Racism behind anger toward Obama: Carter
Racism is driving the recent anger-charged criticism of President Barack Obama, ex-president Jimmy Carter said.
"I think that an overwhelming proportion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, he's African-American," Carter, 84, told NBC television.
"I live in the South, and I have seen the South come a long way," Carter added.
"But that racism inclination still exists, and I think it has bubbled up to the surface because of a belief among many white people, not just in the South but across the country, that African-Americans are not qualified to lead this great country."
"It is an abominable circumstance, and grieves me and concerns me deeply," added Carter.
Carter's remarks come after a week in which a Republican lawmaker Joe Wilson shouted "You lie!" at the US president during a speech, and thousands protested against Obama administration policies in Washington.
A series of Democratic lawmakers and political columnists have pointed to the trends -- the heckling, the gun-toting, the preachers leading congregations in prayers that Obama will die -- and warned of the danger therein.
"There's something loose in the land, an ugliness and hatred directed toward Barack Obama, the nation's first African American president, that takes the breath away," wrote columnist Colbert King in The Washington Post.
To New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, the South Carolina Republican's cry of "You lie!" showed that Obama is "at the center of a period of racial turbulence sparked by his ascension," she wrote.
"This president is the ultimate civil rights figure -- a black man whose legitimacy is constantly challenged by a loco fringe."
Searching for the root of angry outbursts by white, middle-aged to elderly Americans at lawmakers' town hall meetings on health care reform over the summer, Democratic Congressman Charles Rangel also pointed to racism.
"Some Americans have not gotten over the fact that Obama is president of the United States. They go to sleep wondering, 'How did this happen?'" said Rangel earlier this month. Other black Democratic lawmakers have concurred.
But to Obama opponents, whenever a Democrat cries "racist," it is nothing more than a political ploy to muffle dissent.
"It is an intimidation tactic. When you make that attack and call someone racist or homophobic it is a way to kind of silence them," said Brendan Steinhauser, grassroots coordinator for FreedomWorks which organized the first large-scale protest against Obama in Washington over the weekend.
"This movement is made up of people who oppose big government," said Steinhauser, describing the tens of thousands of protesters who converged on Washington.
"The idea that people are trying to bring race into this is absolutely ridiculous."
Voting in a black President is a step towards the right direction. Good things are happening in the US. It's quite a progress but there will always be inertia to change. So it's natural that some nagging problems will be there and sometimes the ugly face of racism will pop out here and there. But those who are progressive, should ignore these and look at the brighter things and move ahead. Considering the fact that 50 years back the blacks were subject to different set of rules in the same country the US made a lot of progress!
In India we started the emancipation of the lower classes much earlier than the US. But still casteism in India is prevalent in some places. It's mostly under cover. But our progress is steady in this respect. And it is most likely the next generation won't even know their caste. Can the US follow suit? I think it will take much longer in the US because, unlike casteism which is fading with every passing generation, racism has it's root in the skin color and physical attributes. So the difference will not wear off so soon. The minds of the people needs to change.
Nothing wrong with people disagreeing.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
shall i request to the Mod, to delete this forum???
Do you think a day goes by in Qatar without some racist event happening. I can assure you that racism is all around us -- in Qatar, in the rest of the Arab world, and yes, in the US. But it is not racism that is fueling this problem with the healthcare bill.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
yes it is racism...it's part of the system...i mean a day doesn't go buy in the US without some sort of racist incident. It's deeply rooted. Now you have a 'black' president...no racist american is ever going to accept that!
http://pubrecord.org/multimedia/5191/revealed-party-march-really-about/
like him because he is Black. The question is whether the animosity he has faced in Congress is because he is Black. Carter thinks it is racism and Obama states that it is political. In other words, Obama seems to put it down to the huge POLITICAL DIVIDE we have between Liberals and Conservatives.
I tend to agree with Obama because all you have to do is look at the last 20 years in American politics and see that Clinton and Bush both suffered the same kinds of attacks by a Congress that worked against them, rather than with them. It is clear that American politics have become more bipartisan than ever and that has made the political process slow down so much it essentially makes it impossible to get anything done.
BTW, Obama's problems with getting a National Health Care policy is just part 2 of what Clinton faced. Review your history.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
President Barack Obama acknowledged that some Americans don’t like him because of the color of his skin —
Racism still exists sadly. Fact of life.
once in a blue moon .
Perhaps you don't know the UK as well as I know the states..
I will exit gracefully stage left now and leave the last word to you - as always :)
because you want to write something reactionary. When it is proven to be false, you duck out. That's a pretty big difference.
BTW, I am an American Muslim and no one has ever blamed me for terrorism. Nor has any American Muslim I personally know been called a terrorist, although SOME ignorant people have called SOME American Muslims supporters of terror. So once again, you have made a reactionary statement that is an exaggeration and stereotype.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
if u can put all muslims in one basket for any stupid terrorist act of a single person!!!
anyhow
i'm off!
I guess the difference is, I know that is a poor basis to speak with authority and you don't.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
ban the hijaab. I think you are confusing the US with France, aadil.
We also have no laws preventing people from going to the masjid 5 times a day nor any laws regarding beards.
You don't seem to know much about the US, aadil....
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
I like it.. Please don't stop.. I don't kno evrything about the US, since its such a large place.. i can only go with my own experiences of the places I have visited and ofcourse from what I read on newspapers, books and ofcourse QL :)
partly because you are always so PC and partly because you think you know everything about the US (which I find a bit ironic).
Or so it seems to me....
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
You've the laws to protect nudity, but to banned scarp/hijab, to encourage disco, but to harass those who five times goes to Masjid, to promote ....... but to banned beard,
ohhhhh
i've forget , wats the worth to discus it here ???
I have never suggested that I know everything... You just seem to resort to sarcasm and wit when people disagree with you...........Or so it seems ... :)
That I don't think I know everything and you think you do? Never any question of that on QL as far as I am concerned.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
what makes you think we don't have the potential for racism? What is different perhaps is that we have laws so you can't let racism affect hiring, where you live, how you are paid, etc. But people can still harbor racism in their hearts.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
Thank goodness you finally admitted it :)
there's hope for us after all.....
but being from the third world, i never thought these could be happen in the modern world of American !
this is not ur pink kia :D
don't think I know everything. :-P
In other words, I couldn't say. But as a Brit, feel free to speak for him. lol
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
Yes Aadil I agree it is everywhere. Some people just pretend its gone forever.
"Hurricanes are like women : when they come, they're wet and wild, but when they leave they take your house and car."
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
so we can't deny the fact that racism is every where, in terms of east/west, white/black/brown, muslim/non muslim, rich/poor, high class/low class, superior/inferior, strong/weak, covered/semi covered/uncovered, skirt/hijab and bla blah blah.......????
Do you seriously believe that Obama, being a black guy and President would actually come out and admit to such a thing ....
plaguing Obama (in this case Jimmy Carter), but Obama says it's not. He thinks it is politics. Who is to know? As I have stated many times, no country is immune to having some racists.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
what the lame stream media reports, you don't begin to know what you're talking about. The AFP (Associated Foreign Press) is part of the lame stream media. ...and IF I had believed what the lame stream media reported about the Middle East, I never would have taken a job here.
(Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug...)
the racism toward Obama, came from American's :)
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
A huge laugh :D
You want to discuss typical racism?
Watch this:
You'll note that there are many ways to make a case for different views.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
The common Carrousel movement, if the republicans accuse Obama of something or find a cliche to steam up, then the Democrats will rise with counter comments
dido,dido, dada, dada
One up , one down!
Due to the recession, to save on energy costs, the light at the end of the tunnel will be turned off.
—God
Graduated from Xavier Institute for Higher learning
very typical
watch this
:-P
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
I would tend to agree with President Carter on the whole. Racism still exists. It becomes more "active" when times are hard and people look to blame someone for their ills.
becoz he's Mr. President :)
Mr.adil..... my reply is exactly in line with the forum topic. those who know the issue would understand the basis of my comment.
thank you for your concern :-)
plz once re read the forum topic :)
its mostly a gimmick by the democrats to shift the focus off the recent issue on health care reforms which created a huge hue and cry .
He believes this issue is part of the deep political divide in the US between liberals and conservatives. I tend to agree with Obama on this but do think there might be a very tiny minority who are still coming to terms with the changing face of American politics.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM