Because he’s black?

I am disappointed by Geraldine Ferraro. I always thought she was cool! That sucks that she thinks that the only reason Barack Obama is where he is today is because he’s black! It reminds me of when I started, comics were jealous of my early success, and they would say, “Oh, the only reason she’s gotten anywhere is because she is Korean.” Omg – as if!! Yeah, right. Because Hollywood has had such a long standing love affair with Korean comics!

Sexism is bad too – yes. That is a big problem as well, but it shouldn’t have to be a contest. Who gets oppressed more?! It all sucks. All I know is that people of color and women both have to work exponentially harder at everything in order to get ahead. To act as if color or gender is some kind of advantage in this extremely racist and sexist country is delusional. Racism exists, sexism exists – the people who are saying it doesn’t are in denial.

33 thoughts on “Because he’s black?

  1. On some level, though the comments could have been better phrased, she brought up a valid point…the nation is swept up in Obama Hysteria, and many of the states he is winning got placed in the win column because of the huge outpouring of support from a prideful black populace that has delivered a black vote for Obama that in some cases exceeds 90 percent. Nothing wrong with that, but it is a fact.

    Do you really think such a hysteria would be enveloping any other Senator’s presidential campaign if said presidential contender had only two years of experience on the National Political stage, two years of experience as a Senator? Should she be cast into the fires of hell for stating the obvious?

  2. Well, Geraldine Ferraro’s husband is a total turd. He used to stay at the Claremont Hotel )where I toiled for years). He treated the ENTIRE staff like dog poo stuck on his shoe. It was obvious that he was an elitist arse wipe. I wonder why he never figured out that the staff not only had his home address, hotel room key, credit card numbers and all his personal numbers.

    I should have cranked called that arse at 3:00 AM.

  3. it’s kind of a weird paradox… i think it’s a kind of natural, social affirmative action. kind of like the way you don’t feel it’s AS racist making fun of your mom and asian stereotypes… or sarah silverman doesn’t think it’s racist making fun of all kinds of racial stereotypes. but… it still sort of is.

    it’s really like incredibly hard to judge because is it like the action or the end result… do the ends justify the means… if you use racism to combat racism, or if you use sexism to combat sexism.

    I think GF is definitely doing some political monkey wrenching and it’s fascinating to just step back and watch. What I don’t like is that things have finally gotten nasty between fellow democrats and liberals… and for the first time in a long time, we’re all having to smell the actual stink of our own shit.

    It still smells like roses compared to the fundies and conservatives though…

  4. Brisbane reportss!! LOL

    RACIST MAYOR… yes it is true.. i watched it on news today..
    This white guy is running for mayor in a small country town and he promises that he will pay AUD$50 000 (i think) the local aborigines to leave the town and bring in VIETNAMESE!!!!

    TALK ABOUT TAKING THE COUNTRY BACK a 100 years!! and its only 100 years old!!

  5. I wouldn’t be surprised if every single black person voted for Obama. I think they should, he’s a great candidate, and he’s black. I would love it women could stick together like that, but they don’t. Only a small handful of women think that way. I find it perplexing that most groups that are oppressed bond together, but not women. Anyway, as a woman, I agree GF’s comments were out of line, and disappointing.

  6. Are you advocating women sticking together behind a great candidate who is a woman, or women sticking together just because someone is a woman? I’m a feminist, but having ovaries won’t guarantee you my vote. I vote for who I think is the best candidate. I voted for Obama, but will vote for Clinton if she becomes the nominee.

  7. Why the hell does everyone think that what she said is justified in any way? I too am “caught up” in Obama. I am a middle aged white feminist woman. Proud to call myself a feminist. But that does not mean I will only vote by gender. So according to that narrow minded numb nut person’s comment I would be rooting for Hillary. But to me Hillary is the same as all the old fat white guys who have been running the world. she is also a bully.
    I am voting for the best candidate and to me he is. 2 year – 30 years. Kennedy has as many. Reagan was a frickin’ actor. Bush didn’t even win legally. Use your head and open your mind people.
    If, God forbid it comes down to Hillary or McCain I don’t know what the hell I am going to do.

  8. Even PC-affirmations reflect some kind of “ism”, whether intended or not. We kinda can’t help it. It’s like that old joke: “I’m not racist– my best friend is black.” Prejudice and other means of categorizing are hard-wired into our cognitive faculties.

    As Sherwood M pointed out, there may be some merit to the black vote propelling Obama to the top, but the presentation of the notion could have been more thoughtful– if indeed the purpose was to present some honest, though uncomfortable, analysis on the matter (doubtful). It is possible for a person to receive special treatment by virtue of his/her perceived position as a representative of some historically mistreated peoples. It’s a double-edged sword. But to sensationalize complicated matters into a single issue– black vs. woman– as if we should only choose to give one “charity” over the other? That’s just BS.

  9. Margaret, I was making a comment about women in general, sticking together. I am not saying vote for her because she’s a woman. I expect and hope people will vote for the best candidate whomever they think that might be. I would say don’t not vote for her because she’s a woman. I would also not tell people who to vote for, only try to educate them on the candidates strengths or weaknesses.
    I am not a narrow minded numb nut as you so eloquently put it, and would not presume to call you names. You say you don’t like Hillary’s bullying and yet here you are, knowing nothing about me, making huge assumptive leaps about how you think my mind works, based on a short comment on a blog.
    I voted for Obama in the primary, but will support Hillary if she is the nominee.
    I never realized saying I wished women would stick together more, would cause such an adverse reaction. If you re-read my comment you’ll see I never advocate voting for Hillary because she’s a woman, or voting for Hillary period.

  10. Dear Red Mojo –
    I was referring to Sherwood.
    Sorry – you are neither numb or nuts. 🙂

    Sherwood’s comment that no one would vote for someone with only 2 yrs or less in the senate unless they were black was very uneducated at best. After doing some reading a few months ago I found there have been a few so this isn’t new. The reason for the “hysteria” is because we see something different. Not in color but in thinking. No lobbyist in his back pocket like Clinton, doesn’t bully with negativity. It makes me angry that “they” left and right are behaving like a bully when they are backed in a corner and losing so they are throwing everything and saying very disgusting things.
    I live in a very diverse city but I have to say that all the white people I know are voting for Obama for a myraid of reason – not 1 is because we are thrilled that he is black. That what I am referring to. I like that until mud is thrown at him he doesn’t play that game. I like that he wants to do something different. I like that he thinks outside the box. I like that he will work with both sides of the aisle and polarize which for the last 16 yrs we have been only polarized. I like that he will represent the country in a more positive note. REally can we honestly do any worse than Bush. We’ve had a Bush, Clinton, Bush admin and I think it’s time for a change. At this point I would vote for you Mr. Red Mojo.

    Again I apologize that you took this as directed at you.

  11. Do you really think such a hysteria would be enveloping any other Senator’s presidential campaign if said presidential contender had only two years of experience on the National Political stage, two years of experience as a Senator?

    In a word: yes. I fail to understand why people like you, Sherwood, find that so hard to understand. Obama is eloquent and intelligent and right on the issues. You could hardly paint a starker contrast to our current “president”. And, unfortunately for Clinton, he doesn’t carry as much “anti” baggage as she does.

    I, too, am totally disappointed in Ferraro. I’ve always really liked her but she has really revealed herself to be an idiot with these statements. In much the same way I am disappointed in Clinton. I had hoped for so much more from her but her political approach makes her look, as Keith Olbermann so aptly put it, like a Republican running against a Democrat rather than another Democrat. Shame on her for that.

  12. I have lived in this country all my life so it was quite a news flash to learn that it’s advantageous to be a black man in America.

    Who knew?

    I have been warned by many other women that if I don’t vote for Clinton because we (ostensibly) have matching parts I will roast in hell. Since that is not the part of my anatomy that votes, I support Obama.

    He seems to be the only candidate who is interested in serving America, not in using it for personal power. And Ferraro is a moron.

  13. I don’t agree with Ferraro’s remarks as far as Obama’s success being race related, Clinton immediately came back with saying she disagrees. I believe the Clinton campaign was hurt and surprised by those stupid remarks.

    However, this thread started shortly before “uncle” Jeremiah Wright had his racist, homophobic sermons exposed on You-Tube and ABC news.
    Then to have Obama turn around and say he never heard such sermons before is a huge load of bullshit. That was 20 years of agreement and being complicit
    Wright was not only his pastor, but part of his campaign. He is now gone only because he was exposed.

    While I agree that Hillary has moved to the center/right of politics to run for the White House,
    Obama has been a coward and a fake and either doesn’t bother to vote (voting present 130+) in order not to make enemies
    http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/02/the_everpresent_obama.html

    and spends more time cultivating his nicorrette gum chewing image, than he does immersing himself in the issues. He is so not ready.

    One of my favorite Obama moments is not wanting his picture taken with Gavin Newsome during a fund raising event because he did not want it to appear that he supported gay marriage, then comes around playing kissy kissy with the GLBT community to get theiir vote.
    http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=5413
    Star Power Minor Role New York Times
    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/us/politics/09obama.html?scp=17&sq=obama&st=nyt

    I think if he ends up being the Democratic nominee, I will either vote for Nader or I will just write in “present” on my effin’ ballot.

  14. Obama just doesn’t do it for me. He’s an obvious opportunist with a padded resume (look up how he came up the ladder in the Illinois state senate being the favorite of the senate president who helped him get credit for sponsoring legislations) with a past of bad judgments (Rezko). His race helped him get the black votes and his non-Clinton-ness (novelty factor?) helped him get the liberal’s money and adulation, so Ferraro is not entirely incorrect. But if the Clinton democrats/independents don’t vote for him during the election, he’s a goner.

  15. First, I am not an Obama (Flavor of the day), Clinton (Liar), or McCain (Savings & Loan crook) supporter. My point to exit the discussion is – What does it really matter what Geraldine Ferraro says, the woman is a LOSER remember? Her track record of failure is an indicator of how impactful she has been in the realm of politics and poor judgement.

  16. While it is true that the black-factor (if I may call it so) had at least a little to do with Obama’s popularity, to say it’s the ONLY reason he’s there now? Um.. What about charisma? What about “something different”? What about the promise of change, that seems, for once, to be at least part-true?

    I’m not a supporter of any candidate, because I dislike the liberal democracy and the almost complete lack of power we have (because for me, choosing out of a very limited lists of candidates who will rule the country is not much of a power), and I also am not American, but I can still see why he’s winning the USA’s hearts.

    He’s speaking about hope and change. And USA has been lacking such things for quite too long. And I still hope he wins, in a way.

  17. I’m disappointed to read Margaret Cho’s reception of Ferraro’s remarks. Ferraro didn’t say there was no racism. She was pointing to the clearly deferential media behavior which had been displayed toward Obama. It is real, it is clear and it is easily, if tediously, provable – print out a pile of samples of reporters’ questions and followups during events where both Clinton and Obama spoke.

    Of course there *shouldn’t* be a contest of oppressions and of *course* a racist society discriminates against black people. BUT – and this is a huge shift in environment – at the moment Ferraro made the remark which caused such a furor of DENIAL amongst Obama fans, the fact is that he did not get the crap thrown on him that everybody (including blacks and women) felt free to throw all over Clinton. There was barely a skeptical glance at Obama. There’s almost none even now, weeks later, even after events have begun to show that nobody becomes a big wheel politician in Illinois without befriending controversial people.

    Ferraro wasn’t in denial about racism – but it seems to me a lot of Obama fans were and are in denial about the distinctly different treatment doled out to Clinton versus the exaggerated delicacy which continues to sprinkle fairy dust all over Obama’s campaign.

    Gloria Steinem asked a question which illuminates this difference: would a woman of any color be able to run a credible campaign for President on the power of a few speeches, having defeated no actual opponent stronger than Alan Keyes?

    I’ll add a question – how does a perfectly intelligent woman with Margaret Cho’s history of critical thinking skills sail right over what Ferraro meant in her remarks? Be honest, how did you actually come to a conclusion so far off the mark as to suggest Ferraro was saying racism was over and it had become an advantage to be black? I honestly don’t think that’s a reasonable conclusion.

  18. What histtory of critical thinking skills does Cho have? Cho is an anti-white racist moron. If America is so bad, why do you live here asshole? Nobody is oppressed in modern day America, and that’s a fact. Geraldine Ferraro stated an obvious truth: Had Barack not been a black male, he probably would not be the front-runner for the nomination.

    Here are the words that sent her to the scaffold.

    “If Obama was a white man he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up with the concept.”

    Note that Ferraro did not say race was the only reason Barack was succeeding. She simply said that being an African-American has been as indispensable to his success as her being a woman was to her success in 1984. Had my name been “Gerald” rather than Geraldine, I would not have been on the ’84 ticket, Ferraro conceded.

    In calling her comments racist, Barack’s retinue is asserting that his race has nothing to do with his success, even implying that it is racist to suggest it. This is preposterous.
    What Geraldine Ferraro said is palpably true, and everyone knows it.

    Was the fact that Barack is black irrelevant to the party’s decision to give a state senator the keynote address at the 2004 convention? Did Barack’s being African-American have nothing to do with his running up 91 percent of the black vote in Mississippi on Tuesday?
    Did Barack’s being black have nothing to do with the decision of civil rights legend John Lewis to dump Hillary and endorse him, though Lewis talks of how his constituents do not want to lose this first great opportunity to have an African-American president?

    Can political analysts explain why Barack will sweep Philly in the Pennsylvania primary, though Hillary has the backing of the African-American mayor and Gov. Ed Rendell, without referring to Barack’s ethnic appeal to black voters?

    What else explains why the mainstream media are going so ga-ga over Obama they are being satirized on “Saturday Night Live”?

    Barack Obama has a chance of being the first black president. And holding out that special hope has been crucial to his candidacy. To deny this is self-delusion — or deceit.
    Nor is this unusual. John F. Kennedy would not have gotten 78 percent of the Catholic vote had he not been Catholic. Hillary would not have rolled up those margins among white women in New Hampshire had she not been a sister in trouble. Mitt Romney would not have swept Utah and flamed out in Dixie were he not a Mormon. Mike Huckabee would not have marched triumphantly through the Bible Belt were he not a Baptist preacher and evangelical Christian. All politics is tribal.

    Obama’s agents suggest that Ferraro deliberately injected race into the campaign. But this, too, is ridiculous. Her quote came in an interview with the Daily Breeze of Torrance, Calif., not “Meet the Press.”

    The attack on Ferraro comes out of a conscious strategy of the Obama campaign — to seek immunity from attack by smearing any and all attackers as having racist motives. When Bill Clinton dismissed Obama’s claim to have been consistently antiwar as a “fairy tale,” and twinned Obama’s victory in South Carolina with Jesse Jackson’s, his statements were described as tinged with racism.

    Early this week, Harvard Professor Orlando Patterson’s sensitive nostrils sniffed out racism in Hillary’s Red Phone ad, as there were no blacks in it. Patterson said it reminded him of D.W. Griffith’s pro-KKK “Birth of a Nation,” a 1915 film.

    What Barack’s allies seem to be demanding is immunity, a special exemption from political attack, because he is African-American. And those who go after him are to be brought up on charges of racism, as has Bill Clinton, Ed Rendell and now Geraldine Ferraro.

    Hillary, hoping to appease Barack’s constituency, is ceding the point. Will the Republican Party and the right do the same? Play by Obama rules, and you lose to Obama.

  19. Hey Joshua,

    Ever wonder if you would be where you are right now (in your parent’s basement) if you were not a White male? Allow me. If you were not a White male, you would most likely not be where you are today. Your race is indispensable to your success. I know because I can tell that you have the full support of the White community.

    Anyone else notice that since Ferraro burned her own credibility to the ground, she has chosen Fox News, the last refuge of the scoundrel (even Harold Ford Jr said to himself, these crackas is too damn crazy, I’m going to MSNBC) to go on and offer her wise counsel?

    And, I don’t know whether you’ve been paying attention, but Sen. Clinton has fanned the flames of the Wright controversy herself. She’s hardly ceded anything.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *