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Hen81
Regular Poster
Username: Hen81
Post Number: 29
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: 
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 10:15 pm: | 
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Barak Obama is trying to walk across the toughest mine field in political history. A black man who's very name is being used against him in recorded phone calls.
Barak has been stung by the ganging up on a woman issue in New Hampshire. The sympathy vote in reaction to an emotional moment by his opponent hit him. If he had the same emotional moment it would not make him seem "human" but weak. There is probably a hidden backlash rooted in an ugly history of certain people speaking to certain other people in a certain way. He was stung by that when he made the "You're likable enough Hillary." remark. If Barak comes back harshly, he gets a backlash. If he does not challenge distortions he gets penalized.
Let's not be mistaken, there is an element of "getting out of your place" at work here, even if it is subtle. Code words are flying under the radar of some, but they are there. If race is brought up, you get the "They're playing the race card again" and that gives people that need very excuse to go against a black man motivation to get out and vote.
Then there is the image of prominent blacks opposing another black man. The only thing Obama can do is continue to speak the truth and maybe the other side will run out of political tricks or their act will wear thin over time. Now we will see if blacks truly have confidence in each other or will we support a black man running for President like we support black businesses. The difference is the White House or the outhouse. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 11218
Registered: 01-2004
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 11:39 pm: |
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In other words, Obama is a victim. All the other candidates are at fault and anybody who doesn't suppport him is a racist or a traitor. My, my. What's he running for? President or Pope? |
Hen81
Regular Poster
Username: Hen81
Post Number: 30
Registered: 09-2007
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 12:49 am: |
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I never said Obama was a victim. John Edwards got caught up in the fray also. To ignore the historical fate of black men who interacted or were accused of disrespting a white woman is to forget Emmitt Till and everyone else that paid the ultimate price. There are undertones of deep wounds from the past rearing their heads. Whenever it comes up a firestorm erupts. Reporters are now afraid to talk about race and gender. The man still has to prove his worth and earn the office.
Let's not be naive about our history in this country. We just had a woman golf analyst on the Golf Channel say that young golfers may need to lynch Tiger Woods in a back alley to beat him. She said she meant no harm.
I never said victim, I said it is a difficult position to be in. I have read all sorts of nasty comments about Oprah getting a single channel through her deal with the Discovery network. Many of the people that "loved" her say she is going to far, wants to much and trying to own the world. Rupert Murdoch owns multiple networks, newspapers and just bought the Wall Street Journal, his influench is far more than what Ophrah will have. Be you not deceived, we are still perceived to have a "place" in this country by many. Many need very little excuse to exercise that in the voting booth. Why do you think Obama is going after young, independent and even appealing to dissatified Republicans. He understands the core traditional democrats are going to Clinton and the results are showing that result. Now he swings south and the contrasts will be sharp by voting blocks. Some of Obama's endorsements from long time democrats are sending a signal that the voters are missing. Kerry and others are signaling to democrats that Clinton has a general election problem with her high negative numbers.
Facts are Obama's support among blacks went up when he proved that many whites would vote for him. People can support whomever they want. There is not a traitor statement made there. The issue is are we willing to entrust the keys to dirve the country to someone that looks like us.
There is a huge fear of getting out of a comfort zone. That comfort zone has been a white male. The promised breakthrough is being sold as a woman, but not far behind her is the great security blanket.
If Bill Clinton was not in the picture, would Hillary be nearly as appealing. The warm glow of the Clinton years were Bill's not Hillary's.
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Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 11227
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 10:47 am: |
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Well, Hen81, if you didnt, you should've said that Obama is a "victim", after chronicaling all of the bias he falls heir to.
In this contest everybody is a victim because they are all at the mercy of the attacks of their opponents or the circumstances of their color or disadvantages of their gender and both black skin and white can be a draw back.
Hopefully, at some point the focus will turn to issues instead of who's the biggest martyr or the worst witch. Being able to rise above adversity is a trait that any prospective POTUS should possess. |
Hen81
Regular Poster
Username: Hen81
Post Number: 31
Registered: 09-2007
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 02:45 pm: |
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I'll tell you this and I have no additional comments on the issue. We came here in the belly of slave ships. Ironically Obama does not an have African American slave bloodline as his father is Kenyan. His mother was American and white and he was born in Hawaii. Some feel that he is not black enough, compared to...
Some ding Obama because he went to Harvard Law School. I thought that was the type of opportunity we sought, but when some of us attain it, it's held against them. Bill Clinton went to Georgetown and was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford in England. He played Rugby.Hillary Clinton went to Wellesley College and Yale law School. They are brilliant, but Harvard makes Obama not black enough, think on that. Blacks are not a monolithic voting block, but we get windows of opportunity, whether we step through them is up to us.
This is a scary time with the economy tanking, jobs outsourced and soldiers dying on the battlefied. A lot has change since Bill Clinton was in office. "Made in America" has been replaced by made in China, Vietnam and everywhere else. Toyota is the #2 selling auto brand in America. The mortgage meltdown is really hitting our community hard.
There have been many times when people said this is an important decision, this time it's real. This country is slipping down a slope in the world. Drastic change is required and that requires a break from old ways of doing things. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 11230
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 03:21 pm: |
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Why would you think that I would need to be told this since it is common knowledge, Hen81?
I agree that whoever wins the election faces an uphill battle. That's why I suggested that the issues need to be focused on and the backstories filed away since they are played-out.
(Incidentally, I am not the one giving you those single stars.)
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