[Skell]

My wife's car automatically locks the doors when put in gear. I don't lock my old pickup doors anywhere I drive in Amarillo, TX and never have. I live in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood and don't lock my doors, why should I do it anywhere else? The only places I ever really felt nervous was after taking wrong turns in D.C. and Omaha, and in downtown Dallas when some presumed Muslim guy wearing a veil kept walking back and forth in front of us at a stoplight while staring us down. It's the threatening looks and gestures, not the skin color, that causes concern.



Or in the mall where everyone hangs out, or the football stadium, or a hockey game, a baseball game? You're more in danger here of getting your car broken into while you're in church on the 'rich' side of town than a young black man snatching your purse. Our community is made up of a wonderful mix of whites, blacks, Hispanics, Vietnamese, Indians, Pakistanis, Laotians and others and from what I can tell we seem to get along rather well for the most part. But for what it's worth, I tell my wife to be aware of her surroundings EVERYWHERE she goes.



You are assuming racist comments are made at family dinners. Both mine and my brother's best friends growing up were Hispanic and we were all welcome in each other's homes. Presently, I am aware of only one white neighbor within two blocks of the house I grew up in and in which I have resided for the past 24 plus years. Why would we be making racist comments about our friends and neighbors?

I think if there were more people like you steve then this conversation wouldn't even be taking place because racism would have been defeated. But as you know that it isn't the case.

[BABRAM]

I'm catching up on some old threads.

Thanks Bobby, but I don't need a lecture. You can vote for whoever you want for whatever reason, and I don't recall having doubted how much Obama loves his granny.

I'm not chasing waterfalls, but I do think it's your Republican brethren that claims Obama threw his grandmother under the bus. Maybe you disagree with them, but I think on your on board the Elephant express.

I do find it amusing how sensitive Obama's supporters get over the idea that he might be imperfect, that his Messianic credentials are fading.

I'm sensitive about educating the next generation. Concerning Obama I know the pros and cons.

It's funny to see how quickly they change the subject when one of his flaws is revealed and after we've been treated to 8 years of Bush bashing, it's even funnier when they divert the attention to Bush.

Newsflash! Part of the election process after having a president that stank up the White House is figuring what didn't work.

Picture McCain saying something about a "typical black man." How long do you think before Jesse, Al, the NAACP and every MSM outlet in the country had a major hissy fit? Besides the latest Obama episodes revealing legitimate reasons to question his judgment, it highlights this racial double standard that myself and plenty of others are fed up with...and I don't need any "old white Republican news commentator" to explain it to me. Like it or not this past week has raised serious concerns about Obama, and until he can quit stumbling his way through it it's not going to get any easier for him or his supporters.

Jesse Jackson has weathered many racial innuendoes in his life, same for Al Sharpton, and the NCAAP has had numerous cases presented to the organization. You're asking me a "what if" and given the scenario if they knew the context of McCain saying "typical black man" they could understand if it was a derogatory slur or had meaning with factual historical evidence for the times.

I want to know what a "typical white person" is to Mr. Obama. Am I one? Are you one? Tell us Senator, what exactly is a "typical white person?"

Typical meaning having two Caucasian parents and in an era which was presented as normal. Provided Obama gets the Democratic nomination, I can't wait for McCain to present all the arguments that his supporters think are relative to the Presidency.

[speechlesstx]

I think if there were more people like you steve then this conversation wouldnt even be taking place because racism would have been defeated. But as you know that it isnt the case.

Thanks, Skell and I understand that. I just happen to be of the opinion that we need a lot less unnecessary talk about racism for tensions to ease.

[speechlesstx]

I'm not chasing waterfalls, but I do think it's your Republican brethren that claims Obama threw his grandmother under the bus. Maybe you disagree with them, but I think on your on board the Elephant express.

LOL, Bobby, I never got on that particular GOP bus. Give me a little credit where it's due my friend.

Newsflash! Part of the election process after having a president that stank up the White House is figuring what didn't work.

As well as vetting potential replacements.

Jesse Jackson has weathered many racial innuendoes in his life, same for Al Sharpton, and the NCAAP has had numerous cases presented to the organization. You're asking me a "what if" and given the scenario if they knew the context of McCain saying "typical black man" they could understand if it was a derogatory slur or had meaning with factual historical evidence for the times.

I also understand, and "factual historical evidence for the times" shows an extremely high probability that McCain would be battered and bashed to no end by the MSM.

Typical meaning having two Caucasian parents and in an era which was presented as normal. Provided Obama gets the Democratic nomination, I can't wait for McCain to present all the arguments that his supporters think are relative to the Presidency.

Like I said, I also understand. Given the pretext of his message was confronting racism as many news outlets described his speech, and the context of the passage was a nervous white grandmother "who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe," it's safe to say that's how he describes a "typical white person."

[excon]

" it's safe to say that's how he describes a "typical white person."

Hello again, Steve:

Talk about taking things out of context...

Even your righty dude, Chris Wallace yelled at the dufus doosie on Fox for doing that very thing.

excon

[talaniman]

it's safe to say that's how he describes a "typical white person."

There is no such thing as a typical white person, but some are better than others. What Obama said was, he understands the frustration that white people can feel, when confronted with racial situations.

[speechlesstx]

Hello again, Steve:

Talk about taking things out of context...

Even your righty dude, Chris Wallace yelled at the dufus doosie on Fox for doing that very thing.

Ex, at least I provided the context to support my view, unlike Bobby's explanation, "having two Caucasian parents and in an era which was presented as normal," or talaniman's, "he understands the frustration that white people can feel, when confronted with racial situations."

What part of viewing blacks with fear and "who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe" is hard to understand?

"The point I was making was not that my grandmother harbors any racial animosity, but that she is a typical white person. If she sees somebody on the street that she doesn't know (pause) there's a reaction in her that doesn't go away and it comes out in the wrong way."

It wasn't just "somebody on the street" he was referring to in his speech, it was "black men who passed by her." Add this from his speech:

Like the anger within the black community, these resentments (by "working- and middle-class white Americans") aren't always expressed in polite company. But they have helped shape the political landscape for at least a generation.

Combine the speech and his explanation and you get we may not harbor "racial animosity," we just can't help it that we act like racists... just like his mentor.

[talaniman]

Combine the speech and his explanation and you get we may not harbor "racial animosity," we just can't help it that we act like racists... just like his mentor.

Now I think your on to something. Older people have different memories, and experiences, and that's what makes them the way they are. You don't have to agree with it, but respectfully accept them for those experiences. Its your world now, so what are you going to do about it, as your experiences will be different, hopefully.

[speechlesstx]

Now I think your on to something. Older people have different memories, and experiences, and thats what makes them the way they are. You don't have to agree with it, but respectfully accept them for those experiences. Its your world now, so what are you going to do about it, as your experiences will be different, hopefully.

I definitely think I'm onto something here, but I think it's a stretch to think "older people" were all he meant by "typical white person" - especially since he was referring to the "resentments" being expressed by "working- and middle-class white Americans" in the passage.

[Wondergirl]

I definitely think I'm onto something here, but I think it's a stretch to think "older people" were all he meant by "typical white person" - especially since he was referring to the "resentments" being expressed by "working- and middle-class white Americans" in the passage.

Work for a company that has a union and discover racial tensions.

[speechlesstx]

Work for a company that has a union and discover racial tensions.

Wondergirl, I'm just curious, how is that relevant to my point?

[inthebox]

The Audacity to Hope | PreachingToday.com

While I ceratainly don't agree with the content of what has been played ad nauseaum in the news in regards to some of Rev J Wright's sermon, I found this.

[BABRAM]

ex, at least I provided the context to support my view, unlike Bobby's explanation, "having two Caucasian parents and in an era which was presented as normal," or talaniman's, "he understands the frustration that white people can feel, when confronted with racial situations."

Whoa! I gave you complete context. BTW it takes two Caucasians parents to be "white," and that's pretty typical in and of itself of United States history, per challenges in a court of law. Being mixed, as in mulatto, octoroon, or high yellow labeled you automatic black. It was speaking of a era of normalcy. It was "typical" in society at a time (Obama's grandmothers generation) when blacks had seating arrangements on a bus and couldn't drink at the same water fountains as whites. Even many of the nursing homes were segregated, down in Texas, and other parts of the country.

As for Talaniman's reply, that is essentially correct. Like Whoopi Goldberg mentioned yesterday, when a white person walks by six young black males hanging around on street corner, the individual more times than not will have some anxiety.

[speechlesstx]

Whoa! I gave you complete context. BTW it takes two Caucasians parents to be "white," and that's pretty typical in and of itself of United States history, per challenges in a court of law. Being mixed, as in mulatto, octoroon, or high yellow labeled you automatic black. It was speaking of a era of normalcy. It was "typical" in society at a time (Obama's grandmothers generation) when blacks had seating arrangements on a bus and couldn't drink at the same water fountains as whites. Even many of the nursing homes were segregated, down in Texas, and other parts of the country.

I gave my opinion based on the pretext of the speech and the context - with quotes - of what Obama said, and you? Which part of Obama's speech and/or interview support your opinion? Mine is based on what I know Obama said, not pure guesswork.

As for Talaniman's reply, that is essentially correct. Like Whoopi Goldberg mentioned yesterday, when a white person walks by six young black males hanging around on street corner, the individual more times than not will have some anxiety.

Ok, and? I offered analysis with supporting evidence, where's yours? By the way, he did attempt to clarify what he meant.

"What I was trying to express is something I expressed in the speech, which is that we all harbor stereotypes. That doesn’t make us bad people. It’s simply pointing out that – and by the way, the context in which I stated that is the fear of young black men on the streets. That’s not even unique to white people. African-Americans have incorporated those stereotypes.

"Part of what the speech was about was the stereotypes that still linger in the body politic. The anger, the resentments, and the stereotypes that sometimes serve us publicly and sometimes serve us privately. They’re sometimes directed at African-Americans, but African-Americans harbor their own stereotypes, and that’s part of what was the failure of Rev. Wright’s sermons, was assuming a set of attitudes that weren’t necessarily accurate.

I give him credit for admitting inaccurate stereotypes linger among blacks, but he still didn't exactly explain which stereotypes linger in the "typical white person." I'd even cut him some slack if he would have just said, "I'm sorry, that was a poor choice of words." But, he hasn't exactly dug himself out of this hole yet - it was a stupid, stupid thing to say.

[talaniman]

but he still didn't exactly explain which stereotypes linger in the "typical white person."

How about when he talked of the attitude toward affirmitive action, and the frustrations, and feelings of unfairness, when blacks are seemingly given positions over white students for college?

[BABRAM]

I gave my opinion based on the pretext of the speech and the context - with quotes - of what Obama said, and you? Which part of Obama's speech and/or interview support your opinion? Mine is based on what I know Obama said, not pure guesswork.

So that's your argument here? "Mine is based on what I know Obama said, not pure guesswork."

Got it! Glad you cleared that up. Wow!


What subject did you think we we're discussing? I'll debate Republicans until they pass on to meet the deceased Ronald Reagan, but you quoting my side of dialogue and not digesting it leads me to think your not reading it or have a distinct bias.


READ, DIGEST and LEARN about our United States history: BTW it takes two Caucasians parents to be "white," and that's pretty typical in and of itself of United States history, per challenges in a court of law. Being mixed, as in mulatto, octoroon, or high yellow labeled you automatic black. It was speaking of a era of normalcy. It was "typical" in society at a time (Obama's grandmothers generation) when blacks had seating arrangements on a bus and couldn't drink at the same water fountains as whites. Even many of the nursing homes were segregated, down in Texas, and other parts of the country.


Better yet, what part of the speech do you think didn't qualify within historical context?

Ok, and? I offered analysis with supporting evidence, where's yours? By the way, he did attempt to clarify what he meant.

Where's mine? Are you kidding me? Look up and see who started this post. Folgers, Maxwell House, Starbucks, Seattle's Best... go for it! Have a cup or two, please!

I give him credit for admitting inaccurate stereotypes linger among blacks, but he still didn't exactly explain which stereotypes linger in the "typical white person." I'd even cut him some slack if he would have just said, "I'm sorry, that was a poor choice of words." But, he hasn't exactly dug himself out of this hole yet - it was a stupid, stupid thing to say.

That was a backhanded way of giving someone credit, "it was a stupid, stupid thing to say." Stupid? Obama, a very educated person that understands the history in the era which Wright and his grandmother, both grew up in. I really hope John McCain loads up on your arguments at the general election debates. Wow! Wow! Wow!

[speechlesstx]

How about when he talked of the attitude toward affirmitive action, and the frustrations, and feelings of unfairness, when blacks are seemingly given positions over white students for college?

Or "and by the way, the context in which I stated that is the fear of young black men on the streets." Either way he was stereotyping white people with a stupid, stupid remark and he needs to just acknowledge that instead of trying to explain it any more.

[BABRAM]

Or "and by the way, the context in which I stated that is the fear of young black men on the streets." Either way he was stereotyping white people with a stupid, stupid remark and he needs to just acknowledge that instead of trying to explain it any more.

Got it! The Republican playbook calls factual history, "stereotyping." Wow!

[talaniman]

You need more time in the big city Speech, your small rural upbringing is showing. There is a town in rural Illinois that was focused on by 60 Minutes a number of years ago, that would blow your mind. The rumor of a black family, moving into a white neighborhood, had all the homeowners scurrying to sell before the couple moved in. Even though they were a doctor and lawyer couple, that fear had the residents losing the equity of there homes, out of fear. These were actual facts. Take a broader view before you commit your facts to public scrutiny.

[speechlesstx]

Got it! The Republican playbook calls factual history, "stereotyping." Wow!

Bobby, beats the double standard in the left's playbook :D