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Jimmy Carter: Wilson comments 'based on racism'

Alex

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"Former President Jimmy Carter said Tuesday that U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst to President Barack Obama during a speech to Congress last week was an act 'based on racism' and rooted in fears of a black president."

"'I think it's based on racism,' Carter said in response to an audience question at a town hall held at his presidential center in Atlanta. 'There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president.'"

I am failing to see how Wilson's outburst was in any way a racist one. Every comment made against an ethnic minority is not racist, there should be real reason to believe it is before making the accusation. Otherwise, it just makes the issue worse by adding more situations it can used in, even though there is no justification to do so.

What exactly was racist about it? Are people going to get tired of being accused of racism with it eventually backfiring on people like Carter who use it to explain something it is not related to?

Jimmy Carter: Wilson comments 'based on racism' - Yahoo! News
 
I am failing to see how Wilson's outburst was in any way a racist one.
It wasn't his comment. It was because he's white. And from the South.

Y'know... the one type of race-based discrimination that's acceptable in this country.



God help him if he goes into Baskins Robbins and orders a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
 
President Carter got it right
the reich wing is ginning up anti-Obama support using racist undertones
the bowel movement of the teabaggers has little to do with opposition to health care reform and much to do with opposition to Obama
but when the teabaggers are questioned about specific objections, they come up empty
yep, Jimmy pegged it
it's so obvious, Stevie Wonder could see it
 
President Carter got it right
the reich wing is ginning up anti-Obama support using racist undertones
the bowel movement of the teabaggers has little to do with opposition to health care reform and much to do with opposition to Obama
but when the teabaggers are questioned about specific objections, they come up empty
yep, Jimmy pegged it
it's so obvious, Stevie Wonder could see it

What was racist about Wilson's outburst?
 
It's possible the Wilson harbors some racial resentments.

I was recently in S Carolina. A man in a Krispie Kreme was very open with me about his disgust with Obama, and he made some pretty openly racist comments to me, a stranger. I tried shush him because I noticed some Blacks working there, but he didn't care.

I do think there is more overt racism in the South. That conversation would not have occured where I live.
 
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Jimmy Carter just exposed and spoke straight from his ignorance.

Ludicrous crap like this out of thin air just makes you Democrats look more and more desperate. Bring in one of the worst presents in memory to trumpet an unsupportable smear attempt. Impressive. Not.
 
It's possible the Wilson harbors some racial resentments.

I was recently in S Carolina. A man in a Krispie Kreme was very open with me about his disgust with Obama, and he made some pretty openly racist comments to me, a stranger. I tried shush him because I noticed some Blacks working there, but he didn't care.

I do think there is more overt racism in the South. That conversation would not have occured where I live.

That does not mean every person from South Carolina is racist. An entire population of people are not adherents to other people's comments. I do not agree with everyone's ideals in Wisconsin, yet I live here.

Do all citizens of a State live in uniform with each other?
 
Jimmy Carter just exposed and spoke straight from his ignorance.

Ludicrous crap like this out of thin air just makes you Democrats look more and more desperate. Bring in one of the worst presents in memory to trumpet an unsupportable smear attempt. Impressive. Not.

Carter is an honorable gentleman...A far more intelligent and thoughtful man than most posters here, including me.
Those who think racism is over in America are just whistling Dixie. A hundred, maybe two hundreds years from now - maybe....
Joe Wilson is typical, I doubt if he is man enough to admit to his racial bias and bigotry, even in private...
In my lifetime, we have made progress, but we still have a long ways to go..
 
Carter is an honorable gentleman...A far more intelligent and thoughtful man

I thought he was a great man, terrible president, but this outburst of unsubstantiated crap has thrown that regard out the window.
 
I thought he was a great man, terrible president, but this outburst of unsubstantiated crap has thrown that regard out the window.
I feel that similar way, a good president he was not; and I do not agree with Carter in some aspects, but that changes nothing, nor should it.
There are many racists in our nation, but few will accept nor admit it.
Human nature....
 
Yeah, yeah, we get it, anyone not willing to kiss the government's butt is a racist... :roll:
 
Before passing judgment, I'd like to see some evidence of Carter's claims. IMO, all the accusations that the disagreements with Obama are based on racism are pretty ridiculous. From what I see, most who disagree with him, disagree because of ideology or because they do not like his policies. So, before Carter starts bringing in the race card, I would hope that he would have something substantial to back it up. Thus far, I see nada.
 
That does not mean every person from South Carolina is racist. An entire population of people are not adherents to other people's comments. I do not agree with everyone's ideals in Wisconsin, yet I live here.

Do all citizens of a State live in uniform with each other?

I didn't say that, did I. I said that I believe there is more overt racism in the South. I certainly don't believe every person hates Blacks in S Carolina.

Also, Black people can hate Whites too. But not every Black person. There are good and bad in every race.
 
To think two little words could invoke such a response.

I bet at this point, Wilson wishes he had chosen "**** off" instead of "You lie". :mrgreen:

Racism seems unlikely. I would say he was just stupid.
 
Carter is an honorable gentleman...A far more intelligent and thoughtful man than most posters here, including me.
Those who think racism is over in America are just whistling Dixie. A hundred, maybe two hundreds years from now - maybe....
Joe Wilson is typical, I doubt if he is man enough to admit to his racial bias and bigotry, even in private...
In my lifetime, we have made progress, but we still have a long ways to go..

What evidence is there that Wilson has racial bias or that his outburst was race-based?

Does anyone want to back up their claim that Wilson's outburst was based on race?

This is what I mean by irresponsible comments like the one Carter made. When you make wild accusations like Carter did, without any real proof of their validity, people will start to believe it and the word "racist" takes on a whole new and convoluted meaning. People will start to use it in situations when it does not really apply, and that only adds to the problem.
 
I bet at this point, Wilson wishes he had chosen "**** off" instead of "You lie". :mrgreen:
With majorities in both houses and the Presidency, the left is in sore need of someone to beat up and vilify to help rally the troops. Wilson nominated himself and now they're wanting to wring as much as they can out of this rag. I have no doubt that there are dozens of people working right now to dig up dirt on the guy.

I'm gonna say that Wilson goes to bed every night hoping and praying that Sarah Palin will say something (anything!) and a microphone is there to pick it up :lol:
 
I didn't say that, did I. I said that I believe there is more overt racism in the South. I certainly don't believe every person hates Blacks in S Carolina.

Also, Black people can hate Whites too. But not every Black person. There are good and bad in every race.

You stated, "I do think there is more overt racism in the South."

Does this necessarily mean Wilson (the subject of this thread) is racist?
 
What evidence is there that Wilson has racial bias or that his outburst was race-based?

Does anyone want to back up their claim that Wilson's outburst was based on race?

This is what I mean by irresponsible comments like the one Carter made. When you make wild accusations like Carter did, without any real proof of their validity, people will start to believe it and the word "racist" takes on a whole new and convoluted meaning. People will start to use it in situations when it does not really apply, and that only adds to the problem.

We can only give it an educated guess. For one thing, he's from S Carolina so probably grew up in an era where open racism and segregation were every day realities. Also, looking at his face, my intuition tells me that he has a nasty streak. Then there's the fact that his emotions boiled over to the point where he had a disrespectful outburst on National TV.

I lived in S Carolina once for 3 years back in 1978-1981. It was almost totally segregated in N Myrtle Beach at the time. My husband worked on a road crew and for a sign/billboard company. He told me that, at that time, in the absence of Black people that the word 'Nigger' was used in every day speech. That's the 'N' word in case the auto-censor bleeps it out.
 
I lived in S Carolina once for 3 years back in 1978-1981. It was almost totally segregated in N Myrtle Beach at the time. My husband worked on a road crew and for a sign/billboard company. He told me that, at that time, in the absence of Black people that the word 'Nigger' was used in every day speech. That's the 'N' word in case the auto-censor bleeps it out.
So would it be fair to call Obama a racist (an 'educated' guess) if I lived in Illinois for three years and overheard blacks demeaning whites? Doesn't that sound a tad bit ridiculous?
 
I'm gonna say that Wilson goes to bed every night hoping and praying that Sarah Palin will say something (anything!) and a microphone is there to pick it up :lol:

I do too.

It's been too long since we had a good Sarah Palin gaffe.
 
So would it be fair to call Obama a racist (an 'educated' guess) if I lived in Illinois for three years and overheard blacks demeaning whites? Doesn't that sound a tad bit ridiculous?

You might suspect he had some racial resentments based on seeing his pastor and spiritual mentor foaming at the mouth at the idea of Hillary Clinton, a white woman, getting nominated to run for president.
 
We can only give it an educated guess. For one thing, he's from S Carolina so probably grew up in an era where open racism and segregation were every day realities. Also, looking at his face, my intuition tells me that he has a nasty streak. Then there's the fact that his emotions boiled over to the point where he had a disrespectful outburst on National TV.

I lived in S Carolina once for 3 years back in 1978-1981. It was almost totally segregated in N Myrtle Beach at the time. My husband worked on a road crew and for a sign/billboard company. He told me that, at that time, in the absence of Black people that the word 'Nigger' was used in every day speech. That's the 'N' word in case the auto-censor bleeps it out.

So from what I see here, the argument is that Wilson is from the South so an educated guess would say he is racist?

I'll re-ask my question: Do citizens from any given region live under uniform ideals?

Also, how do facial expressions and emotions boiling over tell someone a person is racist?
 
So from what I see here, the argument is that Wilson is from the South so an educated guess would say he is racist?

I'll re-ask my question: Do citizens from any given region live under uniform ideals?

Also, how do facial expressions and emotions boiling over tell someone a person is racist?

I'm just giving my opinion. Yes, I think intuition based on subtle nuances of expression or tone of voice can tell a lot.

I haven't met the guy, just saw that one clip, but I do suspect that he may very well have some racial problems with Obama. It wouldn't surprise me at all.

Also, the fact that the comment that Obama was making was regarding illegal aliens is another tip off. He obviously also has strong feelings about them, most of whom are Mexican as we all know.
 
Carter is an old fool, why do they give him a stage in the media?
He should be talking to the walls.
 
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