the posts to that blog, yet have you not comprehended the responses from a Black perspective?



I can't go there with you because evidently you just don't get it and no matter how much many continue to try and communicate that to you, you just don't understand. That is why there will always be two Americas, one black and one white, and why Obama actually did choose to pander to get votes from people who appreciate him confirming that misconceived opinions about Black folks, but who still will not vote for him.



As BPM said, lets see him give "responsibilty" speeches in the BPM mentioned and see how he does with that!

Marc,


You finally answered my question. From many of your comments I assumed before knowing that obviously you were a white person and your comments bare that out.



From your perspective as a white person, you did not see anything wrong in what Obama did, yet I am going to wait to hear his speeches to the communits BPM mentioned.



BPM to all your comments: AMEN, AMEN, AMEN!

Thank you g.d.,


You said it all. This was a speech I am sure his handlers told him he had to make to appeal to white conservatives.



Now when will he make that speech about white folks who are holding onto their perceived entitlement of whiteness because they don't have an education, skills, jobs, etc... but have the audacity to talk about the inadequacies of other folks (Black) while ignoring their own high rates of the same societal ills.



I am going to wait for that speech, but I won't be holding my breath. Obama has determined that he has the Black vote and doesn't have to pander to us, so in his own way, we will be the bogeyman for the entitlement-prone white man who lives his life thinking that his superiority trumps all, and Barack Obama is playing their game, don't forget he is half white and has heard it all before. If he demonizes Black folks he won't be called on it because he is Black so he can give out those dog whistles that Black folks can hear but are choosing to ignore.



I am truly disgusted.

Al Sharpton is filling a void that other spotlight seeking Black folks have failed to do: use it for his own engrandizement, while to a smaller degree highlighting the concerns of the Black community. In other words, he is killing two birds with one stone: a little bit for us, a lot for him.


If some of us could get over this need for a "spokesperson" and instead invest in our own ability to speak truth to power, then we wouldn't need the Al Sharptons or Jesse Jacksons. Until that day comes, these people will continue to profit from our need to have a savior.



As far as Barack Obama talking about absentee fathers; he was correct, but he was also playing the politician talking to white folks who were nodding their heads in agreement. Once again, he USED the Black community to score political points. During his speech which I have not seen the full transcript, did he also praise those Black fathers who get up every day and take care of their families?



Why is it every time he comes before a predominantly Black audience, he is often scolding, preachy and arrogant, yet when was the last time he spoke to white folks about their need to hold onto to their whiteness when they don't have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out? When?

Christian progressive liberal,


DITTO! DITTO! DITTO!



From your lips to the ears of the people living in these districts to tell them to wake up! You have been sold out, used, bamboozled, set astray, you know the rest...



If only we could just let them know how these people have been taken advantage of their good will and hopes for years, supporting Hillary because they thought she would wrap her arms of protection around these house negroes.



The flat out audacity of these people is just amazing, maybe they think that Obama will treat them with such forgiveness as their constituents have all of these years -- not!

Sambo Shufflers.


I like it.



Right up there with my all time favorite handkerchief heads.



Got any more, apt, relevant descriptions of these go-along-to-get-alongs.

When you have no argument and can't obfuscate and confuse you move on.


We're not quite what you expected, S?



So actual rebuttal to your non-sense.



Go troll, be gone!



Oh by the way, check John McCain's record on voting for assistance to the victims of Hurricane Katrina and get back to us.



Forget the cake, just check his actual record, as this man stood before the city of New Orleans and lied through his teeth.



Bush is an idiot, but McCain can't remember from one day to the next what he did or said, when there is a paper trail and loads of video. Now who is delusional?

D and S,


You are requesting that posters provide you with evidence of Obama's response to Hurricane Katrina and it was given to you.



Now, please provide us with examples of McCain's response to Hurricane Katrina AT THAT TIME, and not now when he is running for office.



Even though you might think many of us on this blog cannot or have not looked up the voting records of both candiates, your attempts in so many words to say, move on there is nothing to see here, that's all news, is truly pathetic and sad on so many levels. Your attempts to marginzalize other people's suffering is beyond horrendous, but so emblematic of conservatism.

Hey, the point is that the attempt to exaggerate McCain's indifference and imply that he did not support ANY effort to investigate Katrina for political gain, will fail in the light of the FACTS.



Do you really believe this BS, you are spewing?



"Believe what you will, spin it how you like, but this is a non-story. A non-issue.



To quote Obama, 'a distraction.'



Katrina is a 'wedge issue' and is used to keep black voters voting for Democrats."



A non-issue, a distraction, a wedge issue? Even though most people would be ashamed to utter those catch phrases used repeatedly by Republicans to dismiss their failures on so many levels.



Update your word choice, we have heard it all before by Rove, McClellan and the Harvard and Yale graduate George Bush.



DAMN. JUST DAMN.

Most of the white women who are going through their own form of withdrawal are what we call in the south Ms. Ann.


You all know her, she might be different in the north, but the charcteristics are usually the same, the air of entitlement and priviledge, and their condescending attitude toward the lesser humans among them, with their benevolence towards others that goes only so far IF it doesn't impede on their selfish lives, in essence any leftovers after they are finished. And don't you dare disagree with them on any issue because Ms. Ann knows best, as long as you stay in your place.



This is nothing new. Some of these women actually believe by allowing us, in this case Barack Obama to compete, they are enlightened, BUT, once the game is at an end we are suppose to lose and let them have their perceived and expected and most times unearned rewards. When that doesn't happen, the results are what you are seeing from these women: anger, disbelief that those people (us) didn't know or stay in our place. How dare we.



Nothing new, but maybe new to some of you who have never experienced it in such outward and upfront displays. Thus, the woman's outburst the other day when she could not understand how Black folks were voting for Barack Obama because we did not understand what we were doing and as a result should not be allowed to vote.



There it is.

Congratulations to JJP!


You have arrived to the point that the small amount of trolls have increased to the point, that they have infiltrated this blog with their non-sensical drivel and attempts to bash Obama.



The trolls are threatened by intelligent discussion from Black folks!



My frieeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnndss, you have arrived!

The DLC has used the CBC as an arm of its operations for years. Unfortunately, year after year, their constituents keep re-electing them not realizing that the corporations have literally bought them as if they were actually on the auction block.


There was a report out yesterday that the Black politicians who supported Hillary are begging her to talk with Obama about getting those challengers off their backs. How ironic, that they assumed by supporting Ms. Hillary against Obama they would be taken care of, yet here they sat crying for Ms. Hillary to save them to speak with the man they were trying to eliminate to save their sorry asses.



Stephanie Tubbs is scary. On MSNBC last night Chris Matthews started speaking with her before her picture was on camera and when she did appear with all her teeth and gums showing and those glasses on-- she scared me. I screamed turn it off, turn it off! I'm wrong, but that's what I did.



In the next couple of days I guess Hillary will release those house negroes so they can get on the Obama bus, hope he ain't smelling what those rats are cooking.



Doesn't need them.

Everytime McCain would grin after his change phrase, I got scared.


Keep small children away from looking at this speech!



Any resemblance to Dr. Strangelove is intended.

There are no civil words to describe that weasel Harold Ford, who would sell his soul (and almost did) to be one of the players at this political table.


He is/was one of the corporatist CBC members who voted time after time against the interest of his own constituents and was ALWAYS one of the members of the DLC who bent over everytime a Republican told them to, yet here he sits as usual given praise for a speech that was judged as horrible by everybody who saw it accept--Harold Ford. Obviously, it is a reflexive act, since he has bent over so much to the Republicans that he just automatically falls into line, SOP for Harold Ford, nothing new.



My "there it is" moment during Hillary's speech came when she said she was not making any decisions tonight. For those who still support Hillary, can it be any clearer? She had the war chest of money, name recognition, and all of that, yet she lost! She is a sore loser who cannot let go, and now has the audacity to say she will THINK about being the VP if asked.



This is what she has become, an extortionist and blackmailer. Are you Hillary fans with that?



Sad, Sad, Sad.