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Another Perspective
Black and White and Red All Over
Is this country serious about transcending race or just giving the government license to monkey around?
The body, as well as the head, was fearfully mutilated—the
former so much so as scarcely to retain any semblance of
humanity.
— The Murders in the Rue Morgue
Last week, American went ape. It was an ugly display. The sound of inevitability paralyzed legislatures from Washington to Sacramento, but the news was dominated by a small surprise: the mauling of a woman with a threatening new haircut by Travis, an intimately domesticated pet chimpanzee.
Everyone realized, egged on by Matt Drudge, that there was something all-too-fitting about the not-so-random reckoning evoked by the attack. To live in the company of beasts, no matter how close to the heart or the genes, is to court death in the company of beasts. It is impossible, in this day and age, not to click a link reading 911 TAPE: “HE RIPPED HER FACE OFF…HE’S EATING HER” — particularly when the assailant, gunned down by a cop trapped in his own squad car, had played without incident opposite Morgan Fairchild, and developed a taste for Chianti.
“This is not at all the personality I worked with,” Fairchild told the Daily News. “It was like having a very bright child on the set that wanted to be a part of everything. He was just an amiable little guy, friendly and just loved to be the center of attention.”
In short order, America’s cognitive dissonance over the chimp’s wrath was deepened the New York Post. If a picture speaks a thousand words, a cartoon is oftentimes cruelly inarticulate, especially in its own defense. Sean Delonas’ portrayal of a chimp-killing cop — “THEY’LL HAVE TO FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO WRITE THE STIMULUS BILL” — unwisely represented the stimpak’s multiple authors as a lone primate. On Thursday, February 19, the ratio of famous bloodthirsty monkeys to African-American Presidents sat at a damning 1:1, and in the frantic outcry that followed, Al Sharpton cut a figure of relative restraint.
With uncanny timing, Barack Obama’s Attorney General Eric Holder delivered a speech on race to the employees and appointees of the U.S. Department of Justice, in which he called America a “nation of cowards” afraid to “confront” something evasively described repeatedly as “racial issues” or “racial matters.”
Do some Americans secretly, truly analogize their President to a fat, pampered celebrity of the species Pan trogolodytes? “[C]ertain subjects are off limits, and to explore them risks, at best, embarrassment, and, at worst, the questioning of one’s character.” Without a national effort, led by the Department of Justice, to use Black History Month as an “artificial” pretext for an “awkward and painful” conversation, “the coming diversity that could be such a powerful, positive force will instead become a reason for stagnation and polarization.”
Black or white, Holder intoned, American faces are red all over — with embarrassment at how hard it remains to get cross-racial on weekends, to live with confidence outside of our “race-protected cocoons,” and to judge our fellow man on the sole basis of individual character.
His solution? The Department of Justice “must and will lead the nation to the new birth of freedom so long ago promised by our greatest president. This is our duty. This is our solemn responsibility.” It may be awful; it may be absurd; but hey: we’ve got a lot of learning about each other to do.
Holder’s vision of an American society that acknowledges yet transcends race is noble enough, encompassing “frank” talk about “the whole notion of affirmative action.” But it all amounts to a conference-room meeting called by The Office’s Michael Scott. Like Michael, Holder insists the awkwardness is the whole point. But he chalks it up mistakenly to our discomfort with race, which is nothing compared to our discomfort with government-led group therapy. Indeed, half the trouble with “frank talk about race” is that would-be session leaders like Holder can’t get more specific about the topic of conversation than “matters” or “issues” of race.
For Stephen Colbert’s truthiness, it seems, we are to substitute raceiness. The evasive shall lead the evasive. Who in the Department of Justice will boldly strike up a public discussion about how Barack Obama’s mixed African heritage — as opposed to a black American heritage — enabled many blacks and whites to perceive him as a redeemer fulfilling an old American promise? If the best our officeholders can do to encourage upright living is to live uprightly themselves, there is little they can do as “change agents” to sweep away our tacitly negotiated attitudes about race.
We’re told that we ditched the Bush years in favor of an anxious yet hopeful era of emotional socialism. But if Travis the Chimp’s rampage is a Rorschach blot for the American psyche, instead of a cuddle party of the soul, we’re nestled in shellshocked sarcasm and jaded black humor. This may be, in Holder’s phrase, “truly sad,” but turning to government to change our attitude won’t make us truly happy.
About the Author
James Poulos is a doctoral student at Georgetown and the former Political Editor of Culture11. His writing has been published by The American Conservative, The National Interest, The New Atlantis, Partnership for a Secure America, and The Weekly Standard. In addition to AmSpecBlog, he has blogged at The American Scene, Doublethink, and Postmodern Conservative, which he founded. With degrees in political science and law from Duke and USC, he is currently at work on a dissertation about life after Napoleon. In his spare time he anti-blogs at Pish Tosh.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (65) | Leave a comment
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Douglas Kniech| 2.23.09 @ 6:50AM
Eric Holder's comments about America's cowardice when it comes to discussing race is nothing but race baiting and despicable, he owes American's an apoogy.
Whether a person of color or not, they become fodder for the likes of Jesse Jackson , Al Sharpton, the mainline media, and the NAACP, anytime a comment is made or an attempt is made to start a dicussion of race in any public forum.
Comments like Eric Holder's lead me to rethink my opinions on race and I am the first to admit that I am becoming less tolerant of diversity and equal rights.
drudge ette obama| 2.23.09 @ 7:13AM
Douglas, you are reaching your saturation point. Like me, you desire to subjugate no one, but you are unwilling to bear a burden while having no responsibility for the underlying cause. Eric Holder is as he is seen: manipulative, self-serving and uninspiring. I say, let him talk on more. Speak freely, Eric. That's from one "coward" to another.
Steve| 2.23.09 @ 7:18AM
drudge ette obama:
Wonderfully said. I can think of nothing to add, so I'll shut up.
stu.b.con| 2.23.09 @ 7:57AM
I belong to a cigar club in suburban Detroit, this past week the shop we hang out in hosted a brand tasting which was open to the public and was well attended by men(and a few women). The crowd and club are decidedly multi-racial.
I have a question for Mr. Holder and his fellow race baiters...Should we have spent the afternoon discussing race issues with our friends and acquaintances? Or was it better to spend the afternoon sharing and reveling in our common love of a good cigar, good bourbon, and good conversation?
I think the answer is obvious, it's a shame that the true racists do not.
Wicked Dickie| 2.23.09 @ 8:03AM
Wesley Pruden put it about as well as it gets in last Friday's Washington Times column: "America had much to atone for and America has delivered." Indeed, we are beyond the saturation point.
Alan Brooks| 2.23.09 @ 8:30AM
black women are generally good, but black men are often-- at least the younger set-- wild.
Louis Jenkins| 2.23.09 @ 8:38AM
It is strange that every political action is tied to racism. The ‘gubenator’ of SC has expressed doubts about receiving his state’s share of the loot (stimulus bill) and it’s called racism. In my day that was called sound fiscal policy. Lacrosse players in Durham, NC, had a party, and as many college male oriented parties do, involved a female, who happened to be black, and well, you know the story. J. Jackson, the Black Panthers, et al, called it racism. Call it what it was, an attempted heist. Heads rolled on the campus and multiple apologies were issued before the jury came in. Speaking in broad terms, everyone in America has decent opportunities at education, even affirmative action programs, yet segments of our society are not meeting the standards for employment. This is branded as racism. Private discussions with blacks in my end of the world usually revolve around their profession, their children, sickness in the family, and church. Do I go home with them on the weekend? No. My weekend is usually filled with personal obligations, yard work, etc., I don’t even visit or spend time with the neighbors, and I’ve got a notion that many Americans are busy with their life. To claim that an existence of this nature is purely racially driven is a false accusation. Perhaps the infamous cartoon was meant to be racist in nature, perhaps it is more an insult to primates, but I have come to view politicians, activists, newsmedia, and the pc crowd as baboons regardless of their color or creed.
Pingback| 2.23.09 @ 8:53AM
Stimulus » Black and White and Red All Over links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Alan Brooks| 2.23.09 @ 9:04AM
stop the world, I want to get off.
Alan Brooks| 2.23.09 @ 9:07AM
...the next decade will be wilder than the '70s, I can feel it coming.
Bram| 2.23.09 @ 9:22AM
If Mr. Holder wanted to further race relations, he would stop talking about race. A racist (still white majority) nation does not have a black Attorney General working for a black President.
Neither accusations of greed or racism can convince me to willingly forfeit more of my income or freedoms.
Seymour Kleerly | 2.23.09 @ 9:38AM
As a liberal/progressive, not sure what the difference is, I feel Eric Holder's comments are dumb and perfect fodder for the Right. His Coulteresque bombs will blow up in his face and hurt his intended message.
Marc Jeric| 2.23.09 @ 9:58AM
Holder is a typical racist, in addition to being terrorist supporter (remember his pardon of Porto Rico bombers?), a lawyer for Castro (remember Elian Gonzalez?), pardon-selling of Marc Rich (remember $100,000 for Clinton Library?). He should worry more about 70% of black children without a father, and about 70% of all murders being committed by 3% of population (black males between 18 and 30 years of age). By the way, the NY Post cartoon meant that the Democrat Congress is a chimp.
jack preston| 2.23.09 @ 10:14AM
Again we are left to question Obama's judgement. He has not only placed a person of such low moral character at Justice, a guy who approved pardons of fugitive Marc Rich and the PR terror group(one in return for money and the other for votes) but now appears to be a race pimp. How can anyone in the country have respect for our government or its laws when someone who treats our laws with such disdain hold the office?
Has any president packed a cabinet with so many people who we knew were corrupt and mendacious before they were appointed?
The media is still largely to blame for this problem because they did not properly vet Obama to the public.
As Sean Penn said last night at last we had the courage to elect an elegant man as President. He may be an imbecile, a horrid judge of character,and socialist grifter but at least he is elegant.
Dustoff| 2.23.09 @ 10:35AM
Hmmm, during all my years in school. I could have sworn there was only one race. (human)
Anthony| 2.23.09 @ 10:41AM
In Holder's neighborhood, wherever the hell it is in the D.C. metro area, I suspect all his tightly packed neighbors, in 5,000 sq ft mansions, complete with servants quarters, are all upper echelon Washington parasites with much in common to discuss across their wrought iron fences. Ah yes, if only the rest of America was like Holder and his neighbors. Speech codes and political correctness don't concern the political elites when they hobnob; members of the club are all in on the joke. The rest of us cowards have to deal with real life and real consequences of our actions; we don't all get a "Get out of jail free card" like Holder & friends. So Eric, what was the hot racial topic at Obama's black tie dinner, after only a month in office, as the country tanks, or was Bush-Cheney bashing derigueur?
Crusader| 2.23.09 @ 11:06AM
To get past the "race issue" means we actually have to move forward. For instance, my organization is celebrating "Black History Month." In our foyer there is a poster and on it it says "The quest for black citizenship in the Americas." Maybe I am not the best student of history out there but isn't that quest over?
You see the template is keep reliving the 1870s to the 1960 over and over to keep the victim mentality alive and well. Doesn't matter that the prez is a mulatto or the nation's top cop is black. You can't control a free people. You can control victims. Sheep need watchdogs.
Control = power.
Robert Stacy McCain | 2.23.09 @ 11:07AM
Excellent. Excellent, sir!
ame| 2.23.09 @ 11:16AM
Eric Holder’s “coward” comment reeks of misplaced, uneducated, and self-serving falsehood in total negation and rejection of the what the leaders and the people of our nation suffered and died for: the inherent right, the immanent right on which our nation was conceived – all men are created equal – none deserving more and none deserving less then the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – this all set in the declarations of the Bill of Rights and our Constitution are all that government should do for the people: protect, defend, preserve those rights – NOTHING MORE.
Mr. Holder’s coward comment promotes half-truth, dissembling prattle so constant in this Administration. Holder’s exploitation of an inequality, his juvenile ‘Coward” name calling, his puerile political correctness, his empty rhetoric also so constant with this Administration, and his pitting us against one another promotes distrust, establishes untruth, ignites a renewal of hatred, and demonstrates an ignorance of the law he has vowed to uphold. This from an attorney general whose “coward” comment enacts special privilege for the few, inequality in choosing those whom he deems special – some above others – some more equal than.
For everyone’s desire to ride Lincoln’s coattails, and that includes the arrogance of Mr. Obama, no one seems to understand exactly what Lincoln held and fought to preserve. It wasn’t anything as trite and unfair as Obama’s “fairness” income redistribution. Nor did Lincoln believe as Michelle Obama does that Americans are “mean-spirited” or use an opportunity to make his wife more equal than others by doubling her salary through earmarks that take from the taxpayer and give to someone else.
Lincoln was centered on Jefferson’s Enlightenment that all men were created equal, endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights – therefore, no one can own another. No one can put another above, can take from one and then give that to someone else – no one can declare some above, beyond, over others as this Administration’s economic policies do: make slaves of those who labor in order to serve those who do not.
People have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, not the right to health care or social security or free housing. Not smoking, not over eating, not burdening oneself with debt, not coveting, not demanding that others give us “a car, a bathroom, a kitchen, a free mortgage, better benefits” are all ways of pursuing happiness. Smoke and risk cancer and early death. Your choice of unhappiness. Overeat and refuse to exercise and promote high blood pressure, diabetes. Your choice of unhappiness. Spend every last dime putting yourself in debt. Your choice of unhappiness. Making others pay for the selfish demands of the few who do pursue happiness through labor and self-control and responsibility is to make those people slaves to those who refuse to do so.
The irony of liberalism, progressive democrat ideology is to create slaves of taxpayers and workers all in the name of “fairness,” but actually power for themselves.
Cowardice, Mr. Holder, is not standing up against that, not knowing the law of inalienable rights forbids it, not understanding that America has paid in ground-soaking blood to end inequality that you promote. Martin Luther King never demanded handouts, never demanded that one give another what his own labor provided. Martin Luther King never belittled others as “cowards.”
Americans are not cowards, Mr. Holder, but our government in often filled with them: they don’t pay taxes but take high positions in government, excused and unpunished; they get sweetheart deals with Countrywide, but wag their tongue at bankers; they let a young woman die in the black water of Chappaquiddick, but preach morality; they rise through
Chicago thug politics, takes deals from Rezko, promote victim hood and then pretend to be a leader worthy of the presidency. They bomb their own country and then pose as education professors. They scream prejudice and hatred from pulpits and hide behind “theology”; they strong-arm banks, use interns for their sexual pleasure, take money from governments around the world, and have no shame. They refuse to investigate, to present factual information, present biased ideas, refuse to expose fraud and call themselves the media.
Americans see cowardice everyday from those they have elected to serve the people and honor the Constitution. People in government should look in the mirror, if one can be found big enough to reflect such bloated egos and sorry souls and see cowardice, Mr. Holder. Americans are sick of hearing the political racist garbage you spout, tired of being insulted by the ignorance as you promote, tired of being lectured by false faces.
One quality Americans do NOT have is cowardice, Mr. Holder, but we know it when we see it. Americans have died, serve today knowing they might die, stand up for what is right everyday and risk dying all in the belief that all men are created equal, to protect our freedom, and the Constitution that guarantees them.
Step out of your privileged gas-guzzling taxpayer paid limo, Mr. Holder, tear yourself away from White House cocktail parties, and take your elitist, prickly, self-righteous being, muddy your polished shoes in the battlefield of Gettysburg, among the tombstones of Arlington, humble yourself before memorials to fallen heroes such as our military that abound on The Mall. and remember the living heroes who make your ignorance and anger look as pathetic as – well, a mirror’s reflection in D.C. Your indulgent, cushioned existence is paid by their ultimate sacrifice.
Black has no more suffering than Brown, no more sorrow than Red, no more agony than Yellow, no more pain than White, no more rights than all men. But cowardice, Mr. Holder, is in thinking that it does and promoting that lie for political gain. Distortion, dissemblance, equivocation are all forms of cowardice, Mr. Holder.
Our nation’s endurance, her dedication to preserve the equality of all men, was and is and will always be paid for in the blood of her people and that sacrifice knows no cowardice, but those who benefit from that and refuse to acknowledge it and play for pathetic victim hood and self-pity and misplaced fury do. When did you last “serve,” Mr, Holder.
Cowardice, Mr. Holder, is in lots of hollow talk – “typical white people” “cowards” “above my pay grade” talk – which you and others in government have mastered so well. Mirrors don’t lie. Take a long, hard look.
Appleby| 2.23.09 @ 11:30AM
People like Eric Holder do not want equality. They want revenge. They really want to get a lot of white people in a room and beat the snot out of them one by one until at last they feel satisfied.
Eric Holder and all his ilk should be watched carefully. They are the most dangerous people in America.
bobmontgomery| 2.23.09 @ 11:55AM
Holder will use the Department of Justice. Holder needs to be called before Congress(oops! no one to do the calling). Holder is a name-caller, therefore it is proper to call Holder names. Holder is a thug, just like Bobby Rush is a thug, just like Jesse Jackson is a thug. Holder could care less about human dignity. They want power and money and to shakedown corporations, universities and governments, just like they always have. Obama just unveiled his 'tax coporate America' plan, following closely on his plan to entrench ACORN. Holder said he will use the Department of Justice. He will use the Department of Justice.
JRL| 2.23.09 @ 12:05PM
WELL SAID 'ame!'
I'm going to print the above comment and hang it on my office wall. That should give fodder for 'discssion!'
What we're getting from BO's Washington ruling class is more like fertilizer.
stmichrick| 2.23.09 @ 12:10PM
It's amusing to watch these graying, elite ,60/70s leftists continue to view American society as a collection of victim groups overwhelmed by a white power establishment.
I resent that he assumes that large numbers of Americans need to heed his instruction to fall into politically correct line.
What an ass.
Thomas| 2.23.09 @ 12:29PM
The Obama administration's concern over "racism" in America is well grounded in political practicality. Barack Obama's race, and the charges of "racism" launched at any who dared to question his qualifications for the office and his ideology, played a large part in his subsequent election. Whether "racism" exists in any significant measure in this country is irrelevant. For them, it must exist to assure their power and, therefor, it shall exist.
stmichrick| 2.23.09 @ 12:40PM
Exactly right Thomas.
It's a strategy that's becoming more and more apparent to regular voters though and may play itself out with this administration.
macdaddy| 2.23.09 @ 2:14PM
The proper response to Mr. Holder's comments is to roll one's eyes and say, "Whatever, dude." Holder and his buddies, Sharpton and Jackson are relics. They are stuck in the last century and are desperately trying to be relevant, especially since their 401Ks are in the tank. Need to keep that cash flow coming.
Pingback| 2.23.09 @ 2:33PM
Diabetes Info » juvenile diabetes [2009-02-23 19:24:20] links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Joe B| 2.23.09 @ 3:39PM
Jane Goodall studied chimpanzees to gain deep insights into human communities and behavior. And there are certain clear analogies between the way chimps and humans interact. Certainly the term going "ape-sh*t" means something to us in our daily lives far away from the zoo; and, the the sheer volume of US crime statistics bear out that it is far more common for blacks to revert to vicious primate behavior than whites. Indeed, black criminals are unique in their apparent willingness to humiliate, rape, and slaughter a helpless young white female (or male) in the most grotesquely imaginable way. (The Winchester Horror, the Knoxville Horror, the Nichole Simpson murder, etc). So maybe its my problem that the chimp attack recently in the news reminded me of a black-on-white sex crime. But there you have it. I hope Eric Holder is proud of me for speaking up about this.
frost| 2.23.09 @ 4:08PM
Here we go again -- yet another example of (perhaps) the GREATEST BUNCH OF READERS and THINKERS attached to any real publication. Sure, you can find those pseudo-sophisticated "think" pieces disguised in pontificating verbiage, et al.....
But the quality of REAL people/reader that this TAS has going for it is incredible. Said so before, but it continues to blow me away and requires another acknowledgement/atta-boy. Sharp people! Thanks, I feel better - - -
Interloper| 2.23.09 @ 5:04PM
I doubt that Eric Holder intends to include the knuckle draggers who write for and comment on this site in his dialogue with most Americans. There is a point on the continuum where a thoughtful person writes off those who can only be 'rehabilitated' by their deaths. As the sort of people who posted the litany of racist comments posted above die off, they will be replaced by reasonable people. That process will result in improved race relations as the United States become majority minority in the next couple of decades.
Holder's speech, of which the phrase 'nation of cowards' was a very small part, was intended to encourage most Americans to complete the process of desegregation by interacting with people of all ethnicities every day instead only in circumscribed circumstances. Many Americans already do just that, but more attention needs to be paid to interacting without race being a barrier to participation. Holder is reminding us that old habits are hard to break.
A second theme of Holder's speech is that overcoming the widespread inequality between African-Americans and white Americans is central to our future as a united nation. African-Americans, as the result of centuries of discrimination, some of it still ongoing, are twice as likely to be poor, in significantly worse health, suffer higher levels of unemployment and underemployment, low levels of inherited wealth, and higher rates of morbidity than white Americans. Ending discrimination will go a long way to end these inequalities. That starts with people perceiving black Americans as full citizens and interacting accordingly.
In addition to systemic racism, African-Americans daily must confront the vicious racism reflected in these comments, including false claims such as:
• Seventy percent of violent crime is committed by black people,
• African-Americans are not fully human, but closer to apes, and
• Equal treatment of black Americans would be "revenge" against white Americans.
Some of the writers for the American Spectator have a long history of involvement with white supremacist groups, most notoriously neo-Confederate Robert Stacy McCain. His piece applauding the murder of Emmet Till is one of the most bone-chilling anyone could ever read. So, it is not shocking that James Poulos' purposely penned this article linking African-American Attorney General Eric Holder and an out of control chimpanzee. Poulos' intent was to dehumanize Holder and black Americans in general. The comments confirm that he achieved his goal.
Dustoff| 2.23.09 @ 5:07PM
Interloper
LOL, fool what ever your drinking. I want some too.
Pingback| 2.23.09 @ 5:09PM
The American Spectator : Black and White and Red All Over « The Blog about allsorts links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Ya know what| 2.23.09 @ 5:27PM
"There is a point on the continuum where a thoughtful person writes off those who can only be 'rehabilitated' by their deaths."
Interloper, that sounds like a death threat. I hope AS tracks down your IP address and forwards it to the FBI. You sound like a fool. Law enforcement needs to have a little chat with you.
stmichrick| 2.23.09 @ 5:27PM
Interloper;
Your silly sanctimoniousness is offset by the reality most civilized folk see everyday.
In 2009 it is no longer about 'widespread inequality' based on skin shade. It is about behavior.
Your list of 'false claims' may be held by a few remaining Klansmen but the racial climate today consists predominantly of people who just want mutual respect and to get along vs. racial arson spurred on by the likes of Sharpton, Jackson, Khalid Muhammad and hopefully no more by Eric Holder.
Pleas for more political/social interaction are futile because in America INDIVIDUALS will choose who they associate, play or worship with.
As it should be.
Truth to Power| 2.23.09 @ 5:28PM
The race obsessed Interloper should not be so hard on himself. His bigotry can be cured with weekend sessions where like-minded people lecture each other on their moral purity. He'll fit right in. In the New Order this will be what we call conversation. By the way what is the acurate crime rate committed by Black people? I have never seen figures on this subject but the Interloper seems like an expert.
stmichrick| 2.23.09 @ 5:30PM
i meant ' SANCTIMONY.'
David| 2.23.09 @ 5:49PM
Interloper, are you living in America in the year 2009?
I think what most blacks really want is reparations - big reparations for past offenses committed against them. The big problem with that is, once whitey caves on the issue and blacks get their huge check, do the checks continue as long as each black lives? Does whitey continue to pay reparations to your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and to EVERY black in every generation for all time; or will a huge one-time check now to all living blacks put the race issues to rest?
Interloper, as to associating with blacks in our personal lives, here are some comments I made last week to a another article concerning Holder's idiotic statements.
First, people generally like to be with people who are LIKE them - don't you Interloper?
Second, being frank about racial matters only makes blacks angry when the myriad of well-known, proven social problems in most black communities are mentioned.
Last, but not least, exactly what frank discussions CAN take place when 94% of black people voted for a black president who sat with his family for almost 20 years in a racist, hate-filled, so-called church that had nothing whatsoever to do with Christianity - and left it only when he finally decided it would a loser for him to stay. Further, when it was discovered what church the uniter attended, it was explained and EXCUSED with, "the things Jeremiah Wright said are preached every Sunday in black churches all over America". I was stunned and saddened to learn that. I have 2 half-black grandsons and sure hope and pray they NEVER attend a church like that. I don't want them to grow up and blame whitey for their problems like Holder and Wright and all of the other race hustlers do. You want frank comments as to why there CANNOT be a frank discussion about race? You just got it!
Crime Stats| 2.23.09 @ 5:52PM
http://www.colorofcrime.com/
Interloper| 2.23.09 @ 6:52PM
David, one can only hope that your grandsons' lives are not permanently blighted by having a racist grandfather.
Observations:
• People of different races can have much in common. They are LIKE each other. For example, among my friends and associates are well-educated professionals in fields from law to physics, fellow fans of speculative fiction, fellow fans of literary fiction, high tech connoisseurs, jazz and blues followers, etc. They are of every ethnicity imaginable. The notion that people only have things in common with other people of the same race is silly.
• African-Americans have been voting at rates of 90 percent or more for Democratic candidates for decades. Until this election, all those Democratic presidential candidates were white men. African-Americans, and other minorities, vote for Democrats disproportionately because of the hostility of Republicans toward issues of inequality and outright racism in the GOP, as reflected by these comments. This is a situation that Republicans are already, deservedly, paying the price for.
• Rev. Wright, being an individual, has his idiosyncracies. Like President Barack Obama, I find his belief in inane conspiracy theories disheartening. But, Wright is also a decorated military veteran, respected ethnomusicologist, and credentialed theologian known for his vivid sermons. The two sound bites people like you rely to describe him are taken out of context and not representative of his sermons. I've read and seen nothing that supports the belief Rev. Wright is a racist. Anyone who has taken the time to gain a full picture of who this complex man is knows better than to dismiss him with talk radio propaganda.
I am a spectator here, watching the far Right dig itself deeper and deeper into the hole it apparently has a deep affinity for. Methinks it will be years before the digging stops.
stu.b.con| 2.23.09 @ 8:01PM
Interloper--you are one sanctimonius, condescending piece of gobsmack. The digging you are seeing is the hole in which geniuses like you are digging for you, your fellow travelers, and the poor innocent suckers you've conned. Your little bleats in this forum are instructive to all of us lest we forget what a bunch of dunderheads you truly are.
Wright not a racist? Are you really that f#%&ing;stupid?
frost| 2.23.09 @ 8:02PM
Kinda difficult to ignore those occasional creepy-crawlers who come out of the woodwork, but David said nothing that could even remotely be considered "racist" -- but when the obvious Hate spewed by those few zealots seem to drown out good taste? Sad.
That said, I'm looking forward to my son's wedding in a few weeks. The bride-to-be just happens to be black -- possibly the most beautiful eyes and smile witnessed in quite a while. Oh, and she didn't vote for the neo-Marxist now inhabiting the White House either (turns out that she also held her nose and also voted McCain). My son's a mighty fortunate guy.
And finally, poor ol' Interloper totally disqualified himself from being taken seriously by apparently absolving "Reverend" Wright of any wrongdoing. Might be laughable, except, he seemed serious. No accounting for lousy taste, 'ay?
Anthony| 2.23.09 @ 8:35PM
Interloper; Can we join you in your fantasy world tonight? Or should I call you Jeremiah, because you sound as inane as he does.Perhaps he's one of your other personalities, but then you'd be twins, so what's the point? No matter, one of my multiple personalities is also a theologian and ethnomusicologist of some repute. Perhaps you've heard some of my music that Rev. Wright brought to national attention; "Rich White People" and "Riding (Sally) Dirty". But I'm particularily proud of "Chickens Coming Home to Roost", a real crowd pleaser. Being the complex man that I am, you should not judge me for living in a gated-community condo in the heart of Honkytown, paid for by my loyal followers, even if they didn't know what I was saying as they sat there for 20 years. You'd fit right in with my congregation, mindless, maluable, and just plain stupid. Now, open your wallet and shut the hell up.
ArmyGirl| 2.23.09 @ 8:51PM
I found his comments rather insulting. If I were an Obama voter, I would be equally insulted. Thounsands of white americans turned out to vote for a black man. I suppose this was his way of saying that the other 53 million Republicans are racists.
Interloper| 2.23.09 @ 9:12PM
Most people who claim to find Holder's speech objectionable have not read it. They are relying on what Rush, Sean, Laura or a site like AS said about the speech. The full text is here:
http://tinyurl.com/a9mmyc
frost| 2.23.09 @ 9:32PM
--(backing off a little, if he? Not acknowledging his nasty and intemperate accusation on David, while ignoring those other justifiable chastisements by others -- kinda like sneaking out of the room as quietly as his indiscretion will allow? The primary and widely quoted quotation by the agitating Attorney General seemed sufficient, thank you -- further elaboration was unnecessary and only designed to cloud the issue. So, spare us the unwarranted verbiage and head home -- to the Daily Koz, Daily Worker or Pradva, 'ay?
Thomas Cahill| 2.23.09 @ 11:02PM
With Rev Wright, then Rev. Joseph Lowery and his "white embracing right" to the new Attorney General, Eric Holder, This nation has been subjected to a whole lot of race talk in uncomfrotable terms.
Maybe they need to stop for a moment and realize that maybe we just dont think about race 24x7 as they seem to do.
We are all to busy trying to get on with our lives.
ruth| 2.23.09 @ 11:22PM
Holder's remarks were just 'taken out of context', right, Interloper/Jeremiah? Some damn fine writing on this thread, people, bravo. (Not your's, Interloper).
Interloper| 2.24.09 @ 4:00AM
Thomas Cahill, perhaps it is time for you to become comfortable thinking about discussing racial issues as Holder believes.
Justice is for all peoples| 2.24.09 @ 7:31AM
America has to be the first and only country on earth to have a desaster on her own soil, and call the people in her own country refugees. because they were black.
I don't know of a single person on earth in sound mind, that would think America is a country that treates her citizens fairly. The Katerina Storms was shown world wide, and heard American establishment call her own people refugees.
So I would agree that there is a problem, there is a social, and economic problem.
The legal system needs to change from one of racism to one of equality, where people are not sent to prison based on race but the actual being charged for. If America wants to be the image of the Roman Empire then she should adopt the policy that all Roman Citizens is treated equally.
People spend too much time on hatred, and not enough time on justice and freedom for all peoples.
Maybe the reason our economy is falling apart is because we spend more money on injustice, than we spend on justice. How much did it cost to keep innocent people in Guantanmo prisons, how much did it cost to set up, and that is only one of these concentration camps.
How much tid America pay the troops to torture the prisoners in these place. We need to become a civilised society, and remove injustices. It has to start with these world leaders, who are quick to accuse. America needs to join the international community, and follow international laws.
DAPHNE| 2.24.09 @ 11:42AM
I LOVE AMERICA!
gfhfg| 11.25.09 @ 8:57PM
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