|
|
Post by MochaD on Apr 30, 2008 10:43:05 GMT -5
Is he winning support amongst black people, because we see him as "black people" or because we see him as a "symbol?" Is he a paradigm shift - like Jack Johnson was for boxing, Jesse Owens for track, Jackie Robinson for baseball, etc.
Discuss...
|
|
|
|
Post by Search1906 on Apr 30, 2008 10:55:20 GMT -5
Right now I am a little disappointed because he looks like he is bending to media pressure. It makes him look weak. He should have come out a little different and started calling people out for hypocrosy. He is too reactionary now which is playing into the hands of Clinton. He needs to call people on their mess while remaining classy. It will make him look strong and strike the chord of truth within people with sense.
|
|
|
|
Post by No Screen Name on Apr 30, 2008 12:06:09 GMT -5
I kind of agree with searchin. My impression of him is that he is a GENUINELY loyal, moral and highly intelligent man who has some bold ideas and wants to change things for the better. However, this is POLITICS, and taking the high road isn't going to work 100% of the time. Sad to say, but a LARGE number of people in this country (sadly, maybe even the majority of them) DO NOT base on issues--they vote on personality, image, popularity and feelings. If it were just about the issues--which I think he has a strong command of--nobody would even be paying attention to Jeremiah Wright.
He needs to call people out while remaining classy, like searchin said. This mess is making Hillary look "strong" while he looks weak.
This may be the case, and I think it's borderline dangerous to put ALL of our hopes and dreams on the shoulders of one man. Folks did that in 2000 and 2004--how'd that work out for us? Obama isn't even calling for that. He is saying that change starts from the BOTTOM UP, and for ALL OF US to pitch in and create change. He wants to meet us halfway.
If I didn't feel he was a stronger candidate, I wouldn't support him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Search1906 on Apr 30, 2008 12:11:58 GMT -5
Exalts Z for articulating a lot of what I meant with my intial post. Big Cosign!
|
|
|
|
Post by Cambist on Apr 30, 2008 12:19:41 GMT -5
I agree with you guys. He has succeeded at showing the people that he is smart and thoughtful enough to take the head position but now we need reassurance that he is TOUGH enough to go after those who attack him.
This speaks to a larger question in some peoples minds. Many will see his lack of will to attack or even fight back as a weakness of character. Americans have invested in the notion that we will fight back even if we are being diplomatic...we must maintain the appearance of a possible threat should you fuck us.
He needs to start bytching slapping folks for disrespecting him. But doing it in a classy and intelligent way that will make him look strong and smart.
|
|
|
|
Post by Search1906 on Apr 30, 2008 12:23:37 GMT -5
Exactly Cam. You can lay the smack down on people with out being a jack@$$ he needs to start showing he has balls or its a wrap. I am looking at him sideways like are you going to take this mess or are you going to come out fighting. It cracks me up because he claims to be a hooper well most cats that really are ballers come right back at you when they've been challenged or when someone gets the better of them. He isn't showing that at all and its disappointing.
|
|
|
|
Post by No Screen Name on Apr 30, 2008 13:14:38 GMT -5
Thanks for the exalt, searchin! ;D
|
|
happy1
OOA Interest
Posts: 129
|
Post by happy1 on Apr 30, 2008 13:26:05 GMT -5
I wouldn't mind seeing some anger creep in his speeches regarding a host of issues. He could use some rough edges. At Mocha - Exalt for pointing out the "paradigm shift". That was perceptive!  |
|
|
|
Post by No Screen Name on Apr 30, 2008 13:27:04 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Prissy New Year!!! on Apr 30, 2008 13:38:46 GMT -5
I was initially drawn to Obama, not only because he is black, but I liked the fact that his campaign isnt supported by lobbyists. I had grown cynical about politics because it seems that you must be rich and well connected to have a chance to run. Obama is kind of an average guy--no powerful family ties, no generations of wealth, etc.
I do think he is a man of integrity. I don't think political expediency drives his actions (sometimes to his detriment). For example, political expediency would have had him denounce Wright initially. He didn't, he tried to explain why that was not easy for him and I respected that. He is not trying to crow about a gas tax relief, knowing that it is a quick fix and not likely to save us much...although I would like to see it, every bit helps.
I just like and respect him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Search1906 on Apr 30, 2008 14:06:33 GMT -5
You are welcome Z |
|
|
|
Post by Champs Elysees on Apr 30, 2008 15:27:07 GMT -5
I LOVE Roland Martin! He is always on point and I'm learning a lot from him.
I am so hurt by this situation. This is BAD. If Obama loses, he is going to lose much BLACK support for disowning the man who had such a profound impact on his life. I agree with Search wholeheartedly on this point. They want to divide us! Stand firm and turn this OBSTACLE into an OPPORTUNITY!
This is the perfect chance for Obama to show the WORLD (trust, they are watching) what he is made of. He came on the scene as an agent of change and he had a message. They have tried to throw everything they could at him and nothing stuck. Shake this shit off and prove that you can fight (fairly) as well as the Clintons can fight unfairly.
By denouncing Wright, he played into the media's hands and they still won't respect him. Why? Because now he's a flip-flopper, a coward, disloyal, a traitor (they are happy now, but it's coming).
I sincerely hope that the Obama team are fans of Martin and they use his commentary as a basis for the rest of his campaign. They have to get back on message if he is to have a semblance of a chance at this thing. He has come too far to allow the media to take this from him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Search1906 on Apr 30, 2008 15:42:36 GMT -5
L exactly. He is following rather than leading and it is going to backfire. They will call for him to do one thing and then when he does paint him as someone who isn't strong. He has gotten away from his platform and gotten sidetracked which isn't a good look because it only gets worse after you get elected with the amount of scrutiny. Will he bend to the pressure each time he is criticized as president. Will he punk out when other country's come at us? These are questions people will have and harp on no matter how right or wrong it is.
|
|
|
|
Post by Champs Elysees on Apr 30, 2008 15:44:34 GMT -5
Yep!
Perfect example: He knew he was wrong as hell for Iraq and even with the lowest approval rate of any president and the backlash against the war, he is still holding firm.
I can't stand him, but at least he stands on his own two.
|
|
|
|
Post by water on May 1, 2008 9:12:21 GMT -5
You need to really think outside of being a black person who has grown up in a black american tradition ...Think Think He is a white man who was raised in a liberal white tradition ..... Now follow me ...The white machine wanted to see ..what he would do.. Blacks have no power so he could diss our so called leaders all day.......and the result of dissing black americans is he lost his ghetto pass....but he just showed the white machine that he would put his foot on the neck of any black leader even his own Pastor of 20 years that married him and baptized his two daughters and by the way plenty so called black people are a part of this machine. So since he has shown who he really is why do blacks want him as president because they are blind. we have been.....................  |
|
|
|
Post by Champs Elysees on May 1, 2008 9:17:02 GMT -5
Water, I ain't even mad at you for this one . . .
I may not vote AT ALL in Nov.
|
|
|
|
Post by water on May 1, 2008 9:29:29 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Mrs. Eyes on May 1, 2008 9:52:33 GMT -5
I feel that I am stuck between a rock and a hard place with him. If he loses the primary, he will lose his black voters and our respect in a sense. If he wins, he may crack under pressure and become a cut throat politician. I feel like which two of the evils should we pick?
I think he is just trying to keep a level head throughout this primary. Hillary keeps throwing so much fraggle-knackle-bull it's a SHAME! I think he is handling himself well, but when will he get a backbone?
|
|
|
|
Post by Prissy New Year!!! on May 1, 2008 10:19:49 GMT -5
I think that if Wright had not gone on the National Press Club throwing up the hooks and being overly animated, Obama would not have denounced him.
Obama was loyal to Wright, it would have been easier for him to denounce Wright initially, but he didn't. Wright was not concerned with how what he said affected Obama. When he said that Obama was being a politician, that hurt Obama badly. He didn't have to phrase it like that. He should have said that he never discussed these things with Obama and to his knowledge Obama did not share some of his more controversial views. For the record, I agreed with most of what Wright said. I would not be mad at Obama if he agreed too...but he can't say that.
I think it is sad because Wright is a very intelligent man. He saw how the media demonized him, he had to know that by phrasing things the way he did, the media was going to immediately question Obama's sincerity. I think it is sad because it does affect Obama negatively, but it also affects Wright negatively. If he had continued to conduct himself the way he did on the PBS interview, the public would have gotten the opportunity to appreciate all he has done in his life. By going on the Press Club, he gave the press a better story. The clips of the Que being owt are going to take precedence over the subdued, mature Moyers interview. He hurt them both really.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cambist on May 1, 2008 10:39:03 GMT -5
My sentiments exactly, Priss.
He was good till he started coonin! Wright is too smart to make those types of "mistakes" and Obama knows it. That's why he had to distance himself. It obviously hurt him and it could be seen on his face.
|
|
|
|
Post by Robelite on May 1, 2008 11:33:46 GMT -5
You all make good points. Let me say something about this.
Previous candidates like the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton were bashed for their "militant" and "pro-Black" stances as it relates to their platforms when running for president. We all knew neither stood a snowball's chance because "others" viewed them as too extreme...and that they pandered to the "angry black folks."
Well, here comes and intelligent, articulate, erudite young brother, who along with his tall, sleek and elegant wife, have done all that we've been told to do with our lives. Prepare yourself, get an education and you can acheive whatever you want. But what happens when someone like this comes along? They are torn down and labeled. Hell, Obama has gone from being a muslim, to a far left liberal, to a racist, to an "elitist." Hell, after all that he's done for himself considering the circumstances of his upbringing, doesn't he deserve to be among the elite of this country?
It's strange how adjectives/labels can be twisted to mean something negative when they are attached to someone who is not of the same "hue" as those who've worn those labels in the past.
Jeremiah Wright was correct about one thing...this is a nation of hypocrites.
I don't know about y'all, but I say give me a smooth, distinguished intellectual young brother ANYDAY. Goodness knows our BLACKNESS has been associated with decadence for too damned long! What better representative could we ask for in a brother pursuing the highest office in the land?
|
|
|
|
Post by coldfront06 on May 1, 2008 11:46:05 GMT -5
I agree, Rob.
|
|
|
|
Post by water on May 1, 2008 12:16:53 GMT -5
Tony Brown for President he would shut down all these Hypocrites. I would even support a Douglas Wilder who has a proven Record for standing up to the political Machine. Rev Wright is Rev Wright and was doing what he has been doing since he stepped into the Pulpit at Trinity You can not be mad at somebody for being bold enough to speak on what they believe BUT ......Obama is the Hypocrite and he was called out by someone who knows him for real .  People are like how do you follow a man for 20 years and all of a sudden you are shocked by his statements . He should have been shocked when Rev Wright passed common the mic and began freestylin about him in the Pulpit at his Church ...but it was all Good then .  |
|
|
|
Post by Champs Elysees on May 1, 2008 12:48:29 GMT -5
I think that if Wright had not gone on the National Press Club throwing up the hooks and being overly animated, Obama would not have denounced him. Obama was loyal to Wright, it would have been easier for him to denounce Wright initially, but he didn't. Wright was not concerned with how what he said affected Obama. When he said that Obama was being a politician, that hurt Obama badly. He didn't have to phrase it like that. He should have said that he never discussed these things with Obama and to his knowledge Obama did not share some of his more controversial views. For the record, I agreed with most of what Wright said. I would not be mad at Obama if he agreed too...but he can't say that. I think it is sad because Wright is a very intelligent man. He saw how the media demonized him, he had to know that by phrasing things the way he did, the media was going to immediately question Obama's sincerity. I think it is sad because it does affect Obama negatively, but it also affects Wright negatively. If he had continued to conduct himself the way he did on the PBS interview, the public would have gotten the opportunity to appreciate all he has done in his life. By going on the Press Club, he gave the press a better story. The clips of the Que being owt are going to take precedence over the subdued, mature Moyers interview. He hurt them both really. |
|
|
|
Post by Robelite on May 1, 2008 15:28:08 GMT -5
Tony Brown for President he would shut down all these Hypocrites. I would even support a Douglas Wilder who has a proven Record for standing up to the political Machine. Rev Wright is Rev Wright and was doing what he has been doing since he stepped into the Pulpit at Trinity You can not be mad at somebody for being bold enough to speak on what they believe BUT ......Obama is the Hypocrite and he was called out by someone who knows him for real . People are like how do you follow a man for 20 years and all of a sudden you are shocked by his statements . He should have been shocked when Rev Wright passed common the mic and began freestylin about him in the Pulpit at his Church ...but it was all Good then . In what way has Obama exhibited any traits of a hypocrite? Did you get that from Bill O'Reilly or that other hack Sean Hannity? You sound like some of those foolish backwater crackers who have called him a muslim and everything else based on what they were "told" by FAUX news. I'll await your response, but if it is anything like most of your previous ones, it' won't make a grain of sense. |
|
|
|
Post by water on May 1, 2008 15:47:46 GMT -5
s would you call our white brothers that in their face.... well lets just say that a preacher from a sister church a couple weeks ago in Savannah said something crazy and reckless to 6 white brothers fresh out of Iraq on a Golf course and the result is he received two broke legs ,a broken ankle , and a black eye .  |
|
|
|
Post by Robelite on May 1, 2008 15:54:18 GMT -5
s would you call our white brothers that in their face.... well lets just say that a preacher from a sister church a couple weeks ago in Savannah said something crazy and reckless to 6 white brothers fresh out of Iraq on a Golf course and the result is he received two broke legs ,a broken ankle , and a black eye . I have done so in the past if it called for it. |
|
|
|
Post by water on May 1, 2008 16:12:44 GMT -5
I believe when that type of language is used the end result is never positive especially for Christians. Hypocrisy (or being a hypocrite) is the act of opposing or not purporting a belief or behavior while holding the same beliefs or behaviors at the same time, or vice versa. wik o pedia Sen Obama says that he is a Committed Christian Any Committed Christian who believes in killing babies/abortion is a HYPOCRITE  |
|
|
|
Post by Robelite on May 2, 2008 8:37:21 GMT -5
He agrees with a woman's RIGHT to choose, (as do I) and she will be judged by God for HER decision, just as we ALL will be for any decisions we make in our life. That includes YOU as well.
Therefore, you calling him a hypocrite because you think you can judge him, that in turn makes YOU a hypocrite!
See how that works?
|
|
|
|
Post by Champs Elysees on May 2, 2008 9:36:38 GMT -5
Uh oh. . . 
. . . And the crowd waits to see what Water comes up with next . . .
|
|
