Jack and Jill Politics - Latest Comments in The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

CHH — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 02:24:12 -0000

Wealth does play a large part in who is considered elite, as well as membership in certain organizations. However, if Obama had not become a senator he would not have been invited anywhere. Having connections is a good thing, to be sure, but based on the standard in Our Kind of People he doesn't make the cut.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

butterfly — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:36:41 -0000

This is truly written by someone who does not understand America's black elite. Wealth is but one factor of status, expecially in the black community.

Whether or not the Obamas are actual dues paying members of the quoted organizations (some of which, I am associated) is a technicality. Their close personal friends (social circle) and political confidantes are members. They are on the invitation list and attend various black elite parties and functions. Be certain that the Obamas have surely been extended invitations to join (The Links, The Boule...) but for their own reasons have declined.

Your list of who and who isn't is interesting. But dare I say, the fact the Oprah, Jay Z, and Beyonce are entertainers have more to do with why they aren't considered in.

Just food for thought.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

Anonymous — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:54:00 -0000

@GDI:

"I have it on good authority that the woman who writes The Black Socialite is an arriviste not unlike Larry Otis Graham. She is using the blog to simply promote herself."

That could explain why she said, when she explained why she closed the comments section, that her readers need to keep in mind that the people featured on her blog also read it.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

teacher — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 02:17:00 -0000

Also, Happy Birthday to Brother Nelson Mandela, 90 years old on June 26th. Wow. What a life. I'd rather my children be like him than Harold Ford Jr. May God continue to bless him and his work.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

teacher — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 02:12:00 -0000

I hate this thread and this philosophy. I hate the ANIMAL HOUSE mentality among humans, and especially people of African descent. I sincerely believe that we have the creativity and intellectual acuity to reject this strawman paradigm. Having the will to do it is always the determinant. I am against us always selecting the caucasian model as the gold standard. We need to reconsider (reject) a model based on domination, control over everyone but self, flagrant greed & narsicism. These societal constructs are so shallow and so... inconsequential. I realize that most of you all are making light of the whole (laughable) elitist rock thrown at the Obamas. At least thats what I hope. I have relatives with phd's that didn't do anything noteworthy. I have rich relatives who didn't do anything noteworthy. My debutante ball was one of the most boring nights of my life. I'm far from being a socialite, though I am usually genteel. What I would prefer to see is servant-leadership. Many of the most important, impressive people in the world are servant-leaders. Those who end up immortalizing themselves are servant-leaders. Yes, many times their wealth affords them the opportunity to be servant-leaders, but it's preferable to them just being rich for no reason other than to indulge themselves. I think Obama gets this concept. Lady Diana (Princess of Wales) got it. Jimmy Carter gets it, and even Bill Clinton is trying to pimp the paradigm (I think he is mainly motivated by power and self- interest). The Obama's have exhibited class and good character to the extreme. They have resisted stooping to the levels of their detractors, and those people have gone pretty low. To me, that trumps old money and complexion/skin tone any day.

BTW, I don't think Michelle is dark, but I do consider her to be brown. I think she is an AKA, though she has the regalness of a Delta (lol!). I saw her name on their list.

I'm lurking due to computer problems. My laptop crashed. Right now I'm on wifi, which is not reliable in my house. I'm in negotiations with AT&T; for a different wireless card to work with a new laptop. Please send good vibes.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

manju — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 02:05:00 -0000

just to clify a tad, from reading our kind of people, the american black elite seems to echo to wasp elite, and perhaps old-world eltes everywhere...valuing pedigree over everything else.

its very unamerican. a holdover from old european attitudes. pedigree won't help you score well on the sats, invent a new arbitrage technique, or a new search engine, or a great strat up; skills that real americans, like mittal and khosla, value.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

Manju — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 01:46:00 -0000

the obama's are elite. the astors are not. we live in the age of triumphant capitalism, and that has leveled the playing field. oprah, and her disciple obama, understand this.

just look at the ethnic makeup of wall street: no longer old blue bloods from exceter bur rather mit-trained geeks who work in hedge funds or in the vc industry (and what do ou think the ethnic make up of caltech or mit is).

the wealth of google and microsoft dwarfs that of brown brothers harriman. i'm old enough to remember when a jew couldn't make partner at morgan stanley, the center of wasp culture, so they where forced to work at lehman or goldman. who's laughing now?

the ivy-league obama's are definitely part of this new elite. wasp dominance is over.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

babyming — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:04:00 -0000

Looks like they're playing the "class card" against Obama, accusing him of being elitist.

I suppose the class card can be just as nasty as the race card or the sex card.

I am beginning to understand what Obama means when he says he wants to go beyond politics as usual. In the USA right now, "politics as usual" is pretty sad.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

GDIs Unite — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:36:00 -0000

I have it on good authority that the woman who writes The Black Socialite is an arriviste not unlike Larry Otis Graham. She is using the blog to simply promote herself.

Blatant self promotion is always tacky. Even tackier, referring to oneself as a "socialite".

And to think that she doesn't consider Michelle a peer. Go figure.

I am overjoyed that Michelle is neither Link, Girlfriend, Charmette, Mole, AKA, Delta, Zeta, Sigma Gamma Rho, nor Jack and Jill alum. I think of how some of the women in those organizations have treated other black people and I smile.

2 GDIs are going to the first black couple in the White House.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

jed — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:28:00 -0000

Among the elite are the Old Money elite and the nouveau riche. The Obamas are definitely nouveau riche. Then again, I do not see that as a putdown.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

Professor Tracey — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:19:00 -0000

Rikyrah -

I think for The Black Socialite blog, it's not about Michelle Obama's social status, but her sorority status. If she was an AKA or a Delta, Black Socialite would have mentioned her.

Since the AKA's have decided to step up on Michelle Obama's behalf recently, I would not be surprised if they are planing to offer an honorary membership.

Black Socialite's blog reads more like Black Sorority Socialite than black elite. The big names in the black elite are just not that accessible and she's not really talking about them.

And I have to wonder how many of the really rich black elite are voting for Obama anyway. He wants to tax them more, I can imagine they are supporting that.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:38:00 -0000

There is some playa hatin going on. I guess they are disappointed that a common couple may be in the WH. Some of the 'elite' are diehard Repubs and they flaunt their token acceptance into white society. LORD..what will they do now?

I am sure tho-if Michelle sends out WH dinner invatations, they will be in the house in a fast minute

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

heartsandflowers — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:07:00 -0000

Rikyrah -

I'd be surprised that they have a problem with Obama's parentage by race alone. The earliest Black socialites did have white parentage - hence the paper bag test. I think Obama might just get it...Michelle DEFINITELY does not. So there you go. It's funny how Barack managed to have enough desire to get in touch with Black consciousness while some other politicians who've 'always' been Black and are his peers are not really 'down for the people'.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

artchess — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:05:00 -0000

Thank you for posting this! I'm getting tired of the Republicans, etc talkin about how the Obamas are elitist, when they're clearly not, ESPECIALLY against the McCains.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

SquarePeg — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:32:00 -0000

The fact that she isn't considered, "Our Kind of People" should be a compliment.

When will Black folks stop hatin' on each other with all these artificial barriers?

Somebody help me. Are they proud of being Black or are they some type of sub-racial group in between Black and whatever? Help me.

What are they?

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

Town — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:58:00 -0000

rikyrah,

I think she might rate a sidebar on that blog and that's about it. LOL.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

rikyrah — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:45:00 -0000

Not that Obama is hostile to the Black Elite. Valerie Jarrett is one, as well as John Rogers, Jr. among others that he's known for years. But, no, he and Michelle would not be considered ' Our Kind of People'.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

rikyrah — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:40:00 -0000

IMO Michelle Obama is not going to rate a mention from that crowd even if she does become First Lady. She doesn't rate a mention now as a Senator's wife. She doesn't even rate a mention as the wife of the presumptive Democratic nominee. IMO some people think Michelle Obama is a little too "common." I wouldn't hold my breath.

town,

I dunno.. I don't see how she could be shunned if she actually becomes First Lady.

But, we will see...LOL

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

rikyrah — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:39:00 -0000

What cracks me up is that they think OBAMA is 'Uppity'.
Lord, they haven't met 'Uppity'.

They are NOT impressed with Obama having a White Mama.

Channeling my best 'Our Kind of People' voice:

But...but...his White people weren't even PROFESSIONALS!

BWA HA HA HA HA

You know I don't lie on this.

Now, will Lawrence Otis Graham be true to his Edith Wharton leanings, and leave Barack and Michelle out of his Black Elite Listing?

I dunno.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:32:00 -0000

So, for me, the question is: Are the Obama's "intellectually liberal elitists?"

The MSM will not make that distinction and low info voters would get confused...LOL

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:30:00 -0000

Its funny--the majority of the Black Elite class are not that wealthy.

Hopefully CNN and the MSM can get a few of Our Kind of People to state that the Obamas don't qualify.

I wonder whether that will kill the elitism charges?

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:08:00 -0000

There seem to be several competing defiitions of 'elite' circulating out here, just add 'black elite' to the list.

From my POV, the term 'elite' which emerged after Obama's comments about white working class voters, has more to do with a POLITICAL MINDSET; a world view shaped by liberal academia and activism rather than anything to do with material wealth or social status.

In the academic enclaves of the "Ivy League" and 'hot spots' of progressive activism like Hype Park, Chicago, "What's the Matter with Kansas" comments are accepted as 'truth.' So too are the rantings of Wright and Pfleger.

So, for me, the question is: Are the Obama's "intellectually liberal elitists?"

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

The Christian Progressive Libe — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:57:00 -0000

I would think being in attendance at the BET awards would disqualify you from entree into the Black Elite.

We can never get anywhere because our race is too internally divided - the Black Elite are where they are because when they got money and status, they GTHO and told the rest of us "No Room For You."

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

The Christian Progressive Libe — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:55:00 -0000

A Black Blog about the Social Elite and the fact that Michelle Obama may very well be the nation's first African-American First Lady and the blog owner didn't/hasn't/won't do a post about her because "she doesn't qualify"?

Stop Right There. And the Blog Owner needs to GTHO.

Re: The Obamas Are NOT Elite – And, That Is Fine With Me

Town — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:38:00 -0000