former president Jimmy Carter says racism plays a major role in opposition to Obama

[cityboi]

I know many time when an African-American cries racism, the knee jerk reaction is to say that person is playing the race card. But despite Obama's victory in the presidential election there is still a lot of racism in the country. There does seem to be a tone of hatred towards Obama in everything he does even if it is something innocent as telling school children the value of education. I'm not sure how that became controversial when the last several presidents have done the same exact thing without incident. The same ones that are raising hell are the same ones that attended many of the McCain-Palin rallies where many Obama supporters near those events were called the "N" word. But you can see it in their negative emotions. The conservative tea party group is a great example. They are up in arms over government spending in the Obama administration but where were that when George Bush put this country in debt with the billions and billions of dollars spent in the Iraq War? If you see the news clips of some of the people in that group you can sense hatred.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/15/car...bama/index.html

[Charlotteman]

Jimmy Carter is a sage. A brilliant man. He has lived a long, long life and has seen many things. We can't discount his words for one second. If he is sensing racism, then there must be something to it.

I live in a part of the country where racism and homophobia are not tolerated. So fortunately I don't have to witness these social diseases on a day to day basis.

However I remember when Bill Clinton was elected president in 1992. Right off the starting line there was a similar hate-fest among right wing whackos. Everything he did, or tried to do, was met with nuclear attacks from these types of people.

I think this lunatic fringe, .....er Republican Party, has completely lost it's collective mind.

[StevenRocks]

When a Congressman can call the President of the United States a liar during the State of the Union Address and basically get away with it (with public support, no less), there is indication of respect issues towards the President. Combining this with some of the other things that have happened (the Tea Parties, alleged "death panels," constant questioning of his citizenship, et cetera), it certainly feels like racism to me.

[cityboi]

When a Congressman can call the President of the United States a liar during the State of the Union Address and basically get away with it (with public support, no less), there is indication of respect issues towards the President. Combining this with some of the other things that have happened (the Tea Parties, alleged "death panels," constant questioning of his citizenship, et cetera), it certainly feels like racism to me.

[Gard]

I have to agree that there is likely SOME racism involved, but I refuse to paint the whole thing (the things happening) as being rooted in racism. The ones where people are holding up signs telling him to go back to Kenya and stuff like that definitely are and others could be, but hard to prove concretely. You have to remember that as well that this nation is divided politically probably more than any other time in its history, aside from the Civil War, so you are likely to see people's passions coming through very strong in all parts of the spectrum, which may make it look like racism or something else, but isn't intended to.

Aside from that, I'm going to have to take Al Sharpton's (and one of the few times I agree with him) stance....Obama is right not to take the bait by disagreeing with Jimmy Carter on the racism. This issue is affects people of both colors and we must not let the race issue turn into a political sideshow of health care or we risk getting nowhere at all on it. Racism has no place in this debate.

[Gusterfell]

^Agreed. If Obama were to say publicly that his criticism is racially-based, even in part, he would be opening himself up to all sorts of grief. He would appear to be whining and playing the "poor me" crowd.

Anyone with the least bit of intellectual honesty can see the racism in images of Obama in whiteface, signs calling him a "lyin' African," and songs like "Barack the Magic Negro." Neither is it a stretch to think latent racism plays a part in people questioning the president's citizenship, parents disallowing their children to watch him in the classroom, and congressmen interrupting his address. However, the president would only fan the flames by injecting himself in the issue. He's better off waiting until the racist element of his opposition inevitably becomes so blatant that it marginalizes itself.

[StevenRocks]

I don't think Obama will speak to the racism issue anytime soon, nor would it be wise for him to do so. It just adds fuel to the fire when so much serious work needs to be done to shore up this country that should demand more of the public's attention than this issue.

[cityboi]

I don't think Obama will speak to the racism issue anytime soon, nor would it be wise for him to do so. It just adds fuel to the fire when so much serious work needs to be done to shore up this country that should demand more of the public's attention than this issue.

[Charlotteman]

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has expressed fear at the new incivility and general meanness in politics. She sees this current hatefulness as reminiscent of late 1970s San Francisco, when Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor Moscone were assassinated.

President Carter has spoken again, at Emory University, and voiced outrage at the outlandish signs seen at the right wing rallies.

btw, Rush Limbaugh called President Carter the National Hemorrhoid.

[StevenRocks]

Rush Limbaugh feeds people's insecurities and doesn't make a good case for conservatism. I think commentators like him exasperate situations like this for their own ratings benefit rather than present a true opposing viewpoint

People have to learn to accept differing points of view like adults. Rudeness doesn't make a person more right, it actually makes them seem more petty.

[erdogs]

While some of these people may be motivated by race, most are just concerned about the future of this country. After all of the spending by the Bush administration and now by the Obama administration, people see the projected deficits for the future and are afraid of bankrupting this country. This is a real fear that people like me have. For Carter to just demean people's fears as racism, shows how out of touch he is with average Americans.

Just to prove crazy loons aren't just on one side of the aisle, here is a video that shows it from another perspective.

[krazeeboi]

One difference that I can see already with the people calling Bush Hitler and a Nazi was that these folks were obviously the extremist/fringe/counter-cultural types, whereas the ones who call Obama the same are average folks who get whipped up in a frenzy about it through the likes of Beck, Hannity, and Limbaugh. Furthermore, a lot of the anti-Bush demonstrations took place at the time it was becoming obvious that we were screwing up in Iraq and Afghanistan. Actual lives were at stake and American soldiers were dying, some would say needlessly. All Obama has done is propose healthcare reform; nothing has actually been done yet, and we're getting stuff like:

• Hitler/Nazi

• Mao

• Marxist

• terrorist

• racist against Whites

• death panels

• secret Muslim

• jokes about assassination, even while he was still a presidential candidate

• polls on social networking sites about assassination

• 400% increase in death threats

• guns openly displayed during events where the president is present

• calls for a "bloodless" forced removal of the lawfully-elected president

• he's an illegal immigrant

• he's an "enemy of humanity"

• being shouted down as a liar during a joint Congressional address

• being called a "boy" while a presidential candidate

• claims of indoctrinating children

• claims of being prayed to/worshipped

All of this either before even getting elected or just eight months into office, having only signed the ARRA as a major piece of legislation. I'm getting to the point now where I'm tired of trying to separate those with legitimate concerns about policy from the loons, and God knows the Republican Party has no interest in distancing itself from these fringe elements because for them, anything is fair game as long as they can regain power. Anybody who can't see a difference with the vitriol being spewed at Obama versus that directed towards Bush when he was only a few months into his presidency are either disingenuous, ignorant, or intentionally deceptive.

[erdogs]

One difference that I can see already with the people calling Bush Hitler and a Nazi was that these folks were obviously the extremist/fringe/counter-cultural types, whereas the ones who call Obama the same are average folks who get whipped up in a frenzy about it through the likes of Beck, Hannity, and Limbaugh.

[krazeeboi]

My point still stands. The great majority of the folks spewing vitriol towards Bush (calling him Hitler, a Nazi, etc.) did so over a very controversial war (two, actually) where American soldiers were literally losing their lives and were people that were obviously on the fringe, the counter-cultural types. Those doing the same towards Obama are mainstream people (Joe Sixpack, as Palin might say) and Obama hasn't even signed any major legislation aside from ARRA. He hasn't even done anything yet. I don't recall people taking guns to presidential events and carrying placards saying, "It's time to water the tree of liberty" during the Bush administration.

Don't fool yourself into thinking one side is better than the other, both have their hatemongers. If you do, then you are being either disingenuous, ignorant, or intentionally deceptive.

[Charlotteman]

....... and Obama hasn't even signed any major legislation aside from ARRA. He hasn't even done anything yet.....

.

[krazeeboi]

This is a major BINGO!

Obama hasn't done a dang thing! What are these whackos going so crazy about??? If the President was talking about nationalizing industries, or invading Honduras, I might could understand all this right wing nuttery.

In fact I've been so disappointed in the President's lack of progressive action that I even started an UP thread: "What's with Obama/looks like status quo". I just wish Obama would do some of the dramatic things the right wing whackos are so afraid he's going to do. At the moment I'm seeing that he isn't doing anything.

I hope President Carter doesn't let this racism issue go. I still feel that it's an important idea for everyone to consider.

[StevenRocks]

Obama's record as a first year President is respectable, but every move he makes is questioned and often ridiculed. Considering that he's at least maintained the status quo, there is no need to suggest that the country would be better off without him.

[erdogs]

There's a distinct and noticeable difference with Obama, whether you want to acknowledge it or not. And like I said, it's getting to the point where I'm tired of trying to discern between those who genuinely differ with him on policy issues and the extremists/racists.

[Gusterfell]

^You really don't see any difference between a random post on a random internet board vs. something broadcast on Fox News or nationally-syndicated talk radio?

Ignoring extremist fringe elements like the one you just posted, the difference between criticism of Bush vs. Obama is that the liberal media attack Bush and the GOP based on their actions, as in the clips from MSNBC you posted earlier. Conservative attacks on Obama and the Democrats are based on deception and paranoia, rather than on anything that is actually taking place. Ed Schultz accused the insurance companies of making money by denying claims. Janeane Garofalo said that there is a large part of the activist conservative movement that is motivated by false beliefs promoted by their chosen media. Both of these claims are verifiably true, even if they are stated in a vitriolic manner. Both are a far cry from outright lies like the notion that Obama is pushing for "death panels," that he wants to take away anyone's insurance, that he wants to brainwash children, or that he isn't an American citizen. You can find all these lies repeated regularly on mainstream conservative "news" programs, along with eager hopes for the president to fail.

As others have said, what has Obama done to deserve such anger? The left waited until Bush implemented policies that could be defined as fascist (under the word's classical definition) before calling him a fascist. The hatred toward Obama began before he was sworn in.

[erdogs]

^You really don't see any difference between a random post on a random internet board vs. something broadcast on Fox News or nationally-syndicated talk radio?

Ignoring extremist fringe elements like the one you just posted, the difference between criticism of Bush vs. Obama is that the liberal media attack Bush and the GOP based on their actions, as in the clips from MSNBC you posted earlier. Conservative attacks on Obama and the Democrats are based on deception and paranoia, rather than on anything that is actually taking place. Ed Schultz accused the insurance companies of making money by denying claims. He accused Republicans of wanting people to die, talk about paranoia! Between 2007-2008 Medicare had the highest claims denied of any of the large insurers at 6.85%. I guess now Hannity can go on TV and say the same thing about Democrats using your same logic. Janeane Garofalo said that there is a large part of the activist conservative movement that is motivated by false beliefs promoted by their chosen media. No, she said they were all a bunch of tea bagging rednecks, who were upset at having a black president. I doubt she went to any Tea Party protests to see what their complaints were, she just decided to stereotype everyone there based on her own deep seeded hatred. Both of these claims are verifiably true, even if they are stated in a vitriolic manner. Both are a far cry from outright lies like the notion that Obama is pushing for "death panels," that he wants to take away anyone's insurance, If the president gets what he and the majority of Democrats want, a single payer government run health care system, then you will lose your insurance, it will be replaced with the government plan. Fortunately he doesn

[Charlotteman]

Some Republicans are finally realizing some of this stuff is detrimental to the future of their party. As many of you may know, prominent Republican Senators Lindsay Graham and John McCain have recently spoken out against the insane Birther movement. And Graham reiterated in strong language that the President isn't a Muslim-lol

I would also hope Republicans begin to speak out against the current right-wing tantrums seen in Town Hall meetings. Why are Olympia Snowe R-Maine and Susan Collins R-Maine not speaking out against this anti-Obama nonsense? They seem to be the only moderate Republican voices remaining~

As a nation, we still haven't come to a conclusion about lingering racism in our country, and how it will affect the Obama presidency. I guess only time will tell.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

What I find amazing is how many racists have come out of the woodwork.

There is no doubt in my mind that Carter is correct on this.

[Charlotteman]

Interesting how some of the extremely vocal whackos are calling the President a "negro". Well if they had a little education, perhaps they might learn that he is technically a "mulatto".

He has a white mother and a black father. Calling him a "negro" further exposes their ignorance and stupidity.

[erdogs]

Interesting how some of the extremely vocal whackos are calling the President a "negro". Well if they had a little education, perhaps they might learn that he is technically a "mulatto".

He has a white mother and a black father. Calling him a "negro" further exposes their ignorance and stupidity.

[Charlotteman]

^^ Rush Limbaugh has a parody song on his radio show: "Barack the Magic Negro".

The writer of the song "Barack the Magic Negro", Paul Shanklin, defends the song and said the upper GOP people were wrong for condemning it

LA Times based journalist David Ehrenstein, who happens to be black, referred to the President as a "magic negro".

Harlem pastor James Manning (a true blue whacko) , also black, has relentlessly attacked the President and called him a "good house negro". Manning is also a huge Birther and calls the President a criminal.

In his book "Bound", mixed race author Shelby Steele says the President is wearing "the mask of an iconic Negro".

Well known NYC bakery owner Ted Kefalinos had a day of "Drunken Negro Head" Obama cookies.

Presidential candidate Ralph Nader asked if Obama was going to be an "Uncle Tom" (which is synonymous with House Negro".

Even GOP Chairman Michael Steele, who is black, did not disagree with a radio show caller who called Obama "the magic negro".

Then internet site PoliticalArticles, a vociferous black separatist group, called Michael Steele "the true Magic Negro".

google search: "obama negro" 5,520,000 results.