Letter to The LA Times Group
"Have Democrats been tough enough on Senator Harry Reid for making racially insensitive remarks? -Daily Pilot - Jan. 14, 2010 - pg. A5
I want to make sure I understand. We want politicians to talk to us in a frank manner and verse. When one does, we try to kill him, destroy his family and nail his pet dog to a cross.Harry reportedly said, "The country is ready to embrace a black candidate, especially like Obama (not unlike Colin Powell) - because he was light-skinned African American with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one ( President Obama and Senator Clinton seem to find this dialect on the right occasion).
"Colorism as it has been dubbed, is this idea, and it results in privilege afforded to lighter-skinned black people both within and outside of the black community." Maya Rupert - LA Watts Times.
"I guess I underestimated the selfishness of some of my fellow Americans." President Obama referring to war veterans objecting to the President plan to make them pay for their medical care. If you live in a world of emotion this is much more insensitive than Sen. Reid's analysis of the election. As a vet myself, I appreciate knowing the Commander in Chief's attitude towards military veterans. The hypocrites among us that demand honest and frank words from our elected officials and then whine and cry and demand them to apologize are worse than the politicians they criticize.
Rahm Emanuel once said "fing retards." (He was referring to voters who expected Obama to fight for things.) Chris Kelly - Huffington Post
"You have to be kind to the disabled." Charlie Rangel referring to then Gov. Palin. This is insensitive in many ways. Do we think the disabled or Sara Palin are to weak to know what Charlie Rangel or Rahm Emanuel thinks. Once again, bring in the clowns we have elected to public office to pretend to be offended. And, bring in the media clowns to write volumes of un-important drivel not related to what was said. But, how it was said. For the rest of us, we should appreciate and encourage honesty. Even, if it does offend in some way. For, the cost of not being offended is too great of a price to pay. That price is ignorance.
"My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals. You know why? Because they breed. You're facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply. They will reproduce, especially ones that don't think too much further than that. And so what you've got to do is you've got to curtail that type of behavior. They don't know any better," Lt. Gov. South Carolina -Andre Bauer. The letters and demands for an apology and or resignation were in the mail before he finished the sentence.
Citizens for and against statements made by Santa Clarita City Councilman Bob Kellar, get into a spirited discussion about immigration issues, and comments made by Kellar. CA 1/26/2010 (John McCoy/Staff Photographer) Santa Clarita, Ca. Councilman Bob Kellar, who called himself a "proud racist" during an anti-illegal immigration rally two weeks ago.
He first referred to a statement from President Theodore Roosevelt that said the United States only has room for one flag and one language. He said he had quoted it at a past city council meeting. "The only thing I heard back from a couple of people was `Bob, you sound like a racist'," Kellar said. "I said, `That's good. If that's what you think I am because I happen to believe in America. I'm a proud racist. You're darn right I am'." The printing companies are making a lot of money selling posters demanding that this racist councilman resign. And, the Los Angeles TV News stations only report the 'proud racist part' in an effort to get your attention. Do you just want to hear 'proud racist' or would like to know what was intended or do you think we can not have any negative use of the word race? "You know, I forgot he was black tonight for an hour." Chris Mathews referring to President Obama during his address to the nation. Oh yes, there are those calling Mathews a racist for partisan reasons of course...not because they think he is a supporter of Darwinism and race superiority.
Senator Reid may have faults but this is not one of them. Any reasonably educated person with some life experience would come to the same conclusion after a brief analysis. And, history has proven his analysis to be correct. The only mistake Harry made was apologizing and not making clear what he meant. He might add, their is no right, nor expectation not be offended or protected from insensitive political analysis. And, we should stop treating minorities like they they are unable to function in society without protection from anything and everything that might educate or offend in some way. As Harry Truman (D) said "if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen."
"Colorism as it has been dubbed, is this idea, and it results in privilege afforded to lighter-skinned black people both within and outside of the black community.
"Reid's comments, while inelegant, were ..... True." - Maya Rupert - LA Watts Times.
Again, the cost of not being offended is too great of a price to pay. That price is ignorance and failure to learn.
cc: Maya Rupert - LA Watts Times
ref: Daily Pilot, ABC Radio, Huffington Post, CBS News, Sun Times, Contra Costa Times, Washingtonpost.com, CBS Radio. LA Watts Times
