Obama getting sworn in

[Diagnosis]

Lawl.
Christian readings in the election ceremony. Much giggles.

God bless America.

[King-Of-Hearts]

Can't be any worse than the guy he's replacing... What's his name...
 
Dick Cheney!
 
(It's a joke saying that Dick Cheney was making all the real discisions and that Bush was a pushover/my least favorite president)
 
=O

[Garem]

Ugh, here I go again. Here's a long and a short version.

Short: YES, this absolutely does matter, I'm not just being upset over something trivial.

Long:

Caddies, I'm assuming you're being sarcastic about me being angry. Really, I don't think you have a firm idea about how detrimental to public policy racial politics can be. It is, quite literally, destroying my hometown. Also, and I mean no offense, but you're an Aussie and as far as I'm aware there are few if any similarities between the racial politics of the US and Australia. Even within the US, the racial politics in the South as compared to the West or either of the two compared to the North is extremely different. Of course, this will lead some of the snotty yankees that float around the forums to turn up their noses and crack jokes about the South and how Southerners are all bigot members of the KKK. But that's a totally different subject altogether, worthy of great dialogues (which I openly welcome on IRC, as many of you know! I will gladly discuss American society and Southern culture with anyone, anytime! Or religion, or democracy, or capitalism vs atheism, socialism, or communism!).

I was typing up another long-winded discussion about how this sort of sensationalist writing should be receiving massive criticism from the American public, but I just don't think it's worth it. God forbid I try to call out a blatantly poor media performance in the comparison of two great figures (Obama & King) by totally misinterpreting King's finest speech (one that contains the essence of the civil rights movement that has been perverted over time*). I mean, what kind of asshole am I? Just a racist, son-of-a-bitch, white Southerner obviously...

That was sarcasm, btw. And I'm sure a lot of you think I'm overblowing it, and perhaps you're right to a degree. Then again, you probably didn't see all the newspapers and magazines at the grocery store that led to my first post, and you certainly haven't experienced what I have just as I've not experienced what you have. But to the world around me, the places I've been, and people I've met, I see this and realize that there will be consequences to public opinion and influences on the political realm as spillover from this kind of crap that can do this world no good.

*I'm sure comment will probably blow of a few fires too. Again, talk to me in IRC if you want to know what I mean, where I'm coming from, why I believe this.

[Kiaring]

Caddies is too busy being (not playing at, let it be known!) cool to care about politics.

[Sternhund]

I have no idea what you're on about, Garem. You're upset because race is a factor in politics? I don't recall Obama using race as a factor in the campaign or the presidency.

How are racial politics "destroying" your town? I am also coming from the South, and while I know racism is present, Obama's presidency hasn't made radical changes in the attitudes of people anywhere I've seen. Maybe I need to go visit those desolate, backwater redneck towns.

[Random_White_Guy]

Make sure to take a bango.

Sternhund Deliverance!

[Garem]

Sternhund, I never accused President Obama of using the race card in any of my multiple, lengthy posts. It was never a factor in how he ran his campaign as far as I saw. But that doesn't mean it wasn't a factor, hence my citing the 94% of African-Americans voted for him and many non-African-Americans very likely voted against him because he WAS African-American (obviously, this cannot be accurately measured!). Based on these two events, it is obviously clear that Dr. King's dream has not been realized, and to say so as many media sources have done is in flagrant disregard for the true meaning of The Dream-- the day when race DOESN'T MATTER. We're obviously not there, not yet.

Sternhund, I respect you more than to speak down to you. Please do not speak down to me, that was uncalled for. That "backwater, redneck town" of mine is called Memphis. We've had a city mayor that has been crippling the city's economy and pitting the races against one another since he took office in 1992 in order to maintain power. The wikipedia.org page I cited shows a few of the rediculously poor choices "King Willie" has made. The city council is a little better, but not tremendously so in the quality of their efforts.

Lastly, as for the "spillover" of bad media, I was not speaking specifically about this case, more in general that the media's sensationalism ought be seriously criticized.

[PanamaLane]

You guys should simmer down, imo. Is it the dream? Is it not the dream? Who cares, the economy is in the toilet.

In the sense of what the dream is, I mean, its pretty vague, but what I always took from the actual speech was a hope that black, white, yellow, brown or whatever everyone could grow up with equal opportunity, go to the same schools, marry one another and achieve because of merit, not be held back because of race. I mean, when MLK gave that speech we were living in segregation, where in most southern states blacks couldn't even vote let alone run for office. Flash forward to today and you have a black president that carried a number of southern states.

We may not be a completely equal society yet, but you must admit Obama's election as president does show that any American with the ability and desire can achieve their goals despite their race or gender. In the end, maybe that is what MLK was talking about. Not just his dream, but all American's being able to achieve their own dream.

We call it the American Dream and its what the pilgrims came here for. Its what men went west for, its what has shaped every aspect of our countries ideals and is the most sacred legacy we will leave for the future generations. Finally it looks like blacks can have a piece of it too, because for too long in our history, the American Dream was only for Mr. Whitey. We should be pumped that things have gotten better. Are they equal? Take it from someone living in the ghetto that things are not equal in America. But shit, we're making progress and maybe that's worth some celebration.

[PanamaLane]

One last thing to mention. Garem, when you think about how the media is acting in a sensational manner, remember most of the people calling those shots are not in our generation. They were there in the 60's and 70's and saw first hand a society that was not only unequal, but one that was so very cruel and unfair that bloodshed seemed inevitable. So much was this the case that many of them, (even wild liberals who protested with blacks like my parents) didn't think this day would come, not just in their lifetimes, but ever.

Race is a wildly different animal for our generation and maybe we are less surprised by the outcome of a black president but to people like our parents, its sensationalized because they honestly do find it sensational.

[Garem]

Closer? Absolutely, and this is a big step, as I said in my first post. I must write more carefully, everything I write seems to be so misunderstood...

I am speaking about one of the most famous lines from The Dream speech, one that I find to be a thesis about not only the rest of the speech but Dr. King's concept of the movement for race relations-- that being, the very term removed from the minds of Americans.

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

Those that declare Obama to be The Dream have utterly missed the point of Dr. King's speech, what he stood for. We're not there yet, we have a good ways to go. That is what I am saying; I made my statements out of respect for Dr. King and how I feel his legacy is being disrespected and cut far too short of its true meaning. Perhaps because I am a Republican you imagine that I'm saying this with any frustration towards insert minority/Obama/the election. I hope you do not honestly believe I am that petty; regardless, I don't understand why there is a conflict here at all, unless you interpret The Dream speech in a different way, which has yet to be contested.

[Sternhund]

Garem, I was never talking down to you! I post because I genuinely and sincerely want to know your perspective. I'm sorry if there was any offense.

Memphis is by no means a backwater, redneck town. It's a major city. I'm talking small towns of roughly three hundred people, where the culture is so local that racism easily roams free without criticism. I couldn't imagine a major city suffering from such problems, but you've shown me wrong.

You're right, race was a factor in the election, and I agree that King's dream hasn't been fully met in that regard. Yet, even King would know that the first non-white president would have race factored into their election. Despite this, I remain optimistic that this is a step forward. After we've had several non-white presidents, we as a country will (hopefully) discern presidents by their ability, and not by their race.

Either way, while I can understand the frustration, I don't believe it's worth worrying over. >_> Let's instead look to see what sort of job our president does, and have the citizen's thoughts heard by the White House. It'd be moving forward, instead of troubling ourselves with past matters.

[derfo]

dreams aren't real they're dreams

[I can has fun?]

The Dream will be realized the moment we have a dark skinned president and nobody mentions how fantastic it is.

This is pretty much right on target, but in order to get there, we have to plow through the hype first. However, this...

And on the other side of the spectrum, an incredible 94% of blacks voted for him. I hope nobody is too naieve to think that race did not play a factor in this impressively solid support from a single demographic.

... needs some context.

Blacks vote 90% Democratic in all presidential elections. Obama only got 4% more of the black vote than John Kerry did in 2004. That's a direct consequence of to Lee Atwater's Southern Strategy. The Republicans lost the black vote for a generation, perhaps more, thanks to the deliberate and conscious decision to employ race-baiting tactics to solidify the white vote for the GOP. There is a reason that Ronald Reagan launched his candidacy in Philadelphia, Mississippi with a speech about "state's rights." Southerners got that message loud and clear, but so did blacks.

Incidentally, the Southern Strategy worked for what it was supposed to do. The Democrats have not won the white vote in presidential elections since Jimmy Carter did it in 1976.

[Garem]

Good points in your second post, Panny. As notable as it may be, I don't find it to be a legitimate excuse for poor journalism and writing! If we can't trust the "unbiased" media to stick to the facts, who else can we seek to deliver the truth? You're a journalism guy aren't you? I welcome a defense of the case that goes beyond "this will just happen", because as I said, I do not find that a sufficient argument.

Remember, this argument is Me against Bad Media. Let's try to seperate discussions regarding agreements or disagreements with Obama's policy!

Glad to hear it Sternhund, I did not think it was supposed to be a stab at me, but it did come off that way. I'll point out why and be done with it briefly. I get very frustrated by the liberal proponents of "tolerance" (I can explain the reason for quotes if you'd like, but that's a LONG topic, better left for IRC) and accepting other people's opinions and beliefs who use terms like "backwater" and "redneck"; it seems rather contradictory doesn't it? Indeed, the very use of the term reveals the same type of thinking that racists use to hate on  blacks/hispanics/Jews/Merpeople-- prejudice and ignorance combined. And at that, I took offense, even if I am neither backwater nor redneck (in the sense of the word that you use it), just as most people would be offended by racials slurs.

Edit/Addendum: It occurred to me that someone reading this may think, "Well, shit, intolerant redneck isn't a race!" Very astute observation. Neither are gays or lesbians though, and yet most people agree that using the word "faggot" is almost as offensive as racials slurs.

Your other points, absolutely, no disagreement at all, barring that this really has nothing to do with Obama, everything to do with poor media performance and THAT is always something we must unite against by fighting the untruths it produces and the effects thereof.

LPFF, you have a great historical background, but I disagree with the application. There just isn't that much variation (one could probably attest this to greater partisanship in recent years, people digging in heels!) I'm going to put together a sloppy table to point this out:

Percentages of Black Votes (exit polls)

1976 Election:
Carter (D) - 82
Ford (R) -16

'80
Carter (D) - 82
Reagan (R) - 14
Anderson (I) - 3

'84 & '88, unavailable

'92
Clinton (D) - 83
Bush (R) - 10
Perot (I) - 7

'96
Clinton (D) - 84
Dole (R) -12
Perot (I) - 4

2000, unavailable

'04
Kerry (D) - 88
Bush (R) - 11
Nader (I) - 0

'08
Obama (D) - 95
McCain (R) - 4

SOURCE: Wikipedia.org

As I understood your post, you state that the Southern Strategy has gained momentum over time and, consequently, African-Americans did not vote for Obama because of race whatsoever but because of a 40 year old political strategy? I disagree with that firstly because it's very much a "straw man" to blame the Southern Strategy but also because, as the numbers show, it simply doesn't make sense when you look at the context of modern politics. Less than HALF of blacks that voted for Bush voted for McCain, who is by all ideological standards an extremely moderate conservative, and an incredible 7 percentage point increase from the '04 election in blacks voting for a Democrat, an increase that is greater than the past 24 years combined (only a sum of 4 percentage points increase!).

Going back to what Stern and I were saying earlier, Obama never made race a factor in his campaign, certainly. But can you honestly look at these numbers and conclude that it had no significant effect on voting patterns? And lastly, shit, how did we get from media to voting patterns? Regardless, the point I was/am trying to make is that race still plays a significant role in voting, nothing more, nothing less.

[I can has fun?]

As I understood your post, you state that the Southern Strategy has gained momentum over time and, consequently, African-Americans did not vote for Obama because of race whatsoever but because of a 40 year old political strategy? I disagree with that firstly because it's very much a "straw man" to blame the Southern Strategy but also because, as the numbers show, it simply doesn't make sense when you look at the context of modern politics.

No, that's actually not what I said at all. Blacks vote in high margins for whomever the Democratic candidate happens to be, and have done so since the inception of the Southern Strategy. That was not always the case. Previous to the 1960s, blacks were a solidly Republican voting bloc for a hundred years. It was a Republican president, after all, who freed the slaves.

My point is that a 94% black vote for Obama is not nearly so remarkable when you consider that it's barely a fraction more than the support John Kerry enjoyed from blacks.

Remember, it wasn't until after Super Tuesday that Obama won the black vote. Previous to that, Hillary Clinton was the number one choice of the majority of black Demcratic primary voters.

Said simply, this election was not about race as much as people think it was.

EDIT: Just to be perfectly clear, I am not saying that "African-Americans did not vote for Obama because of race whatsoever." Of course that contributed to his astonishing support among blacks. Race was a factor, yes. But if the 2008 election were a yardstick, race wouldn't even amount to two inches.