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It was indeed a very good attempt by Obama to reconcile the situation between people - But, the total sum of it falls short of describing the full picture.
His opening remark that the sin of slavery stains the Constitution sets the tone of it as being just another speech generally blaming all ills on whites.
Why didn't he speak more on the responsibilities of black males for their failures towards black women and their children?
For generations now there have been ample programs with educational and employment opportunities with priorities towards black people, and it is the black males that have failed to utilize these programs. No one held them back.
And, this is a critical fact that Obama failed to stress. Apparently he feared offending his consituency.
And as far as the usual excuse "centuries of harm can not be erased in a few decades", I point you to the direction of any hard working immigrant group here that came from "centuries of hardships", and they seem to be able to get it together in a few years...
Sorry..,.I am not committed to any candidate at this point, and I am perfectly willing to consider Obama just as much as the others...But, this speech, though well written and a very good atempt of reconciling differences, fails to do anything for me.
What candidate for President in the last 40 years or so could have possibly produced such a thoughtful and thorough statement on the state of race in this country than Obama just did - and nearly overnight. He basically wrote this very comprehensive speech, without the use of speech writers like most Presidents have, on Sunday. What other candidate could have done this? How could he have done this? Through a lifetime of thought, experience and work directly related to these very issues. He has such a clear vision, not because someone else handed a clearly written speech to read, but because he himself has lived and learned like no other candidate we've had in my lifetime. He's not perfect, but he is great.
Whose records would you vote on that would get us out of this mess?
Someone who has at least accomplished something in their life. Speaches dont get my vote, especially when people vote for the same thing that their speaches say they would vote against.
Example: Their speaches say they will vote to end the war, but their votes continue to say that they support the war.
Just proves how much harder African-Americans have to work to try to succeed contrary to all the posts that say, "I had it hard, but I made it."
If African-Americans think that other nationalities dont have to work hard to succeed, they are sadly mis-lead on the reality that everyone is society is working hard to put food on the table.
What candidate for President in the last 40 years or so could have possibly produced such a thoughtful and thorough statement on the state of race in this country than Obama just did - and nearly overnight. He basically wrote this very comprehensive speech, without the use of speech writers like most Presidents have, on Sunday. What other candidate could have done this? How could he have done this? Through a lifetime of thought, experience and work directly related to these very issues. He has such a clear vision, not because someone else handed a clearly written speech to read, but because he himself has lived and learned like no other candidate we've had in my lifetime. He's not perfect, but he is great.
While I agree that the speech was excellent, I am less confident than you that Senator Obama just sat down at his laptop and ripped through a draft or two and printed it out.
He had big-time high-priced help with this one...simply put, that's how you come up with a big-time speech. This is in no way a diminution of the positive nature of the speech, and its likely effect on the Wright controversy -- but let's get real.
It was indeed a very good attempt by Obama to reconcile the situation between people - But, the total sum of it falls short of describing the full picture.
His opening remark that the sin of slavery stains the Constitution sets the tone of it as being just another speech generally blaming all ills on whites.
Why didn't he speak more on the responsibilities of black males for their failures towards black women and their children?
For generations now there have been ample programs with educational and employment opportunities with priorities towards black people, and it is the black males that have failed to utilize these programs. No one held them back.
And, this is a critical fact that Obama failed to stress. Apparently he feared offending his consituency.
And as far as the usual excuse "centuries of harm can not be erased in a few decades", I point you to the direction of any hard working immigrant group here that came from "centuries of hardships", and they seem to be able to get it together in a few years...
Sorry..,.I am not committed to any candidate at this point, and I am perfectly willing to consider Obama just as much as the others...But, this speech, though well written and a very good atempt of reconciling differences, fails to do anything for me.
Why does he have to stress any of this and it has nothing to do with becoming the President. Now if he did go down that road he'd be looked at as a racist from Black voters. Then he'd be trying to mend those wounds.
Also you mention excuses from centuries of harm....we are still not in a perfect world. There are people still feeling the affects of racism. Certain people don't have to do much but wake up and go out in the world and are accepted while others have to works 100 times as hard just to live a normal life b/c of the color of their skin.
Let stop pretending that everyone is on a level playing field. Yes the ability and options for Black males are there to get out of any situation but at the same time just finishing equal or slightly better then his White counterpart is still not enough to get ahead. These are the issues Blacks deal with everyday, this is the reality.
And I'm strictly speaking about the positive people trying to get ahead not the knuckleheads.
While I agree that the speech was excellent, I am less confident than you that Senator Obama just sat down at his laptop and ripped through a draft or two and printed it out.
He had big-time high-priced help with this one...simply put, that's how you come up with a big-time speech. This is in no way a diminution of the positive nature of the speech, and its likely effect on the Wright controversy -- but let's get real.
why does a black man have to address the nation on this when the white woman doesnt have to???
Seriously, do you think HillBilly could have pulled it of, given her insincere, two-faced nature?
Why does he have to stress any of this and it has nothing to do with becoming the President.
But it does have everything to do with reality.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Noc
Let stop pretending that everyone is on a level playing field. Yes the ability and options for Black males are there to get out of any situation but at the same time just finishing equal or slightly better then his White counterpart is still not enough to get ahead. These are the issues Blacks deal with everyday, this is the reality.
And lets stop pretending that its impossible to get ahead. Black females have had it harder then most but you dont see them hanging out on the street corners selling drugs, or turning to illegal activities to survive. You also dont see them in vast numers in prison or attempting to use the excuse that the "babies daddy" left them. Realities of life is that they have gone out and took advantages of the many programs available to them by getting an education and then employment.
There are issues that everyone deal with everyday and very little of them in todays day and age has to do with color of their skin. More then likely it has to do with the poor choices that individuals make and the reality that homes are no longer 2 parent households and no one is available to raise the children while the single parent is at work.
why does a black man have to address the nation on this when the white woman doesnt have to???
Because his pastor and lifelong friend, whom Senator Obama acknowledges as his mentor, is a hateful bigot.
Quote:
Seriously, do you think HillBilly could have pulled it of, given her insincere, two-faced nature?
Probably not. But that has nothing to do with the subject.
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