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Uncovering the Race Card–Reluctantly

Posted by ROBERT STEIN in Politics, Society.
Sep 15th, 2009 | Comments

Joe Wilson’s blurtout last week lit a fuse to set off a slow-motion exposure of race in the national anti-Obama rage.

Today the House Black Caucus takes the lead in censuring the South Carolina Congressman with what are clearly mixed feelings about dealing publicly with an issue that seemed to have been settled by the inauguration of a “post-racial” president only a few months ago.

House Majority Whip James Clyburn has refused to call the “You lie” outburst racist, skirting the issue by telling reporters only that Obama is the first president to be treated that way, but other members of the Caucus are less circumspect.

“We’ve got to realize,” says Georgia Rep. David Scott, “racism is playing a role here. I’m hopeful that this will be a wake-up call for us to get it off the table.”

Such ambivalence reflects ancient fears of feeding prejudice by calling public attention to it, a dilemma long discussed privately by Jews over anti-Semitism.

During the election campaign, Barack Obama avoided race until the furor over Rev. Jeremiah Wright forced him to make his cathartic speech on the subject, and last week he tried to dismiss the Wilson uproar by quickly accepting his “apology.”

Yet, in the savagery of some of the opposition to the President’s policies, the elephant in the room is roaring too loudly to ignore.

Read the rest of this entry.

  • DLS
    I'm surprised the professional fake victims haven't brought Tim Wise once again into the sordid picture.
  • So, when Democrats called Bush a liar, was that racist, too?
  • DLS
    No. Bush, after all, is the "racist." Just ask Kanye West or others who would like to remind us all.

    And now we're seeing the bottom-feeders dredge the bottom deliberately.

    How much more scummy will y'all (heh, heh) be if the public option fails to get enacted into law?
  • DaGoat
    “We’ve got to realize,” says Georgia Rep. David Scott, “racism is playing a role here. I’m hopeful that this will be a wake-up call for us to get it off the table.”

    Looks to me like they are putting it on the table. This whole episode could have stayed last week's news, if only the Democrats would let it.
  • tidbits
    First I agree that this was last week's news, and it is being dragged out for reasons less than pure.

    On the racism issue, Wilson's record on racial issues is pretty "suspect", including comments about Strom Thurmond's bi-racial child and a few other remarks over the years. His history on the subject of race no doubt adds fuel to the fire, and it is legitimate to point that out in questioning his motivation. That said, we do need to take care that not every criticism of Obama or his policies is brushed aside as racially motivated.
  • DLS
    Let them join Obama, the unions, other fringy public-option campaigners, and Tim Wise (and Kanye West) at a big rally at Fort Sumter -- and may they leave the rest of us alone for a long, long time.
  • Same ol' tired, out-of-touch, and consistantly predictable black lawmakers and activists looking for ANYTHING to get back in the spotlight after Obama's win effectively neutered them (no pun intended).

    This black dude is SO over them.

  • "they are putting it on the table" ... Come on now! Regardless of your views, this President is the only one I know of who has had folks show up with guns on display, has received more death threats than any President I know of according to the secret service, and has opposition rallies where swastikas are on open display. Racism is and always has been real! We need to continue to talk about it civilly and stop resting on age old reactionary rhetoric. I give Obama kudos for the classy way he is trying to deal with this in public, despite his being admittedly human in his reaction to the situation in Boston recently. He's trying to be the President for all the people but some of the poeple seem to have forgotten how this system of our's works. We should move forward....
  • DLS
    "We should move forward...."

    Backward is "Forward"

    http://www.epa.gov/otaq/climate/regulations/ghg...
  • lurxst
    All this hatred and disrespect for the president over healthcare reform, which everyone has a stake in and the only real potential losers are the insurance companies.

    Imagine how crazy its going to get when we start tackling cap and trade, employee free choice and immigration reform.

    I think its important for the house to reinforce its rules on decorum now and not let this kind of behavior continue to exist among the elected representatives.
  • imavettoo
    No, Bush was a liar, often, WMD, Iraq/9-11, etc., etc.
  • imavettoo
    Republicans talk & act in racist fashion, someone calls them out on it, so it's the second person who is playing the race card? I know you are but what am I?
  • casualobserver
    Hey, TS, I recall you live in Georgia. Did you vote for this guy?.........

    "And so I guess we'll probably have folks putting on white hoods and white uniforms again and riding through the countryside intimidating people ...

    Dems are showing their lack of ability to get anything accomplished. I worry less and less about their agenda each day......this upcoming session will get nothing substantial accomplished.
  • Leonidas
    The Congressional Black Caucus is a racist organization itself. They have refused to let in White members despite their bylaws not banning whites. Even when democrats from predominantly black districts have sought membership they have been rejected on the basis of skin color. Not saying all the members are racist, but the organization as a whole is.
  • Nope. I'm not in his district anyways (I live more towards rural Georgia and away from the Atlanta Sillyplex).

    The Congressional Black Caucus needs to be dissolved. And I believed that when I was a hardcore black nationalist. Their time has past. Their usefulness is uselessness. The CBC had the audacity to call for a moment of silence on June 26, 2009 for Michael Jackson. What the..?!?!?! I'm so tired of this black exclusivity stuff in politics (it works in Hollywood comedies and that's it). We have been in this country for too damn long to warrant a CBC. Yes there are certain pressing issues that effect the black community at large. But even these issues are American issues. And you don't have to be black to help solve them.

    'Nuff said!
  • Don Quijote
    Carter: Race plays role in Obama dislike

    "I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man," Carter said. "I live in the South, and I've seen the South come a long way, and I've seen the rest of the country that share the South's attitude toward minority groups at that time, particularly African Americans."

    Carter continued, "And that racism inclination still exists. And I think it's bubbled up to the surface because of the belief among many white people, not just in the South but around the country, that African-Americans are not qualified to lead this great country. It's an abominable circumstance, and it grieves me and concerns me very deeply."


    Brian Williams - Carter Interview
  • Then how did Obama win, DQ? There's not enough black folks to push him over the top. He has many white people that voted for him as well. So which "many" will it be former President Carter?

    Yes, there are SOME white people that don't accept President Obama because he is black. But it is SOME. And if it is "many" they sure don't have alot of power since they can't influence the election.

    President Carter, go have a Coke and smile.
  • AustinRoth
    Without victimhood as the permanent crutch and rallying cry of the leaches that live of the dead remains of the Civil Rights era, the would have no platform at all.

    Luckily for them, the press is dominated by white self-hating liberals who feel it is their job to carry on the cause, and feel that blacks and other minorities cannot take care of themselves without their constant support and propping up.

    I have always believed that white liberalism is way more racist and pernicious attitude to the cause of minorities than Bubba in the deep south, and it has been that way for years.
  • Don Quijote
    YouTube - I want my country back

    What from? Who has taken it from you?

    No racism there...

    ONE OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIKE THE OTHER...


    Only 4% of Democrats are confused about the president's place of birth. The number is slightly higher among independents, 8% of whom got it wrong. Among Republicans, though, 28% -- more than one in four -- believe President Obama was not born in the United States.

    For a crazy, demonstrably false, racist idea, these are discouraging numbers.

    But I was especially surprised by the regional breakdowns. In the Northeast, West, and Midwest, the overwhelming majorities realize the president is a native-born American. But notice the South -- only 47% got it right and 30% are unsure.

    Outside the South, this madness is gaining very little traction, and remains a fringe conspiracy theory. Within the South, it's practically mainstream.


    No racism there either...

    You're going to have to get over the fact that a large number of Whites in the former Confederacy are racists...
  • Leonidas
    That probably shows political bias rather than racism. If it had been a Conservative black man with the same situation I can promise you those GOP birther numbers would plumet and the Democratic numbers would rise.

    http://realclearpolitics.blogs.time.com/2009/08...

    Fully 35 percent of Democrats believe George W. Bush had advance knowledge of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Fully 28 percent of Republicans believe Barack Obama wasn't born in the United States

    Meet the fanatical third

    The tale of two conspiracy theories is the tale of the most polarized among us. The two statistics are based on a poll apiece. Neither is an exact measure. Yet, lots of liberals say take the "birther" poll on face value. Lots of conservatives say take the "truther" poll on face value. So let's listen to both sides ..
  • They can be bigots all they want. Just don't cross my fence with some mess or they will see how great it is to have the right to bear arms (bless you Ruger and Remington).

    Racism is not only hating someone because of their race. But having the power (and using that power) to cause undue harm upon someone of another race because of their race. Those "whites" you mention in the "Confederacy" are nothing more than two-bit bigots until they DO SOMETHING. So I'm not caught up on racism much. Prove it to me. And a bunch of Nazi yard signs on sticks, yelling secession, and looking for "real" birth certificates implies more ignorance and stupidity than racism.
  • Leonidas
    They can be bigots all they want. Just don't cross my fence with some mess or they will see how great it to have the right to bear arms


    Should you need a second set of arms I got your back. No one hates those pukes more than a proud non racist Southerner.
  • kathykattenburg
    I respect your point of view, TS, but I gotta tell you-- I am Jewish not black (as you obviously know), and a bunch of Nazi yard signs on sticks would definitely scare me. Even if they did nothing. It would scare me. I mean, if I were there I would not show fear, but I would feel it.
  • Nothing wrong with being scared. It's when those folks infringe upon me and mine (with the intent to do harm) is where things will get solved. Scared or not.
  • TheMagicalSkyFather
    There is an old Jewish phrase that this reminds me of "if people say they want to kill you, believe them." That is the problem I have with the current crop of right wing activists, I believe them. I read their signs and I listen to what they are saying and what they want. I know I should trust that their elected leaders will have better judgement no matter how they speak to those crowds but in all of my judgments I am only taking them at their word.
  • Leonidas
    I respect your point of view, TS, but I gotta tell you-- I am Jewish not black (as you obviously know), and a bunch of Nazi yard signs on sticks would definitely scare me. Even if they did nothing. It would scare me. I mean, if I were there I would not show fear, but I would feel it.


    Like TS said, nothing wrong with being scared, but don't be intimidated by thugs, just be safe, smart, and uncowed. I don't care how much we disagree on politics I got your back too Kathy. Decent human beings on the otherside of the political spectrum are still decent human beings, and thugs on the same side are still thugs.
  • kathykattenburg
    Aw, thanks, Leonidas. I appreciate that thought.
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