Saturday, March 22, 2008

"typical white person"

"Typical white person" - This is the phrase Barack Obama used to describe his grandmother when asked to explain comments he made in his speech. Basically, Obama was saying that sometimes white people, especially older generation white people, fear blacks. When he used the phrase 'typical white person' there was a bit of a gasp in some news organizations. It's a good thing he didn't call grandma a 'silly cracker'.

As a white person, I can proudly say that Obama's 'typical white person' words did not offend me at all. Give me a break. The political correctness in this country has eclipsed the point of ridiculous. We are in territory not yet defined, and things have gotten out of hand. Senator Obama was making a simple point. I don't think he was bashing white folks or suggesting anything racist. There's no need to get bent out of shape about it.

However, I am a bit intrigued by the irony at play. First, the double standard is obvious. While there were a few ripples of offense from Obama's remark, it isn't nearly as bad as the thunderous condemnation that would have echoed had a Republican said something similar about blacks. Let's be honest, is it possible to utter the words "typical black person" in any context without being immediately branded a racist, bigot, etc? And if it were John McCain uttering those words? Well, his campaign for president would be over. But the double standard will always be the rule.

I also found it ironic that the day before this Obama gave a speech about racism, part of which blasted conservative pundits for being dishonest in claiming that reverse discrimination occurs here and there. And the next day Obama utters a phrase that is basically stereotyping white people. It's almost too good to be true and I'm sure the Hannitys and Limbaughs of the world appreciated it.

Again, stereotyping isn't always a bad thing and I don't think we should beat Obama up about it. I am guilty of doing it from time to time. For example, I may say that Democrats tend to believe in Marxism, moral relativism, income redistribution and full government control of just about everything in society. That hardly makes me a bad person or narrow-minded.

So let's be realistic. Barack Obama may be many things, but I don't think he has a problem with white people. However, I did appreciate the irony in his comment.

8 comments:

SNAKE HUNTERS said...

High-Impact Bravo, Dr John!

Now, if we could just have more Bill Cosby's & Juan Williams in attendance at Obama's Trinty Church, and other so- called "spiritual gatherings", we can stifle the hyperbole of the Rev Jackson's and Rev Jeremiah Wright's, and declare them obsolete! These people Feed on Racism to build personal wealth. Con men.

Then the racial frictions might spiral downward in a few years. But not yet; progress takes decades for slow, visible change.

But RACISM is no longer just a perceived affliction of 'white' folks. The world has now been
exposed to a good sampling of Black Liberation Theology. A tiny fraction of this negativity coming from the 'New Black Panther Party', and rabid Nation of Islam's Louis Farrakhan, or a Don Imus Tv Show.

Our citizens now begin to realize, this behavior is as common as dirt among 'black folks' too. It's A Common Trait Among All The Races...
to demean and to ridicule.

We'll evolve away from Rap-Crap & Hip-Hop, and Ho's & Bitches, and "N" words in music, entertainment, and in our school-yards. We need CHANGE all right. We welcome a NEW DIRECTION in all aspects of social behavior.

It's Fundamental, Only in America. reb
(print)
_________________________________
www.lazyonebenn.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Yeah, that does seem a bit ironic. I'm not sure how anyone can take Obama seriously anymore...

Anonymous said...

Snake Hunter Sez,

Robert m,

For a young man, you exhibit an Independent maturity that's refreshing, and uncommon. We have an Open Forum on S/H weblog, and your comments would also be welcome there (in spite of what you've seen by certain negative remarks here). Youth is this nation's greatest asset. reb
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www.lazyonebenn.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Now there's a 180 degree turn from what you usually thinks of me Snake Hunters. What, when I agree I'm not just some ignorant kid anymore?

I don't want to get into it, but I'd prefer people's opinion of me be derived from myself as a person, and not shift according to whether or not I agree with them.

So thanks, but no thanks.

SNAKE HUNTERS said...

robert m,

I've no set personal opinion of you, but I do admire independent thinking. Evolving thought-patterns is admired & acknowledged regardless of age. Give us all a view of your take on S/H next comment. reb

SNAKE HUNTERS said...

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE...

is foreseeable in the wild emotional dash to elect a 'minority' Commander-In-Chief, without any thought given to the personal views of that individual regarding Israel. This fuzzy thinking is hugely problematic!

Dare we risk setting our Future Middle Eastern Policy on the whims or intolerant notions of an
"Uncle" Jeremiah Wright or the rabid hatred of the leader of Nation of Islam, the Reverand Louis Farrakhan?

To what degree have these two radicals impacted the long-held private views of Barack Obama?

That's the unanswered question. reb
__________________________________
www.lazyonebenn.blogspot.com

Mike said...

Right. Check out "Atlas Shrugs" blog for more on the terrorist connnects of Obama. Very chilling.
Mike

Anonymous said...

Would your “church,” if you fellowship with one, put on it’s bulletin board hateful articles from the anti-semitic, terrorist group Hamas? Barack Obama’s CURRENT church, Trinity United Church of Christ, did just that.

We just found out in the last 48 hours that Wright, while giving a eulogy in 2007, said that “(Jesus’) enemies had their opinion about Him… The Italians for the most part looked down their garlic noses at the Galileans.”

Now comes a report by NBC News that while Wright was in charge at Obama’s CURRENT church, reprinted anti-Israel writings, including one column by none other than Hamas leader, Mousa Abu Marzook, appeared on the bulletin board there.

The column by the Hamas leader, Mousa Abu Marzook, asked: “Why should any Palestinian recognise the monstrous crimes carried out by Israel’s founders and continued by its deformed modern apartheid state?”

The question becomes one of judgment, character, integrity, honesty and intelligence.

If I were to believe Obama’s defense that he didn’t, and still doesn’t, know what was, and still is, going on at his church for 20 years, then, in my opinion, he must not be very observant nor intelligent, and does not possess sensible judgement. Therefore he cannot be qualified to be the POTUS, in my opinion. If I do NOT believe Obama, then his integrity, character and honesty is woefully insufficient to be the POTUS, in my opinion.

Obama went to Harvard Law School (they don’t let just anybody in), where he became the first African-American president of the prestigious Harvard Law Review. He graduated magna cum laude in 1991. Now do you think he is NOT aware of what his church and ex-pastor are all about? Be AFRAID! Be VERY AFRAID!

Barack Obama’s political FRAUD against the American People continues…

Read the rest of this article here...http://777denny.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/barack-obama-reverend-wright-trinity-united-church-of-christ-and-hamas/