Dislike Obama? You must be racist.

The obvious explanation for his low ratings are his unpopular policies, writes MARK STEYN, but don’t go there

by Mark Steyn on Thursday, September 24, 2009 9:00am - 427 Comments

Dislike Obama? You must be racist.A year ago, in the final stretch of the U.S. election campaign, I would find myself in New York or Los Angeles or points in between and asked for my thoughts on who would win. I usually answered “John McCain,” more in hope than expectation: I’ve no use for the soi-disant “maverick,” who was a catastrophic candidate, but in those heady days between Sarah Palin’s boffo convention speech and McCain’s characteristically inept response to the economic meltdown there was briefly a faint chance that the Alaskan governor might yet save the Republican party from its rendezvous with destiny.

And at that point the worldly liberal Democrat who had sought my views would nod thoughtfully and agree: yes, McCain would win. Not because of Sarah Palin. But because Americans were too racist to stomach the thought of a black man in the White House.

I never reckoned much to this argument. If you spent 20 minutes on the campaign trail almost anywhere, it seemed clear that many voters felt the first 43 chief executives did not reflect the rich tapestry of the American community and were panting to cross “Vote for a black president” off their to-do list. On the morning of Nov. 5, I thought about all those Democrats so convinced of their fellow Americans’ ingrained racism. As my comrade Victor Davis Hanson put it, we conservatives were wrong about the election results, but those liberals were wrong about their country. Which you would think might prove chastening.

But apparently not. We are now eight months into the 44th presidency. The Obamessiah has come down to earth. He’s now just another 50/50 president, his approval ratings having fallen further faster (according to some polls) than any occupant of the Oval Office since Truman. The obvious explanation for this would seem to be his ambitious, expensive, transformative and radical agenda: the governmentalization of health care, cap-and-trade environmental legislation, the federal takeover of the automobile industry, the gazillion-dollar flopperoo of the non-stimulating “stimulus,” more debt, more deficits, more taxes, more regulation, more government, everywhere you turn. This would be a tough sell for even the smoothest pitchman.

But sometimes the obvious explanation is too obvious. Those “tea party” protests? “This is about hating a black man in the White House,” explained the eminent thinker Janeane Garofalo. “The only thing missing is a noose,” huffed L.A. Weekly about a poster showing Obama as the Joker. It turned out to be the work of a left-wing Palestinian from Chicago, but why get hung up on details? If you oppose the massive expansion of government and multi-trillion-dollar expenditures, you’re a racist.

The other day, President Obama gave a speech to Congress on health care, and, in response to a more or less routine bit of dissembling, a Republican representative called Joe Wilson yelled out “You lie!” Because the President’s speech was a dud, the Democrat-media complex decided to divert attention to the no-name congressman’s outrageous ejaculation and give it the old flood-the-zone treatment. Maureen Dowd, the elderly schoolgirl at the New York Times, weighed in:

“Surrounded by middle-aged white guys—a sepia snapshot of the days when such pols ran Washington like their own men’s club—Joe Wilson yelled ‘You lie!’ at a president who didn’t.

“But, fair or not, what I heard was an unspoken word in the air: You lie, boy!”

“Boy”? Why, yes. Like some bull-necked plantation overseer from the even-more-sepia snapshot days, Mistuh Wilson was teaching that uppity Nigra a lesson he wouldn’t forget.

I suppose it’s possible that opposition to the federal government’s annexation of one-sixth of the U.S. economy is being driven by nostalgia for segregated lunch counters. And no doubt, if you write for the New York Times or teach race and gender studies at American colleges for long enough, it seems entirely reasonable, listening to a patient profess satisfaction with her present health insurance arrangements, to respond, “You know, if you re-sewed the back of that hospital gown so your ass wasn’t showing, your Klan sheet would be as good as new.”

Thus, Melissa Harris-Lacewell, professor of African-American studies at Princeton, was invited on to National Public Radio to expound on the use of “racial code words” in “the current opposition to health care reform.” For example, explained professor Harris-Lacewell, “language of personal responsibility is often a code language used against poor and minority communities.”

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  • Paul

    Spot on article. Yep, all the Obamamaniacs need to do everytime someone opposes him is bring up his ethnicity. Honestly, the liberal mind can contrive no better an argument in response than that. I watched in mesmerized awe a few weeks back as all those left-wing hens on The View played that same monotonous, simple-minded tune.

  • Thomas

    Is there a single Conservative writer out there who can argue a point without insult, nastiness, intelligence or an ability to understand that the world is not so simple that you are either left or right. We already have a Prime Minister who does that.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/PaulHuedepohl PaulHuedepohl

      Pot, meet kettle.

  • touquer

    So….Republicans who oppose Obama are racists, yet Dems who voted him in primarily because he was black are?

  • Cary Brus

    I do not dislike Obama because he is black.

    I dislike Obama because he is incompetent……overmatched for the job. These are the same reasons I dislike Jimmy Carter, Obama's political bosom buddy.

    Come on 2010 mid-terms!

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/YYZ YYZ

    This is what I can't stand about Steyn:

    The vast majority of people are attributing Obama's decline to both his policies and his leadership. In the very column Steyn cites, Dowd herself describes the racist elements as the "loco fringe" – she too has been critical of the President.

    In his swipe at the Times, Steyn also ignores the David Brooks column that flat-out rejected Dowd's opinion.

    And finally, Steyn didn't mention the President himself, who when asked about the question of racism pointed to his own election to say that clearly race is not a factor.

  • Nick

    Canada's resident neo con coming to the rescue of Wealthcare. Funny thing is Mr. Steyn, public single payer healthcare is pretty popular wherever it has been implemented. Even Thatcher in Britain did not dismember the NHS. Methinks thats why the Neo cons in the US are so paranoid about reform. They know people will like it and they will not be able to get rid of it. Public Healthcare is popular in the US, try convincing seniors to get rid of their medicare or vetrans to drop the VA. Or for that matter get Republicans in congress to scrap their health plans.

    THe resistance to Obama is little more than old fashion Mccarthyesque fearmongering of the US right. Its a shame an old Canadian magazine is starting to spew the FOx "news" propaganda.

    So Mr. Steyn should we also abandon our socialized military and our socialized education system?

  • foozle

    The lack of respect for your ideological opponents displayed in this piece serves to discredit your arguments, and to make it easier to label your article as a conservative diatribe (whether it is or not).

    You claim that the Obama White House is taking advantage of race issues to deflect criticism, but Obama has repeatedly stated that his race has not hurt him. You would be much better off blaming Obama for the statements of whoever happens to agree with him; though that statement would lack legitimacy for seperate reasons.

    You also underhandedly imply that Obama won because he is the first black president. This suggestion is hypocritical in a column that seeks to attack a group for playing games with race.

    Any racism that has affected Barack Obama played out long ago when he was growing up. You can safely declare the end of racism when we see equality in the prison population statistics, or when you find conclusive evidence of a gentic predisposition for crime shared by Latinos, Blacks, and Aboriginals.

    P.S. I love it when comments are deleted on message boards tied to articles written by free-speech crusaders.

  • Mars

    Steyn says it like it is!! good on him—most people can not comprehand–left & right. During the war we were alowed 2 use "slang" 4 races–so what's wrong with that? Has everyone lost their sense of HUmor!!! I only use–this as example- heaven forbid– I should offend any one—- chinese were –chinks–blacks were negros—Japaness were japs—indians were indians—Italians –waps–Russians -russkys–GErmans were Nazis—so on it went. It wasn't used as racist– only in your minds!!! U wouldn't want 2 know what we were called– I lived– so keep up the good work–styen–enjoy your columns immensly!!!

  • Whats your name

    WOW why should I care I dont live in the states come on MacLeans stop shuving this american media controversies down our throat were in CANADA not AMERICA I DONT LIKE AMERICA

  • Jeff

    Janeane Garofalo? SNL flunky. Why? Please stop quoting sub-celebrities. Does anyone really care what they think? Please stop, this celebrity infatuation is killing my soul. Whether I agree with the article is pointless, please stop abusing us with celebrity opinion…

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/mich308 mich308

    I wouldn't say Obama's choices are the reason for his lower opinion ratings, but maybe his inaction on them. If he committed dearly to his campaign promises then his approval rating would be higher. To be honest there is an overtone of racism towards Obama. The Sercret Service reported that there is a 400% increase in legitimate threats to Obama's safety by certain members of the public, though only a 5% increase in men inrolled in the Secret Service. I honestly can't believe that Steyn would support Palin, though. His postive opinon of her is something that I fail to comprehend, never mind able to understand, and no I'm not sour grapes towards those to the right of me (no matter how far to the right), there are many Rebublicans and conservatives that I deeply admire and respect, but Sarah Palin!?

  • jen

    And what made you think, with his background, behavior, and associates, that he was a healer? Goes to a church and listens to hate-filled rants, has a friend who says he wished he had set off more bombs, and the guy refused to show anything as proof of who he was, but arrogantly expected us to take his word for it. Made those narcissitic speeches about "I" "I "I" and married a woman ashamed of her country.

    Oh, yeh-came off as a real Ghandi, didn't he?

  • http://www.uniteus.com Patriot

    Another right wing Jewish immigrant looking to divide America.
    Put Steyn, right next to Orly Tatz, & Rupert Murdoch.

    • DHH

      Ehm – Steyn isn't Jewish, but thanks for trying to participate in the debate. You tried with all your might, Failiot!

  • Joanne

    Janeane Garofalo presenting as an intellectual who would be frightened by those poor white trash tea partier rebels. If they didn't know who she was (a never has-been starlet), just by her appearance, she would terrify the socks off most of these people. Combination librarian, biker-chick with a touch of native american (hip jewelry). What is she? Someone without a movie career who'll say anything to get attention. Wearing dorky glasses won't make you intelligent. Are those tatooes real or the lick-on and wash off kind.?

  • Brix

    I myself would support Obama, I think those things he are doing have meaningful desires and would benefit all of us. visit me @ <a html="http://www.van-insurance-cheap.co.uk/">van insurance

  • SuaveDave

    "…he are doing"? (sic)

    Brix, U R an IDIOT… oh wait, "support Obama"? Sorry, U R a GENIUS.

    "President Obama’s approval ratings have jumped substantially, crossing the magic halfway threshold to 54 percent, up from 48 percent in late September, while the portion of respondents who disapprove of the president dropped to 40 percent, the lowest disapproval rating in a NEWSWEEK Poll since February 2010." NEWSWEEK Poll 10-22-10

  • mike

    Great post thanks. Best Fitness Programs

  • Dakota

    Don't question anything the President does or says if you're white, or you're a racist! Do lib-lefties have any brains at all, or is it politically incorrect to form opinions?

  • Craig O

    Just a point to the commentators – if you're going to criticize another poster for making a superficial, unnecessary comment, can you please not contradict yourself by labelling them? I know, it's a Steyn article, but do we have to lump all people together as "the left" or "the right" or any slanderous derivatives of these terms instead of discussing or criticizing what our fellow commentators actually wrote?

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Gaunilon Gaunilon

    Is there anything morally reprehensible about being a lefty or a righty? If not, it's just a statement of which side people are on in terms of a well-known political scale. Don't conflate this with accusing someone of being a racist.

  • Michael

    I haven't read Mark Steyn espousing mandatory fisting and buttplugs in Madrasahs but I certainly agree that woman's rights needs to be brought into at least the Nineteen hundreds in that area of the world.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jack_Mitchell Jack Mitchell

    You don't have to be a racist to dislike Obama, but I'd be willing to bet 99% of white American racists do dislike him. If I held a position that was shared by 99% of white American racists, I'd probably think twice about it.

  • Steve M

    So you think there are some white racists (1%) who LIKE Obama? Gee, hope their friends don't find out.

    I hope none of those 99% like blue, or Star Wars, or hamburgers, or watching television, 'cuz then I'll have to totally re-arange my life.

  • RDB

    You carelessly assume that you have no opinions in common with white racists. I think you’d better not try to scare people with such comments. Disliking Obama because of his policies and disliking Obama because of his race are two different issues; it’s rather devious to (deniably) insinuate that disliking Obama for any reason sort of halfway means you’re racist.

  • LOL, Pwned

    Canada's angriest blog commenter Jack Mitchell, a vicious race hustler who has never expressed a politically incorrect thought in his life and believes *exactly* what the mainstream media tells him is fashionable to believe, writes: " If I held a position that was shared by 99% of white American's winning an argument with a leftist, I'd probably think twice about it"

    Fixed it for you. Seriously Jack, why even speak? We know what you're going to say anyway – gay good, straight bad, women good, men bad, blacks good, whites bad, taxes good, taxpayers bad, etc., etc. It's not the immorality so much as the boring, boring predictability.

  • Michael

    American Racist dislike him for the color of his skin.Socialized Health care protesters disagree with his health care policies.To marry the two seems like a bit of a stretch.

  • http://www.wakepedia.blogspot.com Wakefield Tolbert

    Then you're no doubt far more well-heeled in the wallet than I am, Jack.

    Most unlikely that stat could be true.

    Blacks are the ones who voted by a plupart margin of about 96% for Obama, for the reason that…..they liked his take on foreign policy and his choice of tie color?

    Now, partly this is very understandable. We all TEND to gravitate to genetic look-alikes, and people may say what they please but this is just human nature coded from time immemorial.

    On the other hand, at a whopping (here's another stat from the briefcase of such dry minutia) total of 13% of the US population pool, and thus one assume likewise of the voting public in America, blacks needed some help getting this guy past John McCain.

    Not to hard to compute.

    Lots of whites voted for Obama.

  • agnostic

    There are good chances Hitler believed that two times two makes four.

    Would you think twice about holding that position, too?

  • JohnR

    What garbled logic. Let's see; I'll bet virtually 99% of Louis Farrakan's followers love Obama; therefore, using your logic, you should think twice about supporting Obama because that puts you in the same camp as Farrakan. See how stupid that is? Also, the issue here is that the Left indiscriminately labels EVERYONE who disagrees with Obama about anything as a racist. The issue is not that a small percentage (say 5%?) of the Republican base dislikes blacks (just as a percentage of blacks hate whites).

  • Logician

    Saying racists dislike a black man in power is what is known as a tautology. Look it up. It has no application to rational thought. You are a moron.

  • Dickens615

    I'm 99% sure that if you thought twice about anything, that would be a first.

  • Dave

    99% of white racists oppose child abuse. Would you think twice about sharing that position?

  • http://twitter.com/kathy2trips @kathy2trips

    How many Black Racists do you think dislike Obama? I'd like to see that poll.

  • http://anatomyofculture.blogspot.com/ R.B. Glennie

    what sterling logic Twitchell!

    99% of racists hate Obama! thereby, hatred of Obama is racist!

    See what happens when you listen too intently to the squirrels, Twitchy?

  • Guest

    … and 99% of the black racists like Obama.

  • joanne

    What a dopey argument. 100% of racists, sexists, dictators, etc. etc. also wear clothes, eat food and breathe air. You better re-think doing both of those things too. Some of them like their parents, treat their pets well, and obey traffic laws, so you better stop that too.
    The biggest difference between the always angry, indignant, accusatory, libs, and the generally happy, tolerant, forgiving, conservatives and moderates (who at present have had enough of the antics of the looney libs), is that no matter how intelligent the lib is, he/she utterly lacks common sense and always lets pure emotion rather than thought activate their vocal chords and typing.

  • Tokyo Libertarian

    I dislike being sh*t on by passing birds. But since that's a position probably shared by 99% of white racists, should I find a pigeon roost to stand under?

    Can we require posters to this site to demonstrate at least grade school level reasoning capacity?

  • http://right-wingconspiracy.blogspot.com MDP

    I'd be willing to bet 99% of black American racists (African-Americans who are racists against white people) support Obama. If I held a position that was shared by 99% of black American racists, I'd probably think twice about it.

    Get a grip on reality, sir

  • Wiggz

    "You don't have to be a racist to dislike Obama, but I'd be willing to bet 99% of white American racists do dislike him. If I held a position that was shared by 99% of white American racists, I'd probably think twice about it."

    99% of white American racists probably don't want their genitals removed by use of a balpeen hammer… and I don't need to think twice about agreeing with them. What does that have to do with the issue at hand? Nothing at all, just like your response.

  • Dakota

    Oh no! I bet American Racists also like wearing pants! I better start going pantless!

  • vladdy

    bizarre logic. So if 10 out-of-shape people don't like football, you'd be afraid to join them, even if you were in shape and just not a sports person? If 10 allergic people don't like cats, you'd be afraid to be put into that category with them? Is this getting thru? Just because a person with a problem doesn't like something doesn't mean you'd be LIKE them if you had the same dislikes. Your reason for it might be totally different, just like most people's objections to BO are character and policy-driven, not color-based.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jack_Mitchell Jack Mitchell

    No, but if it turns out all 99% of them like hamburgers, and 70% (say) of non-racists don't, you might want to do some googling.

    There's 1% of every group that will favour something. Au moins. I'm sure 1% favour nuclear annihilation next Wednesday.

  • Orion

    Bad idea. Those racists probably also like eating and breathing. Are you willing to reconsider those activities because racists perform them? Please, feel free to hold your breath until you pass out.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jack_Mitchell Jack Mitchell

    You don't seem to be a student of my oeuvre.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jack_Mitchell Jack Mitchell

    Of course I have opinions in common with some white racists; I'm just saying that their near-unanimous fervent opposition to Obama might well cause one to think twice about one's own fervent opposition to Obama, if one had any. As a galley crew, they're somewhat suspect.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/AtheistCon AtheistCon

    Perhaps he doesn't frequent cut-out bins and community theater.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jack_Mitchell Jack Mitchell

    That's funny, neither do I.

  • Mike T.

    I am upset that Macleans has sunk to the level where three people gave a plus to that. See Whyte, this is what happens when you let Styen in!

  • Craig O

    It's a characterization meant to belittle, going both ways. You can't group political thought into two simple categories, it's just not honest debate. I disagree more with the NDP than I do the Conservatives, yet I'm labelled a leftist, with no regard to the many traditionally "right" views I happen to hold.

    Again, attack the argument, not the person. If someone makes a comment you disagree with, it shouldn't matter on which side of the political spectrum you perceive them to be and it has nothing to do with whether their argument is valid and justified.

    No, calling someone a "insert derogatory comment" leftist, or a right-wing "insert derogatory comment" isn't as severe or offensive as calling someone racist, but it's the same basic fallacy of attacking the person with no regard to the actual debate.

    Dislike Steyn? You must be a leftist. Different severity, same result – a debate that is more a slew of insults than an actual reasoned discussion.

  • http://www.floridafencecompany.com Orlando

    Agreed!

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/ExGrunt ExGrunt

    I wonder if this guy would be considered a racist?

    http://www.machosauceproductions.com

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/SisyphusThis SisyphusThis

    Yawn …. What ? ….. Oh, Steyn's back …. Fine, wake me up when it's over.

    Sheesh, I thought you said Steinbeck ……. now there was a writer ….

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jack_Mitchell Jack Mitchell

    I've certainly thought twice about vegetarianism.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jack_Mitchell Jack Mitchell

    Good point, as always, Wakefield. Interesting how it only took a little reflection to point out that my post above was wrong, and yet you're the only one to reply to it reasonably.

    I doubt I'm more well-heeled than you, but if so you have my profound sympathy!

  • Wakefield Tolbert

    *lol*

    Thanks..but…

    It's been…well…a slow year in the relocation appraisal business. Being specialized makes money sometimes but then come the Pharoah's lean years that strange Hebrew soothes keep warning about.

    I'm always overjoyed at the prospect of seeing some of these homes that have 250,000 dollar koi ponds in the back yard (it's THOSE kinds of clients, yeah–and I kid thee not) and other things that in all probability I'll never have the joy of plunking down the mortgage for.

    Or in uncertain times is that a blessing disguised as envy? Who knows.

    Still, whatever the anchors, chains, fetters, and whatnot of any ideological argument, people push forward and things (I think) SHALL turn around.

    So while I'd love to write at some other level, it ain't gonna happen when the bills come due and the bank sends another car loan note.

    Such is life..

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/minaka minaka

    Funny how Sisyphus sleepwalks somewhere he doesn't want to be.

  • http://coyne kc

    Heh. Steinbeck certainly was a writer.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/detmar detmar

    read Detmar above, and follow the instructions to the letter

  • kcm

    Couldn't agree more. The irony is mindboggling. Although i attach more blame to that arch baiter Styen.

  • Beth

    Thinking once…

    thinking twice…

    Nope, I'm still pretty fervently opposed to Obama's policies.

  • JohnR

    Ever notice how Leftist scum trot out anti-gay stuff when it serves their purposes? Oh, they're all for gay rights, etc. when it helps serve their political coalition. But when they want to take potshots at their opponents, what do they do? Do they debate the merits of the argument? Why no…they insinuate the opponent is a closeted homosexual. Typical Leftist troll…it's why half the country hates your #)&%# guts. But let me help you out doofus; on this thread we're talking about race, so the appropriate action for drooling uber-trolls is to scream 'racist"…you need to save your "fag" remarks for a different thread.

  • Rod

    Conservatives believe in freedom. From that fundamental every other conservative value falls out – libertarian capitalism, right to property, self-sufficiency, sanctity of marriage and the unborn, importance of the individual, respect for personal achievement and others.

    Modern liberalism believes that freedom must be compromise in favor of security and that therefore, some form of socialism must displace free markets. From a lesser emphasis on liberty falls out support of centralized collectivized government, suppression of the individual, redistribution of resources, redefinition of marriage, abortion, nationalize healthcare, and nationalized industries.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/SisyphusThis SisyphusThis

    I'm not a morning person.

    I do always check out Steyn just in case he's mourning someone.
    His obituaries are always interestingly weird.

  • Richard

    Everyone agrees with you except Dowd and that comedian lady. You might as well have written a breathless column about the need to keep lead paint off children's toys.

  • Dave R

    spot on, Rod

  • MeAlice

    This is also followed by the government deciding who should live, who should die, whether you have the correct religious beliefs (some or none), are whether you are the correct race. Don't think the U.S. government could do this? Look at how it has treated the Native Americans. I myself am part Cherokee, a group that has not fared well under the U.S. government. I am adamantly opposed to Obama's policies because I can see where they are leading.

  • ryan

    First, conservatives were perfectly willing to give up personal freedoms for security. Look at the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. act, unwarranted wiretapping, torture, etc.

    Second, freedom, or liberty (like "liberal") was originally envisaged as "liberty from tyranny" which not only included Monarchs, but also companies and other people. Therefore, most liberals believe that other people cannot tell a woman whether she can have an abortion or not, and that business cannot force people to work 80 hours a week, etc.

    Finally, in the utmost irony, it was the Republicans who stepped in between Terry Schiavo and her doctors. And these people are supposed to be conservative?

  • Dave R

    'that comedian lady' ?? To be a comedian, you need to be funny – she's not. As far as her being a lady – she's probably got a bigger package than you or I

  • mnemos

    Craig – Thanks for reasoned comments! In response to your question about the partisan balance of comments: the point of the article is about the discussion which includes the media's moderation of the discussion, and that moderation is very slanted at this point – it is considered acceptable to refer to participants in the tea party protests as "teabaggers" in a news article, it is not considered acceptable to refer to supporters of health care reform as "socialists". The extreme example of this is the CNN reporter whose idea of "interviewing" a tea party protester was to insult him for being there. Second, the term "teabaggers" has no intended political description, it's an insult. The term "socialist" has an intended political description, regardless of how exaggerated it might be.

  • Fran

    Dislike Israel's policies? You must be anti-Semitic . . .

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/craigola craigola

    Rember the good old days when it was, "Don't show up wearing the 'wrong' kind of t-shirt to the President's speaking engagements"? Yeah, that was pretty great.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/chesterar chesterar

    Please don't ever stop questioning for fear of a libtard calling you names.

  • kcm

    First off detmar i didn't hammer this piece. Secondly and more importantly someone who vent such vitriolic spleen against his political opponent or anyone else for that matter is in serious need of psychriatic assistance. I hope you grow up in this life bud.

  • Dave

    Maybe I'm just clueless, but who is the girl in the picture next to Obama? Is that Melissa Harris Lacewell?

  • Michael Pratt

    I LOVE that we have our first black president. When Obama gave his 2004 Democratic National Convention keynote speach I turned to the people in the room and said: "Thank god, the Dems have the first black President!" (I had been afraid that Collin Powel would run and peal away enough black votes from the Democrats that the Republican majority might never end.)

    For me personally, and every single person I know, the huge silver lining of Obama being our president is that we finally have something other than a white male leading the country. He also isn't George W Bush – another huge plus.

    However, over the last year and a half I have grown to completely distrust the man, seriously doubt his judgement and realize I am against most of his policies.

  • Mike Giles

    "For me personally, and every single person I know, the huge silver lining of Obama being our president is that we finally have something other than a white male leading the country."

    So, to you, and incompetent black is preferable to a competent white?

    And that isn't racist because?

  • Bill D, Cat

    Garafalo .

  • Momthing

    I don't know about Mr. Steyn, but I'd say Glenn Beck played it right on the money, because no matter how innocuous he'd tried to spin it, Ms. Couric would turn it around and make his comment something other than it was supposed to be.

    As for White Culture, I'd have to say at a guess that what Mr. Beck meant was the typical White Anglo-Saxon Protestant culture that has been the mainstay of this country since its inception, even though there are other people from Scandanavia and Europe who are also considered to be White.

    But, as far as I know, (not being a WASP, myself) the WASP culture has been the definintion of "White Culture".

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jack_Mitchell Jack Mitchell

    Except that, you know, I'm about 110% WASP and I, for one, think Glenn Beck is a servant of the Devil.

  • ryan

    I do not know the thoughts of the original post, but it sounds like he may have left out: "in particular". Thus…. "If I held a position that was shared by 99% of white American racists in particular, I'd probably think twice about it." 99+% percent of _all_ people wear clothes, etc. Still, if you're honest with yourself, the post merely asked whether you would think about the motivations that some people have… for example, to try to "make healthcare Obama's Waterloo". Honestly, who would go back to re-examine where they learned things from, once they found that a portion of their potential sources (e.g. white racists) were not reputable.

    Also, I suspect that most black racists probably do not like Obama either… do I need to explain why?

    Finally, their anger and fear, reveal the right wing.

  • http://azmattressoutlet.com/ phoenix mattress

    this article is accurate, but there are some deeper points to be made:

    1) native americans were the original people in america.

    2) “black-white” relations have not been examined within the broader issue of american race problems dating back to the native americans, who were exterminated by american governments.

    3) obama is not a racist.

  • Wakefield Tolbert

    One sin of late is to confute (which is similar to "confuse", but seems to be done on purpose) race with CULTURE.

    The Paleo-right likes to drone on about both, but some people suspect they actually have in mind race. I'm not sure.

    As someone very conservative pointed out in a book that poured over the isolationist shots from guys like Pat Buchanan, if culture is the mainstay of any civiliazation, that is, the CONTENTS you pour into the bowl defined by borders and/or language and common ways of perceiving the role of government , then these lines are getty really blurry in the West.

    To boot, if you're nonplussed 'bout culture, then it should be noted (as this commentator did) that it might be better from a conservative culture point of view to import black tribal africans from some regions than your average Londoner, the latter not quite as likely to be as conservative, religious (Africans believe in hell–as they've lived it!) and independent. The Brit might want to know where his health card is.

    Though this is not to suggest we should encourage the transplantation of socialized meds with the local witch doctor.

    But you see my point…

  • Joachim Heise

    Nobody seems to have noticed the disclaimer "you don't have to be a racist to dislike Obama." I read that, and I think it's paranoid to assume that the rest is subversively suggesting that you're racist if you like Obama. Jack was merely illustrating his personal tendency to natural caution when considering adopting the policies of a known racist. That's his prerogative, and its focus is obviously opaque political issues, not common human practices like brushing your teeth or eating. Twisting his words with tongue-in-cheek platitudes of pantlessness-advocacy is bad debate form.

  • http://www.macleansfordummies.blogspot.com Karen

    Here is a good analysis in support of Mark Steyn's column from a blogger on WordPress:
    http://divinesatisfaction.com/2009/10/08/the-hate…

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