Not going to be a long post. Just wanted to congradulate the Black population for voting for Obama en masse. Way to continue segregating yourself by showing the world that you will in fact largely vote the same as everyone else with your skin color (and in this case, also vote FOR the same color).
While I am at it, I want to applaud the black folks in my office for having segregated lunches. Rosa Parks would be proud.
*slow clap*
So long as groups of people continue to act in kind with other people of their same "race", and then forcefully put themselves in situations where they socialize with people based on color, racism will never go away.
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We've had many conversations about this, so I think you know where I stand. However:
If am black and support Barack Obama, it irks me that someone who doesn't know me might assume that I support him based on race. Now, I do think lots of people are jumping on that bandwagon just because he's black. But I also know there are black people who are supporting him because they truly believe he's the best candidate. He just happens to be black. Is it exciting to finally see a viable candidate who shares my skin color. Hell, yeah. But we're not all sheep, either. Oprah got called out on this, and she said she likes his stance on the issues. But if a white guy supports any of the other white guys who are running, nobody suspects him of anything except maybe party loyalty. Such is the privilege of the majority.
Well, were 70-80% of white folks voting for the only white candidate I would assume the same thing.
I know there is an ammount of black folks voting because of the issues. But I also know that he has specifically courted them as a demographic. But if a huge percentage of blacks are voting for him, some of them are doing it for either racial reasons or becasue he has promised them something specific to them (free fried chicken, I'd wager).
Just like Hillary has the overwhelming majority of Hispanics (because she promised them free polka music). What this says to me is that these "races" are more homogenus then they want to admit.
Of course he's courted them as a demographic. He'd be an idiot not to. He's trying to win. Just like Hillary is courting women and Romney was courting hard-core "values" conservatives. Now, we can talk about that being a general problem with politics, but how is that any different? On the other side of the equation, Hillary has more support among white Democrats, so what does that tell you? It works both ways.
The point being that if race isn't really something that differentiates us, how to you court to it? If a black person is not in fact different than a white person, you can't pader to them any differently than you can a white person.
This isn't really specific to black people at all. Any race or minority or whatever can be courted. Because apparently they are in fact a sterotype.
Like when Clinton courted the youth by being on Arsineo or Huckabie trying to use Chuck Norris (and bring in fans of walker texas ranger).
But, if there is a means to court a group...by promising specific things...what other things about that group as a whole may also be statistically true?
From a DNA perspective, there are no differences. But come on. From a historical and cultural perspective, there are some very big differences.
Look, I don't like the politics of pandering any more than you do. But I can guarantee you there are white males who vote for white males for the same reasons you mention. But because white males have been the only viable candidates since the founding of this nation, they get to claim they aren't voting based on anything but qualifications. That doesn't make it right, but I love how all the pundits are suddenly tut-tutting the whole voting-based-on race/gender simply because a black guy and a woman have a shot and a constituency.
They are tut-tutting it for the same reason some people tut tut "Black" colleges. For years, blacks have played the race card. And now an opportunity comes to break that mold, and instead they fly right down the path.
I don't actually have a problem if every black in the country voted for Obama. But then I want all the racial crap to shut up. Because that will proove that the only reason blacks were oppressed is because they weren't in charge.
The difference here being that if whites were in fact mostly voting for white folks this election, Obama wouldn't even be on the map. There aren't enough black people in the coutry to make him win all these elections by themseleves. Especially in states like Iowa and Nebraska. He won them because people voted outside of both race and gender.
I think there very well might be some black people voting just based on race, the same as white people. But I have to believe there are enough intelligent people that are voting based on qualifications, etc. Especially considering we are still in the primaries.
Also, a lot of people don't want to vote for Clinton because we've been there done that already. From everything I've read, Obama is the better candidate.
You said: "There aren't enough black people in the country to make him win all these elections by themselves."
That is absolutely true. But again: Do you honestly think there are no white people voting based on their comfort level with a certain kind of candidate? And how come no one's bashing the people who are openly supporting Hillary because "it's time for a woman"?
I think it's great that plenty of white people who are, as you say, looking past race to vote for Obama. The real problem I have with your argument is that you have set up a straw man. You assume that black people who support Obama couldn't POSSIBLY be interested in his qualifications. Some aren't; but some are. You seem to be lumping us all into the same category. And for the record, I voted for Edwards.
Well, if I think about it, I can still point to blacks being very unified by the fact that they are largely democrats. Whites are again, split.
But it really doesn't matter if black people (and again, hispanics since they are Hillary's race of choice) are voting for race or whatever. They are voting as a largely unified front. And that is the issue.
How can you break down walls of racism, if as a whole you keep acting in ways that let the oppressive majority point things like this out?
Oprah may believe in Obama, but by sticking her neck out, she allowed that doubt to form. Same with her supporting those girl schools. There are tons of poor countries...she picked a black one.
As a white man I have to do things like pretend to be friends with black people so when it comes up, I can say "But some of my best friends are black". I have to support mission work to shitty black countries, when we all know they are going to hell anyway. But black people don't have to do that.
But honestly, I already know people that will vote for Obama because he is black. And at least one of them is WHITE.
The main reason I picked on black folks is because of how blaitent it is. If 70-70% of the white males were voting for a white male candidate I would call foul there too. The difference is in the percentages. Because if a significant number of white men voted down those lines, Hillary and Obama wouldn't stand a chance.
Mind you, I am sure some are. And the one guy I know that is voting against Obama I flat out say he is being racist. But at least white racists have to usually lie and keep their racism a secret. I have heard quite a few black people on the radio admit to voting on race. And women for Hillary. But we already know women are broken.
The #1 thing that keeps any form of prejudice alive is itself.
If you don't want to be degraged based on things beyond your control (age, race, sex, religion to a degree), then you can't be congradulated either. No more first woman to... first black person to... oldest person to...
If I'm not allowed to fire you based on your race, I shouldn't be forced to hire you based on your race either. You can't fight fire with fire. If I'm not allowed to deny serving you food based on your sexual preference, why am I asked to celebrate the fact that you're the first gay person to graduate from this certain college.
So... we're not allowed to group you based on uncontrollable factors if doing so is negative, but you'll beg us to do that if it's positive??
Tom Rhodes had a bit that said something like, "I think everyone should date interaccially and have kids, and just keep doing that for years and years until we're all a nice grey color... then we can start hating people for the idiots they truly are."
Why don't you go and sit with the "black folks" during those segregated lunches at work? Why do you expect some of them to come and sit with you?
Holly
Who says I don't? Well, I do. i don't usually have lunch in th ebuilding (I tend to get interrupted for IT stuff if I do). But I hang out a bit and banter with them.
As much as I am half serious half joking here, I get along with everyone in the building, regardless of race. Heck, EDP here is black.
That's still missing the point cat. The point is, minorities are screaming that everyone is equal, or that we should all be color blind. But the minorities segregate themselves based on whatever it is that's classifying them as minorities.
Don't shout, "my skin color doesn't make me any different than you," then whisper, "now pardon me while I go hang out with my predominantly same skin colored friends." You are associating yourself with people who share your skin, why are you mad at me for doing the exact same thing?
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