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Critics Rip Rucker For Performing 'White Christmas' After Garner Decision

Michelle Bachman and her religious beliefs have nothing to do with my post. This isn't a referendum on religion. I could say that a black minister is nuts because he believes in Jesus.

I'm talking about rising from nothing and actually doing something with your life instead of complaining about being a victim. Ben Carson, like Barack Obama, is living proof that a black man who works hard can achieve greatness.

I would certainly agree with that. My only point is that just because one came from humble beginnings and made something out of themselves does not automatically make them a role model. I grew up extremely poor and am from a demographic perspective upper middle class today. Moreover, I am an avid runner and cyclist, and despite the fact I am in my late 30s, I have the fitness level of a college athlete. I don't think either of those things gives me a license to routinely go out and publicly make absolutely crazy statements, that frankly are borderline hate mongering at times.

Sorry, I just don't have any respect at all for anyone that routinely says crazy and inflammatory stuff no matter what kind of circumstances they overcame to make something out of themselves. For example, Robert Mugabe is a black man that came from extremely humble beginnings and rose up to be president of Zimbabwe. That doesn't in anyway mitigate the fact the guy is an a**hole. :)
 
I would absolutely support Obama being a leader for young blacks. He is a success story. He didn't come from wealth - he came from a broken home, an absent father, his mother was on public assistance for a time, he went to great colleges, etc. What's not to like about Obama's story? And it's far more inspirational and impactful than say that of a rapper, or even a pro sports figure (and I love sports so that's hard to say). But you're right that nobody is following.

At the risk of being accused of partisanship or an "I HATE Obama!" attitude, I will say that I see this as a failing of Obama's. He has had 6+ years to push push push that message, and he hasn't. He's too much the politician for that. Maybe when he leaves office he'll do it but all he's done for 6 years is appeal to the blacks as a constituency of voters.

I know you're smart enough to see that Obama is a decent role model for young black kids. I was expecting somebody more hyper-partisan to look at it and say...well what they always say!

Obama has many failings. He's far from a fantastic President, and I fear that electing Carson would just extend our current streak of lacking Presidents. We've got 2 in a row and I'm not hungry to make it 3, despite the fact that Carson is a good man and an accomplished doctor.
 
I know you're smart enough to see that Obama is a decent role model for young black kids. I was expecting somebody more hyper-partisan to look at it and say...well what they always say!

Obama has many failings. He's far from a fantastic President, and I fear that electing Carson would just extend our current streak of lacking Presidents. We've got 2 in a row and I'm not hungry to make it 3, despite the fact that Carson is a good man and an accomplished doctor.

Agree on all counts. I won't support Carson for President because he's too conservative for me. But he is a good man nonetheless, as you said.

Obama is obviously not my favorite President but it would be disingenuous to ignore his success story as well. Obama has accomplished a great deal, and it wasn't handed to him via wealth or connections. He's smart, and shrewd, and worked hard. People don't achieve greatness through complacency.
 
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