Obama Addresses Racial "Anger"

[berkeley]

Originally Posted by Rico

Maybe not to you.

It's not a language. Ebonics is what happens to a language as the result of no >or< poor education.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Rico

Sister, the issue of black on black crime is not going unnoticed or unaddressed. It has been a topic of discussion in the black community and dealt with from pulpits in black churches for a long time.

True, my inexperience with racial discrimination puts me somewhat at a disadvantage in this topic. However, on the flip side, as a white American, I can assert that in our home we do not reflect the things that JW has stated, and I consider his statements to be racial slurs--against me, not "for" black Americans.

It is possible to lift up one man without putting another down.

My comments were pointed toward the fact that most human beings understand pain. I can't look you in the eye and say I've ever been racially discriminated against, because I don't think that I have. But have I felt pain, loss, injustice or have I been the brunt of rudeness, bullying or mistreatment? Yes. Perhaps not to the extent as some of your ancestors, but then my Indian ancestors certainly were treated as badly as the black ancestors of others, so on that point we can probably compare notes. BUT comparing notes is unproductive.

It is unproductive to say "you cannot possibly understand my pain", because in fact, I do not have to experience the exact same pain as you in order to empathize or understand it. I feel that this is where the speed bumps are placed, at the point of understanding, because it appears that unless my bad experiences are identical to yours, we can never understand one another. I think there are better answers than that.

As for being a racist--no, we are definitely not. But, my husband has had to make serious decisions to step away from his family's rhetoric, because there are certainly racists there. I remember my step-Grandpa calling black men "n*******", and I remember my mother gasping, and telling me privately not to use that word. (But she never spoke up in front of my step-Grandpa)

So I have seen ignorance at work, I know when I see it, and I think that JW's comments are just as ignorant and divisive as my Grandpa's statements.

I am completely okay with strong black leaders addressing reality, but it needs to be done without slamming other races, or else they have just stooped to the level of the same people who have offended them. To some extent, I suppose a feel some irritation that in spite of my efforts to raise children who see all men and women as equal, and equally valuable to God, I am still placed in a negative stereotype that I did nothing to earn.

And I think that speaking truth means that we address the racism found in the hearts of white people and black people. I do remember one time, living in southern Louisiana, after that poor man was dragged to death in Waco, TX by those racist thugs...there was something of an uprising, and the morning after it was all over the news...I was driving through town, and these two black women stepped in front of my vehicle, were gesturing and angry, and would not let me proceed down the street for several tense minutes. Hannah was in her carseat in the back, and I sat there as calmly as I could until they finally walked away, and I have to tell you, I was frightened. I didn't know those women from Adam, but they thought because I was white, that they knew me, and had some reason to be aggressive toward me. If I had engaged their anger in any way, I'm sure it would have turned ugly.

So I was reminded of that incident because I was thinking of this question, which is important to me: Why does it seem that when a black person is wronged, that instead of taking anger out on the actual perpetrators, the anger is directed at white people in general? Is that not racism at its very core? Isn't it ignorant to blame your white neighbor for the sins of the KKK, just as it is ignorant to blame your muslim neighbor for the acts of a relatively few extremists?

[Rico]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

True, my inexperience with racial discrimination puts me somewhat at a disadvantage in this topic. However, on the flip side, as a white American, I can assert that in our home we do not reflect the things that JW has stated, and I consider his statements to be racial slurs--against me, not "for" black Americans.

It is possible to lift up one man without putting another down.

My comments were pointed toward the fact that most human beings understand pain. I can't look you in the eye and say I've ever been racially discriminated against, because I don't think that I have. But have I felt pain, loss, injustice or have I been the brunt of rudeness, bullying or mistreatment? Yes. Perhaps not to the extent as some of your ancestors, but then my Indian ancestors certainly were treated as badly as the black ancestors of others, so on that point we can probably compare notes. BUT comparing notes is unproductive.

It is unproductive to say "you cannot possibly understand my pain", because in fact, I do not have to experience the exact same pain as you in order to empathize or understand it. I feel that this is where the speed bumps are placed, at the point of understanding, because it appears that unless my bad experiences are identical to yours, we can never understand one another. I think there are better answers than that.

As for being a racist--no, we are definitely not. But, my husband has had to make serious decisions to step away from his family's rhetoric, because there are certainly racists there. I remember my step-Grandpa calling black men "n*******", and I remember my mother gasping, and telling me privately not to use that word. (But she never spoke up in front of my step-Grandpa)

So I have seen ignorance at work, I know when I see it, and I think that JW's comments are just as ignorant and divisive as my Grandpa's statements.

I am completely okay with strong black leaders addressing reality, but it needs to be done without slamming other races, or else they have just stooped to the level of the same people who have offended them.

Sister, believe me when I tell you that I know where you are coming from. The thing I think so many people are missing is that these comments that JW made were being made to his congregation, not as part of a public speech. I am sure that the people in his church understand his personality and his style of preaching, along with the methods he uses to make a point. It is entirely possible that he uses shock as a tool to get people's attention. I think it's unfair to focus on just a few comments he has made and then try to make a judgement call on the totality of who he is and what he represents.

I guess I am different in that I can listen to him make his points and agree with his points, without getting offended at how he makes them. I agree with him that our government has done its share of terrorism in the world. I agree with him that, in a sense, we had 9/11 coming to us. It doesn't change the anger I feel over the terrorists and these extremist Muslims that we are fighting against, but I can't in good conscience say that we are innocent in what happened to us on 9/11. Granted, he has a strong way of making his point, but he was still right, in my opinion. We've meddled too much in other people's affairs across the globe. I also agree with him concerning systemic racism in this country.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Rico

Sister, believe me when I tell you that I know where you are coming from. The thing I think so many people are missing is that these comments that JW made were being made to his congregation, not as part of a public speech. I am sure that the people in his church understand his personality and his style of preaching, along with the methods he uses to make a point. It is entirely possible that he uses shock as a tool to get people's attention. I think it's unfair to focus on just a few comments he has made and then try to make a judgement call on the totality of who he is and what he represents.

I guess I am different in that I can listen to him make his points and agree with his points, without getting offended at how he makes them. I agree with him that our government has done its share of terrorism in the world. I agree with him that, in a sense, we had 9/11 coming to us. It doesn't change the anger I feel over the terrorists and these extremist Muslims that we are fighting against, but I can't in good conscience say that we are innocent in what happened to us on 9/11. Granted, he has a strong way of making his point, but he was still right, in my opinion. We've meddled too much in other people's affairs across the globe. I also agree with him concerning systemic racism in this country.

I understand what you're saying. I know some preachers make their points and hold attention with shock value. Actually, I did go to youtube and watch the "whole story" video, and I also agree with some of his points. I just disagree with the way he made them, and I don't want to excuse him for that.

Now as to whether Obama should be held responsible for his pastor's remarks--not really. Well, I'm waffling on that point...(see my signature).

[Sam]

Another view of Barack Hussein Obama by another African American pastor:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=khuu-RhOBDU

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by Sam

Another view of Barack Hussein Obama by another African American pastor:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=khuu-RhOBDU

Wow!

[MissBrattified]

Um.

Alrighty then.

What I'm noticing is a fairly frozen platform crew. LOL!!!!

[Rico]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Um.

Alrighty then.

What I'm noticing is a fairly frozen platform crew. LOL!!!!

Uh yeah. I didn't hear any amening going on. Sounds like the congregation wasn't in agreement with this preacher.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Rico

Uh yeah. I didn't hear any amening going on. Sounds like the congregation wasn't in agreement with this preacher.

Maybe my ears are just too sensitive lately, but when did preachers start talking like this??????? I would've taken my kids and walked out of the building. That is too rough, IMO.

I didn't like the way he referred to Obama's mother as white trash. Why not just call her a honkey and be done with it????? Isn't that as bad as using the N word? Obama was born "trash" because...well, I guess I didn't really get the "because."

*sigh*

[Rico]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Maybe my ears are just too sensitive lately, but when did preachers start talking like this??????? I would've taken my kids and walked out of the building. That is too rough, IMO.

I didn't like the way he referred to Obama's mother as white trash. Why not just call her a honkey and be done with it????? Isn't that as bad as using the N word?

*sigh*

I thought the 54 D comments were kinda funny, actually. He kinda gave me the impression that maybe he secretly has a problem with big breasted women folk. From what I could see, he was a bit light skinned himself, so most likely there is some white folks blood running through his veins too.

As for the preaching being too rough, black preachers seem to be more willing to bring things to where people live. There is more tolerance for that kind of hard preaching than there is in white churches. White churches have a tendency to want to sanitize things. I am not knocking either approach, mind you.