When white people call black people "well spoken" (accuses, Obama)

[workaholics]

I heard this a lot during Obama's first campaign. So many white people I knew complimented him on being so "well spoken." Isn't that kind of offensive? I rarely hear that compliment bestowed on other white people. It's almost like saying that you expect a black person to speak terrible English, so when they actually speak well then it's surprising. It just annoys me.

[Montguy]

Well could it serve white people better to take a cue from our Senate Majority Leader and compliment his lack of "negro dialect" instead?

[kidkaos2]

Originally Posted by workaholics

I heard this a lot during Obama's first campaign. So many white people I knew complimented him on being so "well spoken." Isn't that kind of offensive? I rarely hear that compliment bestowed on other white people. It's almost like saying that you expect a black person to speak terrible English, so when they actually speak well then it's surprising. It just annoys me.

It's a free country so you can be annoyed or offended by it if you want to but no it isn't offensive in and of itself. It's just your personal reaction to it. Ebonics does exist and it isn't proper American English. That's just plain fact.

Same as me being from the South. I can be offended by the condescension shown towards people from my region if I want to, but it isn't just plain offensive. Rednecks do exist and I encounter them pretty much every time I leave the house.

It's my right to be offended, but it isn't my right to try to suppress something which is true merely because I find it to be offensive. Truth doesn't have a value judgment attached to it. People who speak ebonics are not speaking proper English. That's just the way it is. Being offended at stereotypes is a personal choice you're free to make. But you're not free to declare it offensive for society at large just because you don't like it. I'd prefer it if every time you see a Southern character on TV or in a movie they didn't feel it necessary to have the person say "Y'all" but I'm not going to go writing letters of protest over it or anything. The fact is people around here do in fact say "y'all". The stereotype is true.

[Leisesturm]

Originally Posted by kidkaos2

It's a free country so you can be annoyed or offended by it if you want to but no it isn't offensive in and of itself.

Are you black, honey? What do you know about it?

[dragontales]

Obama is well spoken compared to his predeseccor.

[softblueyz]

Originally Posted by dragontales

Obama is well spoken compared to his predeseccor.

Based on your ability to spell I can see how you would come to your conclusion.

[Bily Lovec]

obamas not well spoken, his brain works too slow so he stutters and him-haws too much.

The man can read the heck out of a teleprompter thou

[70Ford]

Songify This - Obama Sings to the Shawties (replay extended) - YouTube

vs.



BED INTRUDER SONG!!! (now on iTunes) - YouTube

[Dustyroad70]

Originally Posted by Montguy

Well could it serve white people better to take a cue from our Senate Majority Leader and compliment his lack of "negro dialect" instead?

"unless he wants one"

[Oldhag1]

It's annoying when white people say that a black person is well spoken, because the unspoken implication is that it is unusual. It is equally annoying when a black person accuses another black person of speaking like a white person just because they speak well - again, implying that it is not normal for a black person to speak well. I generally try not to read prejudisism into every little action of other people, but this is one of those things where there really are undercurrents of stereotyping.