[NYT] Comment from The Guy Who Got Where He Is Because He's Black

Very funny, and thought-provoking article. I enjoyed it.

That being said, I'm going to throw a grenade in this thread (yeah, I kinda believe this, at least a little):

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no his point was its okay for those archie bunker esque attitudes, quite an aside from his usaual not taking responsibility mentality

 

That is exactly the same thing, just written a different way. You can say that affirmative action is good directly, or you can say that it is incorrect to think affirmative action is bad, you are just rearranging the equation. X-1=0 is the same thing as 0 = 1-X

Actually, affirmative action is the antithesis of taking responsibility. It is saying a black person cannot do it on his own, we need to help him out. Further, not only can a black person not do it on his own, but it is the white man's fault that he can't do it on his own.

"No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; ... nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

According to some members of the Supreme Court, this doesn't mean what it says. Instead, we find that it is OK to deny some people the equal protection of the laws. It is illegal to discriminate based on skin color, unless the skin color is white. It is illegal to discriminate based on gender, unless the gender is male, etc.

I don't have a say in whether an individual is racist, that is up to the person, and that person doesn't speak for me. I do have a say in whether my government is racist. My government does speak for me. I do not approve of laws that are racist on their face. You can if you like.

 

It isn't saying a black person can't do it on his own, it is saying that it isn't a level playing field and in order to make up for 4 hundred years of slavery, and oppression while the whites were setting up all the rules and making all the connections there are some ways to help level the playing field slightly. You are correct that it is saying it is the white man's fault, because that happens to be the truth.

Again AA is voluntary is unless there is a proven history of discrimination. The second point that the white man is being discriminated against doesn't make sense, because they were the ones who set up the whole system, know the ins and outs, made the connections, and geared everything toward their culture, and way of communication. I'm sorry but I haven't seen one proven example of the poor downtrodden white race being discriminated against and kept out of the work place. I've heard complaints, but there isn't really any evidence of it that I've seen. I'd be happy to look if you have some.

It isn't just laws. It is standardized tests, the way that the majority communicates etc. that gives them an edge since they set up the rules. AA is just an attempt to compensate for the problems. It doesn't say one person isn't capable, just that they aren't being fairly assessed as far as what they are actually capable of.

 

well maybe you should worry about fixing the situation that created a need for affirmative action. see you may see white people as the victim of the great american racist authority but since white people benefited for hundreds of years because of the system and they have advantages because of the past you come up with a better way to right the wrongs, until then its just b****ing.

 

Maybe you should review more of his posts
I think he has made it an artform

Rocket River

 

All I know is if he's so unique and popular b/c he is black then why are white men the only ones to become president?

 

Why not remove racism and remove all doubt?

 

I found the original article mildly amusing and a nice riff on The Invisible Man but a little drawn out.

To the point of the piece I don't believe that being black is what makes Obama an exceptional politician but it I don't think it can be denied that it is part of his appeal anymore than it could be denied that part of Hillary Clinton's appeal is that she is a woman.

I've heard many Obama supporters say that it would be a great statement that shows how far America has come if Obama is elected. How is it going to be great and unique? That a charismatic senator is elected to President. Its obvious that the unique statement is that a country with a long history of racism has come around to elect a black man to the presidency.

Even though I'm not supporting Obama in the primaries before I'm tarred with playing the race card I will emphasize there are many many other reasons to support Obama besides race but that is part of his appeal which for better or worse can't be ignored.

 

Well played sir.. Well played..


Now to be fair to Alan Keyes though he does have a following among Republicans having little to do with his race. I don't think it was enough to merit the IL Republicans drafting him particularly since he didn't live in IL..

 

Jews are allowed in the Klan now

Yes, this coming from the same guy who still contends that all the Blacks in New Orleans should have just walked out of the city on foot before Katrina hit

 

its insane. tj and bigtexxx will do it in the same thread.

he's a half black elitist who goes to a militant black christian church in the ghetto because he's probably a muslim who only is here because of the white elite vote

 

Doesn't Obama get 95% of the AA vote?

Race is one of the factors in this election, there is no denying that.

 

I agree that it is rather foolish to label him an elitists while also calling him too ghetto but I was only addressing one part of that argument. That part of Obama's appeal is that he is black and if you note the original piece is only riffing on that part.

I have no doubt that he would likely be successful if he wasn't black but its undeniable that is part of his appeal.

 

I have a hard time believing alcoholics support Obama by that margin and I really doubt they do it because he's black. There's probably a fair number of alcoholics who think they'd have a shot at Hillary if she ended up in the same bar.

 

There are exceptions to the rule "every women looks hot when you are hammered", Hillary is probably on top of that list.