We obviously just view this from very different perspectives. Someone might have been put on the defensive if they only heard Holder's "nation of cowards" comment without any of the context of what he actually was saying. I'm sure you can do the same thing for Obama, if you're dissecting soundbites instead of listening to the whole speech to try to understand his point. If people think Obama saying that a young man getting killed is a tragedy, urging calm from police and protesters, and promising to get to the bottom of what happened is "choosing to make things worse," then that just proves that our society currently can't talk about race without pointing fingers and assigning blame.
Police shoot and kill unarmed teen
- Thread starter Raising Heel
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Ok, I'm just going to be as frank with you as I can. Obama and 90% of those that want to push the agenda of race discussions are minorities. Those minorities slant the discussions in an accusatory way towards whites. So when they say they want people to have a better understanding of different backgrounds and cultures, what they mean is white people have had it better than us for all these years and now they need to kow tow to different backgrounds and cultures as a way to even things out. And I believe that it pushes more whites away from wanting to truly understand the few, real obstacles that minorities face.
Again, it's the tactic that's being used that does the most harm. But if you let minority leaders that have a stake in this lead the discussion, it's most likely what you're going to get. Personally, I don't think the discussions need to happen at all. I still don't see the point. We need to forget this idea that everyone has to like each other - or even respect each other. All we need to do is punish those that act out their racism. Other than that, if people want to be racist, so be it.
Again, I could not disagree more. Tell you what, I'll stop trying to encourage racial understanding if Christians stop trying to get me to believe that Jesus is God. Lots of people are not interested in changing their views on that either, so why not just stop trying?
F*ck that. Obama is the leader. He needs to deliver the message in a way that's digestable for all. It's his responsibility. Not ours. So instead of telling us to "listen to the underlying theme of the message", go tell him to say it much better.
I would agree. Some Christians are way overbearing and need to learn to live and let live. No arguments here on that. I'm on record on this board many times of stating that Christians need to be Christians in their personal and family lives, but need to not let it sway their vote because there are much more pressing matters (like the economy and foreign policy).
I didn't say to listen to the underlying theme. I said listen to everything he said instead of just a soundbite. Maybe that's asking too much these days.
Again, f*ck that. I should be able to listen to very little of it and hear the right message. If he can't deliver it in a way that makes me feel good about it, it's on him. Not me. I'm the citizen here. As the President, he should be doing everything in his power to make me feel good about any issue he wants to address.
So either you like and agree with his tactic of making white people feel guilty about the past or you're simply refusing to acknowledge it.
Certainly not the current one. He's a Muslim. I was just using that as an obvious example of people continuing to advocate things that others are very reluctant to change. Maybe a better example would be abortion or any other controversial political issue.
This is absurd. He has to write his speeches so that every sentence, totally devoid of context, conveys the larger message?! No one can do that. Maybe people should just listen to all of what someone has to say before criticizing it.
I'll take your cute remarks to mean you're throwing up the white flag in this discussion and you just don't want to admit that what I (along with 71-00 and THN11) have posted is an accurate assessment of the tactics used in the racial divide discussions.
You're being obtuse and argumentative now. Everyone posting in this thread recognizes. So we'll just part ways.
I don't deny that some people engage in those tactics. I just think that Obama's comments on race are much more even-handed than they are inflammatory or divisive and that most of the criticism stems from people's dislike of him politically rather than the content of what he said. We can agree to disagree on this, though. Good talk.
I think there is a way to discuss race that is unifying and a way to discuss that divides. obama choses division, which disagrees with folks like me.
Tons of politicians do this. It's not even hard. Which is why I think he race baits on purpose- it's good for the Democrat party.
Exactly. You said in 2 sentences what a few of us have said in 2 pages of posts.
HIS doesn't get it or is being obtuse. I would have thought an attorney would understand phrasing and tone and the subtleties and nuances of language. Which I guess means I think he is being obtuse.
Actually, my girlfriend says I'm acute.
Seriously though, I know it blows your mind that not everyone in the world thinks Obama is a racist, but it's actually true. I bet we have pretty different views of how GWB came across too. We just have a difference of opinion on this. If that's me "not getting it," so be it. I've said what I wanted to say about this.
Actually, my girlfriend says I'm acute.
Seriously though, I know it blows your mind that not everyone in the world thinks Obama is a racist, but it's actually true. I bet we have pretty different views of how GWB came across too. We just have a difference of opinion on this. If that's me "not getting it," so be it. I've said what I wanted to say about this.
I don't think Obama is racist, I think he is an opportunist who does not hesitate to use race to further his cause.
Who ever said that Obama is racist anyways?
I also don't think this is indicative of a great number of America's law enforcement officers. I see it as I see "Radical" Muslims- a tiny few screw-up and that get the headlines while the vast majority are under control. That doesn't excuse the tiny few by any means, but it shouldn't make me be suspect of all police.
The cops that are crazy enough to actually kill someone may be in the minority, but cops who abuse their authority and the rights of Americans are not. It's just usually something less extreme, like an illegal search, or pulling you over without valid cause just because its late at night.
It's not just 8 second video clips. The justice system has become another corrupt for-profit system and too many people know about the larger moving parts for people not to be pissed at the entire justice system all the way down to LEO's. Ending the war on drugs in particular would completely change the public perception of police. If changes aren't made it will get much worse before it gets better.
