Cautious joy as blacks imagine Obama win

Cautious joy as blacks imagine Obama win

news.yahoo.com

"I can't tell you how much fear, but at the same time joy and expectation I have," said James Lowry, a management consultant from Chicago. "It revolves around every five minutes. I have hope, I read the polls, I get excited, then I say, 'Anything can happen.'"

Michael Cornwell, a surgeon from Atlanta, checks poll numbers daily online and fully expects Obama to win. Still, "you can't shake the tension," he said.

"We're expecting something to come out, some closing of the polls," Cornwell said on Thursday. "I see these Republican-driven articles saying the polls are tightening. Are they correct, or are they just a combination of Republicans wanting to make it look good and the media wanting it to be a tight race so more of the population will be engaged or buying copy?"

Paul Durr of Guys, Tenn., voted early last week. "I was jumping up and down," he said. "The other people in line thought I was crazy."

"If Obama wins, and I know he's going to win, it will pull this country together in terms of race relations," said Durr, who owns a cemetery monument company and is mayor of Guys, pop. 500.

"He has to win," Durr said. "If he doesn't, I think you'll see this country — I'm afraid to say what I think would happen the next day. I don't even want to think that way."

(visit the link for the full news article)

I just want to know one thing. Are people really this delusional? I mean seriously? Do they seriously think this guy is going to fix race relations? Does he have some sort of magical wand to just make everyone forget their egos? Don't get me wrong, it would be great if people could finally realize and understand that there's only one race, the Human Race, but it's never going to happen. Not as long as power, money, and ego are around. If Obama gets elected, it's just going to be more of the same crap we've always had. More rule, regulations, laws, controls, and tyranny.

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

There is always going to be racism - it's EVERYWHERE, not just in the U.S.

If Obama wins I don't ever want to hear anyone whining about whites being racist. If Obama wins, it will prove once and for all that the vast majority of the US is NOT racist.

The fact that he became the democratic nominee should be all the proof anyone needs to see that racism is not as prevalient as some people ASSUME.

Racism will never be completely wiped out but IMHO, the race card should be throw out and dismissed as a thing of the past.

And just as the black man was able to vote before females were given the right, it seems that while we have overcome the obstacle of a person's race, we still have a long way to go in regard to gender.

Jemison

I used to think Obama's "Messiah" qualities were something invented by the media, but the more people I meet that are actually like those in the news article, the more scared I become.

The President of the United States - regardless of who holds the office - cannot and will not be able to have any power to make your daily life better. Its a national office, many things it can't control because they are functions of state and local governments.

Fantasizing and have delusions about how an Obama win will somehow make your life better is only going to set people up to be disappointed. When he wins (and he will, there is no doubt), its not as if a light is going to come down from heaven and fill us all with joyous visions of utopia. The birds will not get up earlier, the sun will still rise and set. No one will notice a difference in their day to day life.

People should not have this much delusional cult-like devotion to a national office candidate. Its disturbing.

Originally posted by Oreyeon
there's only one race, the Human Race

Let's completely ignore science and genetics in the name of political correctness! My, what the world is becoming.

reply to post by LowLevelMason

People should not have this much delusional cult-like devotion to a national office candidate. Its disturbing.

I would have to agree. I don't think Mccain was far off when he compared Obama to Britney etal. He is like a pop star. People fainting, crying, jumping up and down.... Wait until reality sets in.

Originally posted by LogicalExplanation
Let's completely ignore science and genetics in the name of political correctness! My, what the world is becoming.

And what's that supposed to mean?

You're saying that we should focus on our differences? That skin colour, or differences in genetics, should be noted and allowed to affect our opinion?

Or I missed your point somehow?

Human to Human genetic variation is about 0.5%. Yeah, lets focus on that... My 0.5% is better than your 0.5%...

And that is political correctness? You just read mein kampf or something lol?

Originally posted by ANOK


Human to Human genetic variation is about 0.5%. Yeah, lets focus on that...

My 0.5% is better than your 0.5%...

When it comes to genes, that's a massive amount. A few more % variation and you could be a slug. Maybe a cricket. Whichever you prefer.



[edit on 1-11-2008 by LogicalExplanation]

I certainly can see the joy that a black person would feel if a black person becomes president of the U.S. Heck, I get excited when I finally see a white man catch a football and make a touch down in the NFL. But I certainly don't get upset when that same white person doesn't make a touchdown. But this........"He has to win," Durr said. "If he doesn't, I think you'll see this country — I'm afraid to say what I think would happen the next day. I don't even want to think that way."

I think this says a lot to me about racism in the U.S, seeing as I don't fear what will happen the next day if the white man does not win the election. What would happen? Nothing out of the ordinary. I will walk the streets fearless as always. There will be celebrations. There won't be any riots.

Am I racist? I suppose so. When I see the coach of the University of Kentucky basketball team put three white players on the court in a basketball game I ask myself, "What is that idiot doing? Doesn't he want to win?"

I fear riots either way.
Think Superbowl!The hometown goes nuts. What starts as a celebration ends up as a riot.
It makes no difference who wins this race. That night and the next day are going to be hell.

Originally posted by LowLevelMason
People should not have this much delusional cult-like devotion to a national office candidate. Its disturbing.

But surely you guys can see why he's getting this reaction, right?

Put yourselves in the shoes of a black person in America, and you'd probably be a little devoted yourself.

The delusion comes from WANTING someone who is like yourself, just like you also do, running the country you live in. Only difference is you have had that since America was founded.

So Obama may not live up to the expectations, but do you really think that matters right now to those folks who see someone like themselves for the first time EVER actually having a shot at being president? For black people in America this HUGE. And yes, if he loses there's going to be trouble. You have something like that hung in front of you and then have it snatched away? Oh yes, put yourself in their shoes, how should they react? How should they release those years of resentment and anger, hit the gym?

This is bigger than the presidency right now, bigger than any presidency.

This is so patronizing to the black community.

"Look, a black president, you black people must be SO happy !!"

Originally posted by LogicalExplanation
When it comes to genes, that's a massive amount. A few more % variation and you could be a slug. Maybe a cricket. Whichever you prefer.

OK, so why don't you just explain to us why that massive 0.5% difference in Humans matters?

If some Humans were slugs then I could see your point, but the only difference I see is cosmetic, in other words superficial and meaningless.

Originally posted by Retseh
This is so patronizing to the black community.
"Look, a black president, you black people must be SO happy !!"

I live in a black community, that's not how it is mate. It's not patronising when it's true. They're not happy, just hopeful.

Originally posted by ANOK


OK, so why don't you just explain to us why that massive 0.5% difference in Humans matters?

If some Humans were slugs then I could see your point, but the only difference I see is cosmetic, in other words superficial and meaningless.

Ok, seriously?

Would you prefer that all the food we ate tasted the same too?

reply to post by LogicalExplanation


lol are you serious?

You put Human relations on the same level as the taste of food?

Sry bro, but maybe you meant to reply in the hells kitchen thread?

Originally posted by ANOK
reply to post by LogicalExplanation

 

lol are you serious?

You put Human relations on the same level as the taste of food?

Sry bro, but maybe you meant to reply in the hells kitchen thread?

So then you want everyone to look alike and sound alike?

Originally posted by ANOK
But surely you guys can see why he's getting this reaction, right?

Put yourselves in the shoes of a black person in America, and you'd probably be a little devoted yourself.

Every single one of my African American friends is running away from Obama as fast as they can. They are all voting 3rd party or McCain - all of them are terrified of such cult like devotion to a politician.

Originally posted by ANOK
The delusion comes from WANTING someone who is like yourself, just like you also do, running the country you live in. Only difference is you have had that since America was founded.

No, the difference is that I know that identity politics is a temporary delusion. I know that what makes someone like me is not their skin color or looks at all, but their ideology.

Originally posted by ANOK
So Obama may not live up to the expectations, but do you really think that matters right now to those folks who see someone like themselves for the first time EVER actually having a shot at being president? For black people in America this HUGE. And yes, if he loses there's going to be trouble. You have something like that hung in front of you and then have it snatched away? Oh yes, put yourself in their shoes, how should they react? How should they release those years of resentment and anger, hit the gym?

I think its very offensive how you are casting African American voters - as if they were some dumb group of people incapable of doing anything but getting angry and resenting people for not being their own skin color. As someone with quite a few African American friends, I find this very offensive.

Obama will win based on people voting who sincerely believe that he will bring us heaven on earth. When this does not happen, they are going to get mad at the Democrat party and demand that something occur.

The delusion of identity politics will fade quickly when people are not given the programs they are promised. I agree that the power of identity politics is strong, but it only helps you get elected - it wont help you maintain support. Once you are in, the people who voted for you on identity products will demand you show them favoritism and give them what they want. Failure to do so will be disastrous for Barack's political capital.

[edit on 1-11-2008 by LowLevelMason]

[edit on 1-11-2008 by LowLevelMason]

Originally posted by LowLevelMason
Every single one of my African American friends is running away from Obama as fast as they can.

You obviously don't live in my neighborhood. Come to my inner city community and you'll see a whole different world my friend.

My black friends are not the type who care about being called 'African American' and other such white middle class bs euphemisms. Pointing out there is a difference is wrong whatever term you use. How many of your 'black' friends are actually from Africa? Can't they just be accepted as Americans? What about non-black Africans? What about none-African blacks? What do you call them?

Point is not all blacks are African and not all Africans are black, you have no idea without getting to know them. It's a BS term. Are you a European-American, just a white guy, or just American?

They don't want to be anything but American and allowed to practice their own culture without being despised for it and having their differences hung on them like a neon sign.

Whites put blacks down by thinking they're helping them.

Good grief...Obama aint black!! He does not know that Fred Sanfords wife is Elizabeth! Weezey was on the Jefferson!

[edit on 2-11-2008 by fromtheheart66]