John McCain spreading fear about childhood vaccines

Jsarno,

Our country has made great strides in race relations in the past 30 or so years. I think the overwhelming majority of whites are NOT racist. But, racism does exist. There are racist whites, racist blacks, racist Latinos, racist Asians, etc. African Americans overwhelmingly cast their votes for Obama. But, look at the voting demographics in any New England state and compare those stats to the voting demographics (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080312/ap_on_el_pr/campaign_exit_poll) in Mississippi and Alabama and you will see a very clear difference in the white vote. In New England, the white vote was pretty much split between Barak and Hillary. In the deep South, the white vote was solidly behind Hillary. (Disclaimer: I obviously do not believe all, or even a majority, of white Southerners are racist.)

As for Obama being "black enough," I simply meant to say that you asserted that Obama was not black enough to qualify as truly black. If you believe that black means someone who is 100% African American, you will soon find that there are very few blacks in the U.S. Historically, people have been labeled black if they appeared black. Obama appears black. Therefore, at least historically speaking, Obama is black.

Jsarno,

Our country has made great strides in race relations in the past 30 or so years. I think the overwhelming majority of whites are NOT racist. But, racism does exist. There are racist whites, racist blacks, racist Latinos, racist Asians, etc. African Americans overwhelmingly cast their votes for Obama. But, look at the voting demographics in any New England state and compare those stats to the voting demographics (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080312/ap_on_el_pr/campaign_exit_poll) in Mississippi and Alabama and you will see a very clear difference in the white vote. In New England, the white vote was pretty much split between Barak and Hillary. In the deep South, the white vote was solidly behind Hillary. (Disclaimer: I obviously do not believe all, or even a majority, of white Southerners are racist.)

As for Obama being "black enough," I simply meant to say that you asserted that Obama was not black enough to qualify as truly black. If you believe that black means someone who is 100% African American, you will soon find that there are very few blacks in the U.S. Historically, people have been labeled black if they appeared black. Obama appears black. Therefore, at least historically speaking, Obama is black.

There are other differences, besides perceived racism, between a southern Democrat and a northern Democrat that would cause the numbers to look like they do. Think Huckabee vs McCain in the southern states on the Republican side.

There was a guy on CNN (a black man, can't remember his name cause I saw him in the Phoenix airport back in late January) that said that there just isn't the white racism in the world that people think. I tend to believe him. Sure it still exists in certain areas...there are always racists about every race, but overall it's just not there like it used to be. Maybe it's due to P.C., maybe it's due to awareness...who knows. But white people are just not as racist as people think.
You do have to ask yourself why Obama is getting well over 90% of the black votes, but yet across the country, there is no real correlation of who the white people are voting for. If white people were THAT racist, then Hilary would be running away with most states.

ps- I could safely assume that a lot of people do not in fact know that he is part white, and do not in fact know his middle name is Hussien. Most of you guys in the DC area know this stuff well cause politics are shoved down your throat 24/7. The rest of the world is not as educated (as a whole) when it comes to politics.



I never said he wasn't "black enough". Just that he's not black. Just like Tiger Woods is not black.
Be very careful as to how you lump your assumptions because the "majority" of people believe it.
The majority of older Christians believe that evolution is not true.
The majority of the population used to believe the world was flat.
The majority of scientists believed the atom was the smallest thing in the world.

Kind of reminds me of the Lincoln quote:
"You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time."
The majority is not always right.

Geez. What is he if he ISN'T Black? Leopard print?

As soon as there's a bi-racial baby, everyone wants to try to tell them how they should identify themselves. If Obama wants to identify himself as a Black male, fine. Honestly the majority of bi-racial kids I knew lumped themselves into the Black category, which was fine. And those that didn't try to identify with a race.. that was fine as well.

I think people need to stop trying to say if you aren't 100% Black, then you aren't black or if you aren't 100% white, then you aren't white. That's why so many bi-racial kids always have such a hard time growing up.

My family tends to be staunch against "racial-mixing" and after this, I can see why. (Though I don't really give a damn and I'll continue to enjoy dating outside of my race :))

It's kinda like that episode of Family Guy, where Stewie was conceived by Nate Griffin and Lois LauraBushCheneyPewterschmit and Stewie says something on the order of, "Since I'm half black and half white, now I'll be accepted by both races."

In the end, nobody's really going to accept you, racially. Especially when people aren't as colorblind as they think.

Jsarno,

Our country has made great strides in race relations in the past 30 or so years. I think the overwhelming majority of whites are NOT racist. But, racism does exist. There are racist whites, racist blacks, racist Latinos, racist Asians, etc. African Americans overwhelmingly cast their votes for Obama. But, look at the voting demographics in any New England state and compare those stats to the voting demographics (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080312/ap_on_el_pr/campaign_exit_poll) in Mississippi and Alabama and you will see a very clear difference in the white vote. In New England, the white vote was pretty much split between Barak and Hillary. In the deep South, the white vote was solidly behind Hillary. (Disclaimer: I obviously do not believe all, or even a majority, of white Southerners are racist.)

I agree with you there. Please note my quote:
Sure it still exists in certain areas...there are always racists about every race
It actually surprises me Hilary is getting the votes she is throughout the bible belt. The old christians believe that "woman should stay silent in the church" and therefore translates that to life. There is a lot that would believe that a woman should not have power over a man, nevermind the most powerful job on the planet.
Anywho, your comments, I agree with.

As for Obama being "black enough," I simply meant to say that you asserted that Obama was not black enough to qualify as truly black. If you believe that black means someone who is 100% African American, you will soon find that there are very few blacks in the U.S. Historically, people have been labeled black if they appeared black. Obama appears black. Therefore, at least historically speaking, Obama is black.

Thank you for clarification.

Geez. What is he if he ISN'T Black? Leopard print?

As soon as there's a bi-racial baby, everyone wants to try to tell them how they should identify themselves. If Obama wants to identify himself as a Black male, fine. Honestly the majority of bi-racial kids I knew lumped themselves into the Black category, which was fine. And those that didn't try to identify with a race.. that was fine as well.

I think people need to stop trying to say if you aren't 100% Black, then you aren't black or if you aren't 100% white, then you aren't white. That's why so many bi-racial kids always have such a hard time growing up.

My family tends to be staunch against "racial-mixing" and after this, I can see why. (Though I don't really give a damn and I'll continue to enjoy dating outside of my race :))

It's kinda like that episode of Family Guy, where Stewie was conceived by Nate Griffin and Lois LauraBushCheneyPewterschmit and Stewie says something on the order of, "Since I'm half black and half white, now I'll be accepted by both races."

In the end, nobody's really going to accept you, racially. Especially when people aren't as colorblind as they think.

Your comments beg the question...why do we as a society insist on labels? Why can't he just be Obama? Why label him as black? Why label him?

Your comments beg the question...why do we as a society insist on labels? Why can't he just be Obama? Why label him as black? Why label him?

Cause society can't get past labels. It's like my best friend tells me, she said when she met me, she didn't see a black female. She just saw Di'Andra (Thats me! :D). Which I found amazing because I always thought when people looked at me, the first thing they automatically notice, is that I'm black.

I think society doesn't go, "Oh hey! Look at that great guy making a speech." They go, "Hey, look at that Black guy. He's so articulate."

And here is where I agree with you, that labels are detrimental. I do hope that in another generation or two, people won't be so quick to label someone by race, sexual orientation, or whatever it may be. But unfortunately I don't think we're there yet.

BTW, I think it's hilarious that Ferraro is claiming that Obama wouldn't be a candidate if he were white. Yeah, because Hillary hasn't gotten any help from being Hillary Clinton.

BTW, I think it's hilarious that Ferraro is claiming that Obama wouldn't be a candidate if he were white. Yeah, because Hillary hasn't gotten any help from being Hillary Clinton.

At least Clinton apologized, which is something out of the ordinary for her. I bet it takes every fiber in her body to apologize and keep a straight face.

Keith Olbermann ripped her a new ass last night and told her she should "Reject and denounce". Which I thought was hilarious. His tirade was great, I enjoyed it.

But God, I can't wait till this stupid democratic primary is over. :Smoker:

We label because it is our nature. Our brains struggle to understand things and one way they have adapted to be more efficient is to categorize. It is the way we learn so it is simply natural for us to see something or someone and discern the physical characteristics of them and then place them in a "box". Even those who don't "see" a black female when they meet you Rave still do categorize you as black. They'd have to be blind and ignorant not to. What the the more enlightened are able to do is not perceive much about you based on this. There are very few people who can honestly say they don't categorize people. It is basically impossible for us not to.

Your comments beg the question...why do we as a society insist on labels? Why can't he just be Obama? Why label him as black? Why label him?

No, it doesn't.

Begging the Question (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question)