I heard this live and it jumped out at me. I waited until I could find it on YouTube to post about what bothers me. If you can spend the time to watch this, you'll have to go to the 8:15 mark to get to the part that bothers me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hios4bPGYDo If you don't have the time to watch it, here is the line that bothers me: "What Barack Obama is is the leading edge of this whole new generation of young, black, educated elite officials who are really taking charge..." Does that word "elite" not belong in there? Didn't that used to be a scornful describer?
Don't worry: "black elite" is one of those terms like "cure for cancer", "time travel" or "purple unicorn": it's really fun to think about, but we all know it doesn't exist. We are the best ball-bouncers, rhyme-droppers and elaborate touchdown-dancers in the history of the universe; but we'll never do enough of the hiring, voting, inventing or lending to really have any pull, ever. As a somewhat educated black person who reads crime, poverty and dropout statistics, I kind of like knowing some of us made varsity. Remember; this is a black female journalist who's been around for twenty plus years, and was once called a "cleaning lady" by Don Imus: long before you could get fired for that (at least on morning talk radio). I would probably save the "bragging" for Tavis Smiley though: "old, white, under-educated, private citizens" outnumber us about 5 or 6-to-1; and will always be in charge of everything. Four-to-eight years of Brad Daugherty ain't gonna change that.
I generally consider anyone who has gone to Columbia and then Harvard for law school elite. But then again my standards are low.
It's a sad shame the word has become almost an epithet. Politicians in our country have used it to tarnish opponents for decades.
Depends on context.Describing a soldier as elite is in no way scornful. It bothers me that such a non issue would bother you...wierd.
Whats wrong with elite? Would you rather have average or mediocre? Elite=Chris Paul, Deron Williams Mediocre = Rafer Alston I think I would much rather have "elite"
If you're black, you're dumb; but if you're white, you're just as patronizingly racist as you probably hoped not to be. Try using something other than obscure medical terms and kiddy cartoon references in an adult conversation.
No; if you label a black person as white because of their opinion, which he explicitly did, you're either dumb or racist. If you mistake racial jabs and cartoon references for actual arguments, then you're dumb. I'm sure he'll enjoy your company.
He wasn't calling you white. He was comparing you to a, self loathing, black character that thinks very low of his own race. He goes out of his way to point out white superiority. It's a funny concept that is hilarious if ever demonstrated in real life.
I've taken in the criticism and understand it. I think my thinking has been somewhat tarnished by this phenomenon. It just comes off as an out of place description by a supporter.
