Putting Obama's "typical white person" soundbite in proper context
Okay, so there's this soundbite running around from a radio interview Obama did with a radio station in Philadelphia. Here's the full soundbite in context. What's going on is people are stopping the soundbite at "typical white person". Here it is in context:
"The point I was making was not that my grandmother harbors any racial animosity. She doesn't," Obama told WIP Sports Radio.
"But she is a typical white person who, if she sees somebody on the street that she doesn't know, there's a reaction that's been bred into 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."
As I said, the problem is that everybody is ending the soundbite at "typical white person", which is, of course, pissing some people off.
But if you look at the entire quote in context, it makes sense and is not nearly as inflammatory.
Again, make no mistake, I do not support Obama. On the major issues. That doesn't mean I don't like or respect the man. And right now, he's getting pilloried for that remark, which, as you see, if placed in proper context, is not nearly as inflammatory if you just stop the soundbite at "typical white person".
I think that's terribly unfair so I wanted to get the full quote out there.
posted by Kip Lange @ 8:47 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
If he wasn't implying that his grandmother harbored racial animosity, then why describe her as a "typical WHITE person" and not simply a "typical person"? It is clear that he was implying she was a racist. He should not be given a pass for throwing his grandma under the bus, or playing the same stupid race/class warfare game that got him this far. Kip, you apparently have some white guilt you need to deal with. It's clouding your judgement, or at least your reading comprehension.
Hey, sweet, I haven't been called too liberal in...Jesus...I don't think I've EVER been called too liberal.
Okay. Note that I say that taken in context, his remarks are "not nearly that inflammatory". Implying, of course, that the remarks are inflammatory. They are. It's just, I get sick and tired of the soundbite war, so I threw in the full comment, which doesn't sound nearly as bad.
Also, I think there IS some racism present in "typical white people". I wouldn't necessarily call it animosity, though. If anything, the biggest place to look for it is...liberal enclaves. HRC, for instance, will do whatever she needs to try to win back the coveted black vote -- or, if that's not working, she'll alert operatives like Geraldine Ferraro to go out and take a bullet for her.
I mean, you're not extending the "white guilt" comment enough
Now, Ferraro's comments would not have raised the ire they did if they weren't partly true. I disagree with Dick Morris that Obama would be where he is if he was a woman, white, hispanic...yada yada. No, he's where he is because he's the first politically viable black man to run for president. Isn't that, in and of itself, proof that people are still drawing lines in race?
The class warfare issue drives me nuts. And yes, Obama is using it. But I wasn't talking about the Dem class warfare issue. Because it's so tediously obvious and they do it every election cycle. Powerful people with charmed lives tell us that we're being exploited by...whoever the hell the Dems want to pillory that week...and on and on and on. The class warfare issue does not so much as bring race to the forefront, it actually creates racial divides. That's the point of it. And it is really nasty hate speech, most of the time.
Of course, look, you're right, because just imagine this: John McCain makes a remark about a "typical black person". I don't care if he said, "The typical black person can sprout wings and fly!" -- he'd be savaged by the media.
Obama has gotten a pass so far but he's finally running up against the rocky shoals of a real campaign. He looks no better for it, and he's starting to look just like another politician.
You're right on this, though. I should have ripped Obama a new one over the full comment, period. I just didn't feel like doing it.
Anyway, I quite enjoy the comment, because, I swear, as far as I can remember, this is the first time I've been accused of not being conservative enough (barring my support of McCain now that he has the nomination, which is an aberrational issue at best). :-) Usually I'm the one ranting about white liberal suburban hand-wringing guilt.
So, anyway, you were right, but, uh, I don't think that makes me eligible for soccer mom status.
By the way, the comment about the white grandmother is a totally specious argument. You can pick your pastor; you can't pick your grandmother. And "typical person" would have been much better, you're right. I think we can probably agree that the typical *person*, period, has some degree of racial awareness ticking in their body that isn't necessarily politically correct.
The biggest thing about this, though, is that Obama basically ripped that line off from a speech given by...Jesse Jackson. The remark Jackson made was about himself, and a rare moment of candor for the man. Maybe you remember it, here it is:
"There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery, then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved."
I think there was far more honesty on Jackson's part there (and that truly IS rare) than there was on Obama's part.
And remember, let us not forget, the real reason Obama chose this pastor. Because he needed to lock down the black vote on Chicago's South Side. Which is preventing him from telling the truth about Wright -- "I needed him to get elected." I'm sure Wright delivered a lot of votes to Obama, especially early on.
Also, by the way, don't worry, I have a physical coming up soon, I'll ask my doctor to look for any signs of liberal white guilt. I think your eyeballs turn yellow from the bile building up in you...
When you reply to yourself twice, I know I've struck a nerve :) Or, at least spawned an interesting side topic.
I think every person has guilt over one thing or another regarding other races, or people, or handicap, etc. And this goes for "black guilt", "muslim guilt", or whoever/whatever. The problem is that white guilt over blacks in the USA is so prounced that it often prevents logical discourse. You are correct... the libs are much more "guilty", no pun intended. But we (white folk) all have it, some to a lesser degree than others.
I wish people would ask the tough, yet obvious, questions. For example: Why was white grandma really afraid? What is because she had some inbred, genetic fear of those with dark skin? (Even though her own grandson is a Halfrican-American.) Or was it because she picked up the newspaper that morning, and read a statistic that showed while 10% of the town population was black, 60% of the crimes were committed by blacks? Substitute "blacks" for "people wearing red bandanas" and maybe my point will become more clear.
Slavery ended 150 years ago. MLKs great speach, and the civil rights movement, were 40 years ago. Since then, how have legal immigrants (black/brown/yellow/white) fared in our country? Are they responsible for a large percentage of crimes? Or are they following the rules, working hard, building wealth and adding to the value of the community, assimiliating into the American culture? I'm sorry (<---white guilt) but (in general) the black communtity has some serious social problems and nothing going to get fixed until those are addressed. 70% of chilbirth out of wedlock? Horrific.
I don't want to get too far off the "white guilt" topic, but hopefuly I helped illustrate that the majority of it is completely unjustified.
Good (unintentional?) topic :)
"Hey, sweet, I haven't been called too liberal in...Jesus...I don't think I've EVER been called too liberal."
You live in the People's Republic of Taxachusetts! I doubt there are many clear thinking conservatives within a 100 mile radius of your location.
Oh, man, I think I just lost a huge chunk of text on this to vapor...I posted and lost it...I will rewrite it, I promise.
Hi Kip!
It's Jackie C. OMG, it's been so long since I made a comment, but I saw this and I just had to tell you something. I have no idea what a typical white person is and I don't really care. I think all people are unique, but out here in Cali there has been a trend that has has become typical for young white men and I was hoping you could comment. The trend that I'm talking about is Flat Brim Hats.
Talk about typical wanna be gangsters. I mean, the brims out here are so flat that it looks like we have reverted to the days of Galileo and people are trying to convince me that the Earth is shaped like their brims! LOL!
I see that you are from the East Coast and I think they have much more Brim Sense out there. I mean, it looks like when you buy a Red Sox hat, it naturally curves once you take it out of the store.
Anyway, i was hoping that you could offer some insight on this craze. I am beginning to believe that the "Typical White Person" is someone who has tattoos and wears a Flat Brim Hat.
Help Kip!!!!
Jackie C.
Dear Jackie C.:
While they may populate your area, please realize that white gansta-wannabes with flat-brimmed hats represent less than 1% of the US population.
Thank you.
Well Mr. Anonymous, my problem is that it's not just white gangster wannabes. It's actually more the skaters, motorcross (FOX racing) guys, mixed martial arts guys, rappers, and street basketball players.
OMG, just turn on MTV or ESPN and all you see are flat brim hats. I don't know where you live Mr. Anonymous, but it must be on a farm in Iowa because throughout California, flat brims are everywhere. LOL!
I ask this question of Kip becuase I love the movie "Good Will Hunting" (Matt Damon and Ben Affleck such hotties!) and all I saw were rolled brim hats. As I've heard, that movie is representative of what it is like in New England (CHOWDAH!). Since Kip is from Boston or near Boston, I thought that he might wear a rolled brim hat.
As you know, I kinda have a little crush on Kip (*blush*) and really all I'm trying to do is see a pic of him and his rolled brim hat. It may give me a reason to believe that men on this planet actually do have a sense of fashion.
Not only that, but as I mentioned to Kip, it would be nice to see some commentary on something other than video games and politics. I want to hear Kip's views on fashion or celebrity gossip or something a little more lighthearted! I thought the flat brim hat craze was a great place to start.
Heath Ledger wore a flat brim hat! LOL!
Jackie C.
Yes, I have a rolled-brim Sox hat.
How the hell did we start talking about hats?
Jackie, by any chance, does the phrase "Super Skittles Diva" mean anything to you?
Ummm... No. I even Googled it and there were no results. WTF Kip?
Is this your idea of making fun of me? If so, that was hilarious.
Anyone who has the time to immediately reply to a post about flat brims with a reference to a term that no one knows probably hasn't gotten laid this century.
Just a little while ago, this "Super Skittles Diva" was good enough to put on your front page talking about how her words evoked a feeling in you that was better than sex.
Now you are belittling me. I used to think your profile picture was cute, but now I think you look like a jaundiced old man that hasn't seen the sun in weeks because he's too busy rolling his brim and looking at naked pictures of John McCain on the internet.
Thanks for nothing Kip. Go Barack! YES WE CAN (get out in the sun and stop playing video games like a loser).
Jackie C.
No, it was not my idea of making fun of you. There is a Jackie C. online who calls herself a "Super Skittles Diva" and lives in Huntington Beach. I was merely trying to ascertain if you were that person.
I *am* a jaundiced old man. Are you just noticing that?
Which means your insults, which really are unwarranted, fall on deaf ears.
Maybe ask me why I asked a question before you go jumping to weird-ass conclusions next time. I was not "belittling" you.
As for who you want to vote for, that's up to you.
If there are nude pictures of John McCain on the Internet then I haven't run across them yet. ;-)
Um, sorry I'm not living up to your expectations.
I used to get out in the sun. It's highly overrated. Going out in the sun, not the sun itself. The sun itself impressed me, what with its fusion ability.
Again, sorry to let you down for being Kip. ;-)
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