Who Gives a Shit?

[piechartking]

Thinking about the unemployment rate to be released later, and wondering about conservative reaction if things have improved. Why would they cheer bad news and dread good news? Made me think about some other things…

If you've got a job, and people are working,
If we're earning more, putting away extra and spending on things we like,
Who gives a shit if he's black?

If we're fixing roads and bridges, building subways and high speed rail
(so that I can one day go from my home in Atlanta to see my niece in Chattanooga in 1/2 an hour)
Who gives a shit if he doesn't look like you?

If our kids can go to the college they want to go to, because of government grants and low interest loans,
If you're able to re-finance your underwater mortgage and reduce your house payment by $1,000 a month,
Who gives a shit if he's not white?

If we employ thousands of people for a new renewable energy industry that will lead the world,
And help to nurse our planet back to health (Have you seen New Jersey lately?),
Who gives a shit if he doesn't "look" like a President (and just what is a Prez supposed to look like, by the way?)

If I can leave a job and still be covered for my insurance,
If I know that I can always get good, affordable healthcare no matter what and no matter when,
Who gives a shit if his name is Barack HUSSEIN Obama?

If women can be equal partners to men, and can live their lives as freely as men have in the past,
If anyone can love and marry whomever they choose without fear, anxiety and grief,
If our wives and daughters can earn just as much as us (which is good for everybody) for doing the same work,
Who gives a shit about a birth certificate? (Would you ask a white candidate for their birth certificate?)

Things are improving. We’re moving forward. Conservatives – get the fuck over it.

[tclambert]

1. To be honest, I give a shit.

When I was in elementary school, the teachers used to talk about Abraham Lincoln being born in a log cabin and they'd say it proved anyone can grow up to be President. They were lying, but we were young and it sounded like a worthwhile ideal. To our sorrow we learned that only rich white men could become President.

Barack Hussein Obama broke that rule and moved us closer to that ideal. It matters. When you see photos of President Obama meeting young black kids, you can see in their expressions it matters.

[lunatica]

2. Kids of all colors have that same expression

I posted a thread a little while back because I have a slew of photos of President Obama and children. I've been collecting them since 2008 and they tell a wonderful story.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021646873

And I also give a shit because he has changed everything going into the future and so much of it for the better and part of it is his color.

[secondwind]

4. I agree.. and if you are a black kid, this is a BFD

[TahitiNut]

5. It's always more about how WE see the President than about him (or her, hopefully soon).

JFK wasn't a 'great' because of his accomplishments in office, which were few. He was a 'great' because of the FEELINGS of the population of the country ... what "we the people" projected upon him and invested in him. That's what it's all about, really, about the feelings and optimism and mythologies and aspirations and confidence and respect THE PEOPLE have in the individual. Yes, the person must behave in a manner that isn't overtly contradictory to the values projected upon him, but when push comes to shove it's NOT about him -- it's about US.

Obama knows this. He's said it. It's just one more reason we can choose to be confident in him -- he's "keepin' it real." To the degree that right-wingers invested such feelings in Duhbya (choosing NOT to see his clay feet), there is a valid basis for elevating his ranking. (That does NOT prevent me from regarding him and the Dick as War Criminals who belong in prison.)

But it IS about US ... and whether WE choose, in concert, to adopt a confident, optimistic, unified attitude. There are a LOT of "players" in creating and maintaining this mindset, but virtually every "player" is so because THE PEOPLE choose to be affected by them, whether they be the media, other politicians, or the Ruling Class. In the final analysis, absolutely NOBODY can have power over THE PEOPLE'S attitudes without THE PEOPLE'S consent.

It's said that Nobody can make you feel bad about yourself without your permission. (I agree.) Likewise, nobody can affect the feelings and attitudes of We The People without the Consent of We The People.

That Consent comes with a price ... and an even bigger price for refusing to give it anymore once given.

[brindis_desala]

7. beautiful

[piechartking]

3. I think you misunderstood

To too many of
My conservative in-laws, that is all they see: his color. My point is that he can do as good if not better of a job, and race has nothing to do with it.

For too many, race is all they consider before hating in him, instead of objectively thinking about how much better things are and will be.

[Liberal1975]

10. I agree

I live in central Illinois which is as red as Indiana. And I agree in Sangamon county which voted 66% for Bush in 2004 a lot of people will not vote for him because he is black. Period. He could usher in a Utopia and people will still not vote for him, sorry America we are still racist. How else can this race be this close? Mitt Romney as presidential candidate Is quite possibly the worse candidate I have ever seen. And not because I disagree with his policies but because he is a flip-flop machine, comes from a "funny" religious sect, and is as out of touch with the common American as Bush senior was. He is like a salad of all the worst qualities of the past 6 presidential losers and he is still neck and neck nationally. No doubt in my mind it has to do with his skin color and that is it.
It took a financial collapse of biblical proportions as well as a McCain implosion unseen since Gary Hart to get Barack into the oval office. Let's not forget that in 240 years there have been exactly two Presidents who have not been male, white, and Protestant. And for the two that haven't been, well two out of three ain't bad, unless of course the one thing you are missing is the white part.

[LuvNewcastle]

6. Some men will deny themselves things if it means that

another man will suffer as well. Racism is ultimately self-destructive behavior.

[The Wizard]

8. Bigotry has gotten Republicans

elected since LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act in 1964. Appealing to the worst fears and lowest instincts is an American political tradition that still has legs. I have relatives who won't vote for the President because they perceive people with a different skin tone as inferior. I can't engage in any conversation with them that's beyond small talk.

[Rain Mcloud]

9. I am sorry,PCK

but they do not want us to do better.
Poverty is the new leading industry in the united states.
The worse that the people do,the better they do.
Look at their message,its all about helping the rich who will some day throw the poor pitiful pups some scraps.
Bank over draft fees,late fees,repossessions,foreclosures,sheriff sales and on and on,this is free money from you and me which makes us work harder and settle for a little less which is compounded with interest over time.

The fact that a man(a hero) who so happens to have dark skin is making things better for the poor is really icing on the cake for them because it gives them a handle to control the idiots into working for them through a straw man argument.
Look at Romney doing the old Gish Gallop spinning lie after lie after lie,practicing subterfuge so that you will not be able to guess what the real agenda of the billionaires actually is.

The goal of the robber baron is to own more than his competitor and yes,we are owned,slaves if you will.
It is just a better deal for master,he does not have to feed us,clothe us,house us or provide medical care.
Master is disgruntled though when he looks over seas and sees the slaves over there working for 90% less than what we need for subsistence.
He wants his slaves to be competitive with chairman mao's,then he gets to put more money in his pocket,right alongside the congressional members,senators,governors and local judiciary.

Please do not be distracted by the straw man arguments.
The whole point of chicanery is to get you to look away from what is going on and concentrate on what they want you to see,as in the carnival game with three sea shells and one pea and where they take your money for making a bet on the wrong shell.
Do not take that wager,the game is rigged.
If you will suffer me some more advice,Please,put that mad money in your pocket and pay your bills on time and with cash.
Keep supporting those who work for the common good and if others can see the light,help them too.

[daybranch]

11. Tone

Many posters here say we should not see the color of his skin, and many others say we must see the color of his skin to be proud. I think we should understand that his unique heritage coupled with natural gifts, hard work, a great heart, supportive family members have combined to give us the wonderful President we needed. We whites need to see some goodness of ourselves in him and we whites need to see the strength of his diversity developed from his parents, grandparents, and from the life he led in many parts of the world. We need to love him because loving him is loving ourselves as well. When we see the adoration of children of whatever race or ethnicity for him we must feel proud that we had some smal part in electing and supporting a great man of today, a man that exemplifies our desire to move forwardas one nationj and even more as one world for the benefit of all. Thank you President Obama.

Now lets GOTV. The President needs us all because he is the great hope for this nation at this time. If not you who will help? If not now, when will you help? It is time. Volunteer for another shift. We need you every where but especially here in Ohiop. If you can come. Wewelcome you. If you can not. Call OFA and ask to phonebank into Ohio or Florida. We must win this war. GOTV for Obama. Push voters to the polls and stand upfor what is good in America.