Senator Reid and the Negro Comment

[Scuzzy]

Originally Posted by From the AP

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada described in private then-Sen. Barack Obama as "light skinned" and "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."

Would a leader of the republican party still have his job if he/she'd said this? Would the press do everything they can to force Reid to step down?

[GenghisTron]

I'm curious if you think the constant 'us vs. them' mentality is actually representative of reality?

[Bridget]

I don't even see what's wrong with saying that.

[FrenchToast]

Originally Posted by GenghisTron

I'm curious if you think the constant 'us vs. them' mentality is actually representative of reality?

Or constructive in any way? Or anything but butt-munchingly irritating? Or that you're the only one who keeps viewing things in that respect?

[Bridget]

Maybe Scuzzy was posting this against the 'we vs they' standard. Which would be odd for you guys, because you would be enforcing the standard in presuming he's in support of it. Oh shit, I went there.

[FrenchToast]

To be fair, I don't know who the guy is, actually, I just had to get that off my chest.

[Etzell]

Originally Posted by Scuzzy

Would a leader of the republican party still have his job if he/she'd said this? Would the press do everything they can to force Reid to step down?

Well, considering the amount of Republicans who have passed around various racist shit about Obama and haven't lost their jobs for it... I'd say, yeah, probably and not really to your questions.

[YomMamasHouse]

I might have chosen an alternate path than using the word negro, but from what I am reading (don't have the entire context so this is all i have to work with), it seems he is saying that Obama does not speak in a stereotypically "black" manner or have the stereotypical demeanor - which is quite true.
I don't think the reaction would have been much different if a Republican had said that. But I can't say that too strongly as I have not visited an alternate reality in which one did.

[GenghisTron]

Originally Posted by Bridget

Maybe Scuzzy was posting this against the 'we vs they' standard. Which would be odd for you guys, because you would be enforcing the standard in presuming he's in support of it. Oh shit, I went there.

Yea, but he constantly posts shit like this, so he clearly is partisan. I personally feel that both parties make jokes out of themselves, and both should be laugh at/ignored. I think it was Abe Lincoln who said the destruction of this country would come in the form of political parties, but it could have been Jefferson. Either way, the point stands, the parties are basically the same, with minor ideological differences.

[GenghisTron]

Originally Posted by YomMamasHouse

I might have chosen an alternate path than using the word negro, but from what I am reading (don't have the entire context so this is all i have to work with), it seems he is saying that Obama does not speak in a stereotypically "black" manner or have the stereotypical demeanor - which is quite true.
I don't think the reaction would have been much different if a Republican had said that. But I can't say that too strongly as I have not visited an alternate reality in which one did.

While I do agree with Scuzzy, if a Republican said this, Olbermann/Maddow would have been all over it--but who cares, the two majority parties are impotent and laughably incompetent.

[Scuzzy]

Originally Posted by Tron

While I do agree with Scuzzy, if a Republican said this, Olbermann/Maddow would have been all over it--but who cares, the two majority parties are impotent and laughably incompetent.

I think it's against journalistic integrity to treat half the country one way and the other half get's a free pass because they want to push their own agenda.

Originally Posted by Etzell

Well, considering the amount of Republicans who have passed around various racist shit about Obama and haven't lost their jobs for it...

Really? Who in a position of power for the republican party did something similiar against Obama and "got away with it"? Refresh my memory.

Scuzzy

[GenghisTron]

Originally Posted by Scuzzy

I think it's against journalistic integrity to treat half the country one way and the other half get's a free pass because they want to push their own agenda.

Both sides do it--that's my point, sir.

Republicans: Healthcare is socialism! But wait, don't touch Medicare! That's not socialism!

[Etzell]

Originally Posted by Scuzzy

I think it's against journalistic integrity to treat half the country one way and the other half get's a free pass because they want to push their own agenda.

Really? Who in a position of power for the republican party did something similiar against Obama and "got away with it"? Refresh my memory.

Scuzzy

Wasn't fired.
If you remember the campaign process at all, there was a lot of buzz about Obama not being "too black" to elect, or whether he was "black enough". Time did a piece on it.

There's a difference between a comment like that and the "Barack the Magic Negro" song.
Or sending out a picture of Obama like this:
That no one really got in any trouble for.

[uBeR]

What Etzell said. I thought it'd be fairly obvious. I would think there would have to be willful ignorance to even raise the question.

Haha, watch Williams speak some truth as Hume and the rest of the FOX News panel stares open-jawed and dumbfounded.

[Credge]

I don't even know if anybody has even talked about the subject properly.

Harry Reid wasn't insulting Obama, he was insulting Americans. He was calling us out for not being ready for a dark-skinned black man with a 'negro dialect'. Well, alright, sure. I don't really know what dark-skinned has to do with speaking like an idiot, but alright I'll go with it.

And no, I didn't confuse his quote and mix up the words dark with light.

Why he apologized to Obama is fucking beyond me. He should be apologizing to us for calling us racists .

[Scuzzy]

Originally Posted by Etzell

Wasn't fired.
If you remember the campaign process at all, there was a lot of buzz about Obama not being "too black" to elect, or whether he was "black enough". Time did a piece on it.

There's a difference between a comment like that and the "Barack the Magic Negro" song.
Or sending out a picture of Obama like this:
That no one really got in any trouble for.

Originally Posted by uBeR

What Etzell said. I thought it'd be fairly obvious. I would think there would have to be willful ignorance to even raise the question.

I'm trying to understand why you and uBeR feel that it is significant to Harry Reid that prior individuals, like an aide and an L.A. times report made comments that are inappropriate. Can you explain to me how you relate these individuals actions to those of Harry Reid? How should their actions and the reaction of their bosses be taken into account when deciding what should happen with the leader of the United States senate?

Should those individuals have lost their jobs?

Aside from that, back to the topic, I'm talking about the things like is currently being reported on Drudge and a few other sites: CBS '60 MINUTES IGNORES HARRY REID 'NEGRO' REVELATION DURING INTERVIEW WITH 'GAME CHANGE' BOOK AUTHORS...

That is not journalistic integrity, it's turning a blind eye.

Scuzzy

[Etzell]

Originally Posted by Scuzzy

I'm trying to understand why you and uBeR feel that it is significant to Harry Reid that prior individuals, like an aide and an L.A. times report made comments that are inappropriate. Can you explain to me how you relate these individuals actions to those of Harry Reid? How should their actions and the reaction of their bosses be taken into account when deciding what should happen with the leader of the United States senate?

I'm providing you with examples you asked for. Once again, I don't think Reid's comments really measure up to racist caricatures. The reason I brought that up was me making the point: "Hey, people on the other side (that you're attempting to paint as victimized) have done WORSE and kept their jobs, why should Reid get the axe?"

Originally Posted by Scuzzy

Should those individuals have lost their jobs?

I've never called for it.

Originally Posted by Scuzzy

Aside from that, back to the topic, I'm talking about the things like is currently being reported on Drudge and a few other sites: CBS '60 MINUTES IGNORES HARRY REID 'NEGRO' REVELATION DURING INTERVIEW WITH 'GAME CHANGE' BOOK AUTHORS...

That is not journalistic integrity, it's turning a blind eye.

Scuzzy

There were all KINDS of reports during campaign season asking if Obama was black enough, or if he was too black.
I'm pretty sure, at one point, every major network had a story about it. Reid doing the same isn't really a huge deal.

[uBeR]

You're right, Scuzzy, there's no comparison. While the GOP slanders the President and makes racist remarks, songs, images, or effigies of Obama, Reid was making a comment about how extremely racist people like you and the rest of the GOP are, just as Williams was also pointing out. So while you and your ilk and blatantly racist, which almost goes without saying, Reid was pointing out the fact. There's a huge difference; good point.

Does that mean no "liberal" press was following the controversy? It'd be a flat-out lie to say yes. Take The Atlantic, MSNBC, or The Huffington Post, for example, three of the most favorite targets of the right. It's sort of strange how the right always accuses "the left media" for "turning a blind eye" to issues they care about (however trivial and nonsense they might be), when, really, it is them who have turned a blind eye to what the media have been saying all along. I'm sure we can all figure out why.

[Credge]

I now know 3 people who stand by party lines who post on these forums.

[Scuzzy]

Originally Posted by Etzell

I'm providing you with examples you asked for. Once again, I don't think Reid's comments really measure up to racist caricatures. The reason I brought that up was me making the point: "Hey, people on the other side (that you're attempting to paint as victimized) have done WORSE and kept their jobs, why should Reid get the axe?"

Yes, I did ask you for examples, but the nature of my question was ultimately why you brought it up in the first place. I personally do not support the "Well he did so I should be able to get away with it." to define what is right and wrong to do. I think each case should be examined independently.

Originally Posted by Scuzzy

Should those individuals have lost their jobs?

Does this mean you support that people who say those types of things, in both the republican and democratic party, should be allowed to keep their jobs?

Originally Posted by Etzell

There were all KINDS of reports during campaign season asking if Obama was black enough, or if he was too black.
I'm pretty sure, at one point, every major network had a story about it. Reid doing the same isn't really a huge deal.

That's not entirely accurate. Yes, there were liberal individuals who asked if he was black enough. There were liberal people who said, "Oh well the republicans are telling everyone they don't think Obama is black enough!" But the fact is that most of the people actually bringing up Obama's race were liberals, no conservatives. They focused on his race, not the conservative party.

If you do not feel that individuals in power making comments like this is a huge deal, then the debate between the two of us seems finished. Unless of course you have anything else you'd like to discuss.