Typical White Person

What a stunning statement by Obama.

The point I was making was not that grandmother harbors any racial animosity. She doesn’t.

But she is a typical white person, who, if she sees somebody on the street that she doesn’t know, you know, there’s a reaction that’s been bred in our experiences that don’t go away and that sometimes come out in the wrong way, and that’s just the nature of race in our society.

We have to break through it, and what makes me optimistic is you see each generation feeling a little less like that, and that’s powerful stuff.

Wow.  Let’s deconstuct that a bit, shall we?

“she is a typical white person”

Talk about your racial generalizations.  Imagine McCain saying “he’s a typical black person.”  He’d be skewered for being racist.  Obama seems to be channeling his racist pastor.

“if she sees somebody on the street that she doesn’t know, you know, there’s a reaction that’s been bred in our experiences that don’t go away”

What!?!?  He is suggesting that his grandma reacts negatively to only black people whom she sees on the street, but he doesn’t actually say it.  In other words, he’s saying that his grandma, who is a “typical white person,” is inherently racist.  Again, he seems to be channeling his racist pastor in the assumption that a “typical white person” is a racist. 

Personally, I’m offended by that.  I’m offended that someone who wants to lead this nation thinks that a huge portion of the population is a bunch of racists.  How can we expect this man to lead us when every time he sees a “typical white person” he sees a racist? 

1. the cracks continue to show and grow. its pretty clear to me he buys some of rev. wright’s view of the world. The question is exactly how much?

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 20, 2008 at 2357 hrs




2. It just smacks of arrogance.  Whites are constantly told that they’ll never know what it’s like to be black, but apparently the half-black guy knows white folk so well that he can make sweeping generalizations about their thoughts and actions.

   Barack Obama is perhaps the most arrogant SOB to ever run for president.  I kind of hope the Democrats nominate him.  If he loses, the intra-party fireworks on the Dem side would be positively exhilarating to watch.  That is, once they’re done calling the rest of us racists for not voting for him.

   Posted by Recess Supervisor on March 21, 2008 at 0037 hrs




3. here’s the audio http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4s45v_obama-typical-w hite-person_news

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 0042 hrs




4. that’s because the typical white person IS racist, Owen!  anyone who has studied racial issues will tell you that.  it’s a subconcious thing.  You just like being offended don’t you?  You go out of your way to take offense where none exists!

   Posted by Hermes on March 21, 2008 at 0125 hrs




5. There of course will be a lot of obsession about an off-handed remark, because as usual Republicans really have nothing to offer to the American people who, when they are in their rational minds, would not buy what they are selling. So they have to take us to the side show and beg us to look the other way.

   It’s not so much that they are looking to be offended, it’s that they want to look like they are offended.

   Stack this up to John McCain, someone who so desperately want us to be in Iraq forever, and cannot not distinguish between al Qaeda in Iraq and the leadership in Iran, or tell the difference between a Sunni and Shia.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 0722 hrs




6. Jesse Jackson once said, “There is nothing more painful for me than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start to think about robbery, and then to see it’s somebody white and feel relieved.”

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 0818 hrs




7. The guy spends 20 years in a church where the pastor is known to preach racist anti-American sermons.  It’s clear to me what Obama means by this “off-handed-remark”.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 0903 hrs




8. It’s not so much that they are looking to be offended, it’s that they want to look like they are offended.

   Stack this up to John McCain, someone who so desperately want us to be in Iraq forever, and cannot not distinguish between al Qaeda in Iraq and the leadership in Iran, or tell the difference between a Sunni and Shia.

   So whose fault is it Keith?

   Scott Walker, George W. Bushs’ or John McCains’?

   Posted by Michael J. Cheaney on March 21, 2008 at 0905 hrs




9. Hermes,
   I hope that was sarcasm.  I also hope that if Obama is nominated that he will expain his comment to the general electorate by claiming that the typical white person is racist.  As I understand it, calling people racists is a great campaign strategy.  Maybe he can come up with a more offensive way to say it so that he can really win some votes - “Obama ‘08, because you crackers hope for change.”

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 0920 hrs




10. No, I would bet lottery winnings that Hermes is serious.  Typical liberals believe that.  It has been mantra for a long time. 
    So Hermes, if reality is that most whites are indeed rascist because, for instance, they do feel relief if mysterious footsteps turn out to be a white person coming up behind them at night in a city, is it then fair to say, from the white racist point of view, that a typical black man is a criminal?  It seems that if typical white racists believed that, then true or not, we would hear it a little more often.  Most of my friends are white and I assume typical, and some are very outspoken yet I never hear them saying racist remarks.  Weird, huh?  Or maybe your belief is just pathetic and insulting to the typical thinking person of any color… I’ll go with that.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1120 hrs




11. Personally, I’m offended by that.  I’m offended that someone who wants to lead this nation thinks that a huge portion of the population is a bunch of racists. 

    Well that’s a typical black person for ya.

    They NEED to believe that the country is racist.  They NEED that leverage.  They NEED that excuse.

    How else do they get the entitlements. How else do they get the utility of favorable admission standards for colleges and financial aid?  How else to they explain off the drop out rate, the unemployement rate.

    Its not THEIR fault.  Its whitey fault.  Having kept the brother down for so long. 

    If the country isn’t full of a bunch of white racists their entire montra would collapse.

    They NEED racism.  They want racism.  Without it they (as a community) would have to be accountable for the problems.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1159 hrs




12. There of course will be a lot of obsession about an off-handed remark, because as usual Republicans really have nothing to offer to the American people who, when they are in their rational minds, would not buy what they are selling.

    emphasis added.

    Haha.  How very Leftist!  The only reason they dont have complete control of things is because people are not in their rational minds!  Priceless.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1206 hrs




13. Correction pilot. They don’t need racism. They experience racism.

    Blacks would much rather not have to use that “excuse.” Or they could put up with like it like so many right wing sheep do with their place in life.

    Oh I forgot. Many of them are angry about all the great things black people are getting from government. It would be amusing if not so pathetic.

    Why can’t black people be more like you? Prefect.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1213 hrs




14. Michael you’ll have to translate #8 because in trying to be clever, it makes absolutely no sense.

    Or are you on autopilot because “blame Scott Walker” is the brilliant all purpose put down of the week.

    This stuff you know doesn’t work everywhere, so you have to use some discretion and thought.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1216 hrs




15. Well that’s a typical black person for ya.

    They NEED racism.  They want racism.  Without it they (as a community) would have to be accountable for the problems.

    No sir, ain’t no evidence of racism around here?

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1233 hrs




16. Blacks would much rather not have to use that “excuse.”

    I’m not so sure.

    It seems pretty damn convienient and it sure gets used as an excuse everytime (genaralizing) something doesn’t go their way.

    note: I use “their” and generalize because it seems there is a very noteable effort for them to identify themselves as “the black community” and that being the case, I think its fair to in reciprocate, refer to them as such.

    The other day I was at my gym and there was a lady on the eliptical trainer in front of me and she had a shirt on about empowering women in “the spirit of blackness”  Those were the exact words.

    I was a little confused.  I’m not sure what “the spirit of blackness” is, but if people wanted to be treated the same as other people why would they try so hard to identify themselves as something different????

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1236 hrs




17. Well that’s a typical black person for ya.

    No sir, ain’t no evidence of racism around here?

    Actually pjr, that would be called “satire”

    But hey… you’ll find what you look for, so have at it.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1238 hrs




18. that would be called “satire”

    I’m not so sure.

    It seems pretty damn convienient and it sure gets used as an excuse everytime (genaralizing) something doesn’t go their way.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1251 hrs




19. Tuerqas: “So Hermes, if reality is that most whites are indeed rascist because, for instance, they do feel relief if mysterious footsteps turn out to be a white person coming up behind them at night in a city, is it then fair to say, from the white racist point of view, that a typical black man is a criminal?  It seems that if typical white racists believed that, then true or not, we would hear it a little more often.”

    Is it fair?  No.  Is it fair to say that it is a typical presumption from the white racist point of view?  Yes.  Do we ever hear it in popular culture that the typical black man is a criminal?  Perish the thought!    I’ve never seen a single sitcom, hip-hip video, or prime-time cop drama that portrays black people as criminals.

    Posted by Hermes on March 21, 2008 at 1311 hrs




20. There of course will be a lot of obsession about an off-handed remark, because as usual Republicans really have nothing to offer to the American people who, when they are in their rational minds, would not buy what they are selling. So they have to take us to the side show and beg us to look the other way.

    This is a typically liberal response.  Why does something have to be sold?  What are the Democrats offering besides more entitlement programs, increased taxes and spending, greater dependency on government, less personal responsibility, decreased economic growth, class warfare, and that all corporations who do not follow the democratic agenda are bad.  From what I can tell, this is what the dems are selling these days.

    I am neither a democrat or republican, I have voted for each in the past.  The problem is that both parties are too extreme.  At least McCain is moderate.  Obama is loved by the far left, which really frightens me.  Obama’s comment, I do not believe was off the cuff.  I wish the Obama supporters would take their rose colored glasses off.  I would say the same to the staunch Bush and Regan supporters also.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1319 hrs




21. “Typical presumption” - Come on, Hermes.  Just say you’re making it up, it’s even easier to spell. 

    What Obama said was racist - he thinks that I am racist just because I’m white.  Thanks, Mr. Obama.  Thanks a ton.  I have never had bred into my experiences a reaction like Mr. Obama describes.  But somehow I’m still a racist. 

    And this guy is the liberal front runner?  Says something about them, doesn’t it?

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1331 hrs




22. Pilot, identify is different than racism sensitivity (though I hate to use that term).

    No one would have to play any race cards unless they were dealt by the white majority in the first place.

    Remember back when the power company in Madison had a black president. He said even he had to catch himself from cheering on the rioters during the Rodney King uproar.

    Obama I think adequately acknowledged what simmers under the lids of both white and blacks in this country. It’s just disgusting the way people are going ape crap over that off-handed remark. It would be nice if Chuckles the Clown over at TMJ would spend as much mental exercise over real problems instead of dissecting speeches for gaffes. Again tells me he has nothing worthwhile to sell.

    Somebody once said that independents are not as intellectually with it as some people presume because they don’t vote on party lines. The commentator pointed out that independents are really not too engaged in the process, as pointed out in post #20.

    McCain a moderate???? Oh boy. Not according to those conservative groups that score votes. Beside the guy refers to Purim as Halloween for Israelis. Obama vs McCain. Youtube vs Feeding Tube.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1450 hrs




23. Keith:

    I have been following politics and have been actively engaged in it for over 20 year, so I know more than you think.  You are really good at the name calling, a typical trait of the left, but did not respond to any of my points, which is also trpical.  Just remember that it will be us independents who decide this election, so keep on insulting our intelligence.  McCain is a moderate, which is why the conservative base does not like him.  Most people do not agree with the hard right of left.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1501 hrs




24. I think the post, with all due respect, misses the entire point of Obama’s speech. For once, a national political figure (forget for a moment the color of his skin) addressed the American public as if they were sentient, thinking beings. He said, and I’m paraphrasing, that all people, regardless of color, have prejudices, and that those prejudices are based at least somewhat in fact. He said we can recognize that and act like adults and try and work through our problems, or we can continue to take every statement and break it down and try to find the ways that it reinforces our existing prejudices.

    Owen, you say that Obama’s statement suggests that Obama’s grandmother reacts negatively only to black people. In other words, his grandmother’s inherently racist [emphasis mine]. He says no such thing. You’re making an assumption and extrapolating that out and then assuming Obama’s calling all white people racist.

    One of the main thrusts of his speech was to ask people not to “deconstruct” every statement about race, whether by a black person or a white person, and look for meanings that weren’t there. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Of course, we’re all free to do whatever we’d like, and to pick apart whatever speeches and interviews we’d like.

    I’d just ask everybody here to look at the entire text of the speech again. Carefully. I don’t normally like to quote comedians about serious matters, but Jon Stewart really did have it right. He talked to us like adults about race. I think it would behoove to talk about to each other like adults as well.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1659 hrs




25. apc - It would be nice if you could forward your post to Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan, Harry Belafonte, the NAACP…

    It seems the shoe is on the other foot with what Barak said.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1836 hrs




26. But I’m not hard left. I attend church weekly and have a business.

    As far as McCain, no one was right enough for hard right conservatives.

    As for the name calling, yeah I should lay off of Charlie since he adds so much to the local discourse. At least I didn’t swear like a sailor as Owen did when he went apoplectic over graffiti over at the other post.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1943 hrs




27. I believe in Martin Luther King’s idea of judging a person by his character and not his skin color.  The soaring beauty of MLK’s ‘I Have A Dream’ speech contrasts with the artificial beauty of Obama’s speech.  I utterly refuse to believe that just because I’m a white person, I’m a racist.  I don’t like to have ‘guilt’ foisted upon me just because of my skin color.  Our country’s History has had many shameful chapters, but America is still a great country.

    Too bad Barack Obama hasn’t seriously studied the great Booker T. Washington, or Thomas Sowell, or Walter Williams.
    These are great men.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 21, 2008 at 1947 hrs




28. way to take all the fun out of comment strings, apc, with your accurate paraphrasing and your coherent logic.  it’s not gonna be fun to read this BS anymore if you keep that up.  i only come here for the nonsensical haranguing that goes on!

    Posted by Hermes on March 22, 2008 at 0058 hrs




29. Owen, you say that Obama’s statement suggests that Obama’s grandmother reacts negatively only to black people. In other words, his grandmother’s inherently racist [emphasis mine]. He says no such thing. You’re making an assumption and extrapolating that out and then assuming Obama’s calling all white people racist.

    He says no such thing???

    Sorry, but when Obama says what a “typical white person” thinks, and in the very same sentence says “that’s just the nature of race in our society” - I don’t know how it can be any clearer what he is implying.  Owen doesn’t need to do any extrapolation, the words Obama spoke, and the meaning behind them were very, very clear.

    Posted by Tony Turner on March 22, 2008 at 0710 hrs




30. Since Obama is Half Black and Half white. Is is possible he is only half right in his comments?

    Posted by Michael J. Cheaney on March 22, 2008 at 1808 hrs




31. Which half of his comments?  The white half or the black half

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 22, 2008 at 2242 hrs




32. Umm… Apparently Obama’s first step in prejudging a person is not based upon their actions, character, or creed, but the very first thing he does is isolate and categorize the race or color of a person, and then from that data forward automatically stereotypes and discriminates against (if white) or for (if black) based upon that divisive criteria.
    In what way could that escape the definition of racist?  How could Obama ever again claim to not be a racist?  Will he now campaign that we should elect a racist to the White House?

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 24, 2008 at 0453 hrs




33. APC, I would be willing to believe that Obama wants to reduce racism in America, and that he either misspoke or was misinterpreted, but I hear nothing about getting people off welfare and in to paid job training or anything that will give the typical unemployed black person enough pride to get off the welfare teat.  Everyone needs pride and self esteem and as long as the Government gives anyone enough to live on, but then leaves them to make their own justification for their circumstances, they will find pride in other things whether it is gangs, skin color, crime, toughness, whatever.  The base problem is not going to go away until we stop giving and start selling.  I do not include heavily retarded or physically unable to work people, just the able bodied.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 24, 2008 at 0906 hrs




34. TUERQAS, I’m not quite sure what you’re getting at. The purpose of this particular speech wasn’t to solve the problems of race in fell swoop. As much as we Americans have become addicted to instant gratification, even we know this is too intractable a problem for a single speech to suddenly have us all hold hands and sing Kumbaya and ride off into the sunset together.

    That was the good thing about the speech; it recognized that race is a nuamced problem. It acknowledged, and this is what many on the right refuse to recognize about the speech, that both sides have legitimate grievances, that both sides are coming to the conversation with arguments with merit. There are entire paragraphs in the speech devoted to that theme.

    As to the questions you raise about welfare, pride, self-esteem, and the typical unemployed black person, well, they could be applied to the typical unemplyed white person as well. This is a question of poverty as much as it is a question of race, and for that matter, welfare was pretty much cut to the bone during the Clinton administration. It’s not like the welfare teat, as you put it, is some generous sugar daddy. I don’t know about Wisconsin, but in Texas the AFDC maximum for a single mother with three children is about $200 month. And why do people stay on it? Because if they go off it, they lose health care for their children. It’s not always as easy as just saying “those lazy welfare bums.”

    No, this speech was meant to get us started talking about, not to solve the underlying problems of, race. He spoke to us as if we could understand nuance. He spoke to us, black and white alike, as if we could hear unpleasant truths about ourselves without completely flipping out. Obama has position papers on poverty and health care, of course. If you want him to go all “Bill Cosby” on irresponsible African Americans, he’s done that, too. What in the world do people expect from this man? He’s presidential candidate, not the freaking messiah.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 24, 2008 at 1812 hrs




35. I am getting at precisely what you just iterated.  I do not believe he had any underlying motives or that he was calling all whites KKK members.  The ‘typical’ comment was a barb meant exactly the way you took it actually.  Any unemployed person has the same problems we both stated, just like both races have the same problems with racism albeit from different angles.  Most people of each race have problems recognizing both positions.  I am saying that I think you, Obama, and I do see both sides and that is good. 

    Now what are some solutions?  I am not sure it is as necessary to make everyone aware before some answers can be introduced as Obama seems to be.  I have always been against giving out handouts to people who have no other problems than poverty.  I have always been strongly for spending that money on paying those people to learn a vocation.  Pay them to learn a job.  It is not a cure-all, but I think that is a big solution that has only been introduced in small doses in limited locales.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 25, 2008 at 0811 hrs




36. Yours seems to the minority opinion on the right, I’m afraid. Most of the commentary from the right is saying that Obama is, in fact, calling most white people racist.

    I disagree with you on one point, though, I think the more aware people can be made, the better. You’re probably right in that subliminally, most people know right from wrong where race is concerned, but it never hurts to put it out in the open and discuss it. Like the old saying goes, sunlight is the best disinfectant.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 25, 2008 at 0838 hrs




37. It is not that I think awareness is a bad idea at all.  What I am trying to say is that most people left, right, black, white, blue in the face, do not like having their noses rubbed in it.  I do not think I am racist, but I would fear two black men walking up behind me at night in Milwaukee where I would not fear two white men autmatically.  Making people face things they are not proud of without any solutions breeds denials more than awareness, especially when the awareness is coming from partisan roots.  No proof on that just my take on human nature.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 25, 2008 at 0856 hrs