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News & ArtsWednesday, September 16, 2009
Politics "A belief among many white people... that African Americans are not qualified to lead this great country"
Posted by Dominic Holden on Wed, Sep 16, 2009 at 10:35 AM
Former President Jimmy Carter says it:
The fanatical right is going to call this a race-baiting attempt to dodge the complaints of spiking government spending. But most of the teabaggers' "issues" are demonstrable fabrications (death panels, Obama = Hitler, he's not an American, etc.). Their central criticisms have no legitimate basis in reality. How can they argue that Carter's point—in some cases, obviously not all—isn't at least partially true?
3
I'm glad someone finally said what Mr. Carter did. It's been painfully obvious for a while that these people's chief complaint is that they're freaked out by having an African American president. They can deny it till they're BLUE in the face, but it's true.
4
@3 People have been saying it. Mostly people of color, so they haven't really been taken seriously. Jimmy is just the first with some kind of clout that people don't automatically brush off.
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They'll argue it, either: A of all) because they're manipulative bastards who know they can get away with it; or B of all) because they're clueless nimrods who lack the basic capacity to distinguish fact from fabrication (and whose abject credulity makes it possible for the manipulative bastards to get away with it in the first place.)
6
Race is part of it, sure, but I think plenty of these assholes are freaked out by having a Democratic president. Clinton was the target of lots of insanity too, you'll recall, and he was a Southern white boy.
In late 2007/early 2008, when it looked like Hillary Clinton would be the nominee, I remember thinking "hoo boy, the right *HATES* her, things are going to get crazy". In retrospect, things were going to be crazy no matter which Democrat won.
In late 2007/early 2008, when it looked like Hillary Clinton would be the nominee, I remember thinking "hoo boy, the right *HATES* her, things are going to get crazy". In retrospect, things were going to be crazy no matter which Democrat won.
7
@4 I wouldn't be too sure of that. Most of the people Carter is talking about view him as one of the worst presidents in history.
8
They can't use racist code words to fire up their troops and not expect the rest of us to understand what's going on. We all know the code.
9
Rush Limbaugh was indeed having a fit over this, this morning. Talking about how this is race-baiting, and an attempt to shut down all scrutiny of the President's actions. (This along with his usual attacks on Carter -- anti-Semite, works against American interests, etc.)
10
I think it goes a bit beyond race, but includes race. The religious right simply believes that they and their kind have some sort of right to determine or at least constrain policy.
It's not that he's black per se. It's that he's black and not willing to premise his policy with a commitment to neoliberal dogma. This upsets just to much of the status quo ante all at once and makes their heads explode.
It's not that he's black per se. It's that he's black and not willing to premise his policy with a commitment to neoliberal dogma. This upsets just to much of the status quo ante all at once and makes their heads explode.
12
They did the same shit to Clinton. Remember Vince foster (Clinton murdered him), whitewater, Clinton as drug trafficer? Same shit and, despite what Toni Morrison said, Clinton was white. The real problem is that their leaders lie to them and get away with it. We lose votes when we yell "RACIST." Carter should be calling out chuck grassley and his enablers in the right/main stream press.
13
Teabaggers are trolling america. They represent a fraction of a fraction of americans, but they've got most of the attention. In a room full of 500 people, it only really takes one person to completely derail a conversation, and that's what they've figured out and that's what they're doing.
Congrats, Teabaggers!
Congrats, Teabaggers!
15
I actually disagree with Jimmy that the reason for the right-winger’s nuttery is due to racism. I’m sure that some of them just don’t like having a black man in office, but I don’t think that describes most of them.
I think for most of them, the only reason they’re raging is because they simply don’t like democrats and they’re still bitter and pissed about losing so badly in the last election. Add to that that the most recent republican president (Shrub) is looked at as a dismal failure while the most recent democrat president (Clinton) is looked at as fiscally conservative and a boon to our country. They can’t handle the fact that their ideology is damaged and they can’t repair it. In other words, they’re just acting like spoiled babies.
In fact, the problem with saying it’s a race issue almost lends credence to their rants. As in, “Oh, they’re opposed to Obama because they don’t like blacks.” But the problem with that is that it gives their opposition an agenda (however awful that agenda may be) where, in reality, they don’t have any agenda at all... they’re just pissed and shouting at the rain and want to have things their way. It allows them to defend themselves by saying they’re not racist, but lets them off the hook of explaining where their anger really does come from.
They’re not racist. They’re babies. Their anger has no basis in anything other than their own self-pity.
I think for most of them, the only reason they’re raging is because they simply don’t like democrats and they’re still bitter and pissed about losing so badly in the last election. Add to that that the most recent republican president (Shrub) is looked at as a dismal failure while the most recent democrat president (Clinton) is looked at as fiscally conservative and a boon to our country. They can’t handle the fact that their ideology is damaged and they can’t repair it. In other words, they’re just acting like spoiled babies.
In fact, the problem with saying it’s a race issue almost lends credence to their rants. As in, “Oh, they’re opposed to Obama because they don’t like blacks.” But the problem with that is that it gives their opposition an agenda (however awful that agenda may be) where, in reality, they don’t have any agenda at all... they’re just pissed and shouting at the rain and want to have things their way. It allows them to defend themselves by saying they’re not racist, but lets them off the hook of explaining where their anger really does come from.
They’re not racist. They’re babies. Their anger has no basis in anything other than their own self-pity.
16
@10: Yeah, I don't think all of this is racially-based. I actually think the racists are probably a minority of the people protesting Obama. But racism is the accelerant that causes these flames to burn so brightly.
17
they'll argue carter's point by simply denying it's true and proceeding to ad hominem attacks. it's already happened, no doubt.
18
Not to discount Carter's cogent observation, but it bears noticing that the right found no shortage of reasons to hate the last Democratic president, who was white. The puppet masters of the conservative movement will seize upon the materials at hand to drum up animosity towards anyone who opposes their corporate agenda. Certainly the current teabagger rhetoric contains a lot of racist overtones because that is one effective way to stir up the base, but if Obama were white it would be something else.
Since at least Reagan the "conservative movement" has consisted of a thin veneer of fundamentalist Christian "family values" and nostalgia for the good old days (when people knew their place, wink wink) draped over an agenda of naked corporate greed. How else to explain why so many of the current crop of hysterics are convinced that privatized social services and market deregulation are somehow Biblical mandates?
The fact that the anti-healthcare rallies are looking more and more like KKK rallies probably reflects how effective this race-baiting is at stirring up dissent among the ignorant and violent, but Carter of anybody should be aware that it is not the point, merely the means to an end: The American Aristocracy needs ground troops to march on their behalf.
Since at least Reagan the "conservative movement" has consisted of a thin veneer of fundamentalist Christian "family values" and nostalgia for the good old days (when people knew their place, wink wink) draped over an agenda of naked corporate greed. How else to explain why so many of the current crop of hysterics are convinced that privatized social services and market deregulation are somehow Biblical mandates?
The fact that the anti-healthcare rallies are looking more and more like KKK rallies probably reflects how effective this race-baiting is at stirring up dissent among the ignorant and violent, but Carter of anybody should be aware that it is not the point, merely the means to an end: The American Aristocracy needs ground troops to march on their behalf.
19
"Partially true?" It's entirely true, but I can hear FOX running with this already. I love listening to that man.
20
It is convenient if the Left wants to blame opposition to Obama on racism because that will allow them to continue to delude themselves and not face the facts. A past time they excel in.
The teabaggers are a tiny band of lunatiks. The Left's preoccupation and obsession with them is also convenient as it deflects their energy away from other endeavors.
Obama and the Democrats are wasting time. It is good for the country that their agenda is stalled, and good for us. The midterms look promising and are upon us.
Go ahead- tsk tsk about teabagger racism all day long.
ps- Obama's race has nothing to do with anything and Carter is a world class clueless idiot.
The teabaggers are a tiny band of lunatiks. The Left's preoccupation and obsession with them is also convenient as it deflects their energy away from other endeavors.
Obama and the Democrats are wasting time. It is good for the country that their agenda is stalled, and good for us. The midterms look promising and are upon us.
Go ahead- tsk tsk about teabagger racism all day long.
ps- Obama's race has nothing to do with anything and Carter is a world class clueless idiot.
21
Carter was a so-so president (good intentions but couldn't follow through) and IS a brilliant former president..
He is the poster child for Beloved Former Statesmen.
He is the poster child for Beloved Former Statesmen.
22
anybody who could type "Obama's race has nothing to do with anything" is a world class clueless idiot...
23
@20 - It's not the left that is obsessed with the teabaggers, it's our ridiculous mainstream media who serve their corporate overlords with their endless narrative that there is a 50-50 battle between right and left. They are the ones giving an equal voice to a small lunatic fringe and ignoring the fact that some 70% of Americans want a public health care option. According to the media, there are no facts, only opinions.
The media looks out for itself and for its corporate masters, forever and always.
The media looks out for itself and for its corporate masters, forever and always.
24
It's a shame the radical right is so racist and so unpatriotic.
But there you have it.
It's who they are.
But there you have it.
It's who they are.
25
Dominic,
I agree with @15. I don't think former Pres. Carter should have said that. I think it extremely difficult to prove that the "teabaggers" are unequivocally racist. To be sure, there are some who believe the racist sentiment that a man of African-American heritage shouldn't be President. But, they are few and probably over 75 y/o. He (Carter), could have exercised discretion.
I believe most of these people are angry at the fact that Pres. Obama is a definitive liberal. David Corn of the Nation said as much. And, given the country is by & large, center-right many are merely reacting against his pronouncements.
Like Garafalo and Olbermann before him it's easy for Carter to say their discontent must be because of "racist inclinations". However, I believe no white supremicist teabagger demonstrating last week would have explicitly said or carried a sign saying that an African-American should not be in the White House. 45 years that was possible but not now.
I agree with @15. I don't think former Pres. Carter should have said that. I think it extremely difficult to prove that the "teabaggers" are unequivocally racist. To be sure, there are some who believe the racist sentiment that a man of African-American heritage shouldn't be President. But, they are few and probably over 75 y/o. He (Carter), could have exercised discretion.
I believe most of these people are angry at the fact that Pres. Obama is a definitive liberal. David Corn of the Nation said as much. And, given the country is by & large, center-right many are merely reacting against his pronouncements.
Like Garafalo and Olbermann before him it's easy for Carter to say their discontent must be because of "racist inclinations". However, I believe no white supremicist teabagger demonstrating last week would have explicitly said or carried a sign saying that an African-American should not be in the White House. 45 years that was possible but not now.
26
@25 - I don't think any of the racist demonstrators would explicitly say or carry a sign that with an overtly racist message either. But not because they don't believe it, because they know it's not tolerated any longer in the public square. Since they can't use the n-word, they substitute words like socialist, marxist, fascist, nazi, communist, hitler, stalin, muslim, Kenyan, etc. They don't even know what half of those words really mean. Like 8 said, it's code.
27
@20: Dear Proud Georgia Voter: Keep counting your chickens. It will be a pleasure watching your party lose again and again.
28
Carter's not wrong, but coming from him this won't help anything, and may hurt. For doesn't the right treat Obama very much as Carter redux already? In their twisted view, nurtured by years of talking points from the right, both men contemptibly misuse noble and compassionate words to cloak the political, military and economic ineptness/ignorance/evil that risks leading the homeland into another round of global humiliation.
They hear Carter call on them to examine the racism of their fury, but precisely because the call comes from him, they'll be relieved to think whatever racism they find within is just a necessary evil in their battle to save us all by any means from another round of the national humiliations they pin on Carter. Harboring racism in their hearts is to them a small price to pay if it energizes their fight to save us from another hostage crisis, another gridlocked Congress, another oil embargo, another endless recession.
They hear Carter call on them to examine the racism of their fury, but precisely because the call comes from him, they'll be relieved to think whatever racism they find within is just a necessary evil in their battle to save us all by any means from another round of the national humiliations they pin on Carter. Harboring racism in their hearts is to them a small price to pay if it energizes their fight to save us from another hostage crisis, another gridlocked Congress, another oil embargo, another endless recession.
29
Jimmy Carter is a bitter old man. He would like the opposition to be racist, then no one has to pay any attention to them and then they do not represent anyone but the lunatic fringe. Just like the tea bagger set would like Obama to be a Nazi, a Commie or some other ideologue that they can conveniently ignore.
Let's just try listening to both sides, not just the conveniently ignorable fringes. Let's not pretend that there are no reasonable people who just might disagree with us and have real concerns that should be part of the conversation. Part of the problem stems from the congress and admin trying to push this through without having a conversation. It's just like the car salesman who insists that you have to decide today. A lot, not all but a lot, of the folks against the push for passage of something that has not been adequately explained or vetted are reasonable people who feel manipulated or ignored. That is part of the reason for the volume.
Let's just try listening to both sides, not just the conveniently ignorable fringes. Let's not pretend that there are no reasonable people who just might disagree with us and have real concerns that should be part of the conversation. Part of the problem stems from the congress and admin trying to push this through without having a conversation. It's just like the car salesman who insists that you have to decide today. A lot, not all but a lot, of the folks against the push for passage of something that has not been adequately explained or vetted are reasonable people who feel manipulated or ignored. That is part of the reason for the volume.
30
I grew up in the South, lived in Seattle for just over a year while working in South Seattle schools, and just got back from two months in rural Alaska, and I thoroughly believe that racism is present politically and socially in all three areas of the country. That's nothing new.
What is interesting is that the teabaggers and other socially conservative people think that by not coming out and saying or maybe even consciously thinking "I don't like Obama at least partially because he's a powerful, inspirational black man" that they're not racist. It's their actions and way of life that speak for them. How many minorities did you see in that crowd? What the teabaggers are fighting for is not the "American Way", it's the "White Way," but to the teabaggers, these two ideas are synonymous with each other without them even realizing that they're promoting a "White Way" agenda.
What is interesting is that the teabaggers and other socially conservative people think that by not coming out and saying or maybe even consciously thinking "I don't like Obama at least partially because he's a powerful, inspirational black man" that they're not racist. It's their actions and way of life that speak for them. How many minorities did you see in that crowd? What the teabaggers are fighting for is not the "American Way", it's the "White Way," but to the teabaggers, these two ideas are synonymous with each other without them even realizing that they're promoting a "White Way" agenda.
31
Good for Jimmy. Best ex-president ever. And he's a Southerner, too, so I'm thinking he knows what he's talking about.
32
@26 JenV,
I disagree. One can't PROVE racism in the majority of that crowd even if it were true (if one believes the "code" words) without someone explicitly indicating so. I don't doubt some were racists (I believe there were relatively few) but the larger point is that Carter shouldn't have said what he said. Here's what NYT says:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/…
As a practical matter, consider this. If you or I were President (and black) and one of us were trying to get our health care legislation through would either of us impugn the opposition with the excuse that is it racism that is driving their opposition? Try getting something through Congress with that belief. I think Pres. Obama KNOWS he can't use that excuse.
I disagree. One can't PROVE racism in the majority of that crowd even if it were true (if one believes the "code" words) without someone explicitly indicating so. I don't doubt some were racists (I believe there were relatively few) but the larger point is that Carter shouldn't have said what he said. Here's what NYT says:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/…
As a practical matter, consider this. If you or I were President (and black) and one of us were trying to get our health care legislation through would either of us impugn the opposition with the excuse that is it racism that is driving their opposition? Try getting something through Congress with that belief. I think Pres. Obama KNOWS he can't use that excuse.
33
One day President Obama will be known as one of the great presidents of this country. That is what truly frightens the right wing racists, southern or otherwise.
34
With enemies like Orly Taitz (who got her law degree out of a crackerjack box) it's not going to bring Obama down anywhere besides the south.
Orly Taitz did actually go to an unaccredited online law school. Graduates there can only practice in CA with their degree.
Orly Taitz did actually go to an unaccredited online law school. Graduates there can only practice in CA with their degree.
35
@34: Anyone who passes the California bar can practice law there. It has nothing to do with whatever make-believe law school she went to.
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