-
Website
http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com/ -
Original page
http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com/2008/02/black-on-black-obama-and-the-somali-elder-outfit/ -
Subscribe
All Comments -
Community
-
-
Top Commenters
-
Popular Threads
It is sad to watch our so called "black leadership" sit on the sidelines and allow this to happen.
By the way, I was reading about how the Clinton and McCain campaign managers are "friends". McCain has been using the same tactics as the Clinton Campaign. They have the same talking points and they even have their surrogates introducing them and going after Obama in a way that is unacceptable. At least McCain came out right away and denounced it unlike the Clintons.
That is the assassination I fear, too. And the Borg Queen's Mammy is pulling out all the stops.
They are jumping on the fact that Farrakhan has crawled out from under his rock. Obama handled it well, but if you ask me, if Farrakhan wants to be useful in this dialogue, he needs to dispatch a posse of NOI brothers to provide security for Obama, and if the whites want to howl, Obama can merely respond that he wants to be safe, and how can he do that if the Secret Service is advertising the fact that they are slacking up in their security detail?
I'd like to see the Justice Department respond to that question.
And Sheila Jackson-Lee and Stephanie Tubbs-Jones needs to seriously drink cans of STHU - because in their stumping for Hillary, they are coming across as very stupid and inarticulate. Slamming Obama only makes for the barn-Burner this year's CBC Weekend is going to be...and I plan on having a front row seat.
Crooks and Liars had a post up:
"Which Hillary will show up at the Debate tonight?" and you voted from the choice of:
Angry Hillary
Victimized Hillary
Bill disguised as Hillary
Cookie-Baking Hillary
Kitchen Sink Hillary
Shrill Hillary
Shut Up and Deal Hillary
I can't remember, and some people added their own choices.
Hillarious. I went for Kitchen Sink Hillary, because I knew she would throw everything including the kitchen sink at Obama last night.
1. I wrote this morning over at my blog that it's interesting that the Repbulican study of how to deal with the Obama candidacy is going to be spun as gearing up on an attack on him. Why not just acknowledge the fact that maybe the GOP isn't trying to make some of the same mistakes they've made in the past? Why does it have to be getting ready for an all out slugfest? (If you're interested the post is at http://dillarddoctrine.blogspot.com/2008/02/tes.... Not to sound like a Clinton apoligist, but no one knows FOR SURE that the picture came from her campaign. Why are you so willing to throw her campaign manager under the bus for something she may/may not (acknowledging both sides) have any knowledge of or responsibility for? On top of that, why do black leaders have to respond to every supposed "racial" attack on Obama?
I think the best statement on that picture came from Obama last night: "I take Senator Clinton at her word that she knew nothing about the photo. So I think that's something that we can set aside."
Be that as it may, I have to wonder how Drudge Report is suddenly a trustworthy source. I fully believe that the Clinton campaign, individuals within, or an overzealous supporter, could have sent in the picture, but what guarantee is there? This is Drudge Report we're talking about, after all...
As for Obama...if, he happens to win this thing, I'll not say anything if decides to lower the boom on all the HHH. It will be within his right.
All of Clinton's surrogates have gotten so defensive and irrational in interviews, it's clear they're all about to crack.
Daily Dish reported last week that if Clinton doesn't win big on Tuesday, most of her staff is quitting on Wednesday.
They're fried.
The HILLARY "STEP DOWN WITH GRACE" CAMPAIGN
Contact the DNC to let Howard Dean know that we feel that Hillary should step down in a respectful manner since she is obvously not going to win the nomination. This would be the right gesture for her political future as well as the right gesture for the Democratic Party. Just visit: 'STEP DOWN WITH GRACE' Campaign at http://www.Blacks4Barack.org....then respectfully request the DNC to ask her to step-down. Then it will be time to concentrate on the Re-Birth Of America....BARACK OBAMA !
All this photo does is make Obama look silly, just like every other politician who travel abroad and dons native garb.
This photo will not turn voters away from Obama. There is no such thing as an 'on-the-fence' bigot. Bigots have been opposed to Obama from the beginning. This is no 'assination.' What hyperbole!
We have spent so many years looking back, trying to identify ourselve with our ancestors countries of origin, that I feel may of us have lost sight of what it means to be American.
I am a white woman of Italian and Polish ancestry, married to a white man of Spanish, Irish, German, Russian and Jewish ancestry. Recently, our daughter was assigned a class project in which she was assigned to create a paper doll of herself dressed in the traditional costume of her ancestors. Needless to say, my 7 year-old was distressed about which country to choose. I told her to choose the USA, since that's what her ancestors did. She dressed her doll in red, white and blue and went to school with a proud smile.
I respect everyone's right to identify themselves however they choose. But differences are divisive. Hence the origin of the word. I fear we will never fully shed the 'narrow, bigoted fear-mongering politics' until we cease being hyphenated-Americans before being American.
-Your daughter is very lucky to have such a wise mother.
Gotta call bullshit on ya, d. You know as well as I that the RNC has commissioned focus groups to see just how far they can push the boundaries of racialized politics. Now, I didn't say "racism". So don't go strawman on me. I said "racialized".
Now, I don't know how the mind of the average (white) Republican racializing strategist thinks, but I can tell you this; he or she doen't know shit about Black folks. So what I expect is that they'll get one or two buck dancin', skinnin' and grinnin', shoe shinin' kneegrows to do their dirty work (if they can find some low class Melon John to wave a konfederate flag here and there, they can find one to do some Republican cooning for McCain).
'Sa damn shame. And I can't understand how any self-respecting Black person -- of any political persuasion -- could stoop so low in this day and age.
There are lots of reasons to think twice about Obama, but it is clear that objectivity and constructive criticism are off limits here.
No. Black Republicans who would use racialized rhetoric and innuendo (against a Black candidate of an opposing political party) so that white Republicans don't have to ...
are degrading and low.
I am a white woman of Italian and Polish ancestry, married to a white man of Spanish, Irish, German, Russian and Jewish ancestry (whiet). Recently, our daughter was assigned a class project in which she was assigned to create a paper doll of herself dressed in the traditional costume of her ancestors. Needless to say, my 7 year-old was distressed about which country to choose. I told her to choose the USA, since that's what her ancestors did. She dressed her doll in red, white and blue and went to school with a proud smile.
This anecdote (which is just what it is) has nothing to do with the identity of people of color or immigrants. You're a white person choosing to identify as only American (I'm wondering how long ago your family came to this country and what part of it you live in.). Funnily enough until about 70-90 years ago you wouldn't have been even considered American or white, even if you had lived your entire life here.
Perhaps your ancestors understood far better than you do the importance of identity and ties to your origin, or maybe they gave that up for the all emcompassing umbrella term of white (since that is what many Eastern European and Irish people did). Or maybe, you only use Italian and Polish when "necessary" to pull out the "diversity" card.
Being a hyphenated American isn't divisive, what's divisive is the assimilationist nature and simplicity of thought on the subject.
This guy isn't a thrice removed white American woman... he's a multiracial person with first generation ties to Kenya. He still has family there(even though that picture is from Somalia).
Our heritage isn't our hindrance. Our memories are long. It's not either/or. We can be both. We can be our ethnic identities living inside of America. We shouldn't have to erase our identities and origins to make other people feel comfortable. Some people are still pretending America is a melting pot, while the rest of us never had this illusion.
Also, Barack Obama doesn't look silly, what's silly is that you're looking at another culture's native dress and passing judgment on it. If you came across this picture and it wasn't Barack Obama, but another black guy dressed as an Elder would it still be silly?
I'd be willing to bet that when someone passes judgment on the very superficial identity that you've constructed (fashion, haircolor, weight) you're ready to spit nails.
But hey, whatever you don't understand is perfectly okay to talk about as if you do, right? Next, you can tell us how you don't understand about the Middle East and why those people are fighting each other and "here's what you would do" to fix the problem. (Which incidentally is a pretty hilarious comment that a lady told me on the bus one time...)
What about one's American heritage? Even if one has family in another country, the United States is their country, is it not?
I'm not advocating that one should erase your heritage, just place it in the relevent context. I'm not asking you to make me comfortable. I'm fine with you, however you want to identify yourself. But if you identify yourself as a hyphenated-American, aren't you choosing to be identified as an American with exception? I'm not playing any 'diversity card.'
After 9/11, an ad ran on TV where people of all colors and ethnic backgrounds proudly stated "I am an American." First and foremost. I believe that only after we regain that attitude, that spirit of unity, can we "throw off narrow, bigoted fear-mongering politics."
What about one's American heritage? Even if one has family in another country, the United States is their country, is it not?
As I said, they can both exist. But having lived in the shadows of America, no I'm not American first. Others can choose to identify that way within the community of people of color, but I don't. Our experiences are not all the same, they are different and for me the idea of me just being American negates the fact that I don't have certain privileges that white people who identify as only American have. There's a history and that context is my everyday life. It's incredibly relevant. We are not "separated" and cannot or should not be expected to compartmentalize our identities.
America was fucked up before Natives had to identify as Natives. It was fucked before blacks were put under the umbrella concept Black. It was fucked before Latinos became referred to as Latinos. It's not the hyphenation that's the problem. It's the people who cannot deal with the hyphenations.
The question would really be who gets to decide the context? Though it wasn't a personal visit, it was a journey in which he put on the clothes of another culture. Like I say, you wouldn't be able to tell that Barack wasn't actually Somalian. I stand by that. If they offered to share their traditional dress with him, it might not have been so silly to the people who offered it.
First and foremost. I believe that only after we regain that attitude, that spirit of unity, can we "throw off narrow, bigoted fear-mongering politics."
You're free to believe that, but I know that believing I'm an American first doesn't change the laws legislated against people of color historically that adversely affect/effect our lives in the present day.
Being an American doesn't protect me from police stops, my cousins being beaten, higher mortgage rates, higher infancy death rates, poverty, poor health care, shorter life expectancy or any of the other things that are real to POC especially poor POC.
You need to temper Obama's rhetoric with the history of America (which he already has a firm grasp on) and the reality of POC living in America.
“If we would just come together, all of us, across the divisions that have plagued us for so long – black, white, Hispanic, and Native Americans, young and old, rich and poor…then there would be no problem that we could not solve,” Obama said in the Dallas suburbs.
Obama said that and Obama also knows very well (especially given the church he attends) that coming together doesn't mean erasing ethnic identity or ethic traditions to "just be American", especially when all of us don't have equal "American" privileges.
Given my very real history and present, I'm not going to be able to get behind the idea that "American" is all I am. I am much more than that, and so are many of my friends.
We can come together and keep our identities and being an American in America doesn't confer the same privileges to everyone.
So no, my family's been here 200 years on one side, since 500 (as far as we know) on the other and I can firmly say, that no, with the way things are going it really doesn't feel like my country and it never has.
It's kind of ironic that he said that in Dallas, as I grew up there.. but it looks a lot different in the projects than it does from the area he was speaking in.
There are lots of books that you can read that will help you with this subject. Some people don't want to unite in that way, and it's perfectly fine if they don't. Some people do and that's fair as well.. Obama's talking rhetoric (and I'm okay with that, I still support him), but there has never been a unity that he's talking about in the history of the United States (or the world for that matter) and there never will be.
One of the reasons for that is because the way reality presents itself for each of us, allows each of our truths to be just as valid as the next. The best we can hope for is not putting aside 'ethnic differences', but realizing those differences and allowing people to feel the way they feel. The differences aren't hindering us, it's how we're dealing with them that is.
It's okay to have hope, I support that, that the world could be better. But it's not okay to skip the part that made the divisions and say "let's put that behind us" or "in it's proper place", when it's happening in the present and it's proper place is in the person's life.
(And yes naming off how many types of different white you are is the white liberal diversity card, especially when in America all of that adds up to white and normative. I'm talking from an academic and critical viewpoint.
Have you ever read any of Obama's black supporters who have critical dialogues on race and ethnicity in Academia? If not. I suggest you do.)
I advocate a love philosophy, but before we can "put aside our differences", we're going to have recognize why they are there, why they are important, and that they don't need to be put aside, so much, as worked with. There are too many variables for "one thing" to make bigotry and fear mongering stop. Your idea isn't a step in the right direction because it assumes that immigrants and POC never tried assimilation, they did and we're still where we are right now.
And yes, you're advocating assimilation and assimilation is hurtful to the people who must assimilate. They lose much more than they could ever gain.
-The other anonymous.
It seems like blacks who come against Obama from a policy standpoint get labeled as sellouts, Uncle Toms, etc....so where's the difference?
And why does action against a particular candidate have to be tied to self-respect?