MsRetro
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2009
- Messages
- 279
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- 156
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- Political Leaning
- Very Liberal
I think I heard Sharpton excuse this as Reid speculating how Obama would play amongst the electorate. If that is what Reid was doing then he was displaying his opinion of an America ingrained in racism.
If that interpretation is correct, then, yes, I'll concede that it's not a racist remark. I would find it cynical and sad, but, I guess that just makes Reid a politician. *sigh*
...yeah, possibly. But then why do we refuse to make the same cosideration for O'Reilly's comment (which I happened to have heard when it took place). In context, he was also referring to a common stereotypical societal opinion. Or, how about Lott's comment regarding Strom Thurmond? In context Lott was acknowledging Thurmond's legislative strengths while foolishly ignoring his racist past. But in that case, for the Left, the details didn't matter.
Assuming Sharpton is correct, there is no issue here. Just as there shouldn't be for Lott and O'Reilly. What is interesting is how many of us play the double standard when something like this happens.
It's been awhile, but, I just went back and listened to the O'Reilly quote again, and I still hear him including himself in that group of racists:
I couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks, primarily black patronship.
The way the story came up was an assertion that people need to just "get over" the effects of racism, which I find problematic in itself. I can't speak for anyone else, but, these are the reasons I found O'Reilly's remarks objectionable.
I thought that the hullaballoo over Lott's remarks was a bit silly, however.