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[Panzon]

So you wanted an racial activist type of president but he never billed himself as that. It honestly just sounds like you had unrealistic expectations. Next time vote for the jesse jacksons or the al sharptons but they have a problem of wider electability.

No that is not what I wanted. All I wanted (like anyone else) is a president who actually delivers on some of the promises he makes sound so great. I want a president who would actually take a stand on the bullshit blacks/Latinos have to put up with on a daily basis. Not statements about how we should behave. We know how we should behave but the problem is that hadn't really worked out. You see all the videos of what the cops do, how the media treats blacks vs whites, etc. The evidence is there.

All I'm saying is I'd like to have seen our president take a stand by directly calling out these issues rather than hiding behind his statements and speeches. However I don't think that's gonna happen because I don't think Obama has the build for it

 

[DominoKid]

My hope is that when he's out of office that he feels that he can speak on it.

 

[ISOM]

No that is not what I wanted. All I wanted (like anyone else) is a president who actually delivers on some of the promises he makes sound so great. I want a president who would actually take a stand on the bullshit blacks/Latinos have to put up with on a daily basis. Not statements about how we should behave. We know how we should behave but the problem is that hadn't really worked out. You see all the videos of what the cops do, how the media treats blacks vs whites, etc. The evidence is there.

All I'm saying is I'd like to have seen our president take a stand by directly calling out these issues rather than hiding behind his statements and speeches. However I don't think that's gonna happen because I don't think Obama has the build for it

He can talk about it but what does it actually change? Without any power to change laws in congress all he would be giving is fluff speeches to make you feel better. It just feels pointless in my opinion. As someone else said the people who should be listening to such a speech would just tune him out or call him for trying to start a race war or whatever. It basically amounts to nothing in the end.

Let's say he does give a rousing speech, do you actually see anything changing? A week goes by, two weeks go by and another innocent black guy is killed or racially profiled. I guess I just don't personally care about fluff speeches that doesn't really actually change anything. Speak to me when he has the power to change the laws and doesn't try to. You know something that actually matters.

 

[The Technomancer]

In short he strikes as little more than a placeholder in history. A brilliant guy afraid to take risks, afraid to make a difference. Politically he has some big achievements like Obamacare that will to down in history, but ultimately his presidency seems hollow.

Again, I think he's been burned too much. He really did seem to be trying to do things in the first half of his first term when he had influence in Congress. He's afraid to take risks because no risk he's taken (domestically) since the ACA hasn't blown up in his face.

 

[jhmtehgamr20xx]

Did I say otherwise? You asked if people really think that lowly of America, when close to half of Americans would be espousing the same bs.

Where do you get this figure from? Why are we in the business of generalizing groups of people so easily here? Do we honestly believe every poll that comes out as being accurate?

He can talk about it but what does it actually change? Without any power to change laws in congress all he would be giving is fluff speeches to make you feel better. It just feels pointless in my opinion. As someone else said the people who should be listening to such a speech would just tune him out or call him for trying to start a race war or whatever. It basically amounts to nothing in the end.

Let's say he does give a rousing speech, do you actually see anything changing? A week goes by, two weeks go by and another innocent black guy is killed or racially profiled. I guess I just don't personally care about fluff speeches that doesn't really actually change anything. Speak to me when he has the power to change the laws and doesn't try to. You know something that actually matters.

This is something I'm already well aware of; for decades the position of President has been an optical illusion of power; most of the real power lies in the banks and corporations, and Obama himself is tied by Congress.

That's not what this is about.

This is about the fact that the vast majority of the population...absolutely have no idea on what I just said. To them the President is the big player, the main power at the center of everything. It doesn't matter if he's able to make actual progress via legislation (though that would be excellent); the fact is people do not take reality as what they're told it is, rather instead of what they actually see. I can tell a highly impressionable white kid that there are black inventors and millionaires who aren't rappers, but if all they see in the media are black criminals, Kanye West and Drake, that's the reality they're going to buy into.

All of this I'm on about, is ultimately about optics; the appearance of things being one way or another and where the intrinsic connection with the operation behind the scenes doesn't matter because the people who stand to be the most impressionable from the former are not paying attention or interested in the latter. Or maybe they are, yet they separate their concepts of reality based simply on the fact what's on the surface and what's behind-the-scenes may be un-synchronized, and maybe if they saw the President show more passion for these issues, that could influence them to buy into caring more as well to influence the people in their lives who believe optics is everything.

 

[Mesousa]

Obama never seems to have issues criticizing black men for "abandoning their kids" or criticizing low income black people for "eating popeyes for breakfast"…yet he gets real careful when its time to talk about his government killing blacks in broad daylight with its shitty police forces.

It is what it is though. Reading about the Haitian revolution, and the role of the mulatto in it, i can totally understand where Obama comes from.This is HIS country, the land he wants to represent, the one he is happy with. At that point this isn't a revolution he is connected to.

 

[Messofanego]

His constant tiptoeing around issues has made a weak president. Porgressives endured eight years of Bush and finally got their man only to find that he is someone without the guts to do the job. You can't please everyone. At some point you have to put your foot down and do the job you promised to do. The idea that he needs to hold back otherwise he would face backlash is so insulting and frustrating to me that it makes me sick. The people that would hate him for that hate him already anyway.

Exactly, he'll not ever win those people over so he might as well move on with the bills that he's been thinking of implementing. The Congress can be a blockade, but I'm not versed enough to know whether he can overrule that.

 

[ISOM]

Where do you get this figure from? Why are we in the business of generalizing groups of people so easily here? Do we honestly believe every poll that comes out as being accurate?



This is something I'm already well aware of; for decades the position of President has been an optical illusion of power; most of the real power lies in the banks and corporations, and Obama himself is tied by Congress.

That's not what this is about.

This is about the fact that the vast majority of the population...absolutely have no idea on what I just said. To them the President is the big player, the main power at the center of everything. It doesn't matter if he's able to make actual progress via legislation (though that would be excellent); the fact is people do not take reality as what they're told it is, rather instead of what they actually see. I can tell a highly impressionable white kid that there are black inventors and millionaires who aren't rappers, but if all they see in the media are black criminals, Kanye West and Drake, that's the reality they're going to buy into.

All of this I'm on about, is ultimately about optics; the appearance of things being one way or another and where the intrinsic connection with the operation behind the scenes doesn't matter because the people who stand to be the most impressionable from the former are not paying attention or interested in the latter. Or maybe they are, yet they separate their concepts of reality based simply on the fact what's on the surface and what's behind-the-scenes may be un-synchronized, and maybe if they saw the President show more passion for these issues, that could influence them to buy into caring more as well to influence the people in their lives who believe optics is everything.

The president has already spoken on racial profiling though with trayvon martin, and how the black community has to have a set of rules for how they interact with general society just to not appear threatening. I don't know why some people are acting like that press conference doesn't exist. But anyway, these issues are so constant that eventually people will tune him out if he speaks every single time there is black injustice in america. I think as another poster said millenials are polled as saying a lot of the black community problems are their own faults. I don't think the president speaking on it is going to change much about those types of feelings. It is as I said just to make you feel better but doesn't tangibly do anything.

 

[Dude Abides]

Obama's a lame duck bumbling through the end of a mediocre (to be charitable) presidency. Speeches are all he can do.

 

[Final Boss]

Obama wants to be loved so much that he won't dare say anything

 

[DoktorEvil]

Exactly, he'll not ever win those people over so he might as well move on with the bills that he's been thinking of implementing. The Congress can be a blockade, but I'm not versed enough to know whether he can overrule that.

He can only sign bills into laws and speak to the Congress. He can't directly make stipulations in bill making.

It would be a fundamental break of the checks and balances the US has in place with 3 branches.

 

[Horns]

Obama has to walk a fine line. His critics are going to come down on him either way he responds.

 

[Abounder]

Exactly, he'll not ever win those people over so he might as well move on with the bills that he's been thinking of implementing.

While I agree that Obama should be a much stronger leader, in my opinion it's not that he and his party care about the haters...instead they care about potential voters in the middle that would lean against them, and pissing off the police across the nation to boot.

And it makes me wonder what Obama's end game is. Will he be a recluse like Bush Jr. or does he plan on staying in the political game after presidency?

 

[ErasureAcer]

I said this in another thread that if Obama really said some real stuff about race in America, that it would be spun into the president trying to start a race war. It's the disadvantage of being a black or the first black president. Words are nice but what people really need right now is action and that starts with congress. They make the laws that could greatly impact the black community in america.

And just as I said in the other thread before Obama made his remarks yesterday...his inaction to lead on this issue of injustice against the black community(speaking something that this type of violence against black community by police is not right and must change...we're better than this) is going to make his approval rating plummet. Obama is failing hard. He can't even protect his base supporters or make any effort to make sure this doesn't happen again. Instead he says "it's time to heal." GTFO Obama.

 

[ErasureAcer]

Obama has to walk a fine line. His critics are going to come down on him either way he responds.

Those country folk may be dumb but they did come up with a song called: Dance With The One Who Brought You...or something like that. Obama is where he is because of liberals including his black base. Everyone is still at the dance(besides Mike Brown) but he's dancing with the police chief instead. Shit's unreal. Obama is a straight up poser. If he were not President but just a regular guy like you and me...he'd be just as upset as every other sane person on this unlawful killing. Instead, since he's President...he simply just doesn't give a fuck. Go watch his remarks from yesterday...run of the mill, uninspired bullshit with no heart whatsoever.

 

[ISOM]

And just as I said in the other thread before Obama made his remarks yesterday...his inaction to lead on this issue of injustice against the black community(speaking something that this type of violence against black community by police is not right and must change...we're better than this) is going to make his approval rating plummet. Obama is failing hard. He can't even protect his base supporters or make any effort to make sure this doesn't happen again. Instead he says "it's time to heal." GTFO Obama.

It's gonna make his approval rating plummet? Bullshit, let's come back to this thread in a month to see if you're right because I don't think you will be. Most people don't expect Obama to give speeches on race every time a black teenager is shot. Point blank, you may not want to hear but it's true.

 

[DoktorEvil]

Those country folk may be dumb but they did come up with a song called: Dance With The One Who Brought You...or something like that. Obama is where he is because of liberals including his black base. Everyone is still at the dance(besides Mike Brown) but he's dancing with the police chief instead. Shit's unreal. Obama is a straight up poser. If he were not President but just a regular guy like you and me...he'd be just as upset as every other sane person on this unlawful killing. Instead, since he's President...he simply just doesn't give a fuck. Go watch his remarks from yesterday...run of the mill, uninspired bullshit with no heart whatsoever.

I'm sure all of those grey hairs he's accumulated as President for 6 years are signs he doesn't "give a fuck".

I mean it's not like he has a thousand other things to worry about as President, right?

 

[ErasureAcer]

It's gonna make his approval rating plummet? Bullshit, let's come back to this thread in a month to see if you're right because I don't think you will be.

He'll be below 40% where he is now last I heard. He'll drop to 35% at least...maybe more. And if those polls take race into question...disapproval will be up among blacks.

 

[jhmtehgamr20xx]

The president has already spoken on racial profiling though with trayvon martin, and how the black community has to have a set of rules for how they interact with general society just to not appear threatening.

Okay I'm going to ignore you unless you can explain how, in a reasonably functioning brain, having a mentality that such a viewpoint is okay (regardless of if Obama said it or not, which if he did he should be dragged through the mud for saying as such, mercilessly).

One that implicates a group of people as naturally being more of a criminal threat than others and somehow excusing all the bullphuckery that "general society" has (if Obama said this, did he say anything towards the "white community" in the wake of Sandy Hook, Boston bombing and Adam Lanza? Certainly the people who performed those monstrous acts were threatening and didn't interact with "general society" very well), as a sane and logical, let alone worthy, thought to cling to?

Seriously, try to rationalize that (or disown it, preferably) or it's to my Ignore list you go.

 

[ErasureAcer]

I'm sure all of those grey hairs he's accumulated as President for 6 years are signs he doesn't "give a fuck".

I mean it's not like he has a thousand other things to worry about as President, right?

W. had grey hairs too...did he care? Nah, he didn't. I'm not sure what your point is.

 

[888]

I won't say much on the matter but people should wait until they have all the facts before starting a riot and looting. Rioting is a cover for criminals to run wild. Peaceful protests sure that's fine, start acting like criminals and the police will have to do something. I saw videos of people in multiple groups of 5+ people sitting on top of cars driving down the road, smiling and dancing etc, the protest becomes a guise to run wild and the reason for the protest becomes lost. There are too many race baiters out there that stand to make money off of these issues and they keep people fired up and in the dark, then you have people who abuse their power in Government. There is just so much hate and disinterest out there I am not sure if it will ever be fixed in the society we have now.

 

[NimbusD]

I said this in another thread that if Obama really said some real stuff about race in America, that it would be spun into the president trying to start a race war. It's the disadvantage of being a black or the first black president. Words are nice but what people really need right now is action and that starts with congress. They make the laws that could greatly impact the black community in america.

Exactly. Look at how combative conservatives are about literally everything he tries to touch no matter the subject.

When he gave the most watered down remark possible about the murder of Trayvon Martin, "If I Had a Son, He'd Look Like Trayvon", they were frothing at the mouths. I think he learned the unfortunate lesson there that unfortunately America won't let him be the president to push forward race issues in this country at this time.

There's something about white people (I'm one myself) that they'll only take seriously comments and push for reform regarding race from other white people. I read part of a study about that recently but now I can't find it so take that with at the level of an anecdote for now I suppose.

 

[ISOM]

He'll be below 40% where he is now last I heard. He'll drop to 35% at least...maybe more. And if those polls take race into question...disapproval will be up among blacks.

Yeah sure, nice job speaking out of your ass. Please tell us who will win in 2016 too.

 

[ISOM]

Okay I'm going to ignore you unless you can explain how, in a reasonably functioning brain, having a mentality that such a viewpoint is okay (regardless of if Obama said it or not, which if he did he should be dragged through the mud for saying as such, mercilessly).

One that implicates a group of people as naturally being more of a criminal threat than others and somehow excusing all the bullphuckery that "general society" has (if Obama said this, did he say anything towards the "white community" in the wake of Sandy Hook, Boston bombing and Adam Lanza? Certainly the people who performed those monstrous acts were threatening and didn't interact with "general society" very well), as a sane and logical, let alone worthy, thought to cling to?

Seriously, try to rationalize that (or disown it, preferably) or it's to my Ignore list you go.

Wtf are you talking about? The black community themselves say that. They have to teach their children what to do and not to do just to not appear threatening. Obama even talked about the time he was racially profiled. Don't respond to me if you can't comprehend what i'm saying seriously.

 

[ErasureAcer]

Okay I'm going to ignore you unless you can explain how, in a reasonably functioning brain, having a mentality that such a viewpoint is okay (regardless of if Obama said it or not, which if he did he should be dragged through the mud for saying as such, mercilessly).

One that implicates a group of people as naturally being more of a criminal threat than others and somehow excusing all the bullphuckery that "general society" has (if Obama said this, did he say anything towards the "white community" in the wake of Sandy Hook, Boston bombing and Adam Lanza? Certainly the people who performed those monstrous acts were threatening and didn't interact with "general society" very well), as a sane and logical, let alone worthy, thought to cling to?

Seriously, try to rationalize that (or disown it, preferably) or it's to my Ignore list you go.

I agree with you. I was just thinking about Obama's remarks earlier today and the whole black community hoodie thing Obama was talking about after Trayvon and noticed the guy dead in the street in Ferguson didn't have a hoodie on. The only thing wrong with him from the cops perspective was the color of his skin. Obama and some people in the media made a big deal about the hoodie...that's a bunch of bullshit deflecting the truth away. Fact of the matter is...is there's little justice in this country and no justice for the black Americans.

 

[Vicetrailia]

Obama never seems to have issues criticizing black men for "abandoning their kids" or criticizing low income black people for "eating popeyes for breakfast"…yet he gets real careful when its time to talk about his government killing blacks in broad daylight with its shitty police forces.

It is what it is though. Reading about the Haitian revolution, and the role of the mulatto in it, i can totally understand where Obama comes from.This is HIS country, the land he wants to represent, the one he is happy with. At that point this isn't a revolution he is connected to.

Don't forget that he's an uppity as in to say, I don't feel that he identifies with "us" or with Darren Wilson as we were hoping. He's the president, so its different now.

Separately if one wants to talk about systemic actions, Obama never seemed to try much in the first place. Obama doesn't stand for much and I haven't been sure of whom he actually is for years now.

 

[ErasureAcer]

Yeah sure, nice job speaking out of your ass. Please tell us who will win in 2016 too.

Most likely Hilary if she runs. I much prefer Bernie though.

 

[DoktorEvil]

W. had grey hairs too...did he care? Nah, he didn't. I'm not sure what your point is.

My point being is the President of The United States has a LOT of shit thrown at him, besides trying to maintain things in the US you also have to maintain Foreign Relations, Economic Policy, Congress, PR opportunities, giving speeches all the fucking time, and trying to juggle everything that the job entails. That includes a lot of sleepless nights and restless days.

Asking him to get angry and to be emotional on an issue that he cannot directly influence just to appease you is unrealistic. Except for contacting the Governor of Missouri, what else can he legally do? You want him to call in the National Guard and the Army and enforce martial law in Ferguson? The FBI is already involved.

As our ambassador to the world, he can't let others see him lose his cool. He has to be pragmatic and rational. His jobs calls for it.

 

[TheJLC]

People still blame the President? I guess people failed that part of the Constitution Test.

The President enforces the law, doesn't make them. People should be calling their Reps and Senators rather than blaming Obama.

 

[Ploid 3.0]

I actually found this article on the HuffingtonPost pretty damning when it comes to how the media routinely portrays black suspects/killers vs white suspects/killers. Granted this isn't the way it always works, but I've seen it way too often myself.

When The Media Treats White Suspects And Killers Better Than Black Victims

"But when an unarmed father of two was killed by a police officer while entering a vehicle that contained his own children, the Los Angeles Times served up this claim from officials."

Dang man, that must have been so traumatizing for the kids.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

How many race speeches do you want Obama to give?

Too many of the same thing makes you a caricature. Unless it's to be followed by a sweeping systematic change, save the long winded do nothing speeches.

 

[ErasureAcer]

My point being is the President of The United States has a LOT of shit thrown at him, besides trying to maintain things in the US you also have to maintain Foreign Relations, Economic Policy, Congress, PR opportunities, giving speeches all the fucking time, and trying to juggle everything that the job entails. That includes a lot of sleepless nights and restless days.

Asking him to get angry and to be emotional on an issue that he cannot directly influence just to appease you is unrealistic. Except for contacting the Governor of Missouri, what else can he legally do? You want him to call in the National Guard and the Army and enforce martial law in Ferguson? The FBI is already involved.

As our ambassador to the world, he can't let others see him lose his cool. He has to be pragmatic and rational. His jobs calls for it.

He could point out that unarmed men, no matter how ridiculous there actions are, in this country should not be killed by police. That peaceful protests affirmed by the first amendment should not be met with militarized police. That journalists and city council members and other members of the public shouldn't be locked away (detained) with no explanation given. And that we are a nation of laws and those who enforce those laws must be held to the highest degree of scrutiny.

 

[ErasureAcer]

People still blame the President? I guess people failed that part of the Constitution Test.

The President enforces the law, doesn't make them. People should be calling their Reps and Senators rather than blaming Obama.

The executive is always seen as the leader. If Obama wanted change...he'd lead.

 

[Vermillion]

How many race speeches do you want Obama to give?

Too many of the same thing makes you a caricature.

There's a joke about the treatment of blacks in America here.

 

[ISOM]

How many race speeches do you want Obama to give?

Too many of the same thing makes you a caricature.

This so much. He effectively tunes himself out of the issue by constantly gives speeches that does nothing.

 

[gogosox82]

Obama has given up. Its incredibly disappointing but its also incredibly evident. In the aftermath of Sandy Hook he was unable to rally Washington or the country into doing even a slightly meaningful thing about gun violence. Why would this be any different?

Sadly I agree. It seems he's reconciled the fact that there's really no real way of passing anything meaningful now b/c of the congress he has. If only he would've pushed harder for legislation in those first two years...

 

[DoktorEvil]

He could point out that unarmed men, no matter how ridiculous there actions are, in this country should not be killed by police. That peaceful protests affirmed by the first amendment should not be met with militarized police. That journalists and city council members and other members of the public shouldn't be locked away (detained) with no explanation given. And that we are a nation of laws and those who enforce those laws must be held to the highest degree of scrutiny.

See the quote below.

People still blame the President? I guess people failed that part of the Constitution Test.

The President enforces the law, doesn't make them. People should be calling their Reps and Senators rather than blaming Obama.

If anyone should be upset and going to the streets, it should be the state gov't in Missouri.

You're asking for saber rattling, which isn't going to fix what's happening in Ferguson.

If he was to enact martial law there, the political consequences for not only President Obama would be huge, the Democratic Party would be torn apart by the media for abuse of governmental power.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/14/john-lewis-ferguson_n_5679033.html

Lewis, whose skull was fractured by police during the 1965 march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, told Mitchell that the situation in Ferguson reminds him of "the '40s, the '50s, the '60s," pointing to the dearth of black officers on the St. Louis suburb's police force.

"So my own feeling, right now, is that President Obama should use the authority of his office to declare martial law. Federalize the Missouri National Guard to protect people as they protest," Lewis said. "And people should come together. Reasonable elected officials, community leaders and address what is happening there."

He continued: "If we fail to act, the fires of frustration and discontent will continue to burn, not only in Ferguson, Missouri, but all across America."

That's what's it might have to come to.

I'd like to add that the last time Martial Law was imposed in the states was in 1961 in Alabama. But the Missouri governor has to enact it.

 

[jhmtehgamr20xx]

Wtf are you talking about? The black community themselves say that. They have to teach their children what to do and not to do just to not appear threatening. Obama even talked about the time he was racially profiled. Don't respond to me if you can't comprehend what i'm saying seriously.

There are dumb people even in the "black community". It's like looking to Al Sharpton for all the answers; he doesn't have them.

Spoiler

I'm not insinuating Al Sharpton is stupid, btw. Just that he doesn't have all the answers.

We're not talking about gang members or convicted felons here; we're talking about law-abiding citizens, people who more or less believe in the same things any white, Latino or Asian person their age might believe, mannerisms and such that are a part of a culture that isn't all "guns and hos" (hiphop) and have transcended racial lines years ago. People who have been killed mainly because overzealous people on the other side were too quick to let negative stereotypes dictate their logic and using compromised emotions to respond over-aggressively.

I'll repeat that last part again just so it can soak into your head: People who have been killed mainly because overzealous people on the other side were too quick to let negative stereotypes dictate their logic and using compromised emotions to respond over-aggressively. I hope that is simple enough to comprehend.

If anyone needs a discourse in coming into a debate on solid ground, it's you and not me.

 

[enzo_gt]

How much do critics matter on issues like this (and Trayvon) where clearly something needs to be done? Are we supposed to praise inaction, the actual root of the problem?

 

[ISOM]

There are dumb people even in the "black community". It's like looking to Al Sharpton for all the answers; he doesn't have them.

We're not talking about gang members or convicted felons here; we're talking about law-abiding citizens, people who more or less believe in the same things any white, Latino or Asian person their age might believe, mannerisms and such that are a part of a culture that isn't all "guns and hos" (hiphop) and have transcended racial lines years ago. People who have been killed mainly because overzealous people on the other side were too quick to let negative stereotypes dictate their logic and using compromised emotions to respond over-aggressively.

I'll repeat that last part again just so it can soak into your head: People who have been killed mainly because overzealous people on the other side were too quick to let negative stereotypes dictate their logic and using compromised emotions to respond over-aggressively. I hope that is simple enough to comprehend.

If anyone needs a discourse in coming into a debate on solid ground, it's you and not me.

You call people who tell their children that they have to be careful because society has preconceived notions about them dumb. I think you're dumb. A lot of black parents gave their children this type of talk because they don't want to see their children end up on the 10 o clock news.

 

[Stinkles]

The fact that Obama is black isn't just some little issue we as a country have tiptoed around, or one that he has carefully juggled.

The fact that Obama is black has driven a significant portion of the country and ALL of (the republican) Congress into a race-fueled pit of recalcitrant stupidity. The republicans believe, and they may be right, that they can do ANYTHING at all to stall the normal operations of the presidency because the President's race has somehow made him "illegitimate" in a surprisingly large swathe of the voting population's mind.

The race issue is deep and troubling and fucked up, and Obama can't solve it. In fact I'd say that his race is a huge impediment to his ability to make any progress on this issue, yet ironically it's an issue exacerbated by his race in particular.

His presidency is an excellent reminder that this country has learned very little from the civil rights movement, and a frightening reminder that the South in particular, has simply moved the semantic furniture around.

Obama's presidency made the Republicans even more racist than they already were. And they used his race as carte blanche to create the most obstructionist house we've ever had.

 

[besada]

There's a fair amount of high-handed assholery going on in here, and it should probably stop. If you can't converse with each other civilly, quit posting.

 

[ErasureAcer]

You call people who tell their children that they have to be careful because society has preconceived notions about them dumb. I think you're dumb. A lot of black parents gave their children this type of talk because they don't want to see their children end up on the 10 o clock news.

But Mike Brown wasn't wearing a hoodie and he ended up on the 10 o'clock news. If black parents whole way of dealing with racism is to tell their kids not to be imposing and thus wear "white people" clothes you're not helping your kids one f'ing bit.

Black parents should be teaching their kids history, civics, and their rights as human beings.

The whole hoodie argument is fucking stupid. It's not even getting anywhere close to the core of the issue.

 

[jhmtehgamr20xx]

You call people who tell their children that they have to be careful because society has preconceived notions about them dumb. I think you're dumb. A lot of black parents gave their children this type of talk because they don't want to see their children end up on the 10 o clock news.

Okay so instead of going to the people who actually propagate and spread that sort of slanted, biased mentality, we should just focus on the ones that messaging affects?

That's like trying to wash your car in the middle of a sandstorm. There's no point trying to clean if off when the sand will blow right back on the car in a matter of seconds anyway!

People shouldn't act like thugs just to act like a thug. Duh. But maybe we can also say people shouldn't exaggerate perceptions on other people to the point of thinking they're thugs.

 

[ISOM]

But Mike Brown wasn't wearing a hoodie and he ended up on the 10 o'clock news. If black parents whole way of dealing with racism is to tell their kids not to be imposing and thus wear "white people" clothes you're not helping your kids one f'ing bit.

Black parents should be teaching their kids history, civics, and their rights as human beings.

The whole hoodie argument is fucking stupid. It's not even getting anywhere close to the core of the issue.

The talk I was referring to was not speaking about clothing, but about interactions with law enforcement.

 

[strobogo]

America would've absolutely allowed an activist President into office - especially one of color. Malcolm X would be president without any problem. Martin Luther King Jr. would've been as well.

Jesse Jackson would've been all clear. Those guys would've done something.

It's realistic to have expected a "Fear of a Black Planet" type of President, right?

I can't tell if this is sarcasm. If it isn't, what country do you live in?

 

[PhoenixDark]

Again, I think he's been burned too much. He really did seem to be trying to do things in the first half of his first term when he had influence in Congress. He's afraid to take risks because no risk he's taken (domestically) since the ACA hasn't blown up in his face.

I don't think he's burned out as much as he has simply given up, and wasn't up to the test. Given that his presidency has essentially been over for more than a year, you would think that he'd be willing to go bold. He has done some nice executive actions for instance, but outside of that what does he do outside of complain about congress? He could be partnering with the public sector+rich people in an attempt to spearhead progress in a variety of areas, specifically areas that could help inner cities. Instead he's not doing much outside of drag his feet on various foreign policy issues, give random economic speeches, and complain about republicans.

The pathetic thing is that given his relatively young age, he's going to spend a lot of time out of office doing very good things. Yet it's frustrating that he wasted his terms being too afraid, too timid, and too unprepared to be as effective as he could have been on race. As I said, I don't expect Chuck D nor does he have a magic wand to fix structural racism. But I refuse to believe that he couldn't have done more.

 

[terrene]

I can't fault him for not being willing to risk his presidency/the party/his life to do it.

Well, allow me to do that then.

It is disappointing enough that Obama hasn't done more to help minorities in this country in a material way through his office. That he can't even muster words of support and comfort in the face of racially charged situations is something beyond disappointing -- it's just sad... and the silence is beginning to bother me a lot.

How many chances have we had to examine the role race is playing in modern society on his watch? Trayvon/Zimmerman. Jan Brewer's Stop-and-Frisk bullshit in Arizona. Eric Garner last month. The shit Obama went through trying to prove his own citizenship. And now Michael Brown/Ferguson.

In all of these cases, racism was not called out, not once.

I voted for Obama twice but it's really starting to feel like he burned all his political mojo getting ACA through and since then he's just been laying low. He doesn't stand up for people who need him. He gets railroaded by Republicans on budget impasses every time. He watches the militarization of the police and the growing shadow of a surveillance agency that is out of control and does nothing. He is obviously smart and likeable and I'm glad it's him in office and not Romney or McCain, but that's about the best I can say.

I could have "believed in" the type of American leadership that toothlessly abides the growing (and indeed awesome) forces of corporate and military dominance in this country without it being branded as "change."

 

[daycru]

He watches the militarization of the police and the growing shadow of a surveillance agency that is out of control and does nothing

What evidence do we have that Obama is against either?

 

[ZeroXcuses]

IIRC it is the introduction of Tim Wise's

and not his newer book

which takes Obama to task for actually not being "black enough" during his first term. Pretty sure it's the former, but it's been some years since I have read them.

Much of what he says concerning why Obama isn't the "black president" of the black vernacular imaginary (such as Chris Rock's film) has already been stated in this topic.

Related: have you seen the Battlefield Tea Party caricature topic. Yeah, read that and come back here. Wow.