It just makes me shake my head... the number of politicians and snake oil salesman (I can't tell the difference between the two) who put their foot in their mouths now of days. The latest to do so is Democratic Senator Harry Reid.
Prominent Democrats defended Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Monday after a new book revealed racial remarks he made about Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign. In a private conversation reported in the book, Reid described Obama as a "light-skinned negro with no negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one." I shake my head because a sizable number of white people actually believe stuff like this. Reid apologized to President Obama on Saturday and the president issued a statement accepting the apology and saying the matter was closed. This is so like the President.
Speaking to reporters in Nevada, Reid acknowledged on Monday that he "could have used a better choice of words", (Ya Think?) noting that he has received phone calls of support from black lawmakers since the comment was publicized over the weekend. Probably because, regardless of how backward his remark sounded and was, it is after all the truth (kinda, sorta). We know that President Obama is polished, Harvard educated, and a little lighter than say me, for instance, was probably the only Black man who could have run for President in these United States at this time and had a punchers chance of winning.
President Obama does appear to be non-threatening to some whites. I don't know if it's his lack of "knee-grow dialect" or what? On the other hand, he is very threatening to other whites just because he is not 100% white. What are you going to do? Damned if you're light-skinned and double-damned if you're a cocoa brother.
Then, poor President Obama has some of his fellow African-Americans (just a few) who don't think he's black enough. Sometimes, I want to ask them just what does that mean and who sets the barometer? Does someone tell white people at any gamut that they're not white enough? We (knee-grows) need to cut that foolishness out, as Mrs. Florence used to say, and go somewhere and sit down.
I know... I should leave this alone. It's talk like that that got me named a "disgrace to the negro race" (I still have my trophy from 1967 in my bedroom). And, speaking of disgraces to the negro race, this year's nominee, Brother Michael Steele, weighed in with his two cents. In appearances on two Sunday television news programs, Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele (at least, that's the rumor) compared Reid's predicament with the circumstances that led Senate Republican leader Trent Lott to step down from that post in 2002. Lott had spoken favorably of the 1948 segregationist presidential campaign of Strom Thurmond and, in spite of apologies for those remarks at Thurmond's 100th birthday, Lott was forced out as leader.
"There is this standard where the Democrats feel that they can say these things and apologize when it comes from the mouths of their own. But if it comes from anyone else, it's racism," said Steele, who is black (again, that's the rumor). "It's either racist or it's not... and it's inappropriate, absolutely."
Believe it or not...I actually find myself agreeing with Mike Steele (I know, write the date on your calender) but only as a matter of fairness. I could also argue that in his defense, Reid was having a private conversation (at least, he thought he was) while Trent Lott said that at an open public forum.
Who knows? And, at this point, who cares? No matter what is done or not done with Reid, someone on both sides of the political spectrum is not going to be happy. I would be happy with an honest discussion and dialogue on race relations in America, once and for all. A knee-grow dialogue!
Prominent Democrats defended Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Monday after a new book revealed racial remarks he made about Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign. In a private conversation reported in the book, Reid described Obama as a "light-skinned negro with no negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one." I shake my head because a sizable number of white people actually believe stuff like this. Reid apologized to President Obama on Saturday and the president issued a statement accepting the apology and saying the matter was closed. This is so like the President.
Speaking to reporters in Nevada, Reid acknowledged on Monday that he "could have used a better choice of words", (Ya Think?) noting that he has received phone calls of support from black lawmakers since the comment was publicized over the weekend. Probably because, regardless of how backward his remark sounded and was, it is after all the truth (kinda, sorta). We know that President Obama is polished, Harvard educated, and a little lighter than say me, for instance, was probably the only Black man who could have run for President in these United States at this time and had a punchers chance of winning.
President Obama does appear to be non-threatening to some whites. I don't know if it's his lack of "knee-grow dialect" or what? On the other hand, he is very threatening to other whites just because he is not 100% white. What are you going to do? Damned if you're light-skinned and double-damned if you're a cocoa brother.
Then, poor President Obama has some of his fellow African-Americans (just a few) who don't think he's black enough. Sometimes, I want to ask them just what does that mean and who sets the barometer? Does someone tell white people at any gamut that they're not white enough? We (knee-grows) need to cut that foolishness out, as Mrs. Florence used to say, and go somewhere and sit down.
I know... I should leave this alone. It's talk like that that got me named a "disgrace to the negro race" (I still have my trophy from 1967 in my bedroom). And, speaking of disgraces to the negro race, this year's nominee, Brother Michael Steele, weighed in with his two cents. In appearances on two Sunday television news programs, Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele (at least, that's the rumor) compared Reid's predicament with the circumstances that led Senate Republican leader Trent Lott to step down from that post in 2002. Lott had spoken favorably of the 1948 segregationist presidential campaign of Strom Thurmond and, in spite of apologies for those remarks at Thurmond's 100th birthday, Lott was forced out as leader.
"There is this standard where the Democrats feel that they can say these things and apologize when it comes from the mouths of their own. But if it comes from anyone else, it's racism," said Steele, who is black (again, that's the rumor). "It's either racist or it's not... and it's inappropriate, absolutely."
Believe it or not...I actually find myself agreeing with Mike Steele (I know, write the date on your calender) but only as a matter of fairness. I could also argue that in his defense, Reid was having a private conversation (at least, he thought he was) while Trent Lott said that at an open public forum.
Who knows? And, at this point, who cares? No matter what is done or not done with Reid, someone on both sides of the political spectrum is not going to be happy. I would be happy with an honest discussion and dialogue on race relations in America, once and for all. A knee-grow dialogue!
4 comments:
Yeah Keith, I am agreeing with you and Steele. Well, as a matter of fairness, let he who has not sinned, cast the first stone. I mean, if we all were crucified for a remark as subtle, and as innocent as Reid's, we all would lose our jobs. Come on, lets be real.
Look, Reid is a white guy, okay. Believe it or not, there are millions of white people that have never been in the immediate company of people of color. They may have been in meeting with them, or had passing conversations, but much of their understanding of blacks, comes from the media. From his point of reference, it's possible, he believed his remarks were true. I do not think his words were meant to demean the president.
If that's the just of Reids alledged racism, I'll take the old white guy with the skinny legs.
This appears to be another ploy of divide and conquer. And the mess is working. I am with president Obama, the matter is closed... much ado about nothing!
Right on my brother! (Is that a telltale sign that I'm a negro?) For some of your readers it is a sign of my ethnic group. The effect may be that I won't get that commentator's job on Fox news. Too bad huh?!?
But had Strom Thruman been elected president in 1948, I might have been born on a "plantation." Yes slavery had ended by that time but Strom and his friends (Trent and...)were working hard to turn back the hands of time.
When comparing a comment made about "negro dialect" and light skin to Trent Lott's comment about electing a racist I can't see the equilavency. I guess I feel more incensed about other comments from the book, Game Changes. How about a blog on Brother Bill Clinton telling Ted Kennedy that Barack should be serving coffee???
I didn't find anything wrong with what Harry Reid said, because like Carey I figure that's just where the man lives. Now, Bill Clinton's comment is another matter altogether. I heard about that on the drive home yesterday. I guess he's finally showing his true color.
US Politics never cease to amaze me
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