Disqus - Latest Comments for awinters

Re: Voting in the Blount County Courthouse

awinters — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:37:13 -0000

Although it doesn't matter to me either way, I think it would be an even more compelling story if he was the descendents of slaves. The media would have a field day with that if he is elected. But the general reality is compelling enough.

Re: Tennessee Republican Senator Corker Agrees With Obama: Leave His Wife Alone

awinters — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:36:44 -0000

Michelle's a strong woman. She can take it and in the long run, just like every other time people go overboard, it will work in his favor.

Re: Confronting The Long Primary Season’s Twin ‘Isms’ & Why Barack Obama Has Won

awinters — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:33:45 -0000

Great picture.

Re: From the KKK To Endorsing Barack Obama

awinters — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:40:11 -0000

Historic? Meh.

I'll bet Hillary is somewhere saying, "Aint this a b*&^!"

Re: Obama’s Run: The ‘Miracle’ of America that Could Change the World

awinters — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:38:33 -0000

It's cool beans, but not all that.

Re: Abandoning Bush

awinters — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:02:41 -0000

Is everyone hear avoiding the real point? That picture/headline choice is hilarious.

Re: Obama Closes The Gap In Pennsylvania: An Interview With a Keystone State Political Pro

awinters — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:42:21 -0000

I had no hopes Obama would win PA, but if he can come close in the delegate count after a pretty crappy March & April, then come on.

Re: Britain: People Find It Difficult To Pay Off Loans…

awinters — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:41:22 -0000

Doesn't look very promising.

Credit is all about pleasure vs pain. Now that I'm in law school, I live well below my means but I've always seen the value of living within your means. And while my friends all had BMWs and $500K mortgages at 26, they are all now in horrible debt or losing everything. I could have afforded it then as well, but debt is more painful to me than driving a Chevy Malibu.

Re: Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) has cancer relapse

awinters — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:39:12 -0000

That's too bad. I wish him well. Politics just simply aren't as important as health.

Re: Obama’s Cousin’s Dogwalker Makes Inappropriate Comment

awinters — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:07:41 -0000

Love that headline. Funny stuff.

Re: ‘I’ve Been To the Mountaintop’

awinters — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:48:50 -0000

I actually think that although MLK would be disappointed in the condition of the country as appearantly 80% of other Americans do, he would be quite happy to see the accomplishments of what he and his co-horts started. He wanted race to no longer pay a factor in the average black American's pursuit of his/her American Dream and to a large extent it doesn't. It has been replaced by class, which is not good either, but that's another issue.

Re: Bailout Debate

awinters — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:26:18 -0000

Yes, I agree that is a mistake too.

Re: ‘Our Current Polity,’ Redux

awinters — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:59:59 -0000

Paul - That was what I got from Barry's first book. He was experiencing that angry black man as a youth because of some his experiences here in the states and he examined the concepts of black nationalism and made a conscious decision to reject that and find another way. However, before that he had already formed a familial bond with someone and you don't toss that aside because they don't move ahead with you. But sound bites or not, that Rev. Wright sounds crazy.

Re: ‘Our Current Polity,’ Redux

awinters — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:57:29 -0000

CS - I agree, but in my conversations with others it sounds to me that people have heard completely different speeches. To me it was a positive speech with honesty that might have been a little uncomfortable at times, but overwhelming positive and forward looking.

Re: ‘Our Current Polity,’ Redux

awinters — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:25:04 -0000

It really doesn't matter what he said. If you watch TV, read the internet and papers, people who don't like him only selectively remember what supports that and the people who do did the same.

Politics as usual.

Re: Text of Barack Obama speech on race, 3/18/08

awinters — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:15:40 -0000

Awesome speech. Well done. Those who are against him won't let Wright go, but there is no way they can suggest that he carries those views so he is no different than anyone else who has a family member or loved one who says batshit crazy stuff about race.

Re: The Black American Divide

awinters — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:32:14 -0000

Domajot - This reads to me like the ingratitude of the young to theri elders (Yes, I'm a grandmother, so I may have my own axe to grind, even though I"m white.)
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Which is the usual response I get from the older generation. But you're wrong. As I wrote in the post, we are well aware that the reason we don't have to focus on race is because of the work of that generation. But things change and certain methods are not only no longer ineffective, but now detrimental.

Domajot - Why is the correct amount of anger to those events defined by those who have never faced equal dangers for the sake of their progeny?
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Your generation did it. So does ours and so will the next one. The generation coming to power (regardless of race) will redefine the culture, the values and the methods of communication. That's just reality. We've never said you can't be angry. We are angry too. However, we believe that there are much more productive and effective ways of expressing that anger than yelling out ridiculous things like the GOVERNMENT CREATED HIV to kill black people.

Domajot - By showing understanding and appreciation, Obama is not showing a desire to emulate. Perhaps, he is simply saying 'thank you' for the benfits the modern generation reaps from the anger of its forebears.
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If you read the post, this is why I said he will not desert the pastor and I wouldn't expect him too.

Domajot - A good dose of anger was required to produce the resolve necessary even for peaceful protests, you know
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As I said it was appropriate then and justified, but it isn't any longer. Whether you are white or black from that era, you have a responsibilty to evolve just as the country has.

Domajot -The world in another 20 years will be different again. Are you ready to be held accountable by the generation of that day for mot living now according to the conditions of the future?
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Absolutely. And I'm also ready to adjust my communication style to the way that best furthers the interest of black people 20 years from now if that style is different than it is now. My objective is progress.

Wright continues to want to "fight the power," but the only result will be keeping the power white.

Re: The Black American Divide

awinters — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:58:25 -0000

Pacatrue - I'm not sure. It was a train of thought held by a lot of blacks a long time ago and it was justified. The government was their enemy in many ways. From legal slavery to Jim Crow. So it was a widespread belief. However, how many still feel like that after things have changed? I don't know any black people who don't know someone who they don't want to be invited over when their friend is visiting.

Re: The Black American Divide

awinters — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:41:29 -0000

Paul Silver - To me the challenge and opportunity is for the younger generations to suck up the courage and patiences to share their experience with the older generations.
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Absolutely and many of us do this, but I have to say that it isn't easy. Many of those people dealt with things my generation couldn't even imagine and they feel they've earned the right to be bitter. Within our community we are considered disrespectful and ungrateful when we tell them there is a different way or this is no different than white racism.

I got into an argument with a 50 year old black man about what companies should do to increase diversity in their professional ranks. His first resort was to be angry, to point fingers, to place blame, make threats. My choice to put together a strategy that would lead us to more qualified minority professionals such as recruiting more at HBCUs, using search firms that specialize in minority candidates, partnering with black professional associations and encouraging more referrals from our minority employees.

He said I was a coward and unappreciative of what it takes to get things done because white people don't want us in corporate America and won't listen unless you back them against the wall.

Jesse Jackson Jr. even said that he and his father disagree on many issues because he father does it the old way and doesn't want to change.

Re: The Black American Divide

awinters — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:25:56 -0000

Idiosyncat,

I get what you're saying. I really do. But at what point does someone's off-the-wall toxicity render them as someone the community should expunge?
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No where in my post will you see an apology for Obama. This scrutiny is justified. His words are awful and Obama heard those words and continued to go to that church. If my pastor said those things I would never go back to that church, but that doesn't mean I would desert him completely if I considered him family. I think the same would be for you if you had a relative that was racist and you call them on it every time they spout that crap, but you don't stop loving them.

The question of expunging remains the issue for me. Our generation has been angry for a while that the older generation's obssession with race is affecting the future. To be honest, that generation has a lot of resentment towards us because we won't get on board with that stuff.

Look at the controversy on the Hill between older black members of Congress and the younger ones like Artur Davis, Harold Ford, Jr. and others who cross the line and vote with Republican on things like taxes. They get hell for it.

Re: The Black American Divide

awinters — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:48:40 -0000

Ha! We all have those folks in our family and I think a lot of white people have the equivalent in theirs. And like you said, you just don't stop loving them.

The recent State of Black America made it clear. These generalizations just don't work anymore because, good or bad, blacks have gone the way of every other race in the country, splitting by economic lines. Poor blacks are going in one direction and middle class blacks in another. The generational thing just another split and unfortunately, this dust up is a glaring example.

Re: Hillary Clinton’s Monster Mash: Apologizing Her Way to the Nomination & White House?

awinters — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:26:25 -0000

I'm sick of all the apologies for stuff someone else is saying. Too much media time is spent on this stuff and not the issues. If this is what it will be like from March to November, screw it all.

Re: Sorry, Mickey, There is a Difference

awinters — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:24:04 -0000

I see the difference, but it doesn't even matter. The point is that SHE introduced race into the conversation and is crying over the response. She's acting as if she made a general statement about Obama and people are calling her a racist just because Obama is black. That is NOT what happened. She made a negative statement pertaining to his skin color.

Personally I think its ridiculous to think that, in a country with the racial history we have had for more than 300 years, a black man with a Muslim name resembles that of a hated terrorist and a dictator, is LUCKY. But even if she does think he's lucky to be black, fine. That's an opinion and his race is a reason why people are so into him.

But the problem here is that she's getting pissed off that people are upset about it. If you have the balls to bring up the issue of race, then have the balls to deal with the reactions. There is no way a rational person would think they can say that someone has only accomplished what they have because of the color of their skin and people aren't going to respond to it. She's acting like a victim.

Re: Obama’s Pastor: A Campaign Issue In The Making?

awinters — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:18:22 -0000

I think that is totally foul for his pastor to say that, but I'm sick of these politicians being made to apologize and denounce or whatever for someone else. Aren't we all sick of the apologies. Damn, we all have a friend or someone that, if we knew everything they did or said, we'd be like WTF, but that wouldn't make us a bad person.

Re: New Anti-McCain Video Parodies Pro-Obama Video

awinters — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:52:15 -0000

Sad thing is that people will believe this is somehow part of their campaigns and hold them responsible. Some people are just like that.