Obama blew it; What the candidate should have said about race

Los Angeles Times ^ | March 20, 2008 | Michael Meyers

[MaestroLC]

In my considered judgment as a race and civil rights specialist, I would say that Barack Obama's "momentous" speech on race settled on merely "explaining" so-called racial differences between blacks and whites -- and in so doing amplified deep-seated racial tensions and divisions. Instead of giving us a polarizing treatise on the "black experience," Obama should have reiterated the theme that has brought so many to his campaign: That race ain't what it used to be in America.

[snip]

In fact, I'd say that considering the nation's undivided attention to this all-important speech, which gave him an unrivaled opportunity to lift us out of racial and racist thinking, Obama blew it.

[snip]

I expected Obama, who up to now had been steering a perfect course away from the racial boxes of the past, to challenge racial labels and so-called black experiences.

[snip]

But Obama erred by looking backward -- as far back as slavery. What does slavery have to do with the price of milk at the grocery store?

[snip]

We can't be united as a nation if we continue to think racially and give credence to racial experiences and differences based on ethnicity, past victim status and stereotypical categories. All of these prejudices surrounding tribe-against-tribe are old-hat and dysfunctional -- especially the rants of ministers, of whatever skin color or religion, who appeal to our base prejudices and to superstitions about our supposed racial differences. The man or woman who talks plainly about our commonality as a race of human beings, about our future as one nation indivisible, rather than about our discredited and disunited past, is, I predict, likely to finish ahead of the pack and do us a great public service.

[MaestroLC]

Terrific commentary!

[Piquaboy]

All he has accomplished so far is set back race relations in this country a whole lot of years.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

That race ain't what it used to be in America.

That is certainly true for most American's. Unfortunately, Wright is living 50 years ago and spewing vitriolic racial hatred toward white America. 20 years of association with this cretin gave Obama the cred he needed for south Chicago, but proves he hasn't really moved beyond race. The press was giving him a total pass on this until now which suggests Clinton fingerprints all over it.

[ari-freedom]

if Obama simply copied one of Bill Cosby’s speeches instead of blaming Reagan and Rush for everything, he would be the one who gets it

[ClearCase_guy]

But Obama erred by looking backward -- as far back as slavery. What does slavery have to do with the price of milk at the grocery store?

Is there a Godwin's Law equivalent for slavery? You know, the first guy to mention slavery in a discussion about race automatically loses the argument?

[Boundless]

Who knew that the KKK had a black church operation?

Frankly, I don’t think was much the
eloquent equivocator could do on this
other than his widely predicted
disarming dissembling.

[ari-freedom]

I don’t think he expected Clinton to bring it up but he did expect it to be brought up by republicans.

I have a feeling that he wrote most of this speech a long time ago anticipating that it would be brought up after he won the nomination. This is a speech that brings out the base and tries to make conservatives look guilty. Why would you want to try to bring out your base after you win most of the caucuses and southern states?

How do you just come up with a complex theory of race relations after just a few days? For example:

“The profound mistake of Reverend Wright’s sermons is not that he spoke about racism in our society. It’s that he spoke as if our society was static; as if no progress has been made”
huh??? Is that the first thing that comes from your mind after watching the videos?

[rightazrain]

“It’s that he spoke as if our society was static . . .”

Why didn’t BO in his speech attempt to correct Wright’s charges that whites infected blacks with the aids virus, caused 9-11, continue to oppress the Palestinians, and help the evil Zionists . . .?
That to having a white skin automatically makes you a racist?

[sodpoodle]

Evidence that decent, thoughtful men and women of all ethnicities exist in America...but not in the Democratic party.

I have a great work colleague. We are of totally different racial and cultural backgrounds - but we are both old! Our disdain for the youth culture in all its horror is our special bond!!!! So, in effect we are age-haters....and we are not ashamed.

[MrB]

if Obama simply copied one of Bill Cosby’s speeches instead of blaming Reagan and Rush for everything, he would be the one who gets it

This is what I was going to post.
If he'd given a Cosby style speech, telling folks to get with the program and stop blaming everyone else for their problems while wallowing in a culture that is destructive and unproductive,

he'd be 10 points UP instead of 10 points down.

[MrB]

Proving that it’s not about color or ethnicity,

it’s the culture that fails or succeeds.

[Centurion2000]

All he has accomplished so far is set back race relations in this country a whole lot of years.

You are absolutely right on this one.

[ArrogantBustard]

Is there a Godwin's Law equivalent for slavery?

There is, now. You just articulated it:

The first guy to mention slavery in a discussion about race automatically loses the argument.

I hereby dub this the ClearCase Principle.

If you wish to refine your statement of it, this would be a good opportunity.

[Convert from ECUSA]

"Obama erred by looking backward -- as far back as slavery. What does slavery have to do with the price of milk at the grocery store?"

Ain't that the truth! One of the things that I'd orginally apprecited about Obama was the whole thrust of looking beyond the old racial boundaries, etc. Obviously, more recent events have shown that apparently underneath, things are quite different than the first impressions. Very disappointing.