ok, that's it. Politico, MSNBC, others say "OBAMA is CODE TALKIN'"

[NYC_SKP]

Race baiting fucking assholes.

The story, Obama said to a cashier regarding correct change or something, "Nah, we're straight."

Apparently, this is code talking, only ghetto denizens understand that, right?

It's not fresh news, but I only heard about this drama today, a "concern" repeated by MSNBC.

“The code words matter, how you dress matters, how you speak matters; it’s all subliminal messaging, and all politicians use it,” said Michael Fauntroy, an assistant professor of public policy at George Mason University, who specializes in race and American politics. “Ronald Reagan used to talk about making America the shining city on a hill, which is about America as divinely inspired, and it has a deep vein in the evangelical conservative movement. It goes on all the time, and there are so many circumstances when only the target people get the message.”

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19538.html

[begin_within]

1. Maybe the cashier invited him to a gay orgy?

[NYC_SKP]

21. African father, white mother, adopted by Native Americans...

Sometimes ya just have to take a break and say, "Nah, we straight"!

[Enrique]

2. that was a positive article, imo

it doesn't say his code talking is a bad thing.

[NYC_SKP]

7. The article was just OK, the spin taken by others is ridiculous.

The implication is that he's doing it deliberately, speaking to "his" people and in ways that whites cannot understand, and by design.

He said "We straight", rather than "No, Miss, returning my change to me will not be required, thank you kindly."

Big deal, it shouldn't get turned into "Oh no, white people can't understand him, he's such a negroe!"

[hedgehog]

3. Obama does a very strange thing for someone in public life -

when he says something, he means what he says, with no ifs, ands or buts. It's hard for our media to understand what he says because they are all looking for a secret meaning that isn't there at all.

[NYC_SKP]

42. Zactly.

They need to give it a rest, just let him be...

[hedgehog]

4. OMG- I just read the article - why didn't anyone tell this before!

Obama's black!

[NYC_SKP]

8. LOL!

That's what I needed to read, thanks! :toast:

[FLyellowdog]

31. If the Repugs find this out...

we're screwn!!!

[Kaylee]

5. Oh lord, they've discovered he's black....

Although my husband and I did get a laugh at watching the President's pimp stride when visiting the White House for the first time. ;-)

Beyond speech, blacks have picked up certain of Obama’s mannerisms, particularly his walk, that signal authenticity. Bush had his cowboy strut, and Obama has a swagger — a rhythmic lope that says cool and confident and undeniably black. It was most noticeable on his first post-election trip to the White House, some said.

[Empowerer]

26. Wasn't that HILARIOUS?!

Every black person I know was on the floor over that one. My mother yelled at the tv - "Look - he's DAPPIN'"

A friend said, "I bet he cops a lean in the limo . . ."

[npincus]

6. the author is an African American woman- she was just interviewed on MSNBC.

They showed the clip you're talking about... really not what you are reading into it.

[NYC_SKP]

10. Um hm. "white people don't understand him the words comin' outta his mouth".

The chiron and tag line hype to the story is about Obama speaking in ways whites don't understand.

Well, maybe overpaid white (and black) pseudojournalists and their corporate owners don't understand.

It's a flamebait use of a not-bad academic story. I find the story a little indulgent and over-analytical.

"Dog-whistle politics was hardly invented by Obama. One of its most deft practitioners lately was President George W. Bush. He regularly borrowed the language of evangelical Christianity and the anti-abortion movement to signal he was simpatico with their beliefs, even as he often avoided obvious displays of support that might turn off middle-of-the-road voters."

[Politicalboi]

9. Where's jive talking

Mrs Cleaver when you need her? Airplane!

[Fire1]

11. "Code? What code?"

[NYC_SKP]

13. He said, "We straight" instead of "We're straight", which is code for "kill whitey"

To any 250K+/yr media person and to those who want to divide Americans.

It's that simple.

[Fire1]

15. I got it the first ime, Skip. LOL! The 'code' thing just brought to

mind what the scientist at area 51 said in the movie "Independence Day." LOL! But as an addendum, 'Oh, No, the President is speaking ebonics!!OMG!!' Boogy, Boogy Boogy!!!:scared:

[NYC_SKP]

17. Doh!

I remember that line succinctly! Bravo! ;P

[uponit7771]

24. LOFLAW!!! Yeap, ...get the ropes

[EraOfResponsibility]

43. man you are KILLING ME OVER HERE

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[hollowdweller]

45. LMAO

Thanks for that one. Quality.

[NYC_SKP]

54. yeah,

I liked that one, too. :P

[Rashel]

48. LOL

[Brazenly Liberal]

12. I think you're reading way too much into the story at that link

It's about Obama connecting with the black community. How is that a problem? The same story, with alternate plugins, has been written about every President who had any connections to any identifiable group and no real harm done. When Kennedy took office, there was all sorts of talk about him connecting with the Irish Catholic community. With W, it was the evangelicals. With Reagan, it was the gullible fans of second rate actors.

Any time more than 1 person shares experiences over time - whether it's an entire race of people who have had to fight fiercely for their rights or a half dozen customer service reps at a T-shirt ocmpany - there will be a kind of "code talk" that develops. A bunch of shortcut references to those shared experiences. There's nothing nefarious about it abnd nothing evil in noticing it.

Our first black President is a VERY BIG DEAL to many millions of people who were afraid this day would never come in their lifetimes. Frankly, I expected a lot more mainstream articles centered on race than we've seen. It would be pretty weird if it wasn't noticed and talked about at all.

[NYC_SKP]

14. The complaint is about the spin others are taking, not the story per se. n/t

[hedgehog]

16. It might be well to remember the advice given our other minority President:

Before leaving, Frost called on the new President and First Lady at the White House to receive Kennedy's thanks for participating in the event. He presented Kennedy with a manuscript copy of the "Dedication" poem, on which he wrote: "Amended copy. And now let us mend our ways." He also gave the President the advice: "Be more Irish than Harvard. Poetry and power is the formula for another Augustan Age. Don't be afraid of power."

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/20540

[NYC_SKP]

19. spot on... thanks for the link.

I'm quite happy with our president's ability to seem so comfortable in his own skin.

The drama created around his use of colloquialisms reminds me of the concern about his not wearing a tie in the Oval Office.

Then the photos emerged of Reagan sans tie.

Drama over.

[izquierdista]

18. Code talker??

I didn't know Obama was a Navajo! You learn something new every day!

[NYC_SKP]

20. Well, he was adopted by the Crow nation...

:P

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2008/05/19/obama_adopted_into_crow_nation.html

[AyanEva]

22. Ok, wait.

I understand that the point of the OP is to point out the negative spin that others are giving what is essentially a neutral story (I got a kick out of the article) but...I don't see the negative spin anywhere. The article is just stating a fact, as far as I'm concerned. Was there negative spin about it on the news or something?

[NYC_SKP]

35. The negative spin was spun by MSNBC with their chirons and tag lines,

suggesting that whites don't understand what he said, that it's deliberate, that it's something of concern.

Like the "no necktie in the oval office" thing, it's just bullshit.

But I suspect that calling it out is a little like the fear tactic used in playing Rev Wright over and over and over.

Obama is different. He just spoke like a scary black ghetto man, dropped his "re" and said "We straight.".

omg!

[uponit7771]

23. delete

[EffieBlack]

25. African Americans have always spoken two languages

In fact, some might argue that it is when we talk in our "white voice" that we are really talking in "code." :-)

[alcibiades_mystery]

28. In fact, linguists call it "code-switching" - it's an academic term

well established in sociolinguistics.

[NYC_SKP]

58. Yes, I'm familiar with the term and the function from a couple of classes in grad school.

And I know at least some of the talking heads know this, and most of the academics who write articles on Obama should know this.

But sometimes, even most of the time, it has no meaning other than the person has a range of "voices" and uses them with ease.

People seem to be reading too much into it.

[AyanEva]

29. Very, very true.

Often times, I think that what I say to other Blacks is a more accurate and full reflection of what I feel. The language used is part of that difference.

[ellacott]

30. Dave Chappelle that Black people have learned to be bi-lingual

It's very true.

[Terran]

34. My partner jokes about this with his family all the time.

Couple of weeks ago he was talking to a sister while at work, and his boss came up to him while he was on the phone and asked him something. He concluded the short conversation, which sister overheard, by saying "Gotcha," as in, "I understand you." When he got back to his sister, she razzed him, "You're so WHITE!!" in her best code-switched voice. :rofl:

[marimour]

36. soo true

Before I even head Obama say that I was just telling my mom that Obama has a "black voice". He may have grown up in Hawaii around whites but he married Michelle (aka ms. south side of Chicago) so you know he knows how to switch it up in the right situation.

[HughMoran]

52. Being from the city...

and an integrated neighborhood, it's embarrassing that we even have to discuss something so silly, don't you think?

[NYC_SKP]

57. yes, it's foolishness.

I'm pissed that these suckers will take anything like this to stir up trouble.

I speak one way with clients, another way with the Dominicans that run the bodega, I "code switch" all day long.

It doesn't mean a thing.

[alcibiades_mystery]

27. Big-P.Rez rockin the pimp limp

What up with the gangsta stroll?

-----SNIP-----
Beyond speech, blacks have picked up certain of Obama’s mannerisms, particularly his walk, that signal authenticity. Bush had his cowboy strut, and Obama has a swagger — a rhythmic lope that says cool and confident and undeniably black. It was most noticeable on his first post-election trip to the White House, some said.

“The swagger was out of control, dragging the left foot, it was like, ‘Barack, you have got to calm down,’” said Melissa Harris-Lacewell, a Princeton University professor who teaches courses in politics and black studies. “The swagger thing just got worse and worse during the campaign. ... I am sure David Axelrod told him to stop swaggering. ... I can’t imagine that anyone is telling him to do that.”
----SNIP-----

[Enrique]

32. Axelrod telling Obama to walk less black?

not likely imo. Michelle would have to do it. :-)

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

33. I don't snuff my own seed. Toute suite.

http://teejexposed.blogspot.com/2006/10/republican-party-puts-on-black-face.html

[NYC_SKP]

37. That's rich. Few things are as entertaining as "frontin' freepers"

word to your mommy.

i will meet you in my crib in the hood.

wtf: "toute suite"??? :wtf:

[marimour]

38. wow!

How can republicans be that dumb?

[SoxFan]

39. Wait a minute...

I consider Langston Hughes one of my favorite poets. I got the"dream deferred" reference, and I am a pasty Irish guy who doesn't own a single rap or hip-hop album. Hell, Bill Bradley used to drop references to that same poem in his speeches. When Obama cites Hughes, he doesn't cite a black poet, he cites a great poet.

[NYC_SKP]

41. Thank you. Sometimes a poem is just a wonderful poem, and...

an off-hand friendly comment to a waitress is just that.

Why this shit has to be scrutinized is beyond me.

cheers, NYC_SKP

[bdamomma]

40. hey they talk about code talkin how about

Michelle Bachman who said to Steele you da man!!! what stupid people.

[Rashel]

51. When Michelle Bachmann said "you be da man", that was code for

"Rush is coming to get you".

[Cha]

44. Fuck the corporatemediaWhores..

I like code talkin' 'cause the idiots are too damn dumb to know what I'm talkin' about.

Straight up. Fucking derelicts.

[NYC_SKP]

47. fo shizzle.

:P

[hollowdweller]

46. George Carlin

Used to do this routine about his old neighborhood and how even though it was pretty evenly split between blacks and irish that all these white red haired irish kids started speaking black slang rather than the other way round.

Hillbillies speak two languages too I find myself using a difft way of phrasing when I'm talking to country folks versus city folks.

What is interesting to me, and sort of sad in a way is I think that a lot of the black, country, and regional dialects seem to be fading. I'm sure this is due to integration and also transportation and TV.

[Rashel]

49. What if he would have said something like "good lookin' out"?

Would that be considered espionage lingo? :fistbump:

[NYC_SKP]

53. Well, you know the "terrorist fist bump" thing...

It's not like we weren't warned!

:fistbump:

[Rashel]

56. I still crack up about the Freepers having a thread about that!

[HughMoran]

50. Not only is he my age, but he's cool like me

We city folk know a fellow bro when we hear one, yo.

:rofl:

[Baikonour]

55. It's simple. Fuck GOPolitico.

[and-justice-for-all]

59. word. nt