Carter: Race Plays Role in Obama Dislike - UPDATED: White House rejects racism claim

Carter: Race Plays Role in Obama Dislike

firstread.msnbc.msn.com

In an interview with NBC's Brian Williams, former Democratic President Jimmy Carter attributed much of the conservative opposition that President Obama is receiving to the issue of race.

"I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man," Carter said. "I live in the South, and I've seen the South come a long way, and I've seen the rest of the country that share the South's attitude toward minority groups at that time, particularly African Americans."

(visit the link for the full news article)

edit:

UPDATE

White House rejects racism claim

[edit on 16 Sep 09 by Gools]

Well this is interesting.

What proportion of opposition to Obama's presidency can be attributed to racists hiding behind the "anti-liberal" banner?

Is it a factor at all?

Some including former Presidents of the United States believe it is to a certain extent.

What say you ATS?
.





firstread.msnbc.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Originally posted by Gools


Well this is interesting.

What proportion of opposition to Obama's presidency can be attributed to racists hiding behind the "anti-liberal" banner?

Is it a factor at all?

Some including former Presidents of the United States believe it is to a certain extent.

What say you ATS?
.





firstread.msnbc.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Who's Jimmy Carter?

reply to post by Stormdancer777

Who's Herbert Hoover?

Carter lost control of his faculties years ago. With his anti-Semitism, and now race-baiting, it doesn't seem he's all there.

Good to see that someone who can get public attention is finally stating something that has been obvious to the rest of the world since the presidential election campaign.

Wow. Carter is still alive? What is he, like 302? Seriously though,

"I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man,"

I'm a little dissappointed that he would say that.

Carter continued, "And that racism inclination still exists. And I think it's bubbled up to the surface because of the belief among many white people, not just in the South but around the country, that African-Americans are not qualified to lead this great country. It's an abominable circumstance, and it grieves me and concerns me very deeply."

The comments on that blog are pretty interesting as well. It's all a sham. Why would he say that when we've rallied behind folks like Condolezza Rice and Colin Powell? I think if anything, black people are in a position now to influence and shape this world like never before, as evidenced by the United States electing a black president.

As long as some are willing to hold on to the notion that they are being discriminiated against because of their color, when it's really just their ideas and actions that suck, we will make no progress.

Obama will be 'overwhelmingly' judged not by his color, but by his kept, or broken promises. Therein lies the problem for the administration and its supporters. They are collectively failing the people of this nation, one group at a time. When there is no desire to assume the responsibility for these failures, it's a just so easy to say we disagree with the man because he's black.

Those that use that card, regardless of their color are cowards and those that feed the lie with their biased statements, targeted at division, should be smacked with a twig squarely on the rump.

I'm sick of the accusation.

I think it serves as a convenient excuse to avoid addressing the substance of the opposition.

If I'm forced to wildly speculate about race, then I'll note the unprecedented, nearly universal, and unwavering support he apparently enjoys from blacks despite his actual political positions or accomplishments.

This is plain politics and nothing else... I'm insulted by the implication that because I'm not "with him", then its because I'm a racist-- even if I don't realize it.

Reminds me of another "your either with us or against us" president.

Same bag of tricks, different player.



How sad for us....

[edit on 15-9-2009 by loam]

Instead of ad hominem attacks on Carter how about we concentrate on what he said?

My question again:

What proportion of opposition to Obama's presidency can be attributed to racists hiding behind the "anti-liberal" banner?

.

I think race plays a very little role in Obama's dislike. I think it has more to do with the media turning every little thing into a race issue. IMO, conservatives dislike for Obama has more to do with Democrats being in charge of the White House and Congress.

Let's admit it, republicans got their butt handed to them in the last election. They got outsmarted at every corner by a guy who they thought had no chance in hell of winning in the first place.

As far as Carter, well, his political career speaks for itself.

It seems to be easier, more convenient, and more palatable for some to blame the problems that a lot of people have with Obama on the color of his skin than with his stances on issues.

It seems so hard for them to believe that people have an actual problem with Obama's agenda.......for them, it has to be a race thing. It is utterly ridiculous and it is getting really old.

Criticism of Obama does not equal racism.

I'm sure there are some who dislike Obama due to his race- without a doubt. Although we have made a lot of progress as a society, there are factions within our population who would judge a person by the color of their skin instead of their actions, policies, and stances.

But this is where I disagree: 'I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man.'

It is reasonable to assume there are those out there who oppose Obama because of his race but I do not know if it is an 'overwhelming portion' of racial animosity that makes up for the dislike of Obama.

Also, the race card has been thrown around so much, less and less are taking it seriously. This is very damaging because when someone truly does have animosity towards Obama for his race, the response will be 'Yeah, Yeah. We've heard that all before.' Using the race card inappropriately does more harm than good and we're getting to that point. I believe MSNBC even claimed the word 'socialist' was a veiled racial slur when used against Obama.

The middle and more factual ground is understanding there is a segment of society that dislikes Obama for his race and those who could care less.

Think about it this way. In the past decades, the country is generally split 50/50 when it comes republican and democrat. Throughout all those decades, there has been serious mud slinging and opposition. Clinton had a lot of hate directed towards him from the right, Bush had a lot of hate directed towards him from the left. Obama isn't special. They're mainly opposing him for the same reason most presidents have been opposed: Party affiliation.

Originally posted by Gools
Is it a factor at all?

Of course.
Anyone who doesn't think there is some racism against him is clueless.

Polls show a huge % of people in the south believe in the birth certificate conspiracy compared with people living in the rest of the country. I've witnessed a systematic effort to delegitimize his presidency. Also I highly doubt Rep Wilson would have had that outburst, had Clinton won the election.

Originally posted by AshleyD
They're mainly opposing him for the same reason most presidents have been opposed: Party affiliation.

(devils' advocate)

Is this any more legitimate than race based opposition?
.

reply to post by Gools

What proportion of opposition to Obama's presidency can be attributed to racists hiding behind the "anti-liberal" banner?

There is no way to know that.

However playing the race card, keeps the real issues hidden.

reply to post by Gools

Is this any more legitimate than race based opposition?

I swear I was actually going to give my opinion on that in my above post but really couldn't come to a definite opinion in my head.

This was my thought process:

Why deciding on race is worse: Because someone's skin color is not going to play any part of how they can perform their duties. Nothing to do with the important political issues. The same as someone having a certain hair color. Not related to politics so I'd say hating him for his race would be worse. It's like when we have female politicians and it always comes down to a beauty contest. Hillary is too ugly! Palin is too sexy! Who cares?! Nothing to do with their performance.

Why deciding by politics is bad: Because instead of focusing on the real issues, we've become so divided that it's no longer about what we believe but what our party believes and no longer being against what we feel is wrong but what our party believes to be wrong.

I'd have to say hating a politician for their race has to win the 'worst reason' because race should have nothing to do with it. Although it's not that much better, at least party affiliation has something to do with politics in that people generally choose their party for a reason (they agree with the majority of issues) therefore disagree with the majority of the other side's issues. But race is completely unrelated.

Originally posted by Gools

What proportion of opposition to Obama's presidency can be attributed to racists hiding behind the "anti-liberal" banner?

Seems to me the percentage of racists would remain constant from before Bo's election to now.

Though the ones who were extremely so are bound to be extra peeved at his election ... and the ones who who were closet racists now have a convenient camouflaged vehicle to express it.

Having said that, and because of the race card being played by both parties, it has become almost impossible to distinguish between valid/earnest criticism and racially motivated one. Hence the frequent indignation of "I can't speak against Obama without being accused of being racist." Followed by the blank accusation of "if you have to qualify it that way then it means you are a racist." However, if one has the benefit of time and observation, a person's inner self will eventually show through.

It's a mess really, short term it confuses the issue, gridlocks, divides, generates distrust, resentment, frustration and even anger. But one must also have a longer term view and understand that such social leaps aren't made without the "old guard" kicking and screaming.

I wish we were more vigilant though ...

For as painful some aspects of our current history may be, by dividing ourselves to this extent, we leave ourselves vulnerable to forces a lot greater than the ones most people fear.

As open to manipulation as we already are by accepting the two party system and believing that there in lies power, those who really wield power by counting on us being distracted and divided, are currently having a field day.

reply to post by AshleyD


So to sum up, hating a republican and/or liberal because they are a republican and /or liberal is about as invalid and illegitimate as hating Obama because he's black?

If so, to what factor(s) are we (especially those looking in from the outside) to attribute all of the hatred we see today in US politics? \


.

reply to post by Gools


I'm sure there's a portion who dislike him secondarily because of his race, but they would be just as dead set against him if he were white, well fully white, it's so strange to me that everybody forgets about his white half, and his being raised by his white half of the family. It's all about partisan politics, the right said the same things about Clinton. The same partisan crap that both parties use so effectively to maintain control of the population.

I think most of the hostility to Obama is ideological, and also some simple post-election sour grapes.

Some of the real hardcore Obama-haters, however, do seem to have a not very subtle racial agenda.

It's just as foolish to say that none of the hostility aimed at Obama is due to his race, as it is to say all of it is.