Here's Rush arguing for the importance of a black senator. To which I respond--Nigga, please!!
I don't know if I've shifted politically or what. But after watching a black man named Barack Obama--who couldn't get into the Democratic convention eight years ago--win
Virginia, North Carolina, New Mexico and Colorado, my tolerance for
Negroes claiming that we need an appointment like this--in this kind of
situation--is zilch.
Look, I say this as a black dude obviously concerned about race in this country. If you want a black senator go out and do the work to get yourself one. Build the organizations, build the fund-raising, do a black version of Emily's List, if need be. At some point, you have to stop bitching about the track. You have to stop bitching about your hand-me-down spikes. At some point, you just have to go out and run. I have little tolerance for the racial grievances of upper-middle class blacks. Do for your damn self, and speak for your damn self. Keep my name out your mouth.
UPDATE: It is amazing to hear Rush make this argument, given that if left to him, there would be no black Senators anyway. Rush backed the very-white Blair Hull against Obama in 2004. Are these people serious?
UPDATE #2: After thinking about that update, I just want to reiterate--with authority--Nigga please!!
The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood 
Copyright © 2009 by The Atlantic Monthly Group. All rights reserved.
Why is Bobby Rush being the hatchet man on this issue anyway? Just out of respect for Burris (who, has been said infinitely in the last couple of days, is awesome and as clean as a whistle)?
He can't be feeling any party loyalty to Blago, right? Bobby, THEY HAVE THE MOTHERFUCKER ON TAPE!
black Emily's list. now there's a thought. Hopefully, they wouldn't be related at all to the CBC, and would support white candidates in black constituencies that are supportive of black causes
Here's another thing I hate: These comments are providing endless fodder for every white, racist asshole out there. Every time somebody raises a legitimate issue relating to civil rights, equality of opportunity, proper minority representation in our elected halls of power, etc., some rightwinger will bring up Bobby Rush's comments as a retort.
It will work too. It's not right and it's saddening, but it's true.
Bobby Rush on CBS this morning:
Insanity.
And there it is. Thank you Coates. You know what would be wonderful? if the MSM hacks actually interviewed other Black people, like yourself, who would bring some sanity back to this situation. I realize that Rush is sick, but he seems to be in his right mind, which means I can yell, YOU ARE FULL OF SHIT!!! Stop this madness. I swear the world will not end if a Black man is not appointed to this seat. There are plenty of Black politicians that can make a name for themselves across the country and get into the Senate if they tried and if they wanted to.
But Coates--did you check this dude out on the Early Show this morning? I read that he basically compared Senate Dems blocking Burris to Bull Connor and George Wallace blocking school kids from going to school in the South. I kid you not. Dammit, if Obama had not learn such a good lesson from losing to Rush in 2000, oh how I wish that he would have pummeled this man right out of office. This is buffoonery of the highest order.
The Illinois politicians in Springfield should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this situation to fester.
I have also have zero confidence in the ability of Harry Reid to stand up to this. As another commenter noted; he has about as much backbone as a jelly fish washed up on the beach.
Does anybody know why Illnois politicians have been so slow to act?
"After thinking about that update, I just want to reiterate--with authority--Nigga please!!"
I couldn't read this line without Bill Walton voicing it
"With authority!"
Haha, that's what I was channeling.
Bobby Rush seems to have lost this effing mind. But you know what, this truly is a generational thing. The reaction I'm having to Rush's comments ("are you fucking kidding me???") that we have to support the Black man because he's Black is really similar to reactions I had to some of HRC's batshit second-wave supporters, and it's because the argument is essentially the same, i.e. feminists have to support the woman because she's a woman.
And to second Tyler, all this logic does is make it that much easier for racists and sexists to claim that any critique of white male power is just pure identity politics.
@Tyler: I haven't been reading every story, but from what I read, they could not reach a consensus on the special election--the weak version is that the dems feared the repubs getting the seat--the practical version is that the special election would cost the state money that they clearly don't have (I read $60 mill) on another thread. Also, I recently read that they were reaching a compromise where there would be an appointment and confirmation ( I believe that Quinn would have been doing the appt). So they haven't exactly been twiddling there thumbs, but for the life of me, I can't figure out why they just didn't pass a bill stripping the gov of his appointment powers. But, to be fair, the AG did go to the Supreme Court, I believe the day after the scandal broke, to get Blago declared unfit to serve. So, there has been some political foot dragging, but they have been trying at least.
Memo to Mr. Rush:
We're in a new century now. The revolution of the 60s & 70s was successful in many ways as evidenced by the election of Barack Obama. Also, you would have much more authority on this subject if you had not backed Obama's white senatorial opponent.
This is just straight ridiculous. The push past this type of demand for political crumbs is well overdue. I hope that Obama's election helps bury this boy who cried racism/OJ type nonsense. It only ends up hurting black people who actually are discriminated against. Then again I don't think folks behaving like Rush are really out to help anyone but themselves in the end.
Apparently Rush, like so many others, repudiates at least this part of Dr. King's dream:
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
2008 made it clear that some terrorist obviously but crazy pills in the water and a lot of politicians and pundits, and hacks drunk it.
Ditto the point about Blair Hull. I wasn't happy when Rush backed Hull in '04, but I wasn't shocked. He had beef with Obama then and he has beef now.
Rush is doing this because he feels like Obama's emergence shoves aside his brand of politics and renders obsolete his views on the state of race in this country. You can just smell the fear and the desperation on him.
Coates
Bobby Rush's selling out aside this post makes you sound pretty damn "post racial".
Even though Rush is wrong and Burris isn't the guy to go to bat about this fight, lets not get it twisted. Its IS fucked up that on the rare occasion that we have a black senator they are the only one and now we don't have any. And you can't say that out of 99 other spots in 49 other states its all due to black folks not working hard enough or not building enough associations. As much as I am beginnning to loathe my homeboy Harold Ford Jr, there is no denying that racism worked against him 2 years ago when he ran for the Senate in Tennessee.
Again Burris wrong guy to back on this, Rush wrong guy to be bringing this fight right now, but the underlying point is a valid one.
@TRW
Thanks for the explanation. Hopefully, this episode will spur them onto concrete action - the Sec of State being the notable exception and, it would seem; one of the few adults in the room.
My question is: How long does it take for the media to take Rush's comments as the "official" voice of the black community? If not Rush, they'll find another talking head desperate for air time and will anoint him/her.
Where's Billy Dee when you need him?!
I am really saddened that we are back to these old arguments after the accomplishments of the last year. This debacle will bring out the same tired-ass standard-bearers on both sides to make the same tired-ass arguments (as Tyler said above: "These comments are providing endless fodder for every white, racist asshole out there.").
I really hope the general public is tired of this nonsense although i fear they are not. I agree with the commenters who said that saner black voices (and white voices) need to be heard on these issues.
Post-racial? Dude I've been on this since my days on Howard's yard talking that Marcus Garvey isht. This isn't post-racial. These are my roots. Morevoer...
"Its IS fucked up that on the rare occasion that we have a black senator they are the only one and now we don't have any. And you can't say that out of 99 other spots in 49 other states its all due to black folks not working hard enough or not building enough associations."
Please, show me where I said that. You're confusing the medicine with the sickness. You can say racism is the reason why, but that's not an actual solution.
Coates
I didn't say YOU said it. I was just making the point. Damn you get defensive when you think someone is challenging your "post racialness"
But you do agree with the point right?
Let's just be clear. In this case, racism is not the primary reason there isn't a black senator. The reason there isn't a black senator is that we just elected a black senator president.
Of course there should be more black senators, and I think in a few cycles there will be (Corey Booker, Michael Nutter, etc). But we are not perpetually in Little Rock facing down George Wallace. Bobby Rush has it twisted.
Bobby Rush is the new Bill Dawson.
If Bobby Rush thinks it is so important to have a black senator, maybe he should take it up with the Governor of NY. As a nation, we probably could use one black senator before we could use two Kennedys in the Senate.
But it is nice to hear people bitching about Rush without it being something stupid that Rush Limbaugh said.
One of my coworkers from Illinois laughed at me when the Blago news first broke and I said I was sure they'd impeach him before he appointed anyone. She said they'd talk big but wouldn't do anything for fear whatever corruption they're involved in came to light. Looks like she was right.
@TRW's first comment: Beautifully said! Why the hell they don't ask TNC to pop up on the news is beyond me. Also, Bobby Rush (I have to specify, otherwise it seems like I'm talking about Limbaugh) this morning is just one of many reasons why the Early Show is just plain unwatchable these days.
Post Racial.
Post Racial
What is that? Some kind of cereal?
Help me people before I loose my fucking head; when was the last time this fool called Bobby Rush saw the importance of having more black folks in higher office. I thought just few months ago, HE was supporting a WHITE WOMAN (Hillary Clinton) against a BLACK MAN (Barack Obama) from the same state with him.
This was why I gave money and time to BARACK--To end the calamity of these vagabonds. They always fight dumb war!
I just want to break my TV hearing this fool.
While I agree with most that Bobby Rush went reaching to play the race card, please don't be so naive to think this country is beyond the "racial problems of the 60's and 70's" by pointing at Obama. If the campaign ran by the Repubs didn't teach you that, then you are living in a fantasy world. Obama was elected NOT because this country is color blind. He is a good orator, he's half white, and surrounds himself with nothing but white folks. All family pictures and pics of his past are him with white folks. His cabinet picks are 95% white. Obama is an "acceptable negro". Period. He ran from Rev. Wright but stauchly defends this white pastor who's speaking on the 20th. So yea, Rush may have played the race card. But don't be stupid about white folks either.
Wow Tim so now Obama is back to being not black enough? I think he won bc he's f'ng brilliant, and there are generations of ppl who (while not being totally racially transcendent) don't really see race as their parents or grandparents do. Obama won bc he turned a lot of those first time Bush voters (Bush won the youth vote in 2000) in to Obama voters. I think there is just so much wrong w/your post.
Rush comparing the Burris appointment to 1957 Little Rock is offensive and stupid. It doesn't take a "post-racial" view to see that.
As much as I am beginnning to loathe my homeboy Harold Ford Jr, there is no denying that racism worked against him 2 years ago when he ran for the Senate in Tennessee.
Well sure. But I think TNC would argue that you can't sit around waiting for the playing field to be 100% level before you get into the game. Heck, Ford probably would have won that race if his family was a little more squeaky clean. He might have won that race if he hadn't made a blunder by crashing his opponent's press conference. None of this is to deny the role of racism, but at this point it's not an absolute barrier, it's just part of the game that you need to overcome. Sometimes the remedy for a bad call by the refs is just to score more points.
"Damn you get defensive when you think someone is challenging your "post racialness""
Yup, I plead guilty. I hate that term. And I don't see how it applies to what I wrote applies to that term. It's so vague. It can mean anything.
For those who caution against a post-racial attitude why even connect the subject of racial injustice to this situation? What's the point? I don't think anyone here is denying that racism exists and effects the political and social dynamics of America and should addressed at every turn. That said, I don't see the value of arguing vigilance against racism in the context of this case. I see self-interest at play here more than anything else, race is just happens to be the vehicle.
Harold Ford Jr. was also a piss poor candidate who thought Republican-lite would be a winning platform. He's failed up to his proper level, head of the irrelevant DLC.
What Karl said. Does anyone here think the poor reception of the Burris appointment is based on race? Does anyone believe a white candidate would have been better received? If not, then how is race even a factor here?
What is frustrating about Rush's comments for me is that he ends up trivializing the real issue of a lack of Black representation in the federal legislature while simultaneously trivializing the civil rights movement. This is nothing like Little Rock. this is not about blocking Burris - it is about blocking Blagojevich.
Rush is doing us all a disservice when he chooses to side with a Governor who has been arrested on corruption charges and who Rush himself said should not choose an appointee and then presents this as the *only* way an African American would get the seat. He is aiding Blagojevich in an attempt to use race and the Black community as a shield for Blagojevich's bad behavior.
@dwhite:
I co-sign on Harold. I can't stand him.
Nice post, TNC.
Moreover, great to point out your HU roots. I came a little later (in '97) to the Yard but we were making the same noises about the old guard's often petty grievances and feelings of entitlement. And this has nothing to do with being Post Racial ( a concept I do not think is possible), rather self respect, confidence in our talents, and a healthy disdain for hypocrisy.
p.s. as a native Chicago myself, Rush is sickening. It is time a new generation...
Bobby would have been better off sticking with the legal aspect of this. There seems to be an open legal question if the Senate can legally not seat Burris.
So far all we know is that Reid can delay the appointment and then the courts will decide.
"Rush is doing this because he feels like Obama's emergence shoves aside his brand of politics and renders obsolete his views on the state of race in this country. You can just smell the fear and the desperation on him."
Ditto to Rev Jackson and Al Sharpton...although I like Sharpton. At least he's got a sense of humor, even when horribly wrong.
As a white male someone who pays close attention to this sort of thing with an eye for hypocrisy, I can honestly say I'm more saddened than gladdened about what is undeniably the most overt example of Boomer race-baiting to come down the pike in quite a while. I'm endlessly hopeful that Obama's administration will signal the end of Jacksonian-type shakedowns of the 80's and 90's.
It has already been said, but the scent of desperation coming off these types is palpable.
Here are the facts: Rush wants Blago's pick to get the Senate spot because Rush he has a long-running feud with Little Jesse, (possibly) another top Black contender for the spot. Incidentally, Rush also hates Obama's guts. Barack in the White House and Jesse in the Senate would just be too much for poor Bobby.
dwhite and Steve
Harold Ford Jr had his faults as a candidate not the least of which was family corruption scandals. But Bob Corker was just about the worst Republican candidate they could have come up with. Go back and look at HIS record and then tell me with a straight face that race wasn't a major factor in that race. Hell look at the racial break down on the vote in 06. Teh numbers don't lie.
My point is that as soon as Obama won what did conservative white Republicans start saying? "This means black people can't complain about racism ever again". Thats bullshit but don't think that they next time a minority is really the subject of racism that those kind of views won't be put forth because they will. Race is STILL a problem in this country period. Obama didn't erase all of that with his election. Maybe he will help to erase some of it if he governs well and the country gets back on track but he could also make it worse if he doesn't.
I applaud Obama for a great campaign and he is going to have my support for the duration but I am a realist first and foremost. If Sept 15 doesn't happen he likely doesn't win. Romney is VP he likely doesn't win. Bush doesn't screw up the country for the last 8 years and he would have had ZERO chance of winnning. His win was a triumph for race relations without a doubt and it was a major accomplishment for black folks as well but lets be real here, he had a helluva lot of help from the opposition. And lets not forget that he actually LOST the white male vote. He is one man at one time who pulled of one helluva accomplishment but that doesn't mean its going to automatically trickle down to every other black person.
I would go into how squeaky clean he was for a black man and still got labeled as a "radical extremist" but I think I already made my point. Black folks make up more than 10 percent of the country and in the past we have had to be happy with representing 1 percent of the Senate and now we are down to 0 percent. Like I said before, Burris is the wrong guy to make this case for and Rush is the wrong guy to make the case but the underlying case is still a valid one.
"Eh": How is there so much wrong with this post? It is still the truth. Barack Obama is an "acceptable negro," to the American population. Half-African (not African-American in a traditional sense), biracial, highly intelligent and he attended Harvard University. This is so far removed from the experience of most African-Americans and it made him an exceptional candidate with an exceptional background to white voters and the youth. However, I don't know yet if voters will except a dark skin man intelligent man, who maybe went to Harvard or Howard, is not biracial and was descended from slaves without an exotic background because as we know Barack's narrative was probably one of the most appealing parts of his candidacy. Barack surrounded himself with wealthy, smart and connected whites and elite blacks (Valerie Jarrett) and gave him a good foundation. It's great we've elected a "black" President but down on the ground it is still a much different story and outside of major cities it's even worse. I think America was "color blind" in the sense that we saw Barack as a better candidate then McCain regardless of race, but Barack is the exception. I look to how Michelle was treated during the election (remember the Baby Mama jokes and the angry black woman referneces and her subsequent transformation into a silent Jackie O) as evidence that we haven't come that far. Of course Barack isn't black enough, and it's a good thing, it makes him more appealing, diverse, it allows his charisma to touch everyone and it's a good foundation for winning elections.
Rush is telling the truth, but he didn't have to be so blatant and classless about it. I think it's up to old black politicians or those who follow the style to change the minority rhetoric. The need is still there to have a black senator, or another feminist senator/president or a Hispanic or Native American but we must elevate our rhetoric to underscore the necessity of having a diversity of background(race/ethnicity) and ideas.
sgwhiteinfla, I generally agree with what you say (with some minor differences), but what does it have to do with the Burris appointment?
You say the underlying case is valid. What is the underlying case? What principle is Rush standing up for here? That there needs to be more black faces in the Senate? Everyone agrees with that.
But we aren't entitled to a black seat in the Senate. Carol Mosely-Braun went out and won it. Barack Obama went out and won it. They proved that in Illinois, even with racism, it's doable. We all know how this country is. We all know that it's a hard fight every time. So what are we going to do about it? Cry racism like Rush? Or fuckin organize, cultivate new talent, run repeatedly and win these winnable seats?
"This is so far removed from the experience of most African-Americans"
...and there it is again. Barack's not black enough for the black supremacists amongst us. As far as "African" is concerned, I would put forward that he's more African than 90% of those in this country that consider themselves black. His FATHER is 100% African. How many generations removed from 100% African are the rest of those attacking Barack's blackness?
And don't put words into what you assume to be white mouths. I find him acceptable one the basis of his age alone; I'm simply that opposed to Boomer politicians by this point. Everything else is up for debate.
But when I get hammered from all side for the better part of my life about not judging someone based on their skin color, only to grow up and learn that among the very people who weren't supposed to be judged, judge their own on the SAME ridiculous standards. And ass-backwards, ill-informed standards at that.
TRW: When I read that "Rush compares senate dems to Connor, Wallace" -- I thought they meant Rush Limbaugh :-)
Half-African (not African-American in a traditional sense), biracial, highly intelligent and he attended Harvard University. This is so far removed from the experience of most African-Americans
Whoa, slow your roll there: As a black man, I take grave offense to the notion that being "highly intelligent" is "far removed from the experience of most African-Americans." Sounds like some straight-up Charles Murray ish... Further, it's pretty ridiculous to talk about how much Obama's "exotic" appeal helped him electorally (given how well it's worked out for every other president we've ever had) and at the same time claim that he falls into some "acceptable Negro" archetype. The entire argument stinks of strong haterade.
I have never been more dissappointed in my fellow African Americans as i was when Bobby Rush and Mr. Burris spoke. This election showed that voters vote for those who they can trust. That trust creates comfort when that voter goes to the voting booth. Barack made that point very clear. As an African American i am deeply hurt that the media is giving a platform to this foolishness and a mega phone to a scumball like Bobby Rush. We are tired of the media allowing these idiots to speak on our behalf. If African Americans want to be leaders, we must first earn it like everyone else.
The election of Barack was a moment to exhale for us all and these fools are attempting to make us all hold our collective breathe again. I truly hope that Mr Burris be blocked from the senate, not because he's black, but because this kind of divisive politics is the reason why African Americans rarely ever advance to higher public office. Mr Burris by all accounts is a well accomplished politician, but his integrity is questionable when he accepts the position under these circumstances and uses racial politics to justify it. He's obviously looking out for his self interest and not the American interest.
TNC there's another thing black folks need to deal w/. I have noticed this in college (not so much grad school) and also in the Obama discussions. It seems some AA's have issues w/ Africans, bc you know they didn't experience slavery (colonialism was just fun I'm sure). I've heard AA's say some pretty racists crap to immigrants from Africa. OH and let's deal w/this color line bs too. How can we expect whites to get over their ism when we won't get rid of our isims in our own communities (if you can even call it that anymore). Let's not even get on the the sexism thing either.
Scott- I agree w/you 100 percent
"I'm simply that opposed to Boomer politicians by this point. Everything else is up for debate"
Okay I see where this is going. I personally think this is about light vs. dark blacks and it's a shame. You know what Rush thinks about Obama and his actions are to divide us blacks once again.
Enough.
.
"It is still the truth. Barack Obama is an "acceptable negro," to the American population. Half-African (not African-American in a traditional sense), biracial, highly intelligent and he attended Harvard University. This is so far removed from the experience of most African-Americans and it made him an exceptional candidate with an exceptional background to white voters and the youth."
Besides being incredibly sweeping, this is borderline troll-bait. We aren't going to be debating this one. Not in these terms.
Ma'at Hotep Ta-Nahisi,
You hit it dead on! I am so dang tired of these gravy train Negroes like Bobby Rush, Jesse, Al et al, who continue to beg for inclusion as if we are still living on the plantation. America elected a qualified African American as POTUS. What other signal do these fools need to overstand that we can achieve anything in this country.
dwhite says
First I am going to point out what I said about Rush.
at 11:41
at 12:59
Maybe this Rush has been in the other Rush's medicine cabinet. That would explain a lot.
My tagging went incredibly wrong in my last post but needless to say the block quote should have ended after my quote with the bolded line in it.
The rest of it is my words.
So? Lincoln won because the Democrats split their votes between two candidates. Carter won with the help of Watergate. Reagan won with the help of the Iran hostage situation. Clinton won with the help of Perot.
Every winning candidate can point to outside factors that helped their candidacy.
I'll have to go back and read all the comments, but I don't remember anyone denigrating the idea of more black faces in the Senate. I'll have to get back to you after I re-read them.
Cord --
"Barack Obama is an 'acceptable negro,' to the American population."
He was deemed "acceptable" enough to Black America to win 96% of the Black vote. I could stop there, but I won't.
It always amazes me how some Black people seem to have "it" all figured out: how "the man" keeps "real" Black people down. Who is "acceptable," and who is not, as far as White America is concerned. Who has sold out and who has not. And the ones who are always deemed "fake", "acceptable" and "sell outs" by the all-knowing commentators are always the successful Blacks and NEVER the unsuccessful.
So ask yourself: who is more threatening to a hardcore racist. Bobby Rush, or Obama? Er, yeah . . . like that is a tough one!
I remember when being Black did not mean that you had to settle for second best, otherwise you would be deemed "acceptable" to White people and a "sell out", as evidenced by your success. Have you ever thought about this, Cord: maybe 90% of White people really don't give a sh*t whether Black people succeed or not! Maybe they are just more concerned with living their lives and getting by. So they go to my wife's Black physician NOT because they have White guilt and are liberal, but just because she is a good doctor and on their health insurance plan? Maybe Obama won NOT because of White guilt (talking to you, too, Shelby Steele) but because the vast majority of White people thought he was the better choice of those running?
The "acceptable" commentary . . . I put that in the same catagory as "acting white": that is your slave mentality talking, not a liberated mind.
I don't know what the argument about whether we're post-racial or not has to do with this situation. Roland Burris is a qualified, generally respected guy here in IL and a good choice for Senator, I think. It's also a good thing that he's African-American - I don't think anyone can argue that it's an underrepresented (well, unrepresented) group in the Senate. But identity politics doesn't make any sense here. The question at hand is whether they should approve any nominee named by Blagojevich - the answer, I think, is obviously no. Dude is living on borrowed time, and he knows it. If Burris somehow made it to the Senate, there would be a permanent cloud hanging over him - or any candidate Blago would have named. It doesn't have anything to do with race.
That said, there is a little bit to the idea that yes, it still is more difficult for a black person to get elected to Senate in the US than a white person. Ford wasn't a perfect candidate, or even a great one as far as I saw, but I think the effectiveness of the race innuendo in 2006 was enough to keep him from winning. It's a shameful thing. But an appointment from Dead Rod Walking ought to carry about as much weight as Monopoly money or Bernie Madoff investments. You can't cash a counterfeit check, even if you earned it.
I also have to call this lunacy out:
"His cabinet picks are 95% white."
I'm pretty sure Salazar, Richardson, Solis, Chu, and Shinseki (and if we're talking Cabinet-level, Jackson, Rice, and Kirk) would beg to differ. Barack Obama had an easier path to the Presidency than any African-American in history, to be sure - but it wasn't due to him tempering his blackness, it was due to the epic shitpile he's inheriting. This Onion story is comically sad, but I think really does approach what happened:
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/nation_finally_shitty_enough_to
We all saw the occasional "I'm voting for the n****r" stories on Politico and all. Ugly stuff, but the country was serious enough about its troubles in November that they based their votes on unusually rational decisions. It certainly helped that McCain's campaign looked so bad that they might as well have called it Methuselah/Armageddon '08, but Obama won because the country was under such turmoil that he could actually win by being such a strong candidate.
I don't know what the average age is here, but I'm once again glad to be a part of the Gen-X'rs and beyond in terms of race in particular and identity politics in general. The responses here are what I'm coming to expect from both whites and blacks when stupid crap like this happens.
Bill Cosby is somewhere clapping in approval.
Wow . . . I just read a few more of the "acceptable negro" responses. Cord is gettin' a serious ghetto a** whippin' in heyuh.
John O. -- you forgot Holder, the number 2 at Treasury (forgot his name) and the chief domestic policy babe Melody "damn I look good" Barnes.
And all of this is without even mentioning that it's not really a black person he's talking about. It's a black person that thinks like he does.
I doubt very much if Bobby Rush supported Clarence Thomas or would support Daniel Steel, JC Watts, etc. So, he's not only a bigot, wrong-headed, and a political anachronism, he's also logically inconsistent...but we on this side have known that for a long time, but were not really allowed to talk about it because Rush and his ilk were still considered THE voice of the black American.
Soooo glad we're starting to move past this and, possibly, back to a situation in which we're talking about ideas instead of skin color.
I wonder if Bobby Rush is going to boycott network TV? Birds of a feather, after all...
I'm slow to post, so I'm way behind the discussion, but regarding sgwhite's comments at 12:59 ... I'm a big fan of counter-factuals, but absent Sept. 15th Obama doesn't win? With Romney as VP he likely doesn't win? Nate Silver was projecting Obama as a prohibitive favorite long before the financial meltdown, and VP picks normally are a lot of sound and fury, good for maybe a 72 hour bump but without much real effect on the outcome (Palin may have been the exception, but she would have hurt McCain just as badly vs. a white Democratic candidate). If we want to get deep in the weeds of truly outlandish and far-fetched possibilities, say Bush had turned out to be competent and was a wildly successful president leaving office with 65% approval rating, then sure, Obama doesn't win, but neither does Hillary or Edwards or any other Dem.
And yes, Obama lost the white male vote, but so did Kerry and Gore and most (all?) other post-LBJ Democratic candidates, so that's not *pure* racism (certainly, the Dems' long-term problems with winning the WM vote go back to Nixon's Southern Strategy, so there's definitely a sizeable racial / racist component in the GOP's long-term strength with that vote ...).
(btw, sgwhite is one of my favorite commenters, so I'm not trying to pick a fight ... I just think it's likely Obama was going to roll to victory regardless; McCain's stumbles just made it a bigger win).
Claude
Nate Silver is great at math....I will leave it at that.
But note the use of the word "likely" in my post that somehow didn't find its way into yours. I don't generally fight strawmen.
Thanks for the props and I am not going to fight back but I think if you reread my post the point I was making is that while Obama's win WAS a great accomplishment it wasn't like McCain ran a great campaign in any way shape or form.
Let me put it to you this way, would you be more impressed if the Lakers beat the Celtics or if they beat the Oklahoma City Thunder?
Not a basketball fan? Ok....Would you be more impressed if which ever team you root for beat the NY Giants or if they beat the Detroit Lions?
My overall point was that Obama's win doesn't substantially change life for most black folks in that all of a sudden they are not all of a sudden never going to be subject to racism just because he won the presidency. There is still plenty of work to be done and black folks still have a long way to go.
-ClaudeMulvahill
The only problem with assuming a competent Bush is that there's no way to do that using a counter-factual. Most academics that deal in CF's tend to do first degree (changing one thing only) only because supposition takes over at that point.
Speaking as a conservative who voted for him the first time, there's simply too many unbelievably horribly, mishandled instances in GWB's administration to counter-factual one thing and still have him finish with a high approval rating :)
This discussion is very informative. Young AA youth needs to tell the old guards stuck on racial grievances to back off and say thank u for your hard work in thee 60"s and 70"s but take a rest is my time to try something new. I am sick and tired of jesse jackson, sharpton and now this buffon rush speakin for me. They make black folks seem so petty and dumb and I blame the MSM for being such assholes to put these morons on t.v to speak for anyone. OLD GUARDS NEEDS TO GO TO BED. so confidence and self respect can be restored not everything is the white man's fault.
sgwhite --
I have a bone to pick with you:
"He is one man at one time who pulled of one helluva accomplishment but that doesn't mean its going to automatically trickle down to every other black person."
I live in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. The county is about one third Black, the remainder White, less about 5% Hispanics and Asians; those minority groups are not players here. We have a corrupt, dysfunctional county government with one Black commissioner, one Irish, and the other a soon-to-be indicted Italian. There was discussion about changing county government to a single elected executive running the show. But you know I heard a Black politician on the radio say that that proposal did not fly because "Black voters would not have a chance to elect a Black representative"? Seriously . . . he said that and said it AFTER Obama had just won election in a country that is about 11% Black and won Ohio, which is about 12% Black. You're telling me that in a county that is one third Black, you think there is no chance of electing a Black person to the proposed executive position?
We also have a corrupt dysfunctional city government where the "custom" is to have a Black city council president if the mayor is White, and vice versa . . . seriously, that is how it is done. So if you have a hyper competent Black mayor and a hyper competent Black city council member, that member doesn't even have a shot at the council presidency, but some dumb White sap does? And vice versa -- we can't have a mayor that is a sharp White guy and have an equally sharp White president of council? Are we stil THAT stuck in Jim Crow?
I am hoping if there is any "trickle down" from Obama it will be for all of us to trash our assumptions about how race "does" limit you or "will" limit you. I hope it will eliminate some of these silly "customs" that impede good government. And I hope it will make some hard charging bright Black person in an overwhelmingly White environment (corporation, organization, whatever) say "F*ck it, I'm running. If Barack can win, maybe I can, too" -- instead of not even trying because they ASSUME that Whites won't give them a fair shot. In that sense, "I'm voting for the n*gger" was music to my ears.
NYC--
"I am sick and tired of jesse jackson, sharpton and now this buffon rush speakin for me. They make black folks seem so petty and dumb and I blame the MSM for being such assholes to put these morons on t.v to speak for anyone."
What does Obama have in common with Jesse Jackson and Rush? Black skin and a Chicago address. Nothing else. Because Obama is "Hyde Park", which is an educated, integrated ivory tower bastion in the heart of a still segregate, still bitter all Black neighborhood. Obama has succeeded in the mainstream (and has a kick-a** wife), while neither Rush nor Jackson have ever accomplished nearly as much with a 25 year head start. Both are jealous, bitter old Black men who probably think Obama's success is due to what they did -- runnin' with the Panthers and "marching with Dr. King" respectively. But his success has nothing to do with that. It has more to do with Michelle Obama and Stanley Ann Dunham, more to do with Toot Dunham and Rev. Wright (truth be told). More to do with keeping as far away from the Bobby Rush's of the world and leaning closer to the Abner Mikvas and Marty Nesbitts.
Blago is now my hero. If there was ever a more fuck you muthafuckers, than what this guy has done please enlighten me.
All family pictures and pics of his past are him with white folks.
Umm, Maya Soetoro-Ng would beg to differ.
B-Rob says
B-Rob
I read through your post twice and I still didn't see anything we disagreed on.
Slightly off topic, but bear with me, I think this is important somehow. Growing up, I took sculpture classes at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. It's a great place, cheap art classes for kids on the weekends. My teacher, Ralph Rosenthal, taught us human-scale proportions, and he told us in no uncertain terms that the ear starts at the height of the eyebrow and it extends to the bottom of the nose. That's why I was shocked, SHOCKED, to see Rep. Rush's lobes taper off somewhere around the chin. Those ears hang low! They do wobble to and fro! You can tie them in a knot! You can tie then in a bow!
So, What's up with that? I am not sure I can trust a man with cauliflowers that saggy.
I was going to bring up some of the same points Sg brought up about Sept. 15, VP choice, etc being possible game changers, but in a different context. THat being the arguement that the Repub party is on its last legs. The numbers really started tanking hard for McCain when the credit froze and stock market tanked.
I didn't bring it up because I thought perhaps part of Sg's thinking about Republicans being in the abyss had more to do with the event of the Obama election rather than the economic turmoil so it would make it somewhat irrelevent. Or possibly that the existance of the economic turmoil and presence of Palin caused too much damage to the brand.
I thought all along that Obama would win, if the economy wasn't so severely in the shitter because of the banking situation, we would probably have much higher gasoline prices and the same Bush fatigue, both would have pushed people away from McCain. But all what happened in September certainly sealed the results.
DougEMI
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Actually in my opinion Obama's election just exposed a problem that the GOP already had and thats the inability to reach minorities. This wasn't a problem 20 years ago but the demographics continue to shift away from white folks and they don't know how to deal with it. Mind you the reason they are going into the abyss in my opinion is many faceted and race is just one part of that. But because actual people have to vote and there will be more actual people who identify themselves as a minority than white folks pretty soon the GOP's propensity to alienate minorities with their rhetoric and policies its going to help keep them down for a long long time.
Now the question will be how many black people can rise above the undercover racism found in the Democratic party in a lot of the southern states.
Hey, I am a boomer, born 1946, and I was for Obama from the moment I heard him speak. Time for boomer politicians to take supportive and/or advisory roles, here, assuming the next generation wants them to. Our time is done, and that's okay. We all stand on the shoulders of our ancestors. My parents' generation created and used nuclear weapons. My generation has totally ducked out on global climate change. You guys get to fuck up the world in your own way, now. Scuse me while I put my feet up...
This is a great discussion site. I like the indept counterbalance of opinions being presented on the Illinois gov. scandal saga.
Thanks. I found this site while on dailykos.com. I think I'll visit again.
TNC: Nail, meet hammer.
As a fourth generation white Chicagoan, I'm so fucking sick of the Mau-mau bullshit that Rush is pulling I could puke. It's too familar. Everyone sees it for the powerplay it is, and it just cracks the old stuff open and sends us all back to our corners. I guaran-fucking-tee you, for every Bobby Rush there's a crusty old white ward heeler figuring how to get his.
Since yesterday, I'm hearing the old timers talking like when Harold Washington was running, all "niggers want this" and "niggers want that". Thanks a heap, Bobby. I'm telling you, the new generation is working hard to put this shit into the past, but the old farts just can't let it go.
Bobby's deluded. He has no clue he's playing on a national stage. Bastard.
don't forget indiana! he's the first democrat to win indiana since the lbj blowout, and only the 2nd to win since 1936. the cradle of the new kkk? he did what even wjc couldn't do!
-Lizzy
I'm not sure if you're a regular commentator here, but (lol!) on even mentioning the WWII use of nukes on this blog...don't get us started.
I agree with your general post there and do believe that quite a few Boomers believe the way you do. What I do NOT believe is that the Boomers as a generation will ever own up to the possibly irrevocable damage that's been done to our 1) society 2) institutions 3) environment, and the list could go on and on. Before you /flame on, just remember that the civil rights movement was led by non-Boomers. I'm constantly suprised by the number of people in their 60's that think the Boomers won civil rights.
We'll make our own mistakes, but I would like to think that as the true aggregate negatives of the past 30 years truly come to light for Joe Schmoe, we'll be able to bring the pendulum back to a somewhat more centered swing on a number of issues.
Thanks for screwing just about everything up for us.
PS - you guys do make some pretty good movies, I'll grant you that.