Comments on: Democratic nomination circus wrapup http://platosbeard.org/archives/317 whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must make random noises Sun, 20 Nov 2011 02:27:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Charles Brown http://platosbeard.org/archives/317/comment-page-1#comment-3787 Charles Brown Sat, 07 Jun 2008 14:24:38 +0000 http://platosbeard.org/?p=317#comment-3787 The reason is not so much to stop Obama but to stop the attitude, rhetoric and the threat of the actions that are the consequences of such attitude and rhetoric, that is the staple of a large segment of his supporters. ^^^ You do not make a convincing argument that Obama has appealed to sexism for votes ( for example, "stop the drama" is not a gender specific usage; males or females can be drama causers in the Black slang of today) In fact, the important thing about the campaign was that Clinton appealed (grossly )to racism for votes, and Obama did not appeal to sexism for votes.With a woman and a Black person in the final contest for the Democratic Presidential nomination, Americans have two historic firsts before us. Thus, revolutionaries also face the dilemma of choosing between a potential reform of “sexism” ( genderism ) or racism. With a woman and a Black person in the final contest for the Democratic Presidential nomination, Americans have (had) two historic firsts before us. Thus, revolutionaries also face(d) the dilemma of choosing between a potential reform of “sexism” ( genderism ) or racism. The logical group to lead in making this choice are Black women, victims of both racism and genderism. Black women are voting overwhelmingly for Barack Obama, and feminists should follow their lead. On what Black women and feminists on this , see "Barack Obama Wins the Sojourner Truth Vote", by Valda Jean Combs http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/3602 Barack Obama Wins the Sojourner Truth Vote Run Date: 05/16/08 By Rev. Valda Jean Combs WeNews commentator West Virginia primary polling data has underscored Hillary Clinton’s claim to the allegiance of white voters who aren’t comfortable with black leadership. Rev. Valda Jean Combs says that helps explain why so many black women are going for Obama. The reason is not so much to stop Obama but to stop the attitude, rhetoric and the threat of the actions that are the consequences of such attitude and rhetoric, that is the staple of a large segment of his supporters.

^^^
You do not make a convincing argument that Obama has appealed to sexism for votes ( for example, “stop the drama” is not a gender specific usage; males or females can be drama causers in the Black slang of today)

In fact, the important thing about the campaign was that Clinton appealed (grossly )to racism for votes, and Obama did not appeal to sexism for votes.With a woman and a Black person in the final contest for the Democratic Presidential nomination, Americans have two historic firsts before us. Thus, revolutionaries also face the dilemma of choosing between a potential reform of “sexism” ( genderism ) or racism.

With a woman and a Black person in the final contest for the Democratic Presidential nomination, Americans have (had) two historic firsts before us. Thus, revolutionaries also face(d) the dilemma of choosing between a potential reform of “sexism” ( genderism ) or racism.

The logical group to lead in making this choice are Black women, victims of both racism and genderism. Black women are voting overwhelmingly for Barack Obama, and feminists should follow their lead. On what Black women and feminists on this , see “Barack Obama Wins the Sojourner Truth Vote”, by Valda Jean Combs

http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/3602

Barack Obama Wins the Sojourner Truth Vote
Run Date: 05/16/08
By Rev. Valda Jean Combs
WeNews commentator
West Virginia primary polling data has underscored Hillary Clinton’s claim to the allegiance of white voters who aren’t comfortable with black leadership. Rev. Valda Jean Combs says that helps explain why so many black women are going for Obama.

]]> By: Charles Brown http://platosbeard.org/archives/317/comment-page-1#comment-3786 Charles Brown Sat, 07 Jun 2008 14:05:57 +0000 http://platosbeard.org/?p=317#comment-3786 Strikingly opposite is the verboten status of any question of Obama’s black identity and experience, even if raised by prominent Black activists. ^^^^ It is not forbidden to raise this. It is that the issue has pretty much been settled by the fact that Obama has gotten such overwhelming support from Black people. That's part of self-determination: defining ourselves. It is Black people who decide whether somebody is " Black enough". And Black people have said resoundingly, "Obama is Black ! " Also, Obama's thorough and profound understanding of race in the US is demonstrated in his March speech on race. That also qualifies him as Black. Here is the link to Obama's speech on race. > http://my.barackobama.com/hisownwords Strikingly opposite is the verboten status of any question of Obama’s black identity and experience, even if raised by prominent Black activists.

^^^^
It is not forbidden to raise this. It is that the issue has pretty much been settled by the fact that Obama has gotten such overwhelming support from Black people. That’s part of self-determination: defining ourselves. It is Black people who decide whether somebody is ” Black enough”. And Black people have said resoundingly, “Obama is Black ! ”

Also, Obama’s thorough and profound understanding of race in the US is demonstrated in his March speech on race. That also qualifies him as Black.

Here is the link to Obama’s speech on race.
> http://my.barackobama.com/hisownwords

]]> By: Charles Brown http://platosbeard.org/archives/317/comment-page-1#comment-3785 Charles Brown Sat, 07 Jun 2008 13:58:14 +0000 http://platosbeard.org/?p=317#comment-3785 What has struck me is the parallels in the technique and rhetoric of Obama supporters (and the campaign itself) and the typical GOP one. One analogy is George Bush’s 2000 image of a friendly, uniting “compassionate conservative”, even as those who pushed his candidacy indulged the most vicious attacks on McCain and then Gore. The GOP uses hired thugs and pundits to carry out this task, while the anti-Hillary campaign has benefitted from voluntary abuse from the so-called “netroots ^^^^ It was Clinton who practically ran a double team with McCain, the conservative, against Obama. Unbelievably, Clinton said , John McCain has passed the threshold to be commander-in-chief, and I have, but Obama has not (!). At one point, McCain and she were attacking Obama simultaneously, and neither McCain or Clinton were criticizing each other. It was downright bizarre. Clinton's appeal to racism for votes is the central strategy of the rightwing for 40 years. What has struck me is the parallels in the technique and rhetoric of Obama supporters (and the campaign itself) and the typical GOP one. One analogy is George Bush’s 2000 image of a friendly, uniting “compassionate conservative”, even as those who pushed his candidacy indulged the most vicious attacks on McCain and then Gore. The GOP uses hired thugs and pundits to carry out this task, while the anti-Hillary campaign has benefitted from voluntary abuse from the so-called “netroots

^^^^
It was Clinton who practically ran a double team with McCain, the conservative, against Obama. Unbelievably, Clinton said , John McCain has passed the threshold to be commander-in-chief, and I have, but Obama has not (!). At one point, McCain and she were attacking Obama simultaneously, and neither McCain or Clinton were criticizing each other. It was downright bizarre.

Clinton’s appeal to racism for votes is the central strategy of the rightwing for 40 years.

]]> By: Charles Brown http://platosbeard.org/archives/317/comment-page-1#comment-3784 Charles Brown Sat, 07 Jun 2008 13:48:19 +0000 http://platosbeard.org/?p=317#comment-3784 The media has not given Obama a free ride. In accepting this you are accepting a misrepresentation by the Clinton campaign and in a way the media itself, in that the media itself repeats this idea that the media is giving him an easy ride. Whether originating in media agents or by their repetition of statements by others , the media has broadcast many anti-Obama themes. Most, not suprisingly are racist, both oldtime and Reganite, overt and "subtle". Many originate in the Clinton campaign. A short list is: He doesn't have enough experience, "Is Obama Black enough ?", Is his campaign just another Jesse Jackson campaign, are his supporters maniacs with wild enthusiasm for a candidate with no substance ? He must reject an endorsement from Farakhan, He must reject Rev. Wright, He is an elitist. He has an advantage _because_ he is Black (Ferraro; that is the current Ku Klux Klan line). He can't bowl, He insulted poor , hardworking whites, He doesn't understand white working class culture, like gun culture (the origin of which is , of course, to shoot Native Americans and AFrican slaves; that's why Americans are so into guns) He can't win hard working, bluecollar _white_ votes; so he can't beat McCain in November. He might be assassinated ( like King and R. Kennedy), so don't risk your vote on him. He is associated with the 60's white radical in Chicago. He was ambitious and "played" politics in Chicago. The media has not given Barry O an easy ride. On the other hand, the principle that the camera doesn't lie still has some validity ( even as it's opposite, the media lies a lot , is true too). Despite all the above, Obama looks good in the media because he is good, and the camera is not lying. The media has not given Obama a free ride. In accepting this you are accepting a misrepresentation by the Clinton campaign and in a way the media itself, in that the media itself repeats this idea that the media is giving him an easy ride. Whether originating in media agents or by their repetition of statements by others , the media has broadcast many anti-Obama themes. Most, not suprisingly are racist, both oldtime and Reganite, overt and “subtle”. Many originate in the Clinton campaign. A short list is: He doesn’t have enough experience, “Is Obama Black enough ?”, Is his campaign just another Jesse Jackson campaign, are his supporters maniacs with wild enthusiasm for a candidate with no substance ? He must reject an endorsement from Farakhan, He must reject Rev. Wright, He is an elitist. He has an advantage _because_ he is Black (Ferraro; that is the current Ku Klux Klan line). He can’t bowl, He insulted poor , hardworking whites, He doesn’t understand white working class culture, like gun culture (the origin of which is , of course, to shoot Native Americans and AFrican slaves; that’s why Americans are so into guns) He can’t win hard working, bluecollar _white_ votes; so he can’t beat McCain in November. He might be assassinated ( like King and R. Kennedy), so don’t risk your vote on him.
He is associated with the 60′s white radical in Chicago. He was ambitious and “played” politics in Chicago.

The media has not given Barry O an easy ride. On the other hand, the principle that the camera doesn’t lie still has some validity ( even as it’s opposite, the media lies a lot , is true too). Despite all the above, Obama looks good in the media because he is good, and the camera is not lying.

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