Discrimination & Racism: The Real Obama Change
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
June 4, 2008 10:17am CST
We need a new dictionary for our language. Neither Merriam, Webster or dictionary.com seem up for the task anymore. Sure, they're fine when one finds the need to know the definition of words like grass, hash or ivrone, but who needs Merriam, Webster or anything dot com for those.
The dictionarians of our culture must be sitting on the welfare lines lately because, like the blacksmith, the wolfer and the manual typewriter, their services are apparently no longer needed.
Discrimination used to mean to purposely and legally block people from access to public services because they happen to be members of specific groups. It was generally considered a bad practice, and we've worked hard at changing laws and community standards to keep it from happening.
Racism was another practice that we used to consider a bad thing. Our teachers went to great lengths to help us understand that the color of a person's skin shouldn't matter to us. It was so ingrained in us that we shuddered to even think of using the color of a person's skin to point out a specific person in a crowd... even if the person we wanted to point out was the only one in the crowd whose skin color differed from the rest.
We now live in a world where it's somehow descrimination to NOT be a racist. Sen. Barack Obama has won a long faught battle for the Democrat nomination for President of the United States. Congratulations to him for this achievement.
But what was the achievement? Was it being an American who clinched the nomination from his party? That's what it should be. That is what the news really is here. But is that what the news will say? Will they congratulate him simply as the democrat nominee?
Will ONE bit of news coverage be able to get past racism and discrimination? Or will we be splattered with the new, acceptable racism of our "non discriminatory" culture.
Obama has made racism and discrimination the centerpiece of his campaign. He's just sold them as something to be proud of.
5 people like this
8 responses
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
5 Jun 08
Bought into it? They are the authors of it.
2 people like this
@djbtol (5493)
• United States
4 Jun 08
Nice post. You make many good points. Possibly the most important thing to come out of the long Clinton-Obama fight is to see how and where racism thrives in our country. Trust me, white guilt can now be thrown out the window, for good.
I've been in churches all my life and have never heard one racist comment, whether stated or implied. In my perception, American churches did not deal in racism. Then I got to hear the Obama's, Jeremiah Wright and some others and I was stunned. These people are 100% racist, and they are proud of it. Now that is despicable - shame on the democrats for making that an acceptable standard.
I have also lived in a world where pastors are ever so careful at election time to not endorse a candidate. If they do, the IRS will be their to take away their tax-exempt status. Meanwhile, in other parts of our country, sermons and election speeches almost look alike. Where is the IRS? Where is the ever popular separation of church and state?
With the Obama's, it's all about race. But that's OK, because now the potential first lady can be proud of America for the first time.
djbtol
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
5 Jun 08
The IRS always flakes out when it comes to minorities. That's why the NAACP got to keep their tax exempt status after posting all those pro-Gore and anti-Bush commercials back in 2000. If a non-profit that was NOT predominately black had done that they'd have been stripped of their status immediately.
3 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
5 Jun 08
The church of Black Supremacy. They should have a vacation bible school with the Aryan Nations.. they might as well, they are the same.
2 people like this
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
5 Jun 08
I'm with you on this one. I have been in churches for over 50 years. In Sunday school, we learned that we were to love everyone and to see them as God does. He sees their hearts, and that's what we're supposed to see.
I was so surprised at hearing all of the preaching that's been going on in Obama'a church - past and present. (Did you see the white preast that spoke there? He was as bad as Rev. White.)
Sadly, I've seen others on another site talking about this and learned that there are many churches teaching and preaching this same way.
2 people like this
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
4 Jun 08
Racism is like that bogeyman in the closet. Everyone is afraid of it, but it does not exist. Corporations spend countless amounts of money and time preventing racism in their company, but why? We all set around worried if our comments will offend someone, but why? Most people are friend with atlest one person of the opposite race. I do not think America is a racist country. Some in this country need there to be racism, like Jesse Jackson, to stay in power. The Media, which is largly anti-American, wants to keep this mythical bogeyman going, so they can have stories to run on the evening news.
@djbtol (5493)
• United States
5 Jun 08
Although I think racism does exhist in the U.S., I agree with much of what you are saying. There are those who have lived off the race issue (Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and others). Politicians also strive to keep race as an issue, so they can use it for their benefit.
Totally agree that the Media and a good portion of the democrat party is anti-American. Obama is certainly in that camp!
But what about those people jumping up and down and clapping in Wright's church? They have major issues with white people.
djbtol
3 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
7 Jun 08
Racism still exists, and we should do what we can about Institutionalized racism. On the other hand, personal racism is going to exist as long as there are differences in the races.
There is also racism for profit... which is where Obama hangs his hat.
@WhatsHerName (2716)
• United States
6 Jun 08
Yeah, why is it that the media never seems to mention the fact that he's also half white? I truly believe that if the media wasn't constantly telling he is black, Hillary is a woman and now the focus will be McCain is old, we might not even notice. I know I wouldn't...
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
7 Jun 08
Being black or white, male or female doesn't make anyone any more or less qualified to be President; being too old should be the focus because McCain IS too old, he's already either having serious "senior moments" or he's a worse liar than I'd realized.
Annie
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
6 Jun 08
I'm honestly and sincerely trying to figure out what you're getting at here, Ted. Are you saying that by acknowledging the obvious, that Obama IS the first African American Presidential nominee is racist? History has been made here and I don't think it's "racist" to celebrate that, no matter what race we are. Same goes for having the first viable female candidate - as a woman whose mother, like Hillary's, was born before women could vote I find that cause for celebration. I really don't see how "Obama has made racism and discrimination the centerpiece of his campaign". He didn't accuse himself of being a Muslim and make up all those allegation that he'd been sworn in on the Kuran or didn't recite the Pledge of Allegiance. He didn't give himself a "funny sounding name" that has given racists fuel for the fire that was already burning in their bellies!
Nobody hopes more than I do that there will come a time when the nominees from each party are announced as just that - the nominee of their party - and that no reference to race, gender or faith will be necessary because we'll have all come to accept and expect that, as Condie Rice so eloquently said "We the people finally means all of us"! My grandkids, as I've posted here more than once, already feel it's no big deal, like "Why hasn't a woman or a black person ever won before, what's the big deal?" Someday maybe it won't be a "big deal" at all and won't need to be mentioned but we're not there yet.
Annie
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
6 Jun 08
No, I'm not saying that it's "racist" to acknowledge a history fact, although I prefer a day when we don't care about that either.
What I am saying is that Obama has always been a racist. He chose a religion whose basic tenet is African supremacy, he turns every criticism into a race issue and plays the victim, demanding apoligies from anyone who doesn't bow down and kiss his racist ring.
The DNC has basically just returned to its racist roots. They have merely changed the color of their racism.
@twallace (2675)
• United States
4 Jun 08
This is a sticky issues cause even though they say color shouldn't matter. To a degree it does; there are those americans that don't want a woman or a black person for president. Yet the people are the ones that will be doing the voting. I would like to say that he had reached great steps that no one has reached before; but there are still steps that Obama will have to take to really get the American people on his side and not looking at his skin but at his ability to be the next president. That will be a big task for him bigger than just trying to become president.
1 person likes this
@djbtol (5493)
• United States
5 Jun 08
Not sure that he has any ability or wisdom. All he has are the glowing teleprompter speeches, and a lot of warped liberal ideas. Although Obama initially said that his campaign would transcend the race issue, he and Michelle used it every chance they could.
Since he chose to use race in the campaign, it will cheapen his victory as the first black president.
djbtol
1 person likes this
@p3halliwel2005 (3156)
• Philippines
5 Jun 08
I think this is what Obama achieved in all of this:
He beat the premiere Democratic machine, a former First Lady who remains popular with Democrats and is married to the most popular Democrat (among Democrats) in the US.
He beat her among women.
He beat John Edwards in union households.
He won among Democrats who said Iraq, Pakistan, health care, or the economy were the most important issues facing America -- despite Clinton attacks directly on those subjects.
Despite claims by rivals that he only appealed to effete elitists, he won every income bracket but one -- $15,000-$30,000 -- which he tied with Clinton.
It was an astounding achievement.
I guess in all this they just have to face the fact that they got beaten and have to keep it that way. I think his belief in racism and descrimination is what let him win this. I think he will be good at this.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
7 Jun 08
Oh, I'm not disregarding his acheivement in winning the Democrat Nomination. You are right, he won it against a candidate who was expected to take it without question. Most expected a coronation here.
On the other hand, what he also accomplished was proving that Bill Clinton isn't the most popular demcrat (almost every time he tried to 'help' he cost Hillary support). He proved that neither the war, the economy nor health care are that important to democrats (since he never really got specific on his plans for either).
He did transcend all income brackets and age groups though.
The fact he is a blatant racist, and people off all income brackets and races didn't seem to care does bother me though.
@mariedkarry (14)
• China
5 Jun 08
nice post,I can't agree with u more,wish OBama to be president of USA.
