Were you offended by Obama's "typical white person" statement?

I was offended, for 2 very clear reasons. 1. It was a slap in my face in the respect that black people can say things to and about white people that we can not say to or about them. His comment, made in the public arena was like saying, "I can say this, you can't. And you can't even complain about it." It was the ultimate arrogance. 2. The underlying assumption of that comment was that all white people are racist. That comment was in referrance to his comments about his grandmothers racist comments that upset him. So, in his mind, all of us "typical white people" say and feel those same things. It is apparent to me that Rev. Wright has had a much bigger impact on Obama's life philosophy than he admits. I live in a highly ethnic area of Florida. In my son's school the "white" people are the minority. There are heavy hispanic and black populations here. Many from the islands. We all try not to categorize people. There are black, brown and light skinned hispanics. There are black people from probably a dozen different countries. We were highlighted in National Geographic as one of the most diverse areas in the country. And we all get along very well. These comments drive a wedge between the races. They undo all of the work that we are all trying so hard to do. I resent that.

I did think it was a very ignorant thing to say. Was I offended? No, I think I was just really disappointed. He is, by saying this, implying that all white people are alike. Just like some people think all black people all alike. It's just plainly and simply ignorant. Does that make Senator Obama ignorant? Yes, pretty much so. How can he be the candidate of "hope and change" if he is stuck in the past? Oh, and I am not so naive that I think there are no biggots in the world. There are plenty and they come in all colors! I am 53 and I have never been a racist; my parents never were. My Grandparents never were and if alive, they would all be over 100 years old. His speech just goes to show that there are, indeed, racial problems in this country; and they are not all caused by one race or another, but by all of them. He is more a part of the problem than a solution in my opinion. Flash to: "Hillary Clinton says "typical black person" in speech." What do you think the headlines would be saying? She would be finished! So, yes, we do have problems with race in America. That is more than evident.

I was not offended, but the statement was revealing. I'm still drawing conclusions over this since it is an important topic in my view. I have (and still am) entertaining that it was a misspeak or it was a reference to common sense. I also see the reference to past conduct which is obvious. However, I do think there was a bit of racism and excessive assumption in the comment. I also know that there are people reading this and responding to the discussion that are already coming up with assumptions of their own based on my response...some even drawing upon race (yes I already know what some of you are thinking...sometimes even before you thought of it -_-). Not all people of a certain color are the same, and a "typology" for each one can be questioned. It can also be seen as insulting, stereotypical, bigoted and in my opinion, pathetic. There is a double standard as well in this matter too. If someone did say "typical [insert minority here] person" then they'd be subjected to the PC/totalitarian character assassination, even if their comment was misspoken, referred to something historical or taken out of proportion. However, anyone can say typical white person (and MANY variants of it) without ever catching heat for it. I mean you can go to the sunday or net comics, TV, radio, music... you could catch plenty of comedic references to "white folks". You could even find instances of people praising each other for such remarks. Hmph...While I may be going out of range, there is still something to be said about all of this. It is relevant and its quite revealing about what is going on with the states. Is there really going to be change with this "typical white people" rhetoric? Or will it just be the same scenario? I will say this. The topic has been quite a drain and a drag. Anyone notice while all of these things are dominating the news, the economy is in a major tailspin (far more than most people know). People know about the gas prices, but coal also rose too (high energy bills anyone?) Crops are also rising in price as are needed goods (groceries). Meanwhile, none of the candidates have really been on this. This issue has its merits, but it is getting too much press, and the states' priorities are looking laughable.

I think the bigger point you make here is that "us white people" if were heard saying typical black person we would be immediately dubbed a racist. Every single time I have made a comment about Obama on here that is what I have been called. I think it is all just double talk and him trying to recover with a legitimate excuse to mask his own racism.

For him to even mention the word 'white' is a shockto me. He would have know what an uproar it would have caused with every white person. Indeed if any whitey was to even stutter the word 'black' in a sentence, regardless of whether we were talking in past or present we get called racist. Caucasian is the correct word if he would like to talk about the 'white community' in the future. I am not offended but more suprised as its always the blacks that play the racism card... No offence to anyone by that either!! I love all colours god made!!

Personally I don't see how anyone could be offended by that statement. I'm black and if I see a weird looking black person on the street, I'd probably go in the other direction too. Of course if I see ANY weird looking person, I'm going to go in the other direction. I don't think that it should have been blown out of proportion either, but then that's why I don't really pay attention to traditional media.

Nope. Didn't worry me because I am white and I don't have a chip on my shoulder about it. However there seem to be loads of blacks out there with huge racial chips on their shoulders that play the race card at every opportunity. And before anyone jumps on me - I lived in Africa for many years where I was in a '1 in a 100' minority group but we all got along very well at work and play. We didn't suck up to each other. We didn't live in each other's pockets. We just got along as workmates and neighbours.

I think the US is long overdue for some honest and difficult discussions about racism. It's become the issue that nobody wants to talk about - they just yell, "I'm not a racist" and plug their ears. That is not helpful or useful. If Obama can kick-start that dialogue, he's done the US a lasting and real favour that will have positive results for generations to come.

I'd say that once again a lot of fuss is being made over what may have been a poor choice of words. He was talking about a "typical" white person around sixty-or-so years ago: Not necessarily racist, but unfamiliar and a little afraid concerning people from other cultures.

I'll type out the interview for you guys; INTERVIEWER: You gave an amazing speech on Tuesday. We were actually at the constitution center but not giving as eloquent speech as you were, believe me. You talked about your "white" grandma and how there was a time even she feared black men and that she even occasionally would use a racial or ethnic stereotype. What does she say now about you being so close to the presidence? OBAMA: Well, you know, she's extremely proud. The point I was making was not that my grandmother harbors any racial commodities, she doesn't. But she is a "typical white person." Who, if she sees somebody on the street that she doesn't know, there's a reaction that's been breded in her experiences that don't go away. That sometimes come out in the wrong way. That's just the nature of racism in our society, we have to break through it. What makes me optimistic is that you see each generation feeling a little bit less like that. ---- Well, I'm sure he did not intend for there to be such an outrage around his use of words. It's just ridiculous to see that the media picks out that part and ignores the rest of his statement. That's called 'taking something out of context.' His whole statement was talking about how racism was perceived in today's society and how it was slowly dissolving. Saying that 'typical white person' was a racist statement is just pure ignorance in this situation.

Actually, I was not offended by his comment, but then I look at the context in which he was speaking. He was stating that there are still racial barriers that we AS A UNTIED COUNTRY need to break through. His Grandmother was white. While she wasn't biggoted or racist, even she was, like many white people, concerned with people based on stereotypes. I spent the first 14 years of my life in Southern California. I attended school through 8th grade in southern california. I attended a school where black students were bussed in from a great distance during the whole "desegregation" thing. Did it work? NOT ONE BIT if you ask me. I was accused of being racist. I was accused of being a biggot. As a 4th grade student!!!! Me, who had just as many black friends as I did mexican and white friends. Me, who grew up with parents who had black friends that we dined with in restaurants, had BBQ's with. Why you may wonder???? During all of this desegreggation, the teachers and principals were told to come down on anyone who messed with the black students. This meant that regardless of what the circumstances were, the black student was in the right. What happened you may wonder??? We were lined up to go to lunch, and the girl behind me kept stepping on the back of my shoe and giving me a flat tire on purpose. She was laughing about it. I asked her politely several times to stop, and she shoved me so I hit her. I was hauled into the principals office and suspended from school. My mother was called. My mother asked why the other girls mother was not called. This is when the principal went into his tyrade of calling me racist. Who was in the right? Should I have just ignored it? Maybe. Maybe not. Did it change my feelings towards black people? Absolutely not. I still had the same friends. I didn't base my judgement on a group of people based on that one person's actions. Did I see the white principal as racist? Absolutely. He was concerned for his job. My mom lit into him but good. She wanted to know why the other girl's mother was not called in over a fight in the school yard, and why I was the only one who got in trouble. His reply was that because of the bussing, we cannot allow discrimination and violent acts towards the children being brought into the school because a child isn't used to seeing different races in her environment. In the end, he called the other girls mother, and that girl was suspended too. I believe it had something to do with my mom threatening to contact a lawyer. She, just like I, believe that what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Funny thing though, the next year, that girl and I became pretty good friends. Until my dad lost his job because the company he worked for was closed down and moved to China, and we had to sell our house and move. What many people don't realize, and what Obama is trying to get across to people is that we all at some point in time, as white people, have more than likely moved to the far side of the sidewalk based on a person's race. I understand what he is saying completely. We have to get past these stereotypes. Granted, it seems more prevalent in Older generations. Today's young adults are much smarter for the mistakes that my generation and my mother and grandparents generations made.

i was a bit offended because if a white person used the term (typical black person ) we would have every Al Sharpton (type)person raising hell ,but a black person can say typical white person with no problem ,i believe its not fair...

Not really it doesnt affect me. There are people out there who propagate hatred and color. In that generation yes it was like a wild fire. I think it is still prelevant today only exception being that Laws became strict and court rooms very strict, otherwise it will creep again.

No, and I am white. I actually got the impression that this grandmother was a typical white person of that day, meaning that she was somewhat prejudiced towards black people. Maybe that's not what he meant but it came across that way to me.

I agree dizz, the media does blow things way out of proportion, but I also think that Obama shouldn't have been put in the position to defend his church, his pastor or any religious issue to begin with. I think it's kinda odd that when the whole "he's Muslim" thing started to fall by the wayside then his current church starts getting put through the ringer, and he's put in this lousy position. This is a no win situation for Obama either way. If he totally disowns the church his critcs will accuse him of being fickle and turning his back, he takes the stand he is now and he's pulling the race card. Obama didn't make this campaign about race, the media did, and it's disgusting. In answer to your question, I was not offended by the "typical white people" remark. Because it's honest, whether people want to hear it or not. Let's face it, an educated voter seems to be a rarity, and it doesn't matter what color their skin is. And I also agree that he was speaking of previous generations, but we all know spin is going to make a big issue of it on the news shows.

I don't know what was said, but to bring this to the open, I don't know you, what you stand for, or what you believe in. I tend to feel like Anne Frank that all people, despite of things, folks are the same but to a certain point. I do feel that this country was built on lies with the saying that all men were created equal, yet you considered African American to not be and considered some much percent human. I do feel however in today's society where you have folks of all races making strides, some of the stuff that happened yesterday will surely come back and visit and it still affects us whether we want to admit to it or not. I'll have to revisit this after I read this comment. but here's my standard two cents.

yes, it makes me upset that we have to still talk about "typical white people" or "typical black person"...just pick the BEST PERSON for the job. I hope you get a lot of responses for this post as I sat in front of my computer for a long time and had to delete a lot of stuff as I could not put it better then what you said...the news people have too much news about puff pieces like Anna Nicole Smith and Paris Hilton going to jail and Britney Spears doing God knows what..look how they treated Princess Diana? Now the newspapers and tv is all acting like the National Enquirer...methinks

i have been white most of my life..but i married a Filipina and we both think that BO is not the man for the high office of president..he is a smooth talker and slick but we will probably vote for the lesser of three evils..the last thing we need is an unknown person with a hidden agenda...Hilary or MCCain...but its too soon to chose ..its going to be a horse rade...in November

i think it is not positive that a candidate for white house and probably one of the most important responsability around the world must be define'the typical white person'...Obama will loose i think ..it's flase person and he will show it as soon!!

"Us typical white people" get all skeered when we see a black person walking down the street? Hmm...I guess I better let my neighbors know how skeered I am of them.. Are you kidding me? Man, I'd say Obama is just digging himself deeper and deeper. All those koolaid drinkers better wake up before it's too late.