Pajamas Media

58 Comments

1. paul_unalaska:

Mr. Halper, your op-ed piece is similar to the thousands, yet seemingly-like ‘millions’ of hope and inspiration articles from Summer ‘08 to present regarding teleprompter guy.

The sad, poignant fact of yours and infinite-like, emotionally driven drivel pieces regarding Obama is the ‘hope’ aspect. You hope that Obama can prove to be a game-changer in our country’s future. I feel this is the thought process due to Obama not accomplishing anything politically before taking office.

Sure, Obama is credited with authoring 1 (1 !!!!) bill when a Senator. A Congo Relief Aid Bill. BTW, how’s that Congo thing working out nowadays? I digress..

Students displaying poor test scores, attitudes and other lower than expected aptitudes may more than likely be that students upbringing, household dynamic.

Asian students of American descent greatly surpass their white counterparts. Even moreso their fellow black students. How?

Asians are a much smaller minority in the U.S. than black students. There’s not as many asian political figures recognized as that of black politicians. I don’t hear the asian equivalent of the ‘ACLU’ speaking against discrimination as comapred to the aforementioned.

Chinese New Years comes and goes, but department stores and other outlets advertise Christmas, Hanukkah and ‘Kwanzaa’ during the holidays.

Again, I’m a bit confused. There’s not been an Asian U.S. President. Yet statistically speaking (like you had in your piece), Asian student’s upbringing, expectations, pre, collegiate and post collegiate scores, occupations, proportionate children in household, other successes are exceedingly better than other minorities, and whites, respectfully.

As well as Asians possessing far lower STD numbers amongst teenagers, out of wedlock children, violent/ felony type crime, drug use, incarceration, debt, etc.,

How can this be? I assume when the U.S. nominates our 1st Asian President, test scores, confidence, accomplishment will rise even greater../

Mr. Harper, I must ask. Do you reminisce the act of thinking, analyzing and coming to a lucid conclusion on your own volition?

Feb 1, 2009 - 12:45 am 2. paul_unalaska:

Secondly, I don’t recall of reading of an, ‘Asian American History Month.’

IMO, the way people move beyond race is to remove the crutch that separates, draws a line between the races.

ACLU, NAACP, Black Caucus, BET television, Jet, Ebony magazine, Negro college fund, black only campuses, etc.,

It starts from within, Mr. Harper. It doesn’t begin with someone else.. but ourselves.

Feb 1, 2009 - 12:51 am 3. Die Fledermaus:

He’s the president, not the Messiah – well, at least not outside America’s newsrooms. The “Obama effect,” indeed. What a load of projective horse-apples.

Watching and hoping for a positive outcome, while Obama engages in activities that have never – not once – achieved the positive results he states he’s pursuing, is insane. Insane. He will accomplish what collectivists have always accomplished, widespread misery in the population at large and the enrichment of a ruling class. The important questions are how successful he will be in that quest, and how long his influence will persist.

Focused, effective action is the only thing that will prevent our economic crisis from escalating to catastrophic levels. Letting the market function without government-induced distortion is the only way out; we will have to let it do its work, sooner or later. And the longer we wait, the more painful it will be. The obscenely named “stimulus” package consists predominantly of pork, very little of which will accomplish anything beyond lining our politicians’ pockets and feathering their interest groups’ nests. The one certainty about it is that it will make the situation palpably worse for everyone else.

The ONLY one looking out for the ordinary citizen’s interests is the ordinary citizen. Those who believe the government – of all entities – is acting to protect their interests and welfare are fools living in the worst neighborhood in Fools Paradise. They deserve what is going to befall them.

We’re so far removed from constitutional government that America’s political class can’t even see the nation’s founding principles on the horizon in their limousines’ rear-view mirrors. As far as our politicians are concerned the only purpose citizens serve is to provide the tax revenue they need to secure their own futures and re-elections – the same function sheep serve for the owner that buys, raises, shears, and slaughters them.

Wake up, America. Time is short, and your prospects for survival grow dimmer with each passing day.

Feb 1, 2009 - 3:31 am 4. Vaughn:

I sold my business at 56, and cashed out. Too many years of seeing my tax dollars wasted, on an increasing number of ’slugs’ willing to live off the backs of hard working Americans. While I do not hear the racial terms of my youth as much, believe me when I say, we are more divided than ever.
When I hear my liberal daughter, who teaches inner city, blame G. Bush because her kids cannot read or write, I go nuts. I remind her of her 2 grandfathers who after 8 years of schooling, could read and comprehend any great masterpiece.
After 50 years and $50-$100 billion wasted on welfare, I am more incensed than ever. One too many quotes by Blacks in the street, who think BHO is going to change their lives. Their ‘change’ will come out of the pockets of the few remaining, contributing Americans.
BHO’s America is no different than all other socialist dreams. It truly is a great system for the ‘cream’ at the top.

Feb 1, 2009 - 4:31 am 5. Nan:

The fact that Obama was elected as president based on nothing much more than the color of his skin you will have to forgive me if I don’t see much “hope.” I would wager MLK is turning over in his grave.

Feb 1, 2009 - 4:49 am 6. chris in Toronto:

Anybody else have a problem with this:

Now researchers have documented what they call an Obama effect, showing that a performance gap between African-Americans and whites on a 20-question test administered before Mr. Obama’s nomination all but disappeared when the exam was administered after his acceptance speech and again after the presidential election.

Feb 1, 2009 - 5:13 am 7. e:

The very fact that Obama became president does help show that minorities can do well in our system. That at least is a positive.

But what really needs to change is for victim status to end. I think Bill Cosby has explained what is necessary.

Feb 1, 2009 - 6:08 am 8. Ann141:

I will be convinced that blacks have stopped depending on their color to survive when it doesn’t have to be brought up in every conversation that includes a black person.

As my brother pointed out to me one day, many of the blacks who are still insisting on being called African Americans have family roots in this country going back 200-300 years. Our entire family tree (at the grandparent level) emigrated here from Denmark around 1900.

I don’t think you will ever find us referring to ourselves as European Americans.

What they keep doing today is no different than what the homosexual campaign does–insisting that heterosexuals acknowledge their presence, identity and lifestyle in EVERY venue, in EVERY conversation–because they breathe, they must be CONSTANTLY identified.

They want victim status? Ok, here goes.

I’m really, truly sorry you were born black. Get over it. And welcome to America.

Feb 1, 2009 - 6:36 am 9. Princess:

I cannot staaaaaand BHO not because he is “black”
He is just dang stooopit

I live in the DC area and I know waaaaaay more very very intelligent “black” folks…. I know plenty of white dopes

Feb 1, 2009 - 6:49 am 10. Sara for America:

Total barf alert.

You: “hope that Obama will be able to change the culture in America into one in which success is not as a phenomenon particular to a single race”…

Well, you got your wish, dude. Success in America is now determined by how much a person cheats on his taxes.

Feb 1, 2009 - 7:20 am 11. lucy:

What country are you living in, Mr. Halper? Did you listen to the inauguration? Did you hear the minister say everything would be superperf in America if “Whites do right?”

Ya think that’s gonna move us beyond race? Sounds like blame whitey to me. Read the first lady’s Princeton thesis for further clarification.

Feb 1, 2009 - 7:28 am 12. johnc:

I about tossed my cookies reading this dripple!
The problem is not race but ignorance and the dumbing down of not just blacks but also whites!
Dumb people are easier to herd.
The Blacks that I know (they hate to be called “African-American”) are successful and upper middle class.
How did they get there? Hard work, education and a desire to better themselves and their families.
Any AMERICAN who looks to a man in a suit behind a desk in Washington to better them, is not only a
fool but should not even call themselves a American!

Feb 1, 2009 - 7:31 am 13. Cybergeezer:

Obama Effect? More aptly flim-flam effect. He’s only where he is because of race; And the decades of race-based cheerleading. You call that any type of equality? Look at all the “black only” organizations.
Obama’s an enigma, but that won’t last. What progress?

Feb 1, 2009 - 8:21 am 14. VegasGuy:

“I hope our president can change the culture into one in which success is an obtainable goal entirely distinct from one’s skin color.”

Never going to happen. The existence of the Democratic Party, and Obama’s political base, is dependent upon the creation, maintenance and exploitation of “victim” groups with blacks in the forefront. For this to change, Democrats would have to adopt conservative principles, and that’s never going to happen either. Ignore what Obama says and look at what he does, and has done – old school, sleazy Democratic politics at its finest.

Feb 1, 2009 - 8:24 am 15. kennyB:

Right now the biggest obstacle to racial nonbias is the African American. From the Black juries that consistently vote for one of their own, to the equally outrageous voters who cast their ballots exclusively for those of their own race, anyone who
ignores the startlingly racists Black Americans is wasting their time : rampant racism exists almost exclusivelt in the Black community. And everyone knows it, although many are too cowardly to admit it or point it out.

Feb 1, 2009 - 8:24 am 16. Larsen E Whipsnade:

And what of the difference between black people brought up in a black environment, and BHO who was brought up in a white family? Was “victim status” extinguished by his white family? He doesn’t seem to have even a whiff of victimhood. Like, you could talk with him for hours and the subject of race would never come up.

Feb 1, 2009 - 8:51 am 17. John B:

Two of my comments have been deleted here. I’m through with PJM. I’m so sorry the Nazi Thought Police have invaded. Good luck to the Kool Aide drinkers.

Feb 1, 2009 - 8:51 am 18. ex-Democrat:

Barry Soetoro was not elected because of the content of this character.

He was elected by media propaganda.

The usurper must be ousted.

Feb 1, 2009 - 9:02 am 19. Bill Perron:

Hold out both hands open palms up, then put hope in one hand and poop in the other, see which gets filled the quickest.

Feb 1, 2009 - 9:34 am 20. The Historian:

GEORGE WASHINGTON TO OBAMA: AN AMERICAN JOURNEY
Do we realize how very unique this country really is within the sweep of human history?

http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2009/01/only-in-america-morphing-washington-to.html

Feb 1, 2009 - 9:45 am 21. Cybergeezer:

Obama’s new Hope-”I hope I can stay in office the full four years”.
The Stock Market (The pulse of the American economy) has been showing it’s “Hope” in the Obammasiah, ever since he’s been elected.
I can’t quite discern if he’s trying to transcend Carter or Hoover.

Feb 1, 2009 - 10:14 am 22. Delia:

Teleprompter Teddy Ruxpin never had my vote. I still believe he’s not even qualified to be POTUS and if any truth comes out about his origins it’s going to get reallyyyyyyyyyyy ugly. The hopey changey crappola got thrown under the bus once he grabbed the presidency.

Get ready for changes that give no hope. Recession to depression.

Feb 1, 2009 - 10:14 am 23. Kevin:

Are you kidding me? This president couldn’t manage his way out of a paper bag. Obama is a mythical creation of David Geffen and the MSM. Have you noticed how confused and overwhelmed he appears when asked ANYTHING impromptu? He talks like he has marbles in his mouth. To wit:
1. He really feels that going deeper into debt gets you out of a debt crisis.
2. He claims the ethics high ground yet virtually half his major appointments are guilty of tax evation or graft.
3. The midwest has been hit with a devastating ice/storm that has left almost as many people without power (in freezing teperatures, I might add) as the blacks in Katrina – yet not a peep out of this “post-racial” fraud.
4. He wishes relations with the muslim world to return to its milk-and-honey days of 20-30 years ago – perhaps this clown forgot the 444 days of hostage crisis with Iran 30 years ago?
5. His Sec of State lives off the kickbacks of the cherubic Emirates.
6. He is ready to sign a bill which flushes 850 Billion down the taxpayer toilet yet has the temerity to criticize Wall Street bonus payouts. “Pot, kettle, kettle, pot.”
Wake up you useful idiots, you have elected a complete fool as POTUS. He belongs in a sociology department at a community college in the suburbs of Chicago where he can rail against racist, imperial America til’ the cows come home.

Feb 1, 2009 - 10:19 am 24. Self-hating Boomer:

I said it before the election. I stand by it. No matter who will win the election, race relations will be set back 50 years. This is now locked in, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. It’s impossible for 0bama to not be the worst president since Carter at this point. It’s out of his hands. The only thing he has any control over now is how much worse than Carter he’s going to end up being.

Rightly or wrongly, this will reflect on all black candidates running for national office for the next 50 years. This is the train wreck that you get when someone is elected because (and only because)of his race.

Feb 1, 2009 - 10:30 am 25. Cybergeezer:

24. Self-hating Boomer:
Good premise, and most likely prophetic. But the MSM is wanting this love affair to end on an up note. They’ve already swayed history, now they’ll attempt to color it.

Feb 1, 2009 - 11:04 am 26. Blackwell:

I think the author is right and the acidic comments trying to assess the Obama candidacy all over again are misguided cynicism. I was no Obama supporter but I am not in the mindless opposition either.

Setting aside his thin resume, flirtation with “Bombing Bill” Ayres, overpromised campaign, a lot of his policies and the mindless supporters who voted for him only because of his color, Obama has certainly had the beneficial effect this author describes.

And its positive and healthy: smart black kids can finally see someone other than rock stars and athletes as a role model: I have nothing against rock stars or football players, but using the english language like a violin is cool now, and trash talking is not the only way to be black. Even my kids used to tell me that smart black kids get harassed for acting “white” or smart.” I suspect that’s going to decrease in a big way now.

The victimology of the last 40 years is hopefully on its way out too: where do the Al Sharptons and grievance mixers go now to claim that blacks can’t make it? What do the professors of what I call “victim studies” do now that they face a black man (yes, not African American, an American black) in the White House? The poor deluded Group of 88 at Duke? They are so yesterday and we all ought to relish this sesmic shift away from the intolerable whining of the “everyone in the US is a victim” crowd. With him or not on domestic policy, acknowledge the effect of his presence in the White House.

The US kept its covenant with blacks. We used US troops to integrate high schools and colleges; put KKK people in jail; passed civil rights laws; passed even more laws. Made it practically impossible to fire a black employee without a process not given to an ordinary white employee.

This is the pinnacle. Simply put, Obama is letting the air out of the Victimology balloon. He escaped the liberal plantation where all blacks are victims and made it big time in the establishment. The endless whiners that feel no black man can make it now have to desparately try to hold on to some continuing relevance. Black kids that are more comfortable with books have a visible hero. I wish he had more private business background; I wish he was a republican; but aside from all that his effect is great.

As for his presidency, lets hope he does well. He couldn’t do much worse than the last 8 years. We all know things are pretty messed up as he takes the reins. Hardly the stable economy Eisenhower passed to JFK.

Feb 1, 2009 - 11:39 am 27. carolb:

I can give you a number of reasons why it won’t:

1. Do you remember the primaries when every bit of criticism against Obama was considered racist? Go to some of the black blogs, and even some of the white liberal ones, and you’ll still hear the same thing – if you’re critical of Obama it’s because you can’t stand having a black man in charge.
2. Go to some of those same blogs and read what they have to say about Michael Steele as the new RNC chairman. It MUST be because he’s black, because they wouldn’t have picked him if not for America having a black president.
3. Does anyone really believe that Obama would have won the election, or even if the Dem nomination, if he weren’t black? Black Americans and most of the Dem party were solidly behind Clinton…until it was perceived that Bill played the race card. If Obama was named Barry Jones, with blond hair, blue eyes, and the same message of Obama, Hillary Clinton would be president.
4. He’s not really one of “them.” White mother, African father. Whites who see blacks as ignorant, dumb, etc., aren’t going to change because of Obama, because they don’t see Obama as the “typical” to borrow a word from Obama, African American.

During and after the Civil Rights era, streets, schools, etc., were named after famous black Americans, and Black History Month was added, more emphasis on black history in classes. Why? To make blacks students feel better about themselves and their history. Did it work? Well, in most cities, if there’s a Martin Luther King Blvd, it’s one of the most dangerous streets in the cities; white kids know more about black history than black kids do. The black community has not lacked for good, positive role models – living and dead.

If anything, I think one of the things Obama’s win has shown is that blacks have to sell out a little to get ahead. Obama gave up his minister, his church, he pretty much avoided being photographed with blacks during the primaries (except to show up at a black church and lecture black men about being better fathers); we saw him in commercials with the white side of his family, but never with anyone on his father’s side; they remade Michelle to be a Father Knows Best kind of wife. They had to give up a little of who they were to win the White House.

And for the poster above who said Obama couldn’t do much worse than the last 8 years, for goodness sakes – have you even heard of The Great Depression? Have you had to wait in food lines for bread, or long lines just to get fuel? Do you have a roof over your head? Are terrorists bombing our shopping malls and hotels? Of course things can get worse than they are now!

Feb 1, 2009 - 1:01 pm 28. David W. Lincoln:

There is a stumbling block: there are racists whose colour tones are not white.

So, how much clout do those who are not racist have amongst those who are grouped via colour?

Feb 1, 2009 - 1:40 pm 29. Blackwell:

Carolb: A lot of what you say is true. But let me tweak it a bit;

I didn’t say IT couldn’t get much worse; it can and it probably will. I said that “he” –Obama–couldn’t do much worse than the rampant corruption, theft, embezzlement, looting and wilfull ignornace than we’ve seen in the past 8 years that brought us to this situation. Had the GOP done its job, we wouldn’t be looking at a fully loaded Democratic congress and presidency.

Did Obama have to sell out a bit to get ahead? Well, sure: so did Nixon who went to China infuriating the conservatives, Clinton who aided welfare reforms and backed away from statist health care . . .compromise is part of the process. Lincoln sold out a bit too. There are no pure politicians. Just non-corrupt ones. We’re lucky Obama is inclined to be a bit more reasonable than Pelosi and Reid: he might be the best of the bunch in the long run. I certainly hope so.

As for “does anyone believe Obama would have won if he weren’t black,” let me ask: would George W have made it if he weren’t the son of GHWB? Or Hilary if not for Bill? For that matter, would Winston Churchill have made it on his own if he had not been the son of a famous politician? Or JFK if he hadn’t let his PT boat get rammed and also have a very wealthy father?

Obama captured a lot of white votes too because they felt no one else listened to them. I am a pretty hard-nosed republican on a lot of basic issues (tax, defense, spending), but the GOP had a “pay to play” rule and was incompetent; for Democrats, Hillary insisted she was “inevitable” and didn’t have to listen to anyone. McCain was an honorable man but a bit clueless. Obama was a long shot for a long time. Al Sharpton would not have captured the nomination. Obama, because he is a distillation of all that is American, although he came up on the Democratic side to my regret, did it on his own. No one could have sold a flake. he may be a bit of a weasel; but he is no flake.

So the blogs are attacking Steele while they formerly deified Obama: ignore them: the mass of people don’t do either. The chattering classes don’t speak for the majority.

Feb 1, 2009 - 1:46 pm 30. DavidN:

The dumbest part of this is that there’s a simple solution to the problem that the author states: simply redefining all of the criteria by which children are judged. If you take an illiterate eighth-grader, dub him educated, send him out into the workforce with discrimination protections, and so forth, he’ll be as *successful* as anyone else. No one needs to actually learn to read or anything! Get real, they don’t want to do that, and consider the suggestion racist.

Feb 1, 2009 - 1:46 pm 31. Rockmelon:

Seriously now! Obama is not your President. His $427 million campaign contributions bear this out. That money didn’t come from Americans. His major supporters bought themselves a country. Now all they have to do is cripple us economically and emotionally and then move right in.

Anyone who can sit in a church that is spouting hate but never hear it, is doing the same with the voters. He doesn’t hear us and he is going to do exactly what the new owners of the US tell him to do. He has a huge machine behind him. Well planned, scripted and implimented.

This black man, who is actually 1/8 black, is seeking power far greater than the President of Satanic America.

A man who “loves” his country does not cozy up to Muslims with ties to Hammas. Neither would he burden us with debt, the amount of which is beyond our comprehension. Nor would he spend money that we do not have, on condoms. He has surrounded himself with shifty characters both before and since the election.

He has fooled a nation but I expect that one by one that nation will awaken to his follies and will regain control while he runs back to Dubai.

Feb 1, 2009 - 1:52 pm 32. Ann:

What irritates me is that once upon a time, blacks did everything they could to get a good education. When they were denied buses, they walked, when they were attacked, they went to school anyway. Now, it’s “white” to go to school and study hard, so they won’t do it, then blame white people because they don’t get ahead. Get off your rear and put forth some effort.

Feb 1, 2009 - 3:39 pm 33. Bilgeman:

Mr. Halpern:

“Will the Obama Effect Move Us Beyond Race?”

Nope.

If it could, you wouldn’t have written this piece, now would you?

Feb 1, 2009 - 4:04 pm 34. momof3:

“Teleprompter Teddy Ruxpin”

BEST line EVER! I’m totally stealing it. The man is a joke. God help us all.

Feb 1, 2009 - 4:18 pm 35. Will:

Dream on my friend.

Feb 1, 2009 - 5:05 pm 36. WestGuard:

26. Blackwell:

“smart black kids can finally see someone other than rock stars and athletes as a role model”
————————————————-

Are the melencholy, defeatist minded black people who are claiming they are “now” finally inspired (some for the first time) to do something positive with their lives, willfully blind, or just extremely picky? (we can’t all be the president)

For decades motivated and inspired black people have succeeded in the same desirable fields as white people: Black businessmen, CEO’s, small and large business owners, technology, scientists, NASA, doctors, lawyers, professors, police chiefs, mayors, govenors, congressmen, actors, and many other “worthy” jobs, in addition to the old standby careers in the “music and sports” fields with the “multi million dollar salaries.”

Are none of these realistic and lucrative fields not worthy of respect and inspiration, and capable of fulfilling the American dream?

To hear people saying “I am finally inspired” or “I finally feel like it’s worth trying now” simply because a “Halfrican” is the new President is absurd and embarrassing to successful black people who have made the effort and acheived success YEARS ago, by being self motivated and assimilating with everyone else in the mainstream.

It also, albeit unintentionally, gives the impression that until this “glorious” day black people have been oppressed and kept hopeless from aspiring to success.

Gawd all mighty, the road to success has been open to all Americans for many years now. It wasn’t just paved for black people in January.

BTW, my Dentist is black, and owns a mercedes and a nice house. I’m envious but he deserves it for being more motivated and inspired to fulfill his dreams than I was.

Feb 1, 2009 - 5:36 pm 37. Jim Baker:

Daniel,
The answer is no and because of your so called profession. The media has sold stories(translated:advertising)using race to create bogeymen for generations now. This won’t change because Barack is in the white house. It might actually improve advertising sales to continually harp about the obvious and also most insignificant of differences among people.

Feb 1, 2009 - 6:53 pm 38. Harry Schell:

That Robert Reich, for his comments about “stimulating” non-white construction workers through government racism, got smiles and nods from the savants in Congress tells me all I need to know about Bama’s post-racial America:

The white able-bodied straight male with an income greater than zero is still THE pinata of preference to the political class and those they pander to.

Race or gender will never stop being an issue until people stop talking about “…this is a first…”. And they wouldn’t if MLK’s real dream had been achieved.

Feb 1, 2009 - 6:56 pm 39. Kirk Petersen:

I proudly voted for John McCain, and four years earlier I proudly voted for George Bush. But on January 20, Barack Obama became my president, and I’m appalled by the tone of the comments here. Obama Derangement Syndrome is no more valid or useful than Bush Derangement Syndrome was.

It’s very reasonable and appropriate to expect that Obama’s election will provide an inspiring example to others, and that it will start to erode the soft bigotry of low expectations. It turns out a black child really can grow up to be president. What a country.

Feb 1, 2009 - 8:14 pm 40. ked5:

by constantly using his race as a defense against genuine questions critical of his majesty puts us back 50 years. I’d be surprised if MLKjr. isn’t motion sick yet from spinning in his grave.

Feb 1, 2009 - 9:09 pm 41. Blackwell:

Westguard: I didn’t mean to belittle CEO’s, scientists, etc, but they are about as visible to the average teenager as a lawyer specializing in municipal bonds, or railroad easements.

When kids get in college they get a glimmer of those careers, but not in the younger teenage years when examples matter so much. Besides, most CEO’s hide from the press and most scientists are not media hounds.

Obama is somehting those other careers are not: as a result of media, he is visible. His limo is visible. His authority is too. Thats all I meant.

Feb 1, 2009 - 9:56 pm 42. Kathy L.:

I hope ACORN doesn’t get any more of our tax payer money in this latest stimulus package. They committed so much voter registration fraud, voter fraud,especially in the swing States, they helped steal the presidency for Obama. Don’t give them any more of our money, they have gotten way too much already.

Feb 2, 2009 - 5:49 am 43. john from cinncinatti:

i heard all the kakis and gray slacks are being bought up in the DC area. everyone wants to look like an Obama? good for them. that they don’t have a male role model other than the petulant sports stars,to to bad so so sad. Bill Cosby is a comedian and isn’t the role model, but what he told the black community wasn’t a joke. i now can say “don’t let the black man keep you down” there’s always hope don’tcha know.

Feb 2, 2009 - 6:09 am 44. m. smith:

What are you saying. Since the advent of Obama the subject of skin colour has mushroomed. Be sensible, colour prejudice has been around for centuries, and will be around for ever. It is experienced in every corner of the world, so this discussion is going nowhere, plus people cling to the subject as it helps when they claim victim status. Do you think some people want to give up their affirmative action benefits? Get real

Feb 2, 2009 - 10:05 am 45. Leatherneck:

No, it will not. Obama stayed in a BLT church for 20 years. If you know what BLT is, then this question would not have been asked.

Feb 2, 2009 - 1:33 pm 46. Will:

You better think about our freedom.Color means nothing.

Feb 2, 2009 - 1:49 pm 47. Kenny Darter:

It’s hilarious to think anyone has moved beyond race. Don’t believe me? See the proof here…http://hateonme.com/.

Feb 2, 2009 - 2:11 pm 48. eor:

It was reported that ACORN is to get 4.13 B of the stimulus pkg. I wonder if that is a down payment on the next presidential election. Or the start of building Obama’s promised Civilian Defense Force. I haven’t forgotten the Nazi Storm Troopers, the KGB, or Sadaam’s Republican Guard. I do not want Obama to have his own personal terrorist organization. NO!

Feb 2, 2009 - 4:18 pm 49. eor:

Obama is the one who played the race card, as did his supporter’s, subsequently. Noone else would touch it in a country mile. Then he and his supporters attacked women. I wonder if that is the muslim influence in his life. They certainly have no respect for women. Where are the feminists? Absent.

Feb 2, 2009 - 4:25 pm 50. stuart Williamson:

If we had elected an Afro-American of high character and statesman capability, I would rejoice, and racial relations would have improved in perpetuity.

The tragedy is that the Democrats nominated and, then elected. to the highest office in the world, a “black” President whose background is deliberately hidden from inspection, whose experience is confined to racially-focussed Chicago machine politics, whose legislative performance is pitifully week, who is on record as a doctrinaire socialist, and whose self-adoration is on continual display. Yet, if he fails to meet the challenges he faces because of these shortcomings, a large segment of the electorate will claim that his failure was ENTIRELY the resusult of racial bias, and be bitterly – possibly violently -articulate about it.

The inconvenient truth is that Obama’s presidency is lilely to set racial relations back by about two decades.

Feb 2, 2009 - 4:44 pm 51. eor:

Obama is making the mistake of doing the “Chicago” Boss thing. He is not “leading”. I thought maybe he was looking down his nose at us because he had “little man syndrome”. He does stand with his nose in the air. Then I read that Michelle is over 6 feet tall and he is about her height. So that wasn’t why.

Feb 2, 2009 - 6:20 pm 52. WestGuard:

41. Blackwell,

No problem and sorry if my post seemed aimed at you personally, it wasn’t. I shouldn’t have included your name to give the impression I was posting directly to you rather than just blathering in general to just a part of your post (which I realised, after re-reading again that I misconstrued anyway!) My bad for not reading your post in it’s entirety, I actually agree with a lot you said.

Feb 2, 2009 - 10:46 pm 53. Pirate:

Comments section has epic white angst lulz

Feb 2, 2009 - 11:04 pm 54. Cybergeezer:

From what’s transpired to date, I do not think anyone can argue that the Democrats want anything to do with “Balance of Power”. They’ve made it quite clear they want as much power as possible; If that means eliminating the other Parties, then good.
I see nothing but Democrats purchasing as much power as they can buy with OUR TAX DOLLARS. It’s obvious they want total control. If they can buy any ethnic group, they’ll try.
Anyone with the intention of carrying out this philosophy, doesn’t know what the Constitution and/or America is about. Race is only a part of the current problem.

Feb 3, 2009 - 5:10 am 55. caro:

I work with public school children in the South, and I can personally attest to the truth in Daniel’s article. Many black children have not been raised to believe that they can achieve the same goals as can their white counterpoints. Obama’s victory encouraged a whole generation of minorities to be successful, even if it means going against the social norms.

Feb 3, 2009 - 1:08 pm 56. Ken:

I do not believe that Obama will move this country towards looking beyond race. He will move this country in the opposite direction. During the campaign, he is the candidate who injected race into the argument. Hillary never brought it up, and none of the Republicans brought it up either. Obama, with his sanctimonious rhetoric, kept saying “Oh, did I mention he’s black?”

I know many people voted for him because he was black, and were afraid to criticize his policies in fear of being tagged as a racist. The media’s glowing coverage of him was in large part due to their wanting to be part of helping to elect the first black president.

I’m sure that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would be very pleased that America has elected its first black president. I do not believe he would be pleased with the man, Barack Obama. He certainly was not chosen based on the content of his character. He has proven throughout the campaign (and in his short time in office) that he has very little.

Feb 4, 2009 - 9:04 am 57. bbb:

Has H made any indication that he would like to end affirmative action? Until that vestige of the anti-Jim-Crow era is abolished, race relations in this country will never heal.

But it would appear that H is the epitome of the affirmative action culture. Charming but undistinguished, given a pass at every stage of his life because of his race, proud owner of a full deck of race cards, he is particularly unsuited to move us into the post-racial era.

BBB

Feb 4, 2009 - 5:48 pm 58. joe:

No he will not move us forward but only backwards.

There are a set of core values, which determines success in America. Those groups or races, which embrace these values are successful and those who do not have very difficult lives. These values are: 1- Get an education 2- Don’t break the law 3- Get a job and keep a job 4- If you are going to have kids get married first and then stay married.

If you listen to him, this might be the subtext of his theme about responsibility. It is unfortunate for black Americans these are just hollow words. Most time they are not discussed but when they are it is in the context of blacks being victims.

So should he successful as POTUS then question will be asked why cannot other blacks be successful. If he fails and given how he is such a symbol for the black community then the assessment will be blacks really cannot not make the grade.

This is all going to end very badly for America and especially so for black Americans.

Feb 5, 2009 - 4:40 pm

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