How to prevent a US Race War?

Greetings all,

I don't usually get involved in political threads much, and if this has been addressed, please reference me to where it has already been posted.

I was having a conversation with a friend of mine last night, and we got on the subject of Obama and the presidential campaign. My friend is *convinced* that if Obama were to be elected, he would be assasinated post-haste (which I have heard other people speculate about, so he is certainly not the first person to propose this theory). My response was "I think there's a distinct possibility, but you know what would happen if he were assasinated, there would be huge riots in the streets." He went a step further and said "Riots, hell, there would be a full-on Race War in this country."

Now, perhaps this is just a by-product of the worst kind of cynicism, but it lead us both to a notion that was rather strange and interesting. It was like someone flipped on a switch, because he then said "As ridiculous as it might sound, do you think we have a moral obligation to vote for Mccain to try and thwart the potential coming Race War?" I'm curious what other members of ATS think about this potentiality. For the record I do not want there to be a race war, and I don't particularly like Mccain or Obama (or Clinton for that matter). Your thoughts?

Peace.
hexagram23

Hey Mods, could we maybe move this thread to the Politicians and People forum? I think it might fit there better.

Peace,
hex23

reply to post by hexagram23


Oh boy do i have some thoughts

My background: im white, nice up-bringing


Oh man oh man oh man, where to start?

Obama being assassinated:

Lets look at some presidents who have been assasinated, and the circumstances of their surroundings --

1.) JFK - in a convertible with the top down, his head like a moving target, wide open, no protection. Assassinated because it was "easy"

2.) Abe Lincoln - in a theater with his back turned. A man was able to snea up behind him, easily, shoot him, and escape. Hardly a magnum opus for secret service detail

My point is this: In a world where assassination ideas are thrown around like kids playing 'hot potato' - there are limitless precautions taken to prevent such happenings. No longer can the general public walk up to a senator, like Bobby Kennedy, and shake their hand (or shoot them) without 500 Secret Service agents having prior sceened all participants, and monitoring the situation the entire time.

No longer can someone sneak up on the president in a theater

The president arrives in a limo - that has every contraption known to man to prevent injury, to heighten the defense - there are 3 or more limo's in a line, and only a few people know which limo the president is in.

So i think its safe to say that Obama would not be assassinated. Though it is possible....highly..highly....unlikely. Look how many people in this country are foaming at the mouth for bush (because MSM tells them they should, mainly) ... bush hasnt been assassinated....

Race War and Moral obligation:
This has got to be (no offense to OP) the most ridiculous notion i've heard thus far. IMO - to even consider this idea is pure ignorance and concocted out of hate (again, not aimed at OP).
In what way would Obama spark a race war if he was president?
Because he's black?
Please. Colin Powell is black and he's respected and praised by 'whitey'
Condy rice is praised by 'whitey'

Now - if we were talking about Al Sharpton, or Jessie Jackson getting elected for president, then i would give you the benefit of the doubt that it could start a race war, because those two men are self-taught racists.

But the only 'racist' things Obama has done have been invented by the Media.
We'll take these 1 at a time.

1.) His church. If you found out, tomorrow, that your church's leader (priest, rabbi, preacher, whatever you call them) was arrested for molesting children, how would you feel? How would you feel is people started accusing you of supporting pedofilia? Defensive!
Now - lets say a video springs up of a sermon in your church, where the guy who was arrested (we'll call him Bob) is recorded as saying something similar to the following:

"We should LOVE our children of today. Our youth is more precious than anything, they are beautiful and precious! Take them into your ARMS take them under your WING, show them the light, and hold them dear"

How easy would the media be able to use that against your church? How easily would they be able to use your church against you?

"Well, Hexagram23, you attended the church....for 15 years!!! You are a pedofile too huh? I bet they have a basement where you rape young boys"

This is no different than what the 'right' media has done to make obama look racist. If obama were a racist politician - do you REALLY think he'd WILLINGLY submit himself to a racist organization? Don't you think that he would seperate himself from a racist church that talked about 'killing whitey' (which was never said, but you get my drift)

This is the funniest part about people who say Obama is too dumb to seperate himself. The same people who say he's too dumb to do this, are also the same people who say he's going to start up the NWO from his presidential pedestal.

So..he's smart enough to take over the entire world
but too dumb to seperate himself from what he 'knows' is pure hatred and racism?



So race war?
On a small scale - sure, ill say there'd be a race war.
It'd start with some hick from Kentuck or Jarjuh (georgia) gathering a bunch of his hooded breatheren to spew more hate.

Then - on the reverse side, you'd have the racist establishment of the Black Panthers lashing back at the whtie community, because there are a (small amount) of white people blasting Obama.

Now that the black panthers have started to bash white people (instead of just the KKK) you get in the other white people who say "hey i resent that, you're racist" which sparks a bigger debate

then you get in the moderate black people who think they'll only speak out against whitey when whitey is 'putting down the black man' and so they join in the argument

now you have white v.s. black
when it started out as a dumb redneck hillbilly in a white hood said "We should go hang us some black folk"

If you are in opposition of any claim, anything said, anything done, then you should squash your opposition, not everyone that you think is like them....if you're able to do this, then you prevent the potentially violent outcome. If you choose to fight back at their level (black panthers lashing out against white america) then you've only made the problem worse.

So. Race war? Nah. It'll just be a bunch of dumb rednecks and ignorant white people, argueing with a bunch of black people with a chip on their shoulder. War is too big of a word for them. Lets call it a

Racial playground scuffle

it kind of takes away from the dramatic impact that 'war' has, and immediately gives them less credibility.

[edit on 25-6-2008 by Andrew E. Wiggin]

So i think its safe to say that Obama would not be assassinated.

None of this kept Reagan from being shot.

If someone wants you dead, there's a high likelihood of it happening, with proper planning. Still, the Secret Service better step up if Obama is elected, just from what history has taught us, and minimize open exposure.

He's not even technically African-American...he's of mixed heritage.

That said though, I don't think it would incite a race war. The majority of racial tension issues died out over 30 years ago for most people, with only some clinging to such views.

You can't hold everyone responsible for the actions of one assassin or one president, no more than you can hold people accountable for something their ancestors did 100 years before you were born....

[edit on 25-6-2008 by Gazrok]

Originally posted by Gazrok

He's not even technically African-American...he's of mixed heritage.

With all due respect, Gazrok, why does he have to be "african american" ?

Black people come from other parts of the world, other than Africa....
Just my opinion however

I'm just saying that his "African American" status seems to be tossed around a lot, and it's an inaccurate statement. The whole point of this thread was about a "race war". Yet technically, he's part of both races.

And his heritage is indeed from Africa, Kenya to be exact, but his mother is white. So the issue of other "blacks" isn't applicable in reference to him.

Technically, Hitler was half-Jewish, yet he incited a race war on Jews. It's just ridiculous, as we all can likely find examples of mixing in our heritage. The whole idea of "race" is really outward appearances only... In our blood, we've all been mixed for thousands of years...

reply to post by Gazrok


Ahhhh

i see what you're saying now, gotcha. Starred. Very good point indeed

my reason for question was that i thougth you were running the other way with that one.....

Greetings,

Thanks gentlemen, it's good to get some feedback. It occurred to me as well in an orwellian double-think sort of way that perhaps this notion of not electing Obama for fear of what his possible assasination might mean socially for the country is built in to people reluctantly voting for Mccain. Even well-meaning whites who aren't racist like my friend I was speaking about (and he's a self-described "nice liberal whitey", for the record).

I had this other thought which I'm sure has already to occured to many people: If Obama did pick Hillary as his VP (which I don't think is even a remote possibility no matter how much the Hillary camp want such a thing) then it wouldn't surprise me in the least based on the track record of the Clinton's that the hit on Obama would indeed be an inside-job ala LBJ possibly being behind JFK's assasination. Of course, this is all speculation.

As I stated before, I'm not thrilled with any of the choices we have for President, but I think it's odd that the quasi-black guy and the woman had to duke it out for the privellege of running against an old white guy. It's almost like the puppet-masters are saying "Which one will America be more reluctant to vote for, a black or a woman?" Of course they did it within a controlled setting, because the black man and the woman aren't ultimately running against each other in the big election. Anyhow, interesting stuff, and thanks again for your opinions.

Peace,
Hex23

my only problem with the 'puppettering" idea is this:

To suggest that one or two individuals control everything in this country is to suggest that we are ALL just mind-numb idiots running around, drooling on ourselves, and tripping over our own feet.

I think, for the MOST part, people are smart enough to realize that.

I believe that we, as americans, have the potential to progress towards a black or female president if we so desire, and i believe that desire has shown its self in the past months.

No matter what the current set of circumstances are, there are always accusations that its "the man" controlling it.

This man must be pretty damn busy, because he's causing chaos in every nook and crany, single handedly.

Just my opinion however.....

that, or i could be "the man"

That reminds me of the Simpson's episode where there was a Cult that took over springfield and they were staging mass-weddings ala the Moonie's. Otto the bus-driver and Braney the drunk got married and Otto said: "Remember, I get to be the man" and Barney replied: "You da man!"



Alright, back to the race war...

Peace,
Hex23

(edit for spelling)

[edit on 25-6-2008 by hexagram23]