whitey...says obamas wife at a speech

Whitey' fails to wound
Fellow slurs snicker at word's utterance

Tribune staff report
June 15, 2008



It's hard to come up with an ethnic slur that has less of a sting than "whitey."

A prevalent yet unsubstantiated Internet rumor has it that Barack Obama's wife, Michelle, used this term at some point in a speech, and the Obama campaign is concerned enough to have posted an online rebuttal.

I've got to ask, though. Are there really white people out there so ignorant of history, so unaware of the nuances of language and so threatened by minority grievances that they take genuine umbrage at the term "whitey"?

More a taunt than a threat, the word has no ugly history and hints at no particular stereotypes. It may have been hurled in a menacing fashion in ugly personal confrontations from time to time, but it's never been used to keep a people down, to put them in their place, to rank them as subhuman.

To be truly offensive, a derogatory term needs to have an ominous context that "whitey" lacks.

Those who take offense are confusing prejudice—which is making negative assumptions about people based solely on external characteristics, of which all races and ethnicities are guilty—with racism, which is prejudice in action.

It requires them to imagine that "whitey" marginalizes, diminishes and therefore harms white people.

And if they're really that dumb, then I guess they deserve to be insulted.


the source of the info

trinity church.....now this...hmmm sounds like we got WHITE hater's running for office to me.

apologize dont help ms.obama

i bet hillary or mcain never called you a NWORD...
isn't that what his ex preacher said lol

but we have now been labeled whitey.
but he obama campaign...


[edit on 15-6-2008 by beforetime]

reply to post by beforetime


Already being debunked here:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

I really liked your comments about how people shouldn't be offended, however. It really is pathetic when some uppity fool gets angry when someone says "whitey." As you said, if you're so ignorant to pretend as if history doesn't matter, you most certainly ought to be offended.

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
Already being debunked here:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Yep. Come join us for a lively discussion on -

- does the tape exist?
- is Karl Rove the founder of a rumor for political gain?
- did the tape existing get out before the republicans wanted it to be known?
- did Larry Johnson (major Hillary Supporter) make up a 'tape' rumor?
- did the Hillary camp make up a rumor and feed it to Larry Johnson who unwittingly is being used by the very camp he supports so strongly?

TIME magazine had interesting info lately about the timeline (Obama's camp knew about it BEFORE Larry Johnson discussed it) which suggests to me that Larry is being used by the Hillary camp and the rumor came from Hillary's folks.

But ... for almost 700 responses ... see the existing thread.

Would black people take offense to being called "blackey"?
I think so.
It's wrong either way....no excuses.

The term "whitey" is a racially-charged derogatory name. Nothing else really matters. It may not be exactly equal in offense or meaning to using the n-word, but it has no more place in dignified discussion than the n-word. To somehow try to justify or excuse using the word because it carries less of a "sting" than the n-word is just a double standard.

Originally posted by beforetime
i bet hillary or mcain never called you a NWORD...

Maybe not, but McCain justifies his own use of a racial slur here. And calls his wife the "C" word here. He's no saint.

And these are TRUE! This Michelle Obama "whitey" thing is just a rumor with NO indication that it's true at all. In fact, many are saying that it's been debunked.

but we have now been labeled whitey.

No we haven't. Not by Michelle Obama.

I watched the begining of the Dem Conv. when Mrs. Obama was speaking about the day being very special, something with Martin Luther King Jrs.
speech, then out came something to the effect that she was about to make a racial slur..... and quickly said something off track. At that point it became a black revolutionary moment in time, and I am tired of the separation. We are americans, and I will not vote for someone who wants to make this special because of his race. I am tired..........tired............tired.........., as far as I am concered, quit calling the minorities and call them americans, and give whites the same rights for once.

reply to post by beforetime


Chris Farley said it, so what?

ru.youtube.com...

come on guys wheres the tape? wheres the documentation of Obamas dual citizenship? oh wait wasnt he born in Kenya now? Wheres his certificate on that so you all claim here?!

come guys you have been holding back this supposed "evidence" for some time now

I don't even get the big deal of this whole thread

We all know white people look around before saying N!!223R so of course no one hears it when Hillary or Bush or any one else say it, they have tons of pracrice by now... it's a drill, like "look both ways before you cross the street"

I would say Obama's use of the term "typical white person" is far more revelant, and that was not a "slip".

If McCain had said "typical black person" the word RACIST would have been blasted across every national headline in ALL CAPS!

Originally posted by Sonya610
I would say Obama's use of the term "typical white person" is far more revelant, and that was not a "slip".

If McCain had said "typical black person" the word RACIST would have been blasted across every national headline in ALL CAPS!

and thus the double standard of racism.

and the media know's we can't say one word against it..
kinda messed up if you ask me.

it's ok to have black pride.
but white pride..is a OUT RAGE!!!!!!!!!!

I would say Obama's use of the term "typical white person" is far more revelant, and that was not a "slip".

I agree 110%. I'm annoyed that there wasn't a large issue made out of that. I was greatly offended by that statement and felt that it was degrading, insulting and inappropriate. Did he ever apologize for that? Why did he get a pass on it?

And as far as the 'whitey' situation ... as much as it was debunked on the other thread, I'm still hoping that such a tape exists and is made public sometime before the election. Not that I would anticipate it would make that much of a difference since Obama's supporters are going to support him no matter what, but I think it would add for a little extra excitement.



Jemison

Originally posted by Jemison
Not that I would anticipate it would make that much of a difference since Obama's supporters are going to support him no matter what, but I think it would add for a little extra excitement.

Yeah it really wouldn't make a difference. His "off color" comments, and that church of his, all of it was overlooked completely by a lot of people and NOTHING is going to change their minds.