Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
He can and should speak of these issues. By why should he personally insert himself by stating that his son would look like Trayvon or he was Trayvon 35 years ago? He is pandering and politicizing an already volatile topic.
For a lot of AAs, one of the most exciting aspects to Obama becoming president was for the example he'd set for other kids, especially young AA men, who usually only have rappers and athletes to look up to. The unfortunate truth is successful black doctors, businessmen, attorneys, teachers, etc, move to higher income neighborhoods, away from where they grew up, and rarely look back. There are barely any successful black males on television or in a position to access a public platform, that speak openly about issues like this. So they don't see nor hear about these other success stories. However, I think there has been a slight disconnect and inability for many AA males to relate to Obama, for a variety of reasons. So, I think he used this opportunity to illustrate that he is just like those AA that get profiled and treated in a certain fashion.
And just to throw another point out, but it's also basic public speaking 101. Whenever you make an argument, presentation, or you're simply pushing for a certain issue, it's almost always more effective to illustrate why the issue is important to you or what relevance it has or had with your own experiences.
I thought he gave a thoughtful and calming speech ~ trying to unite, not divide.
Every time the subject of race comes up - it's now 'race baiting'. An effective tool at ending any and all communication on the subject.
President Obama is right - the next generation sees things soo differently.[/quote
OMYGOSH!!!
are you kidding me
I was insulted by his stupid speech
news flash this is 2013 NOT 1960
I lived through that crap!!!!
we have a BLACK president for crying out loud
a lousy one but he is BLACK
white folks elected his ass not once but twice and that yahoo gets up there and tells me to look in my heart about race
I am going to puke
all I frigging hear about is race
I am sick to frigging death with the very word race!!!!
get the hell over it
if you want to be respected then act like somebody
quit having your pants drag down to the ground I am sick of looking at you ass
finish school get a job parent your kids quit running the frigging streets at night with yo' ho
good grief!!
this is making me resent some of you blow hards I do not go through my life thinking of black folks and how they have ruined my life
now if you want to spend your life thinking that white folks is holding you down
then keep it up stay pitiful in your own mind I do not give a rats ass any more
Yawn! Another OWL who is clueless about what others are going through regarding race and is perfectly satisfied if blacks would be quiet about the injustices that they are suffering and jump on the bandwagon of a huck and jive token like cain who is not qualified to be a freaking dogcatcher in a cat only town
These words he uses are chosen for a reason. He knew exactly what he was doing when he said his son would look like Trayvon and he knows that hes doing now when he says he couldve been Trayvon. Anyone that doesnt see that as direct pandering is an ignorant fool or a liar.
This guy cant just either shut up or make a responsible statement, he has to pander and play politics. You really think he cares about race issues, the Zimmerman case, Trayvon? Hell no he doesnt. But he sure will use it to play to his ignorant base and the ignorant blacks that continue to eat this crap up.
For the millionth time already, ZIMMERMAN ISN'T WHITE!!! He's bi-racial like your sorry sack of **** president. Stop making this a White/Black issue when its clearly not. I know you Liberals would love to brainwash everyone into thinking otherwise.
His father was German & his mother is from Peru.
Hispanic is not a race. Zimmerman is white as stated by the person who you are arguing against and making a fool of in the process.
Well, maybe one day, black wont be committing so much of the crime in this country as they are. Sorry, you can only blame your own community for being a minority, yet committing so much crime. How can you blame people for "profiling"?
You are right that is why everytime that I see a whiteman near any children I watch him like a hawk, and those young white kids you gotta wqatch them as well because you never know when they will shoot up the place. When I take my nephew to school I will keep an extra eye on those white female teachers so that they won't deal any ideas about messing with him. Now that you think of it, I can't blame anyone for profiling
I wonder how exactly obama could be martin... saying something like that without being specific seems like it is a remark without real thought behind it...
For a lot of AAs, one of the most exciting aspects to Obama becoming president was for the example he'd set for other kids, especially young AA men, who usually only have rappers and athletes to look up to. The unfortunate truth is successful black doctors, businessmen, attorneys, teachers, etc, move to higher income neighborhoods, away from where they grew up, and rarely look back. There are barely any successful black males on television or in a position to access a public platform, that speak openly about issues like this. So they don't see nor hear about these other success stories. However, I think there has been a slight disconnect and inability for many AA males to relate to Obama, for a variety of reasons. So, I think he used this opportunity to illustrate that he is just like those AA that get profiled and treated in a certain fashion.
And just to throw another point out, but it's also basic public speaking 101. Whenever you make an argument, presentation, or you're simply pushing for a certain issue, it's almost always more effective to illustrate why the issue is important to you or what relevance it has or had with your own experiences.
I understand your first point and it's a valid premise. By him speaking to the issue and personally including himself as a black male I hope in some way it may further to strengthen his ties to the youth and find a way to help inspire them to be more than they've imagined to this point.
However, he also alienates a large part of the population who are, in fact, the percieved problem in this
history of prejudice he reflects upon which may only further to exacerbate the gulf between the races.
Also, he does not need to tie in a personal bond with the story to be more effective. He is the G-- da-n POTUS so he has our attention and we can see his skin color as well.
Moreover, why does he really think if he had a son he would look like Trayvon or that Trayvon was him 35 years ago?
Is Obama so far removed from the black community that he thinks all black people look alike??
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
