Comments on: The Dreaded Word: Race http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/2009/09/30/the-dreaded-word-race/ Girl-friendly points of view from women living midlife with humor and grace, keeping it real—staying young and healthy in heart and mind. Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:59:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Christie http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/2009/09/30/the-dreaded-word-race/comment-page-1/#comment-1598 Christie Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:20:02 +0000 http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/?p=2804#comment-1598 Phew, Carine, just contemplating the issues you bring up makes me break out in a sweat. I feel so angry and sad that race still divides people in most countries in the world. At least in the US people keep confronting the issue, and overcoming it... we have a President who is a person of colour and he is working to get an incredible agenda passed a congress that can barely control its contempt for him and each other. I will make a stand on this point: The name-calling has got to stop on all sides. It does no good, reduces argument to verbal barroom brawls and furthers hate-filled jingoism. Phew, Carine, just contemplating the issues you bring up makes me break out in a sweat. I feel so angry and sad that race still divides people in most countries in the world. At least in the US people keep confronting the issue, and overcoming it… we have a President who is a person of colour and he is working to get an incredible agenda passed a congress that can barely control its contempt for him and each other. I will make a stand on this point: The name-calling has got to stop on all sides. It does no good, reduces argument to verbal barroom brawls and furthers hate-filled jingoism.

]]> By: Tubularsock http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/2009/09/30/the-dreaded-word-race/comment-page-1/#comment-1589 Tubularsock Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:15:15 +0000 http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/?p=2804#comment-1589 To Carine, Oh. A centrist, you say. Believes in rendition. Still allows torture. Expands the imperialist war agenda Believes in the bogus “war” on terror Fearful of investigating 911 Opposes real transparency Bends over --- to corporate power. Supports state secrets to prevent lawsuits Supports detentions without legal rights Supports dismissing lawsuits seeking the release of missing Bush e-mails Supports Eavesdropping on Americans without warrants. Threatened to withhold Intel cooperation if England released records of a free Gitmo detainee Allows war criminals to get away with their crimes thereby becoming an accomplice Sells out the American public to the drug companies Willing to sell out health care for political profit Gives away the bank to the banks Supports the patriot act against citizen freedom No, that isn’t centrist! That is the “Good Negro” dancing the gig for the white power structure. Why the guy that should be driving the bus keeps throwing himself under the bus is centrist! To Carine,

Oh. A centrist, you say.

Believes in rendition.
Still allows torture.
Expands the imperialist war agenda
Believes in the bogus “war” on terror
Fearful of investigating 911
Opposes real transparency
Bends over — to corporate power.
Supports state secrets to prevent lawsuits
Supports detentions without legal rights
Supports dismissing lawsuits seeking the release of missing Bush e-mails

Supports Eavesdropping on Americans without warrants.
Threatened to withhold Intel cooperation if England released records of a free Gitmo detainee
Allows war criminals to get away with their crimes thereby becoming an accomplice
Sells out the American public to the drug companies
Willing to sell out health care for political profit
Gives away the bank to the banks
Supports the patriot act against citizen freedom

No, that isn’t centrist! That is the “Good Negro” dancing the gig for the white power structure.

Why the guy that should be driving the bus keeps throwing himself under the bus is centrist!

]]> By: Margaret (Nanny Goats) http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/2009/09/30/the-dreaded-word-race/comment-page-1/#comment-1587 Margaret (Nanny Goats) Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:19:23 +0000 http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/?p=2804#comment-1587 I love that quote: “In Louisiana, voters trust insurance companies far more than they trust President Obama.” I can't even talk about this issue - it makes me sick (which apparently I can't afford to do), but you've said it well. I love that quote: “In Louisiana, voters trust insurance companies far more than they trust President Obama.” I can’t even talk about this issue – it makes me sick (which apparently I can’t afford to do), but you’ve said it well.

]]> By: carine http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/2009/09/30/the-dreaded-word-race/comment-page-1/#comment-1586 carine Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:52:35 +0000 http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/?p=2804#comment-1586 To Tubularsock, Obama is not showing up in "whiteface." Obama is a centrist (not a liberal) who by hook or by crook has decided to be civil. As regards the democratic party, I, too, am done with them. Although I will continue to vote democrat for president (otherwise my vote is a waste), I will never again vote for a democrat for senator or councilperson unless they espouse progressive views. I'm officially changing to Independent. That's the only way to change the culture in DC. To fill those seats in the congress and senate with independents. To Tubularsock,

Obama is not showing up in “whiteface.” Obama is a centrist (not a liberal) who by hook or by crook has decided to be civil. As regards the democratic party, I, too, am done with them. Although I will continue to vote democrat for president (otherwise my vote is a waste), I will never again vote for a democrat for senator or councilperson unless they espouse progressive views. I’m officially changing to Independent. That’s the only way to change the culture in DC. To fill those seats in the congress and senate with independents.

]]> By: Annice http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/2009/09/30/the-dreaded-word-race/comment-page-1/#comment-1585 Annice Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:30:15 +0000 http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/?p=2804#comment-1585 Carine, Thanks for writing this post. Obama is a brave soul to promote so much needed change, and I have to believe since America elected him as her president, he will prevail. We might not get the health care plan he/we wanted, but we will get one, and it will be the first step to many more changes to come either form him or others following in his footsteps regardless of their color. Carine,

Thanks for writing this post. Obama is a brave soul to promote so much needed change, and I have to believe since America elected him as her president, he will prevail. We might not get the health care plan he/we wanted, but we will get one, and it will be the first step to many more changes to come either form him or others following in his footsteps regardless of their color.

]]> By: Tubularsock http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/2009/09/30/the-dreaded-word-race/comment-page-1/#comment-1584 Tubularsock Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:02:38 +0000 http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/?p=2804#comment-1584 My question is simple. When is Obama going to show some guts and stop showing up in "white face"? And when are the American people that voted for him and this putrid Congress going to get mad and shut this country down until these chicken hearted Democrats start to stand up for real change. My question is simple. When is Obama going to show some guts and stop showing up in “white face”?

And when are the American people that voted for him and this putrid Congress going to get mad and shut this country down until these chicken hearted Democrats start to stand up for real change.

]]> By: beezersmom http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/2009/09/30/the-dreaded-word-race/comment-page-1/#comment-1583 beezersmom Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:45:04 +0000 http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/?p=2804#comment-1583 I agree with NY Times columnist Maureen Dowd who wrote that the word "Boy" was the implicit third word in Congressman Joe Wilson's outburst of "You lied!" in President Obama's recent Joint Address to Congress. There is no excuse for Wilson's racism, his ugly words or his lack of respect for our president--and by implication, his lack of respect for everyone who doesn't belong to his privileged white male club. I find two things frightening about the Joe Wilson phenomenon--first, that his rudeness was met with a hero's welcome by so many; and second, that the "so many" have no clue that, even if they put pastel Izod shirts and golf knickers, Joe Wilson wouldn't be caught dead hanging out with them. The gun-toting, red-necked Joe Sixpack who considers Wilson a hero would be turned away from Wilson's door and most likely locked up if he tried to gain entrance. I agree with NY Times columnist Maureen Dowd who wrote that the word “Boy” was the implicit third word in Congressman Joe Wilson’s outburst of “You lied!” in President Obama’s recent Joint Address to Congress. There is no excuse for Wilson’s racism, his ugly words or his lack of respect for our president–and by implication, his lack of respect for everyone who doesn’t belong to his privileged white male club. I find two things frightening about the Joe Wilson phenomenon–first, that his rudeness was met with a hero’s welcome by so many; and second, that the “so many” have no clue that, even if they put pastel Izod shirts and golf knickers, Joe Wilson wouldn’t be caught dead hanging out with them. The gun-toting, red-necked Joe Sixpack who considers Wilson a hero would be turned away from Wilson’s door and most likely locked up if he tried to gain entrance.

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