NYT Editorial Observer: Barack Obama, John McCain and the Language of Race

RightinNYC · 09-22-08, 01:13 PM

The piece starts with a generic rundown of historical discrimination and racist actions, setting the stage for their attempt to tie McCain to these attitudes. Then it offers up three examples in support of its claim.

Quote:

A blatant example surfaced earlier this month, when a Georgia Republican, Representative Lynn Westmoreland, described the Obamas as “uppity” in response to a reporter’s question. Mr. Westmoreland, who actually stood by the term when given a chance to retreat, later tried to excuse himself by saying that the dictionary definition carried no racial meaning. That seems implausible. Mr. Westmoreland is from the South, where the vernacular meaning of the word has always been clear.

That's fair. The connotation is pretty obvious, and it seems likely that that's what the guy was getting at.

Quote:

The Jim Crow South institutionalized racial paternalism in its newspapers, which typically denied black adults the courtesy titles of Mr. and Mrs. — and reduced them to children by calling them by first names only. Representative Geoff Davis, Republican of Kentucky, succumbed to the old language earlier this year when describing what he viewed as Mr. Obama’s lack of preparedness to handle nuclear policy. “That boy’s finger does not need to be on the button,” he said.

Somewhat less fair, but there could still be something there. I think it's more of a colloquialism, but hey.

Quote:

In the Old South, black men and women who were competent, confident speakers on matters of importance were termed “disrespectful,” the implication being that all good Negroes bowed, scraped, grinned and deferred to their white betters.

In what is probably a harbinger of things to come, the McCain campaign has already run a commercial that carries a similar intimation, accusing Mr. Obama of being “disrespectful” to Sarah Palin. The argument is muted, but its racial antecedents are very clear.

...

wtf.

McCain comes out with an ad claiming that Obama is being "disrespectful" and now THAT'S racist?

What a joke.

jfuh · 09-22-08, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RightinNYC

The piece starts with a generic rundown of historical discrimination and racist actions, setting the stage for their attempt to tie McCain to these attitudes. Then it offers up three examples in support of its claim.

That's fair. The connotation is pretty obvious, and it seems likely that that's what the guy was getting at.

Somewhat less fair, but there could still be something there. I think it's more of a colloquialism, but hey.

...

wtf.

McCain comes out with an ad claiming that Obama is being "disrespectful" and now THAT'S racist?

What a joke.

The first one, sure, second one blurry - but disrespectful is "racist"?
I'm not from the south and perhaps in the south such may indeed have such racists connotations I don't know, but for the rest of the US there are no such connotations associated with it so I don't think it is.
But perhaps the writer may actually give instances where such is actually racists and the the McCain campaign was appealing to a particular southern crowd for such?

I thought the whole point of racist slurs was that the audience understood it was mocking and looking down upon, what point is there when most people don't understand whatsoever?

As to the disrespectful part, McCain campaign needs to grow a pair.

RightinNYC · 09-22-08, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfuh

I thought the whole point of racist slurs was that the audience understood it was mocking and looking down upon, what point is there when most people don't understand whatsoever?

Exactly. And if it is some secretly coded thing that only true racists will pick up on, then I don't think McCain would need to be convincing them not to vote for Obama in the first place.

Middleground · 09-23-08, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RightinNYC

The piece starts with a generic rundown of historical discrimination and racist actions, setting the stage for their attempt to tie McCain to these attitudes. Then it offers up three examples in support of its claim.

That's fair. The connotation is pretty obvious, and it seems likely that that's what the guy was getting at.

Somewhat less fair, but there could still be something there. I think it's more of a colloquialism, but hey.

...

wtf.

McCain comes out with an ad claiming that Obama is being "disrespectful" and now THAT'S racist?

What a joke.

I pretty much agree with your assessment, Right, particularly the 3rd point. But let me add the following... in reference to the second point, if McCain were the person of reference, do you think Jim Crow would have used "boy"? Me, I doubt he would have, but it could be an age thing rather than racial.

Hatuey · 09-24-08, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Middleground

I pretty much agree with your assessment, Right, particularly the 3rd point. But let me add the following... in reference to the second point, if McCain were the person of reference, do you think Jim Crow would have used "boy"? Me, I doubt he would have, but it could be an age thing rather than racial.

In the South/Midwest a black man can be 40 years old and he'll get called boy. I have doubts that Mr. Geoff Davis would call somebody else in congress 'boy' so easily. He from Kentucky and he don't know how he's supposed to use the word boy? Intent and circumstance.

Reverend_Hellh0und · 09-24-08, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatuey

In the South/Midwest a black man can be 40 years old and he'll get called boy. I have doubts that Mr. Geoff Davis would call somebody else in congress 'boy' so easily. He from Kentucky and he don't know how he's supposed to use the word boy? Intent and circumstance.

Only in the "south/midwest"

Confronting bigotry with predjudice is always amusing to me.

Hatuey · 09-24-08, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reverend_Hellh0und

Only in the "south/midwest"

Confronting bigotry with predjudice is always amusing to me.

Who said :

Quote:

Only in the "south/midwest"

???

Reverend_Hellh0und · 09-24-08, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatuey

Who said :

???

So then why did you say "in the south/midwest"?

What was your point. YOur dishonesty is going to trap you,

Hatuey · 09-24-08, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reverend_Hellh0und

So then why did you say "in the south/midwest"?

What was your point. YOur dishonesty is going to trap you,

Because in the South and Midwest it happens. Now bring up examples of the 3 schools that were segregated in nowheresville Michigan as examples of how the North was as racist as the South even though we both it's not really true.

. Or better yet, claim that the South wasn't really racist and that they were lynching as many blacks as the North even though that's not really true.

Reverend_Hellh0und · 09-24-08, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatuey

Because in the South and Midwest it happens. Now bring up examples of the 3 schools that were segregated in nowheresville Michigan as examples of how the North was as racist as the South even though we both it's not really true.

And by that statment you infer that it does not happen in the north. your dishonesty is trapping you.

School segragation in the north is easy.

Look at a school in paterson, nj, vs a school in martha's vineyard...

oh and lets not get into private schools and the old country club kennedy democrats being against vouchers.