Obama's ancestors owned slaves

basso, not sure about your intentions, but IMO you truly do make the world a worse place.

Congrats and welcome to Ignoresylvania!

 

Sharpton hasn't officially backed anyone yet. He was clearly upset about findig out his ancestor was a slave of Thurmond and since his backing is still up in the air, it MIGHT influence him to go with Hillary instead, especially considering his statements about the slavery situation.

I am strictly talking about PRIMARIES. please re-read my post once more. And the Obama isn't black enough stuff does not come from the right-wing.

 

Ummm news flash...this really isn't a big issue to black people. If my great-great-great-great-great- and maybe a few more greats- grandfather hadn't owned slaves I wouldn't be here. I dare you to try and find one black person in the country that doesn't have a slaveowning ancestor. Since most black people are 30% other its really not that big of a deal.

Furthermore, we are not so stupid as to vote for Hilary just because Al Sharpton says so, nor are quite dumb enough not to vote for Obama just because his ancestors owned slaves. It's amazing the things people come up with when generalizing about black people. Do you really think we're all idiots?

 

whoa, I'm not generalizing anyone. I don't even know what "not black enough" means.

The fact is Sharpton hasn't officially backed anyone yet. He's stated fondness for both candidates, and I said this MIGHT swing his backing. I know that there is alot of blacks who dislike Sharpton, but he is what he is, an influential figure in the community whose backing is constantly sought out by candidates who are wooing the black vote.

 

Seriously? Are you really serious? Al Sharpton is many things but he is not stupid. Do you know how dumb he'd look for not backing Obama based on him "not being black enough" and having slave owning ancestors to turn around and back Hilary? Hilary a person who's not only white but most certainly had slave owning ancestors....Please he'd lose all crediblity with black people and thats certainly not what he wants.

 

It doesn't really mean much since there's no such thing. But it normally refers to being a well educated black person. While Sharpton is a considerable force in the black community you still have many other influential blacks who could swing the vote. Al Sharpton isn't our last savior nor is his indicative of how we'd vote.

This is not very likely to swing his backing at all given the fact that it really has no bearing at all. Like I said most blacks have at least one slave owning ancestor so this really isn't a huge revelation. It's really not even a big deal.

 

I never made any connection with Sharpton and the allegations of Obama not being "black enough". I don't think his ancestors having slaves should make him not "black enough".

I'm strictly talking about Sharpton's decision POSSIBLY being influenced by the fact that Obama's ancestors had slaves due to the timing of his own discovery

 

I think it won't matter so much because you have to look at the logistics of this situation. It would be far more damaging for him to back Hilary than to back Obama. Furthermore, the fact that Obama's family owned slaves is not that huge of an issue in the grand scheme of things. Trust me. I can see this from a black person's POV. The fact that they owned slaves is not enough for him to throw his own politics to the wind. Al Sharpton is dedicated to furthering black people. Backing Hilary would not help his cause at all.

 

Personally, I don't think his ancestors owning slaves should be an issue either since, I believe, that some of the slaves sold here in the 19th century were either already enslaved or captured by other Africans.

Question for you though, do you feel the majority of people out there knows this? And the fact that it is "white" side of the family that owned slaves; does that make it any different than if it was the "black" side?

I can't say whether it would damage Sharpton to back HIllary as opposed to Obama, but I do know that the Clintons (courtesy of Bill) enjoy a ridiculously high approval rating from blacks.

 

Who cares? my white ancestors sold slaves (but they weren't black slaves, so it's not as bad, right?)

 

Hhhhhmmmmm . . . not really worth the effort to touch this one

Rocket River
it is interesting to know. . but it is not surprising

 

Again, what the hell are you talking about? And I find it interesting that you disavow the "black enough" charge yet in a subsequent post, you ask:

 

I'm strictly talking about Sharpton's decision POSSIBLY being influenced by the fact that Obama's ancestors had slaves due to the timing of his own discovery

I was referring to Sharpton's discovery of his ancestors being slaves of Strom Thurmond's ancestors. He made some strong remakrs about it, I made a GUESS that the timing of his dicovery coupled with the fact he hadn't endoresed anyone yet MIGHT POSSIBLY affect his decision to endorse Clinton or Obama.

I don't think it should decide whether he's "black enough" or not, it does not mean other people feel the same way, erego why I asked the question.

 

I don't think this is a big issue and as Astrorockette pointed out most African-Americans have slave owner in their ancestry. Just ask the black descendents of Thomas Jefferson. For that matter if you look far enough in all of our histories you will probably find a checkered past. Since I'm part Mongolian some of my ancestors probably pillaged and raped some of my other ancestors.

Everyone is considering this either a non factor or a potential negative for Obama but this could even be a plus.

That's spin but it isn't totally baseless as it should be a sign of progress that a white descendent of a slave owner could look past color and marry a black African. While this may not make Obama more black it helps round out his story as an American.

 

good point basso.. i'll vote for guilianni's great grand mother for president then..

 

So did some of Booker T. Washington's, Malcolm X's and W.E.B DuBois's. And probably LBJ's, and maybe yours. Relevant?

 

You seem to be suggesting that Al Sharpton is a complete idiot. This in no way will sway him to support Clinton over Obama. That is absurd. Strom Thurmond was pro-segregation. Obama could be a champion of black empowerment, despite the fact that he is not even related to black slaves in America.

Stop with the baseless speculation. There's no reason to bring it up.

 

well one of my grandpa's an ******* and a piece of ****.... i guess i will never be able to make it in life because im related to him... ****... i'm screwed.


politics suck.

 

I also agree. hey, hey.