Saying Barack Obama can't do this or that because he is black

[boston bean]

seems racist to me.

It plays into all racial stereotypes that need to be broken. It does not serve this president well.

Acting like the majority of US citizens are racist, when that is not true, gives a minority of racists control over the president of the US. He was elected POTUS, afterall.

The only bright line here is that people are realizing he isn't doing what could be done. But the excuse for that failure is to play on racial stereotypes.

Enough of that crap. Everyone knows there are a minority racists in this country and they certainly don't hold any power over this president and his administration. Who would want to hand that much power over to those slimes.

[FSogol]

1. Bullshit. Ever read anything on Jackie Robinson?

Racism in sports didn't disappear the day Robinson took the field, just as racism didn't disappear when "was elected POTUS, afterall."

What if Robinson had punched out the 1st person who gave him crap? He would have been bounced out of baseball for having the wrong temperament. He would have set civil rights back decades. Robinson had to take it. He had to take the higher path. In the end? Robinson won. In the end, Obama will win.

The country is different from the days of FDR. Now Obama has to fight off attacks from both sides.

[boston bean]

3. Barack Obama was elected President of the United.

So that give him a majority there. Was everyone that voted against him a racist? Maybe you think so...

You can go ahead and keep on feeding into those stereotypes or you can support the president to do what is right, without all that fear you seem to have bottled up, over him being seen as an angry black man.

It doesn't serve the president well. Adding race into the mix, while admitting he isn't doing what could be done, is disgraceful. It basically says, Barack Obama can't do anything cause he is black. That is racist, and it's disgraceful.

ETA don't give that small minority of racist that power.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

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[boston bean]

10. Well, you do seem mighty concerned about it. If it's not fear you have my mea culpa. nt

[Enrique]

8. suppose someone said that before he was elected

imagine, "if we elect a black man he will be limited by the Jackie Robinson effect. Only a white man (women are limited too in this way) will have the freedom to fully fight the Republicans."

I would have said bullshit then and I'm saying bullshit now.

[Little Star]

11. I agree! And it also sounds silly because...

he holds the most powerful office on the face of the earth! Why marginalize him by saying such drivel?

[tularetom]

2. The "angry black man" canard is the worst example of this

Saying that Obama can't afford to get pissed off at the republicans because the public won't accept an "angry black man" is just a copout.

It excuses his reluctance to challenge them and stand up for the people who elected him.

If it pisses off a few hard core right wingers,well, so much the better. They'll never accept him anyway.

[ChillbertKChesterton]

4. Racism is a societal problem

I don't think it makes sense to marginalize racism as a problem that only a few people have. It's deeper and more widespread than that.

[boston bean]

6. No one is marginalizing it.

The problem comes when one gives into it. Saying he can't do this or that because a small minority of people are racists, is extremely counterproductive and a step backwards.

We need to get out of this mindset.

[IndyPragmatist]

12. Exactly, the people that would get upset about that already hate him

So what's the harm in becoming the "angry black man"?

[DrDan]

7. always has been, always will be - in some form

[Little Star]

14. I disagree. Racist's exist but they are in a minority....

And I doubt that either one of us can actually prove our opinion. If you can prove yours I'd be anxious to see the proof that racists are a majority in this country. I think you are dead wrong.

People who are selling this "angry black man can't confront republicans" meme are marginalizing this president and they need to stop.

[DrDan]

5. agree - as you say, just an excuse

[treestar]

13. He's doing what should be done

He's not an angry person and he's not going to express anger, at least not in a podium pounding or yelling way. He knows how to handle being black and knows the extra requirements put on him due to that skin color - he got elected President while black, for heaven's sake! He knows what this society is like.

Just showing anger at Republicans publicly will do nothing. Some around here act like it's going to make the Republicans pass progressive programs. And we know the racist networks would just use the angry black man meme, even if he were to do it.

He would not do it even if white, because he's just not that way. And being an angry ranter is not always the way to go. It's not what we need in a president in this country right now. So many posts here just assume that is what we need. Like the tea partiers will just turn into communists overnight if they are yelled at. It's just ridiculous.

See if you want to convince people they are wrong and to change their minds to do things their way, shaming and excluding and ranting at them has the opposite effect. I sometimes wonder if these keyboard warriors around here realize that if Obama followed their desires to the letter, things would get much more polarized and the right would dig in their heels. Wouldn't you? Does it work to get you to change your mind if someone yells angrily at you?

[Bluenorthwest]

15. If you pay attention, you will note that the OP is not about

the President, but about arguments made here by self appointed posters. And also, you do know that there are many stations between passive language with a lack of specific personal principles and 'shaming and excluding and ranting'. It is not binary. An excellent communicator can easily call out those who are in the wrong without 'shaming and ranting'. And of course, one the President launched into his shaming ranting against marriage equality with language that says his kind are 'Sanctified by God' and others are not, well, your pretense that he does not engage in such things rings very false. The man employed 'ex gay' evangelists who were infamous for their slanders of glbt people, one of whom said 'they are trying to kill our children, this is war'. Obama defended that, saying many 'good, decent and moral people' feel the same way. So sure, man, he is never 'shaming' or 'ranting' but then again, God is in the mix, gays lack a 'spiritual element' and marriage is just for 'one man and one woman, sanctified by God'.
The hypocrisy of those who defended open hate preaching and then turn to say 'no shaming' is breathtaking. It is a challenge to organize and vote with those who hold such double standards, targeted at me, but never at the GOP.

[FSogol]

16. +100 n/t

[Major Hogwash]

17. It's just a majority of the elected Republicans in Congress that are racist.

Put there by their racist constituents.
Pretty easy to figure out when you check out the tea party coalition, only 4 from the Northwest, 11 from the West, 3 from the East.

So, you know where the rest of the 87 come from.

[undeterred]

18. Barack Obama can do anything. But there are a lot of racists.

:shrug: Lets keep these two ideas separate.

Even some racists voted for Barack Obama. During canvassing for the 2008 campaign people knocked on doors and asked people who they were voting for. At one home the answer came back:

"We're voting for the nigger."

I'm sure they weren't the only racists who chose to vote for Obama over McCain.

[JoePhilly]

19. What we need in Washington is more bluster!!!!