Posted on 01/14/2008 10:13:06 AM PST by Chi-townChief
American politics has never been more uplifting than in 2008. The Democrats are running a rainbow race of their best and brightest.
Sen. Barack Obama is battling to become America's first black president. Sen. Hillary Clinton yearns to be the first woman in the White House. Both are viable and electable -- the first of their kind.
Campaigns are about words. I am hearing some words that are tapping into the most dangerous part of the American psyche.
This nation was built on racism. Its economy blossomed from human cargo shuttled across the sea and sold into slavery. Our black ancestors were shackled, raped, brutalized. They were lynched, burned, bombed, hosed, executed.
We can't ignore our history. It is still with us. Kelly Tilghman, an anchor for the Golf Channel cable outlet, recently remarked on the air that younger golfers looking to beat golf star Tiger Woods could "lynch him in a back alley." Our women are called nappy-headed whores. Six black teens were terrorized by noose-bearing white youths deep in Jena, La.
The residue of our racial heritage is seeping into the presidential debate. Listen to these dangerous words:
Sen. Joe Biden noted that Obama was the first "mainstream" African-American candidate "who is articulate and bright and clean."
Clinton supporter and former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey noted Obama's personal history in the Washington Post, singling out his full name: Barack "Hussein" Obama.
Bill Shaheen, a national co-chairman of Clinton's campaign, warned that Republicans would go after Obama for his admission of youthful drug use. "It'll be, 'When was the last time? Did you ever give drugs to anyone? Did you sell them to anyone?' "
Former President Bill Clinton suggested to PBS's Charlie Rose that Obama supporters were willing to "roll the dice" on an inexperienced candidate.
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says of the presidential campaign: "It's not a TV-crazed race, you know, you can't just buy your way through that race. ... You can't shuck and jive at a press conference."
Their words raised hackles. Apologies followed. We like this Obama guy, they said. We meant no harm, they said. We were misunderstood, they said.
They may have meant one thing. But many will hear something else.
Obama is "the other." He is dangerous. He is hustling, criminal, back-alley black man.
Racial code words are not new to American politics. The Rev. Jesse Jackson joked about "Hymietown." George H.W. Bush trotted out Willie Horton. A campaign ad starred a Playboy-esque blond bombshell beckoning to Senate candidate Harold Ford. George Allen had his "macaca" moment.
This campaign must be different. Hillary Clinton's stunning New Hampshire upset last week came courtesy of her overactive tear ducts, the pundits say.
Obama had just beat Clinton --badly -- in Iowa. She is tired, defeated, maybe afraid.
At a New Hampshire coffee shop, a woman asked if she was OK. Clinton teared up, her voice quavered: "I have so many opportunities from this country, I just don't want to see us fall backward," she replied. "This is very personal for me -- it's not just political, it's not just public."
Listen to the words. "I just don't want to see us fall backward." Backward to what?
To that black man. That black man who beat Hillary. That black man who made the white woman cry.
White New Hampshire voters came to her rescue. Poor Hillary. Don't worry -- we will protect you. We will save you.
Our racial wounds are deep, their impact subliminal. Words have consequences. In these sensitive times, they can activate our most unconscious fears and tap the deepest recesses of our ugly history. Every black man in America knows it. Especially Barack Obama.
Listen to the words.
LauraSWashington@aol.com
CHICAGOLAND PING
Is there a chance this will start sounding like 1983 Chicago?
The Jena, LA thing was a hoax.
If they would only self-destruct and go away.
That's so rude..alan keyes is extremely bright and articulate. Clean, what's that mean? Clean record? SHEESH
The entire article is inflammatory.
—I’m still grinning over Limbaugh’s oratory on Obama doing the “spadework” to expose Hillary and then after the “spadework” having to use a “hoe”-—
What a crock of crap!
Rush did his opening monologue on this and his language was very explicit. He is still on the air, probably only by avoiding use of the n-word itself.
Gee, the rats subject to their own standards for others.
This should be fun.
"Roll the dice" is off-limits when talking about a (half-) black candidate?
Ever see rats fight to get onto the last piece of debris floating beside a sinking ship?
The country was not founded on racism. The human psyche may have been founded on tribalism/racism, but that goes back a little further. This author is likely guilty of projection of her own racism.
I wish someone would tell Ms Washington that Barack Hussein Obama is not “black” - he is a mulatto, 50-50, just as white as black. In fact, it was not so long in the past - until he beat the Clintons in Iowa - that Obama was viewed as being “not black enough” for blacks to vote for him. Is this racial or what? You can’t have things both ways, here, folks.
Besides that, I love that the democrat party is now facing the same controversies on race and gender that have been ascribed to the GOP. How sweet it is to see the dirty democrat laundry being aired.
Yeah, it’s a bunch of craps!!!
The whole article is a hoax.
His family (father and step father) were dedicated Muslims, therefore when we are at war with radical Islam, I will never consider voting for him.
or,
He is a flaming left wing, socio-marxists, whose moral, economic, and domestic views are completely not-in-keeping with time honored, traditional American values upon which this nation was built, therefore I will never consider voting for him.
or,
He is an absolute foreign policy lightweight, whose other views (as stated above) would make his forein policy dangerous for American vital interests and soveriegnty, therefore, I would never consider voting for him.
How 'bout them code-words?
Clinton Obama Butt Heads,
lol
nope sounds like racism runs both ways... dont it.
White Iowa voters voted overwhelming for Obama. Ms. Washington failed to mention that.
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