Florida Congresswoman calls Bush officials "racist white men"

DEAR MODS:

Can we please, pretty please, change the official name of the forum to monkey poo? Who said that originally? I thought it was a moderator.

 

Yes, this is the most important aspect of the Haiti issue. Let's focus on these stupid statments instead of the ongoing tragedy of Haiti's situation.

 

That's incorrect. Your use of "all" again shows your unwillingness to discuss something as if you respect your "opponents" (sic). I, for one, would not scream for the nobody's head. I don't scream in general, actually. I believe I was in favor of Lott stepping down from his speakers position, but not losing his main elected seat, but I don't know if I even posted about that.

Enjoy T_J land, but make sure you have some antacid tablets on hand. I'm giving up attempts at serious dialogue in your case, as I did with T_J long ago. Best wishes to you (and I guess to the specific system of thought to which you've pledged allegiance).

 

i think the point is that if this was a republican then this would just be used as more proof that the republicans are racist a-holes. however, since this is a black democrat congresswoman then its just dismissed as her being stupid and not as evidence that democrats are racist pigs.

his point about the double standard would be if some obscure white congressman was saying something and just called a group of black politicians "a bunch of black men" and made some comment about how they looked then it would be a huge controversy and the guy would more than likely have to resign.

her comments will just be dismissed as an outburst.

 

No big deal. I mean, it's not like a republican said it or anything.

 

Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly and others spout political hate speech every time they have a forum with millions of people. If we had to respond to every one of their lies with documented proof of them lying we would fill the forum with a thread for each one of them.

 

There are at least 4 seperate arguments here;

Whether he comment about 'a bunch of white men' can be construed as racist. IMO, there is little doubt that it can.

Whether that comment disavows her position that the US policy towards Haiti is racist. I would suggest it is not conclusive.

Whether there will be a different reaction to this commentary because she's female, or black. I think that, sadly, the reverse pendulum effect on racism in contemporary circles ensures she will get an easier ride than had it been a whote man saying it about a minority.

Whether there will be a different reaction/portrayal because she's a Democrat. I think this argument needs to be broken down. For one thing, it is diningenous for Republican supporters to dissassociate portrayal of Republican position on racial issues from the party's voting record on racial issues. This wasn't a concept someone just thought up one day sitting in a coffee shop; there is a clear distinction in US history, even fairly recently, on the general stances of each party towards racial issues.

So when the party with the least progressive voting history towards racial minorities, also with the greater number of priminent members with established racist records sees yet another example of that pattern asserted by public comments, it will naturally engender a greater backlash then when a member of the pary assosicated with more progressive voting on racial issues says something like this.

To try and pretend that this comment happened in a vacuum is, IMO, unrealistic and prejudicial.


On the other hand, should the individual in question receive the benefit of her party's more favorable record on related issues? Not at all. If she deserves to be thrwon to the dogs, then chuck away, irrespective of party, race, or gender. What this says about the individual is consistent. What it says about the party isn't.

 

Racism cuts across ethnic, idelogical and political lines.

It is everywhere.

 

I agree...It is sad when race gets brought into a discussion, but unfortunately, its a fact of life...

BTW, I know she is passionate about Haiti, but those type of comments are idiotic...If it were the other way around, then all hell would break loose...

 

thats so true.

if thiswas a white woman saying that to a bunch of black men, we'd have riots in the streets.

the double standard is ridiculious, and she should get reprimanded accordingly.

 

I know you like to play the T_J, but isn't that a bit much?

weren't you, macbeth, deckard and some others just bemoaning the lack of serious discussions here? then you're presented with a serious thread and this is your reaction?

You want serious discussion??

The Democratic congresswoman was angry and wrong to make a statement like that. She probably regrets it.

If (to quote Woofer) "Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly and others spout political hate speech every time they have a forum with millions of people. If we had to respond to every one of their lies with documented proof of them lying we would fill the forum with a thread for each one of them.", if those people would ever "regret or backup or justify" or, more importantly for here, not have their crap parroted all over the place by people who take, or pretend to take, their garbage seriously, then perhaps Democrats and Liberals would get more worked up about something like this.


But they don't. So it's hard for us to.

 

She's a racist because she called other people racist?

I mean, if she had said something like "dumb crackers," you'd have a point. Or if she said that this country "wouldn't have all these problems if the pilgrims never came," that would be racism.

IIRC, something to the effect of "bitter racist black man" has been used before to describe posters in here.

 

I'll never understand this argument anyway, if you want to complain write your congressman or whatever. No one's stopping you.

 

Not really about affirmative action as a whole, as I oppose it, and am not racist. More to do with votinh history, in total, on issues like segragation, interacail marriages, etc.