I've noticed a recent trend. Any time a white person says something racist, insensitive, or just plain uninformed and I correct them, they immediately respond with, "Hey, I voted for Obama." It doesn't even matter what the topic is. Their immediate, knee jerk response is to say, "I voted for Obama." It's the new, "I'm not racist."
I have to wonder how many of these people are lying. Not every white person voted for Obama. Many didn't vote for him because he is Black. It seems white people have an instant out now by claiming that they voted for Obama and that is supposed to absolve them of any of their misdeeds.
8 comments:
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How could I not check your site out with such a beautiful picture. About the Obama thing -- I'm a white lesbian and I voted for Hillary in the primaries. My neighbor, who is a straight African American, is all angry at me because she thinks my Hillary vote is racist. To me, it was a gender thing. As a woman, it was important for me to support another woman. For my ex girlfriend she's "negro" as she likes to be called, was torn between voting for a woman or a black man. Ultimately she chose Obama, but I see that she had the toughest choice, because she has experienced racism and sexism. Eventually, I voted for Obama in the general election, but I was not thrilled. It's a good thing about a black president, but it would have also been a good thing about a woman president. What's your opionion --does make me a racist?
I think it's time to ignore the anger of a very vocal minority and hear the silent majority. I think we are quiet because we don't have much to say on the matter but we are listening. Time and awareness will continue to change these things.
I would have voted for Obama if he was a conservative. Alas, I couldn't vote for someone with such a different worldview from my own. However, hearing him speak lately I like what I hear. I think it matters tremendously how the country feels about its leadership. People seem optomistic again. That can't be bad for America, even if Obama makes changes I disagree with. America will always be an unfinished work.
Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau'oli Makahiki Hou
For a racist, or phony liberal, voting for Obama is no different than like gangsta rap or reggae: They may like the music, but they wouldn't want any rappers or Rastahs moving next door to them. 'Obama' is merely an abstract and had/has no impact on the level of racism within an individual-- They may love Will Smith, but they can't stand Black people!
Scottie, is the challenge is how do we combat this new and improved racism? How do we respond to the "I voted for Obama" response. Racist, insensitive, uninformed is still. How do we combat this defense?
This post leads me to wonder, "Is there an end to white racism? or, like a virus, does it just mutate and morph to adapt to new environments?"
Reading many of your posts lately has really made me question mnay of my basic behaviours and assumptions I have as a white male.
You possess a tremendous amount of insight into the unconscious white mind. What you bring to light is often troubling as a white male, but undeniably true.
I'm a white male. I voted for Obama. I like to think of myself as an opened-minded,loving person. I have a post-graduate degree.
I read this post a few days ago and was troubled. It couldn't be describing me! It was. Over JUST the last two days I jotted down every racist thought that popped into my mind.
Ways that I am Racist
1. I am afraid of young Black men. (A closer observation: I am insecure about my masculinity around them and am also envious.)
2. Black men have the biggest dicks and Black women have the biggest asses.
3. I am surprised when Black people are not good at sports but are good at, say, chess.
4. Welfare, unemployment, government assistance is for Blacks.
5. That white scholarship is more credible than Black scholarship.
6. I am prone to sexualizing Black people.
7. White youth lower themselves when appropriating Black popular culture mores.
8. Black women date white guys for their money.
9. All Black people are liberal.
10. Black people are superior.
There are probably a bunch more ways, but for brevity's sake ... I am beginning to realize to each thing I listed, there is an ugly truth about me. In fact, these thoughts have almost nothing to do with Black people but everything to do with a deficient thinking, spirit and worldview on my part.
Wow, white people are so eager to acknowledge racism as a way of distancing themselves from it, as if they just joined AA for bigots. It's more complicated than all that, kids.
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