1. Clifton Harrison wrote:

Mos Def said all that needs to be said for this one ladies and gents!!

2. John wrote:

Marc … you answer your own question before you even ask it.

You wrote “There have been moments when the Obama campaign has gone just a bit too far” and you cite a couple of glaring examples (there are numerous others).

In other words, the transition team story fits nicely into a narrative that has developed around Obama, fed by his own actions. That’s why it was news. Otherwise, no big deal.

3. John wrote:

Clif, you really see this non-story as an example of racism?

If Obama didn’t want the news of his transition team released, why was his team of advisors telling the media about it??

4. clifton harrison wrote:

no john,

First, I don’t really like to throw the word racism/racist out there, because it’s becoming cliche and it doesn’t apply to every situation or conflict between white and black people.

I’m not sure if Obama did or did not want the news released, but one thing we know for certain is that many prez candidates have done the very same thing, and it’s unfair to imply that Obama is arrogant for taking the same logical steps that many candidates have taken before him.

so example of racism, i wouldn’t take it that far, but definetly a bias or a umm, an unfair narrative that the media is creating of Obama.

5. carisma wrote:

No, he isn’t arrogant. They fear that he is a proud, educated black man with a proud black wife. If he was shucking and jiving or married to a white woman they wouldn’t call him arrogant or fear him. Propaganda is being used to make people uncomfortable with an educated biracial black man that is married to a black woman (a dark skinned one at that). Barack and Michelle is killing these white folks softly and I love it.

6. Ian wrote:

Well, just how arrogant were past presidents Nixon, Reagan, Bush I & II????

7. Clifton Harrison wrote:

I think it’s important to remember that it’s not just “white folk” that may have a fear or discomfort with Obama, and that Obama has white people that are just as proud and happy as black people that he is making moves and breaking down barriers…

and furthermore, it’s more than just black and white. far too often, we as a society make it seem as if white and black are the only two ethnicities in this country.

But i agree that Obama’s swag (i hate that word, but he got it) and his wife being proud is definetly making some cats mad out there, hence the arrogance comments…but it’s cool, he can just brush them haters off his shoulders…

8. DCI74 wrote:

“and furthermore, it’s more than just black and white. far too often, we as a society make it seem as if white and black are the only two ethnicities in this country.”

I feel you, I was just talking about that very thing with the kids in my summer program last week.

9. ChgoSista wrote:

Ahhhh “arrogant”–the new term for “uppity niqqa”… MFs….

10. Tanya wrote:

“To be sure, there have been moments when the Obama campaign has gone just a bit too far. For example, Obama’s decision to give speeches in front of a podium bearing a mock presidential seal was both campy and cocky.”

I love a cocky man, but that indeed, was a bit much! That made me step back and question Obama for a second. (and I love Obama)

But I still wouldn’t say he’s arrogant.

“Barack and Michelle is killing these white folks softly” – carisma

I think that’s the issue!

BO in 08!!!

PS- Didn’t people, from both sides, question why Gore didn’t start his transition team sooner?

BTW – I don’t think it gets any more arrogant than the Clintons, especially Billy Boy!

11. Tom Penn wrote:

How is this arrogant? Should he wait until November 5th to put his team together? When so many of his appointees will have to be confirmed by congress. I like this idea of getting the team ready now. More than any other transition in recent years, a President Obama will have soooo many major crisis’ to very aggressively address on day one, that he will have to have his team ready to hit the ground running as soon as he takes the oath of office.

12. carisma wrote:

Cliff,

According to the leaders of the world and the USA, black opinions don’t matter. So, why do you even bring up the fact that Obama makes black people uncomfortable? The only reason they care to mention black people in this election is to create a division amongst blacks and Obama. I know that all black people aren’t voting for Obama and the few that aren’t, will not make a difference on election day. Personally, I just want Obama to win so black people can have a reason to say “black power” and pump our fists on his inauguration day. F@!k all the politics behind him. He might surprise us all and go against the powers to be and really change this country or he could be a regular politician with big talk. Im willing to give a brotha a chance for once.

13. Cézsar wrote:

Obama is being conscientious in planning for every eventuality (which I’m sure includes both losing & winning), he’s not being arrogant.

14. Clifton Harrison wrote:

i was basically stating that it’s not as simple as white people are against obama and black people are for him.

Personally, i don’t feel that Obama becoming prez and black people being proud is going to magically save or rid our society of the inequalities that black and brown people face in this country. Will it make some of us really proud? Yes. Provide hope for the youth? To a certain degree, yes. But putting all of our hopes and prayers in the hands of this political process and his presidency isn’t the best move.

15. John wrote:

ALL candidates are criticized for EVERYTHING they do by SOMEBODY.

So are presidents, doubly so.

If Marc and others are going to be constantly crying “double standard” and instantly assigning racial motives to every criticism of Obama, it is going to a long four or eight years.

16. wouldn't you love to know? wrote:

if he didn’t prepare himself early, and he waited until the last minute, he’d be considered a “lazy nigga”…that’s why politics/foxs can truly eat a fat one…

17. Clifton Harrison wrote:

John, all candidates are criticized for what they do, that is not what i am calling into question. I’m calling into question the “fair and balance” criticism of this presidential election. I’m not crying or a “whining American”, but to quickly dismiss the racial factor (and perhaps motives) behind the unfair amount of criticism Obama receives is part of the problem.

18. Clifton Harrison wrote:

“if he didn’t prepare himself early, and he waited until the last minute, he’d be considered a “lazy nigga”…that’s why politics/foxs can truly eat a fat one…” – wyltk

hahaha, i agree!

19. carisma wrote:

Cliff,

Of course Barack Obama is not gonna magically rid black people of our problems. But who cares? We are living in the moment, and at the moment he is about to be president. I’m gonna do my duty as a black woman regardless, but it does feel good to see a black man as the HNIC. Matter of fact, it’s good to see a descendant of the Luo tribe of Kenya become president of the United States, who’da thunk it? Haha… F*@# all the politics. I hope Obama does more for Africa than he does for America because America is gonna prosper as long as white people control their country, even if Obama is president. White people never want to see Africa prosper unless they are controlling it. Watch and see what white folks start doing and thinking when Africa starts progressing under Obama’s presidency, they gonna loose their damn minds. This is what I want Obama to do.
Say “F*@# America, this is the white man’s country. Let them have it and fight for it”. Let’s focus on getting our homeland/motherland united and powerful. Then, black people can really start to progress globally. In order to gain power, you have to show strength by not begging and complaining. The problem with black Americans is that many of us beg and complain all the damn time about what the government is and isn’t doing. Why complain? We know they don’t have our best interest at hand, so why not focus on creating a global black empire? You know that beggars are not respected in the white man’s world. If we show power, we don’t have to beg the government for sh*!. They will give it to us out of respect.

20. Clifton Harrison wrote:

I hear you carisma, but what happens when that moment wears off? You still have our people killing each other in the hood, poverty, you still have the problems of the world..so we need to demand respect if we are going to be in America.

21. carisma wrote:

Cliff,

You missed the point. Black people will NEVER fully progress or own anything in “AMERICA” because this is NOT our country and IT was NOT intended for black people to progress and succeed. The point is to get Africa strong, and unified and all that want to, can move our black asses to Africa and let these white folks keep their country and fight as many wars as they want. Cause that’s all they are good for, destroying and ruining things that they do not understand or fear. Also, if black people leave as the number 1 consumer of the US. America is doomed, haha.. This is the big payback James Brown talked about, f!*@ some reparations, lmao. Let them keep their money cause it’s value is weak. I just wanna see their country collapse while I’m drinking out of a coconut in Africa.. ahhh!!

22. Tanya wrote:

“In order to gain power, you have to show strength by not begging and complaining. The problem with black Americans is that many of us beg and complain all the damn time about what the government is and isn’t doing.”

AMEN!!!!

I wonder how this relates to that “gov’t/structural argument” Marc and others reference in defense of dead-beat dads???

All I’m going to say is AMEN carisma! I cosign on your #19!!!

23. carisma wrote:

Tanya,

My statement kills every argument about defending dead beat dads. Dead beat fathers exist in all cultures, but like always, they make black people the culprits for every damn thing wrong with America. It’s not black people’s fault that whites are still bitter about us being freed from slavery and having civil rights’ bills passed. So, they throw everything except good education and jobs in our neighborhoods and then have the nerve to wonder why so many black homes are broken up and so many men are in prison. So, f*!@ that show “Black in America”. White people trynna act like they don’t know why or how our communities got messed up, cause they like it that way. So we can always be the problem, so they can always have reasons not to try and help us. But at the same time, I ain’t defending sorry negroes that need to keep it in their pants if they aren’t gonna take care of their child(ren). We need to set high standards for the type of people that we choose to procreate with. Stop being self loathers, people!!

24. Tanya wrote:

Carisma,

“My statement kills every argument about defending dead beat dads.”

It absolutely does! AND I agree with it!!!

Some, who will rename nameless (Dr. Marc Lamont Hill), think dead-beat dads in the black community can be eradicated by government debt-forgiveness and government assistance (“gov’t/structural argument”). Something I’ve totally disagreed with from the jump!

“White people trynna act like they don’t know why or how our communities got messed up, cause they like it that way.”

And so many blacks fall victim to, defend, and don’t even realize, the negativity The White Supremacist Power Structure has strategically placed in our community to keep us “messed up”.

“But at the same time, I ain’t defending sorry negroes that need to keep it in their pants if they aren’t gonna take care of their child(ren). We need to set high standards for the type of people that we choose to procreate with. Stop being self loathers, people!!”

AMEN!!!! I’m going to have to cosign on you again girl! You’re on fire tonight!

You better stop all this truth talking before some fool thinks you’re me, using the alias “carisma”!!!

25. carisma wrote:

Tanya,

Marc does not get it. There are two arguments to the dead beat dad situation. You have those that want to care for their children but find it hard to make ends meet (which I defend 100% and so does Marc) and then you have the “skeet and retreat” fellas that want nothing to do with their children (these I do not defend). You can’t blame the government for men NOT wanting to care for their children. A real man will do what he has to do, to make sure his children are taken care of regardless if he is with the mother or not. I understand his argument about blaming the government for creating the child support system with divisive intentions. The government does promote that black women do not need black men because they don’t finish school, are in prison, and cannot get a good job. The govt is responsible for creating propaganda to destroy the nature of black relationships by making our black men weak by making the black woman strong. This creates an imbalance in the structure of black society because naturally the man is supposed to be the stronger sex.

26. Clifton Harrison wrote:

I didn’t miss your point, i get it. But while we are here, i for one won’t sit back and not try and fight the inequalities. I’m not saying i’m the next black leader, but i ain’t gone sit back and let people run my life.

And we have to deal with reality. Is every black person going to hop up and bounce to Africa? I doubt it. and while Africa is “our” land, America is as well. I mean it’s more ours than Europeans (who were not the first ones here, nor put in the grunt work to build the foundation).

I hope to visit Africa one day, and maybe live there, i don’t know, but right now, i’m in America. So while I’m here, i’mma do my best (within the space and place that i confine) to make it better for my family and my children than it was when i came to be.

27. carisma wrote:

Cliff,

America is not ours because it was founded on the oppression of our ancestors. The land here is ours because it belonged to our black ancestors (the real native americans). Personally, I don’t want “America”, but I hope that black people get our own land here to create our own nation. Black people own the entire earth because we were the first created and we inhabited every nook and cranny of earth before Europeans and any other race existed. We can live where every the heck we want. White people need to go back to Europe or go live on the moon, mars, or something, haha.

28. Clifton Harrison wrote:

well, i mean, you really on that white folks are evil tip, but if the land is ours, then fuck movin…just make this an extension of Africa…

29. Tanya wrote:

Carisma,

“The govt is responsible for creating propaganda to destroy the nature of black relationships by making our black men weak by making the black woman strong. This creates an imbalance in the structure of black society because naturally the man is supposed to be the stronger sex.”

Yes indeed! You know I believe/see that!

The man is the strongest sex, and the black man is the strongest human being. I am a strong woman who will fight for her voice to be heard, but I acknowledge and accept that women are most necessary to men, yet are indeed SECONDARY to men. It’s just the natural order of life. It’s the way GOD intended it.

The White Supremacist Power Structure (I feel like Huey Freeman saying that, but damn it, it’s true!) knows this and they have strategically placed the black woman above the black man (among other things) to keep us down. (Just compare the number of black woman in college or with high paying jobs to their black men. Do you really think the gross disproportion is a coincidence?) It’s devastating to the family structure and hence, devastating to our progression as a whole.

I would never date a man that made less than me or accomplished less than me, b/c it causes an unnatural hierarchy of sorts, that will undoubtedly cause problems and friction in the relationship. “The man is supposed to be the stronger sex.”

I know it’s not black people’s fault that they got into this “messed up” situation that is the current black society, but I sure do blame the hell out of black people for staying in, perpetuating and accepting the state of the current black society.

I know our people need help, and I want them to receive help.

I just think it is very flawed logic to compel the gov’t to “help” us instead of compelling ourselves to help ourselves. Especially when the gov’t, for the most part, is directly to blame for us being in this situation in the first place, and they don’t really want us to pick up and end up passing them, so they will never provide any pivotal assistance anyway; and you are a lazy fool if you expect them to.

If the gov’t grants dead-beat dads debt forgiveness, and offers them special incentives and gives them special assistance, then dead-beat dads will never think that they are capable of doing for themselves. Gov’t assistance only subliminally reinforces insecurities and feelings of inadequacies. These feelings of insecurities and inadequacies are hard to shake and will only be passed down to their children. Then the children become reliant on the gov’t, so on and so forth….

If we tell them to get of their ass and do for themselves, and we show them how they can do for themselves, without handouts/charity, they will gain a sense of empowerment and confidence that will propel them to do bigger and greater things in life.

Do you know how powerful it is for a child to hear their father say, “I suffered and sacrificed, but worked hard and pulled myself out of it”??? It will make the child feel like they too have the strength to endure and accomplish great things. But if a child sees their father reliant on or receiving assistance, the child will feel that they can’t do anything without assistance too.

I just don’t understand why Marc wants to give a man a fish, instead of teaching the man the life sustaining lessons of how to fish for himself!

30. carisma wrote:

Cliff,

Now u finally get it. I do not think all white people are evil, but most are. White people of today are not to blame for the actions of their ancestors, but most believe that slavery was justifiable by religious propaganda. This is the institutionalized idea of white supremacy through religion. No matter how wrong something is, if it is embedded into your belief system, you will go with being wrong. I understand that right now black people aren’t a powerful threat to white supremacy, the real reason why whites wanna be our friends because it’s safe to do so. Once black people become a threat of power, your white friends will politely remind you that you are still a nigger to them. Alot of black people will get their feelings hurt by their white so called friends when this happens.

31. Tanya wrote:

Carisma,

“No matter how wrong something is, if it is embedded into your belief system, you will go with being wrong.”

Oh my goodie, goodie, gum drops!!!!!

This is what I’ve been trying to say all along!!!!! Thank you for putting it that simply!!!

Dare I say, the referring to your friends as a nigga is one of those things “embedded” into the “hip-hop culture” “belief system”! Thus, lost black people “go with being wrong” and defend the use!

I just have to quote you one more time…

“No matter how wrong something is, if it is embedded into your belief system, you will go with being wrong.”

…and add – they induce the false “psychological comfort” (Matt’s article) of believing it is right!!!

The gates have opened… the celestial choirs have sung… we have come full circle!!!

Halleluiah!

32. Clifton Harrison wrote:

please don’t start that shit Tanya. Just agree to disagree….

33. Tanya wrote:

Children should be seen and NOT heard.

34. Clifton Harrison wrote:

so shut yo ass up

35. Tanya wrote:

Charming! Is that the best you could think of? Mature.

36. Clifton Harrison wrote:

I shouldn’t be hearing you anymore…ok, your “brake”-ing the rules

37. Tanya wrote:

Pitiful.

38. John wrote:

I’m not crying or a “whining American”, but to quickly dismiss the racial factor (and perhaps motives) behind the unfair amount of criticism Obama receives is part of the problem.

Clifton, who is to say that the amount of criticism Obama receives is unfair?

You may feel it is an unfair amount. But there are many who could argue — quite convincingly — that Obama has been given a huge pass for much of what he says and does by a news media that really, really, really wants him to win.

There is no great racial conspiracy against Obama. He is a liberal Democrat running for president and he will be scrutinized and criticized by the other side, just as John McCain is by his opponents (ever read any liberal blogs?).

You and Marc make it sound as if nobody ever said anything bad about John Kerry, Michael Dukakis or George Bush because they were white guys!

39. clifton harrison wrote:

John, i caught a bit of Keith O last night and they showed a poll which compared the coverage (positive and negative) of Obama and McCain on the main networks:

http://www dot youtube dot com/watch?v=24dgDyhAmUU

(it starts talking about this issue around 4:15)

I’m not suggesting some great racial conspiracy against Obama. But it seems as if you are trying to ignore the racial problems that this country has (and is having) about Obama having a very good chance at becoming the Prez of US.

I’m not trying to make it seem as if nobody said anything bad about John Kerry, or any other politician, but tell me this John, Did John Kerry have a news host state that “we need to go on a lynching party…” about John Kerry’s wife?

or t-shirts that read “Kerry is my slave”?

I think you should check out this guy named Tim Wise. I Believe this might show you a different perspective, or reveal some things about your own opinions that you may not realize or be aware of (and i’m saying this with no sarcasm or disrespect).

40. clifton harrison wrote:

And, to be clear, i don’t like the whole political process and it’s “bashing” each other (whether liberal or repub). It seems really childish and especially with the amount of technology, it just seems to turn into this:

“Yes said you don’t like war”

“no I didn’t”

“yes you did”

“no i didn’t”

yada yada yada.

all i want is for both McCain and Obama to sit down, and have a neutral host go down a line of questions and ask what is their stance, plain and simple.

41. John wrote:

I’m with you on that, Clifton.

I think both McCain and Obama have been pretty good at not responding to every little thing the other does or says … their campaigns, not so much.

42. carisma wrote:

Cliff,

It doesn’t matter what McCain or Obama says. I don’t believe anything until they actually do it. Plain and simple. Stop being so naive, people. We all know that the president holds no absolute power, so why do you care about what they “claim” they will do when in office? They do what “the real powers” tell them to do. I’m just waiting to see if Obama is strong enough to go against the powers to be. Then we will really see the truth behind the curtain. Because we all know what happens to the presidents that go against the powers? Lincoln, Kennedy.

Also, I think that John McCain is too old and he is the beginning stages of dementia, and that’s why I don’t want him as president, and why I’m voting for Obama. I may not care much for politics, but at least I want a president that doesn’t have to take naps or forgets things.

43. John wrote:

We all know that the president holds no absolute power

Carisma, of course the president’s power isn’t absolute. Haven’t you ever heard of the system of checks and balances?

It’s not perfect but it works better than anything else out there.

They do what the “real powers” tell them to do.

Take off the tinfoil hat. You’ll enjoy life more.

44. Clifton Harrison wrote:

tinfoil hat….lol

45. Tanya wrote:

LMAO!!!

“Take off the tinfoil hat. You’ll enjoy life more.”

John, I am so going to use that line!

46. Tanya wrote:

But seriously, you had to of heard of the theory/conspiracy of Illuminati – “the real powers”, “the powers that be”???

47. John wrote:

I have heard of it but I don’t believe in it.

There are, of course, powerful forces involved in American politics — i.e. the political parties, non-profit groups such as AARP and the NRA, corporations, etc. But I also believe they have every right to seek to influence policy. That is part of what makes this country great.

I am not a big believer in conspiracy theories. I think too many people see evil and conspiracy in everything that happens because it makes it easier to excuse their own particular shortcomings, whatever they may be.

48. Tanya wrote:

John,

“There are, of course, powerful forces involved in American politics — i.e. the political parties, non-profit groups such as AARP and the NRA, corporations, etc. But I also believe they have every right to seek to influence policy. That is part of what makes this country great.”

With this I concur!

From what I understand of Illuminati, I wouldn’t describe it as evil. I also think it might still exist.

How does seeing conspiracy and/or evil internally excuse one’s own shortcomings???

I think it takes a heighten level of insight and a bit of paranoia (I consider a base level of paranoia a survival skill!) to detect a conspiracy. Many people have ulterior motives (some good, some bad); which indeed leads them to conspire. Conspiracies have existed since the beginning of time, and only the sharp and the gifted have been able to uncover them. So I just don’t see how someone with shortcomings could even detect it.

In “Behold a Pale Horse” William Cooper discusses several conspiracy theories, and describes many of them as evil. Do you think he exposed these “conspiracies” to conceal his own shortcomings (if he had any), instead of exposing them to protect the general public (in his estimation)?

49. John wrote:

Tanya, I think some people are just predisposed to seek out/believe in conspiracy theories — some because of their own shortcomings (”I’m not successful because the world is controlled by a group of powerful men who make it impossible”); others because it provides some sense of order in an otherwise confusing world.

Look at Mumia’s discussion of the current housing crisis.

In his mind, the entire thing is a conspiracy between the unscrupulous white-controlled government and unscrupulous white-controlled banks and mortgage companies — all working together to steal money from blacks and Latinos.

He seeks out facts that support his belief system and weaves just those facts together to create a powerful conspiracy theory … and some folks on this board believe in it whole-heartedly.

Yet he overlooks a number of other real factors:

* The long-standing effort of numerous Administrations to increase homeownership among minorities
* Regulations against red-lining and other disciminatory measures that made it a requirement to offer mortgages to lower-income people
* The lower credit ratings that many poor people have (which makes lending to them riskier and more expensive)
* The packaging of mortgages into securities that helped spread the risk and made it less necessary to investigate each individual lendee’s ability to repay
* The large percentage of foreclosures that are on investor-owned properties, from people legally speculating on forever-increasing home prices
* The desire of many people to own more home than they can afford
* The rising prices of homes due to supply and demand in some markets (this is the real reason so many people are foreclosing)
* The stupidity of some folks to agree to balloon payments or interest-only loans

In short, we are witnessing the natural shake-out of a true commodity bubble.

Were there some unscrupulous lenders out there? Of course! There are unscrupulous operators in every profession. Did some folks get taken? Sure.

Could we use some tighter regulation? No doubt (but the loosening of regs was done in years past to make it easier for the poor to own homes, a perfect example of the unintended consequences of government involvement in markets).

The truth is, this isn’t a conspiracy to steal wealth. That’s a ridiculous notion, yet lots of folks are eager to believe it because it fits into their pre-conceived ideas of how the world is out to get them.

“Never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence.” — Napoleon Bonaparte