Wednesday, January 20, 2010
During the presidential campaign, Barack Obama was touted as a dazzling unifier who transcended race. Fast-forward to today and the race issue has not been erased or even pushed to the back burner.
As evidenced by three quotes that made news just last week, race is as big an issue as ever.
In the first example, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was forced to apologize for his remarks published in a new book calling Obama a “light-skinned” black man “with no Negro dialect unless he wanted to have one.”
Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich also said of Obama, “This guy, he was catapulted in on hope and change, what we hope the guy is. What the f*? Everything he’s saying’s on the teleprompter. I’m blacker than Barack Obama. I shined shoes.”
It was also revealed that when former President Bill Clinton went to solicit Senator Ted Kennedy’s endorsement for Hillary’s presidential run that he told him in reference to Obama, “A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee.”
Had any one of these quotes had come from a Republican, it would have destroyed their whole career.
Because the speakers are Democrats, Obama, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, the Congressional Black Caucus, and their allies in the media stammered to be the first in line to forgive them and move on like nothing ever happened.
Today, the story getting the most attention is of Senator Reid’s remarks. As a response, many Republicans have asked for him to step down as Senate majority leader just as Senator Trent Lott had to step down in 2002 for much less severe words.
On the face of it, calls for Reid to resign are over the top. But in order to highlight the obvious double standard that exists today, Republicans are doing the right thing.
Racism does not rely solely on action or words; it apparently depends on whether someone has an “R” or a “D” beside his or her name.
Democrats have thrived on using racism as a political tool. As long as politicians stand to gain from throwing out accusations of racism, it will remain a popular way to incite one group against another.
The unrealistic nature of a post-racial era under the new administration was easily predictable by looking at Obama’s past. As a community organizer, Obama spent his days learning how to rub raw the sores of discontent.
Obama took a page right out of the playbook of Saul Alinksy, a famous community organizer and author of the book “Rules for Radicals.” Obama built his political capital on bringing people to the “realization” that they are miserable and their unhappiness is the fault of unresponsive government, greedy corporations, and racism.
By promoting this idea, Obama inspired people to band together and “demand what they deserve.” Viola, he had himself a fired-up base of support.
This country deserves better than a parade of politicians making public apologies for remarks some people find offensive. This all begins with realizing that cries of racism should never be used as a political tool. That’s the right idea.
— Compton is a Wichita senior in political science.
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Comments
Compton: Obama fails to bring post racial era
"politicians making public apologies for remarks some people find offensive." You derailed your strong finish by leaving the reader questioning whether you find the aforementioned comments offensive. It is inferred that you do not.
Compton: Obama fails to bring post racial era
I interpreted the Clinton comment to be referring to Barack Obama's relatively short political career. You know, like "the new guy has to get coffee". It might actually not happen in actuality, but people do joke about that. I know that I have never gotten coffee for any of my bosses, but when internships are discussed, "getting coffee" is always mentioned in the job description, albeit as a joke.
Compton: Obama fails to bring post racial era
"Democrats have thrived on using racism as a political tool. As long as politicians stand to gain from throwing out accusations of racism, it will remain a popular way to incite one group against another...As a community organizer, Obama spent his days learning how to rub raw the sores of discontent."
So Obama is president because of racism? That makes so much sense I just barfed! I bet that's why we had so many black presidents under slavery. People were super racist then, so all you had to do was rub raw the sores of discontent and blam--president.
It's definitely his fault for not ending racism too. He should just push the "end racism" button that's on his desk. I mean he ran on ending racism, right? Obama is magical and should be able to fix anything he wants and if he doesn't he's instantly a failure. For example, in MA, when a dem runs a horrible campaign refuses to even travel to get her name out, it's Obama's fault if one of his speeches can't magically get her elected. He should have just rubbed raw some sores of discontent and she would have be in.
Compton: Obama fails to bring post racial era
Next time you make a comment, Patrick, try not to intentionally misinterpret the words you are criticizing.
Compton: Obama fails to bring post racial era
Sorry, comment arbiter man. Which words did I misinterpret?
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