Out of Line

[somarco]

Lately it seems some folks are allowing prejudices to come through in their posts, particularly with regard to the president. Some have even been accused of making comments with racist undertones.

I have no idea if that was the intent or not, nor do I care. If someone wants to be racist and prejudicial, blatantly or otherwise, that is their problem.

Personally, I don't care for the president. I didn't vote for him, don't believe he is qualified for the job and believe he is in way over his head. His policy decisions are not helping and in fact are making things worse in many ways.

In spite of his bravado, he has not turned the economy around, the war is getting worse, not better, and some of our enemies will be testing him before too much time passes.

He tries to distract attention away from some of his decisions by doing these traveling road shows with hand picked crowds and campaign rhetoric.

In fact, the emperor has no clothes and the chickens are coming home to roost.

All that said, he has not demeaned the office of president as did Bill Clinton with his escapades with an intern in the Oval Office. Nor has he blatantly lied under oath to save his skin.

As president, he deserves respect regardless of his skin color.

Personally, I find it in very poor taste when someone makes racial comments or charges another member with making racist comments.

 

[HealthGuy]

Somarco: Good points - do you have a problem with the title: The Kenyan? If so, serious question: is that a racist title?

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

I'm with you Bob. I don't approve of Obama's job performance, but his skin color makes no difference to me.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

The "birthers" are the most absurd group - ever. You don't think the Clinton and McCain campaigns looked under every possible rock to see if he was citizen?

You really think Hillary risked losing the nomination to someone who didn't quality to be president? Those campaigns likely spend hundreds of thousands in hopes of either proving he wasn't born in Hawaii or casting enough doubt to cost him the election.

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

I just saw the "Kenyan" thread. While I dont think InsDave's intent was to be racist, I can see how it could be interpreted that way.

 

[HealthGuy]

As far as I'm concerned Obama isnt black anyway - hes 1/2 biologically white so this 'racist' argument is void and null and doesnt matter anyway. Even if people are racist because he may look black, hes not - hes still 1/2 white. Why does Obama himself then identify himself as black when hes not? Hes really not the first black President in history because he is still 1/2 white. Seems like Obama may be racist against his white family history. Thats not my fault. Wasn't it Obama himself that made statements that it was his grandmother that acted like a "white person". That sounds kinda reverse racist to me. Why is everybody always deemed racist if they just don't agree with this man and why does Obama get to call himself 'black' when hes 1/2 white? I'm tired of all this.

 

[Winter_123]

I just saw the "Kenyan" thread. While I dont think InsDave's intent was to be racist, I can see how t could be interpreted that way.

It does depend on the context. A video was posted the other day wherein a black, lib, wacko woman congressperson from California rubbed in the publics face that we had elected a Kenyan and a Kansan. Within that context, I also agree with her. We need to remember that we have a elected a president who values and background may not be steeped in colonial, constitutional America. He does not help by saying and doing things that make us wonder what kind of tradition he comes out of. Sometimes we wonder if it is a Chicago politics tradition. Other days we may wonder if he is on a kenyan global citizen trip. Within that context it is all fair political game. If not, he better start getting used to it. This is of course different than just taking a swipe at someone by calling them Kenya to mean an african for no other purpose.

Personally I think before the Tea Party activity is all over with he will be turning the Cuban-Kenya dial down a little and the Kansas one up if he is smart. We shall see.

 

[TXINSURANCE]

There is no place for blatant racial remarks, I hope we can all agree on that. There are however elements of government, and even the new reform bill that specifically relate to one's race.

One reform bill I read created the new office of minority health, there was one other new agency related to one's race I forgot as well. This brings up serious questions if this is necessary in 2009?

Health care reform at the federal level will have issues specific to one's race.

It would be nice if everyone stopped pointing out how "different" we all are and focus on the commonality.

This starts at the top and works it's way down.


P.S. We are a mixed race non white household with mixed children, this is not some opinion of an all white household. We never look at our family as minority or mixed - it's never even discussed or thought of - who cares...

 

[briko3]

Right or not, in this country if you look black and have any black in your lineage, you're considered black. You can say "biologically" this and that, but that doesn't change how reality is.
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As far as creating an office of minority health, there are two things I want to point out. First, it's a bill, not the law. Second, if there is a problem that is larger for a specific group of people, is it wrong to put resources towards that specific group of people? I think we're getting a little overly sensitive here. Another example of this is women's groups. Some say that women should be treated just like men. The problem is that women sometimes have problems in a larger proportion than men. So in my humble opinion, it's OK for their to be groups and "offices" that help specifically women.

 

[HealthGuy]

Reality is - regardless of perception - Obama is 1/2 white. Hes not a "black" man and who gives a s#$T if he was black? It seems like the only people who care hes black are black people and racist whites. Non racist white people don't care that hes 1/2 black and 1/2 white. Why do black people usually identify him as the first black President when hes not?