Posted on 10/14/2007 8:15:46 AM PDT by jimbo123
A RACIALLY insensitive moment from Bill Clinton's boyhood is coming back to haunt him. It's a postcard the future president sent his grandma Edith Cassidy in 1966 showing a black youth eagerly polishing a gigantic watermelon, titled "Hope, Arkansas - Home of the World's Largest Watermelon." Clinton, 19 at the time and a sophomore at Georgetown University, wrote: "Dear Mammaw, Thought I would send you one of your cards just to prove I'm using them! My tests are over and I'm just starting the second term. Hope you are well and happy . . . Love, Bill." Online auction house rrauction.com, which is selling the card Wednesday, calls it "a throwback to the outrageously broad portrayals of African-Americans of a century earlier." It notes Clinton wrote it "in the midst of the most active civil-rights movement in American history," and would go on to become "one of the greatest champions of racial minorities among modern American presidents." A Clinton spokesman didn't get back to us.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
I think blacks have been sold a bill of goods on racism in culture.
I think of Aunt Jemima with nothing but affection - imagining a grandma-like woman making pancakes for you is racist because she’s black? (Women of all races, until recently, spent a lot of time working around the house)
Blacks have lost a lot of cultural icons because of this purge (thanks, Bill Cosby).
Another thing - I would think many portrayals of blacks in the media TODAY would be offensive to blacks.
If Bush had sent it, it would be the lead story at the NY Times and all the nightly news outlets.
If you believe otherwise you would be naive.
The Republican would have been forced from the race within 24 hours.
Repubs need to let this one pass; there are plenty of REAL examples of Clinton's mistakes; misdeeds; crimes et al. . .which have served him well; while diminishing and damaging many good people and our Country as well.
You’re quite correct, of course, that an inanimate object cannot be “racist.”
That said, the postcard presents a racial stereotype which, rightly or wrongly, would offend many (probably most) black people. Note, however, that no such sensitivity would occur among white people similarly treated. It’s a characteristic of those within certain groups, some minority and some not, identified as worthy of “protection” and “special status” by the left, to be very sensitive to any slight, intended or not.
Therefore, anyone that intentionally, or thoughtlessly for that matter, doesn’t take that probable sensitivity into account, could rationally be suspected of harboring, in this case, racist attitudes.
I personally think that this type of sensitivity is BS and indicative of a maladjusted personality. But, then, I have never cared much about what anyone else thinks of me, I know the truth and that’s good enough to let me sleep well.
If you check closely, you’ll discover that the sending of the post card was actually a beaurocratic error through which a newly hired clerk sent the mailing out by mistake, and completely without authorization, since Bill was out of town at the time, sitting in the back of a public bus in protest of something or other. Later investigation showed that the clerk, since fired and subject to endless tax audits, was paid by the Richard Mellon Scaife Foundation to mess with Bill and Hill.
Don’t believe me? Ask Bill.
If you check closely, you’ll discover that the sending of the post card was actually a BUREAUCRATIC error through which a newly hired clerk sent the mailing out by mistake, and completely without authorization, since Bill was out of town at the time, sitting in the back of a public bus in protest of something or other. Later investigation showed that the clerk, since fired and subject to endless tax audits, was paid by the Richard Mellon Scaife Foundation to mess with Bill and Hill.
Don’t believe me? Ask Bill.
Let's see... Clinton writes a nice note to his grandma with postcards she gave him. Years and years later, the postcard is found to be a tacky reminder of the thinking of some misguided people at the time.
Clinton has a lot of problems. This is not and will not be one of them.
I give 2 out of 5 stars for effort to whomever dug this up.
Would someone please explain why watermelons and black folk are supposed to be racist? I’m not disputing it, I just don’t understand what that’s all about.
“Would someone please explain why watermelons and black folk are supposed to be racist?”
You know, I’m not sure. Same thing with fried chicken. I’m a lily-white Southerner and watermelons and fried chicken were served at every family gathering we had during the summers when I was growing up. I have a feeling that little racial stereotype started in the north. To this day, my Mom keeps watermelon on hand during the summer.
Someone needs to publish a list of these things. I’d never even heard the term “nappy headed” before that Imus hooplah and would have had no idea it was offensive. It seems like basketball would be just as offensive as watermelon because I see a lot more black guys playing basketball than I see eating watermelon.
As I read this, I realize it sounds like I’m a racist trying to stir things up. But I’m honestly clueless about this stuff.
“As I read this, I realize it sounds like I’m a racist trying to stir things up. But I’m honestly clueless about this stuff.”
It doesn’t sound racist to me. You seem quite sincere as this IS kind of a regional Southern thing.
I have heard the terms “nappy head” and “nappy headed” all my life. It was quite common when I was a kid to hear black kids insulting each other with that usage during arguments. It sounds silly but for most of my youth I thought “nappy headed” people were the black kids whose hair was not trimmed evenly. The black kids who were neatly groomed used it as an insult to those who weren’t, similar to the way the white kids would call unkempt peers with dirty hair “greasy headed”.
Another common insult was “ashy”. We all lose dead skin but it doesn’t show on whites the way it does on blacks so they use lotion. Those who didn’t were referred to as “ashy” by their peers because the dry dead skin resembled ash.
Kids can be cruel, can’t they?
I meant to add that, right now, there is a popular black-owned hair salon in Vicksburg, MS named “Nappy Roots”.
Food for thought.
A lot of people love Aunt Jemima. I have a friend, a white woman, who has a photo of Aunt Jemima in her kitchen and there’s not a racist bone in her body. I remember going to a pancake breakfast in a local park when I was very young and meeting Aunt Jemima just like one goes to meet Santa Claus. If you think the woman in that picture is somehow demeaning black people by dressing up like Aunt Jemima you’re a complete and utter idiot.
Of course no one could know any of those things by looking at the picture. You have swallowed the leftist indoctrination of white guilt hook line and sinker. And now you're trying to sell it to others.
Pictures of black children with large vegetables are racist. Dressing up like Aunt Jemima is racist. Get a grip.
Outrage Over Texas College MLK Day Party
Event featured Aunt Jemima, gang apparel, fried chicken, malt liquor
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0125071mlk1.html
How many blacks were in cabinet positions during his administration? One?
The one reportedly with the .45 cal hole in his head?
Introducing the context of the picture after the fact proves only that you are dishonest. Good job schilling for the commies.
You truly are a moron.
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