Comments on Womanist Musings: The Blacks Are Plotting

How about this: Powell is an intelligent, sensitiv...

2008-10-22T11:16:29.575-04:00

How about this: Powell is an intelligent, sensitive person who feels he'll sleep better endorsing a candidate that may do some good after Bush ruined America?

Eh?

Look, I won't pretend that race doesn't play some factor. Just like how I might not have supported Hillary as much if not for her gender. But those things are more like sprinkles on top. Like, "Oh, this candidate really backs social programs and education AND is a woman?!" or "Oh, this candidate has a real plan to fix the economy and non-rich Americans, a real exit plan for Iraq and runs of a platform of tolerance and understanding AND is Black?!" If Obama were the exact same candidate as a White man, I'd still support him. But the truth of the matter is that your gender and ethnicity do play a part in your experiences and understanding of the world. And the idea of breaking apart the rich-White-dude merry-go-round of presidential politics to too exciting to pass up.

But, going back to Colin Powell being intelligent, I'm sure he liked Obama anyway. But being able to vote for another promising Black politician is an added bonus. So what's the problem?

Thanks much for the clip.I am so starved for actua...

2008-10-22T06:35:15.179-04:00

Thanks much for the clip.

I am so starved for actual political debate. It was great to see an interview where both the interviewee and interviewer were able to carry on a conversation without resorting to talking points or screaming.

On some level I feel sorry for Powell. When he wa...

2008-10-21T00:55:43.112-04:00

On some level I feel sorry for Powell. When he was supporting Bush, he was the house slave that whites loved and blacks looked at in askance. Now that he is supporting Obama he is conspiratorial nigger to whites, and a man that is down with his peeps to blacks.

This is such a powerfully accurate statement. I can't imagine the tremendous pressure to phrase eveything just so. To have to strategically plan every aspect of my career go forward based on a stance that, while I firmly believe in his reasoning-will always be seen as what you just mentioned here.

When I listened to Powell's announcement, I was ve...

2008-10-20T19:11:16.509-04:00

When I listened to Powell's announcement, I was very moved by this man's maturity of spirit, presence and intelligence. His decision was based on a careful, reasoned weighing of each candidate. I hope to attain his wisdom of speech one day.

So how the f$#@ can people say that he's voting based on race? (Don't answer that, it's a rhetorical question.)

My feeling on this are even if for some reason on...

2008-10-20T18:23:50.690-04:00

My feeling on this are even if for some reason one felt all things were equal ( I don't of course), if I were black I'd vote for an African American. If all things were equal I may have voted for Hilary but they were not satisfactory for me, but if they were I would have taken the woman. Identity politics is, and has always been, a significant part of US politics, so with all things being equal that endorsement would be valid.

That was clearly not the case however for General Powell, who did no in any way feel the contest was equal.
Given the fact he gave substantial reasoning for his endorsement, some of it very similar to the reasoning given by the many white ideological conservatives who have jumped ship ( Buckley, Hitchens, Frank Luntz, Michael Smerconish, Chuck Hagels wife as his surrogate, The Chicago Trib editorial board whichhas never in it's histroy endorsed a Democrat, and so on), if Powell is making this decision based on Race what pray tell is the excuse for the rest of the crowd?

If nothing else shows how much racism is still a factor in this country this is it.

That’s right Rush Limbaugh - it’s all part of the ...

2008-10-20T17:34:43.434-04:00

That’s right Rush Limbaugh - it’s all part of the 30-year conspiracy by "angry blacks" that you mentioned last week! The Negroes are taking over!

*sigh*

It’s wondrous just how racially divided this country STILL is. And it seems to take moments like what we’re witnessing currently (the election specifically) to illuminate this fact. There’s clearly a problem here that needs to be aired out and squashed - if that is even at all possible - otherwise, I fear that, a time will come when hatred across racial lines will lead to certain violence and more…

Race is still very much the elephant in the room that America refuses to fully acknowledge and discuss.

As for Limbaugh and company, it'll be easy to dismiss him as not much more than a shock-jock - Howard Stern minus the salacity - ensuring that his wallet remains plump!

But, that he has an audience of 13.5 million loyal weekly listeners nationwide is scary.

As Election Day draws closer, I won’t be surprised to see violent breakouts in parts of the country, because you can guarantee that these kinds of coded, hate-filled messages will only intensify in frequency and virulence.

There are two things going on here that I think ar...

2008-10-20T17:12:08.814-04:00

There are two things going on here that I think are equally important. The first is what you point out about whites never being accused of only endorsing a white candidate because of race.

The other is that white politicians that endorse Obama are pretty much ignored because they can't use race as a reason. In the past couple of weeks, a number of Republicans have voiced their support of Obama, but not many make the headlines. I've started relying on blogs for updates on these endorsements. What exactly would they say about these people?

After seeing these attacks today, one thought that...

2008-10-20T16:07:44.878-04:00

After seeing these attacks today, one thought that crossed my mind was "so what if that is a reason?"

I mean, if the likes of Buchanan want Obama's race to be so important, why not turn it round on them? Why should a black man, or a black woman, not consider that it could be good for America to have a black president?

In case you haven't seen the cliphttp://www.youtub...

2008-10-20T16:05:40.853-04:00

In case you haven't seen the clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24Kv_fcZT-0

Pat Buchanan has already thrown in the race factor...

2008-10-20T16:04:47.065-04:00

Pat Buchanan has already thrown in the race factor on Chris Matthew's show. It would have also been a perfect time for Pat Buchanan to come out and admit he is a racist nazi douchebag.