Inauguration of the New President

[Skanky Vamp]

A white person has no right to argue the usage.

That is not racism

yes, it actually is racism.

 

[pegolas]

Wow. I don't know where to begin. When I clicked on this thread, I thought I'd be reading comments about the ceremony and festivities!! Anyway, a few thoughts from an Obama supporter:

Loved the speech. A few smackdowns aimed at 43. Making it known that we're not going in that direction anymore.

Loved the Chief Justice bumbling the oath of office. Somewhat endearing.

Loved Reverand Lowery's benediction.

Rahm Emmanuel is hot.


Regarding the other stuff:

However, my entire stance is that white people don't have the right to be offended because they can't use a word they pushed onto a people in order to hold them back and bring them down.
White people don't have the right to try and stop black people from using it, when they are in the process of reclaiming it and making it into something positive for them.

I agree with the above, and most of your posts regarding the whole race issue. The African American people weren't given a choice - the were enslaved, denied rights, segregated...etc. There are still many alive who lived through the civil rights struggle. It's nowhere near being over.

No, some of them don't, but a lot do. You're right, they have the same opportunities as anyone else, and there are MANY black lawyers, doctors, politicians, street sweepers, etc., so I don't see how the election of a black President has suddenly opened all these vistas of opportunity. That's crap.

I emphatically disagree. I can't imagine how much this means to these kids. It's not that President Obama's election has opened doors and opportunities, it's that they can SEE THEM for the first time in their lives.

 

[Sweetescape]

Watch it in bits,to much commentary for me so i just turned it over for Obama's speech.

 

[Cohen]

I emphatically disagree. I can't imagine how much this means to these kids. It's not that President Obama's election has opened doors and opportunities, it's that they can SEE THEM for the first time in their lives.

That's crap.

There are tons of black lawyers, doctors, crime scene investigators, astronauts, firefighters, politicians, what have you. And even on the TV there are black presidents. Black people have been saying for years "I'm going to be the first black president". They've always had it in their mind. The opportunity has ALWAYS been there. At least in the last decade or two. This is just the first time someone acted on it.

 

[Kean]

No, I personally would not use "nigga", but if i were to, that's how I would use it.

And, if we wanted to get technical, the word was really a noun for "ignorant", so if I wanted to call someone "stupid" and wanted to be harsher, then I could call them a "nigger" because that's what the word means.

Also, some people say there's a difference between "nigger" and "nigga". "Nigger" being the foul word. "Nigga" being the friendly word. And so, why would it not be okay to call someone a "nigga" if it's not really a foul word.

Because of the racial connotations that go along with it. You could call someone stupid and not drag a whole race of people into that insult. Alot of hurt, pain and history hangs on that word. You may not personally feel it but they're a plenty of people alive today who do.

 

[Blondie Bear]

Maybe I have a unique perspective on the race thing because I was raised in Hawaii, where whites are a marked minority and generally hated by the Polynesian population, but now live in Virginia, where it's flip-flopped.

Until I moved, I was often called a "haole" (Hawaiian for "stranger," now a potentially derogatory term for a white person), had people make comments about how light my skin was ("like milk," "so white you're clear," etc.), had people (literally) comment "there goes the neighborhood" when my family would move in, and tons of other stuff that got incredibly old after awhile. My family was very poor, and we had trouble getting on welfare and food stamps because the Polynesian people who worked at the welfare office thought we were trying to cheat the system--because we were white.

I don't care if people call me a haole as long as it doesn't have that derogatory venom behind it. I call myself haole. My family jokes about being haole. My friends used to tease me about being haole because I liked butter on my rice instead of soy sauce. I don't think the term should be banned, and I don't think there's anyone who shouldn't be allowed to use it. I also don't expect every Polynesian person to tiptoe around me and be very very careful about what s/he says in case it's mistaken for a racial slur.

Having this experience, I have a difficult time understanding why people of other races do expect the kinds of things I mentioned above.

 

[JenniferAlice]

I don't like some of the words being used in this thread.. I don't want to repeat them, even the word "colour" in that context is offensive, in my opinion.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

This is just the first time someone acted on it.

Because no one thought it was POSSIBLE before... It was never a realistic dream. Now it is. That's why regardless if it was O'Bama or Clinton it was going to be a huge day.

 

[pegolas]

That's crap.

There are tons of black lawyers, doctors, crime scene investigators, astronauts, firefighters, politicians, what have you. And even on the TV there are black presidents. Black people have been saying for years "I'm going to be the first black president". They've always had it in their mind. The opportunity has ALWAYS been there. At least in the last decade or two. This is just the first time someone acted on it.

I remember knowing everything at 18. It was quickly followed by the realization that I really didn't have a freaking clue. I'm sorry, but you really don't.

A lot of these kids don't see black lawyers or astronauts or politicians in their daily lives. They see crime and drugs and gangs. So the "opportunity" may technically be there, but it's a tough fight to see it or grasp it.

 

[Cohen]

Because no one thought it was POSSIBLE before... It was never a realistic dream. Now it is.

Maybe I'm just in a position where I won't be able to understand.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Maybe I'm just in a position where I won't be able to understand.

I can try to help.. It's just like when Sally Ride became the first woman astronaut, it was never thought a woman could do that before her, despite everything else women do.

 

[Edmund Blackadder]

It has been, probably rightly, suggested I bow out of this thread before it descends to my threads of old - its already becoming obvious that I am on my way - so on the original topic, I thought the inauguration was a splendid event, Obama did go on a little bit but it was also nice to see so many people happy.

Hopefully in a years time, they can still hold those smiles, but I just don't think it will happen.

 

[Cohen]

I remember knowing everything at 18. It was quickly followed by the realization that I really didn't have a freaking clue. I'm sorry, but you really don't.

A lot of these kids don't see black lawyers or astronauts or politicians in their daily lives. They see crime and drugs and gangs. So the "opportunity" may technically be there, but it's a tough fight to see it or grasp it.

Okay, really, no need to get personal. It's my opinion. I'm voicing it. And I never once said I knew everything. I'm just saying what I see, so yeah, I can't really understand why they don't see it as well.

And maybe it's just our culture. What with the rappers going to jail for doing illegal stuff, or their parents doing that same illegal stuff, or the white cops beating down their doors and, yes, being racist.

Also, just because I "don't know everything" doesn't mean I don't have a right to voice my opinion. So back off my age, okay?

 

[Kean]

Lads, I understand how heated this topic is and how strong people feel about it but please while you discuss the matter remember to be respectful of the other members here. No one's point is more valid then the next and being condescending and holier than thou isn't going to help. We all have something to say, lets just listen and be mindful of each other's varying view points.

 

[Cohen]

I can try to help.. It's just like when Sally Ride became the first woman astronaut, it was never thought a woman could do that before her, despite everything else women do.

And, see, that would be a GREAT example, no sarcasm intended, you know, if I was around then. But I wasn't, so still not really understanding.

Maybe it really is because of my age. Because I can attest that kids in this generation, despite their race, really do get the same opportunities as each other, at least education-wise, and in at least a middle-class area (because I know rural education systems SUCK). But they usually don't take them.

Then again, maybe I just talk too much.. : erm :

 

[Perny]

I had to look. I mean, this was historical. I was so up and go about it.

Plus the grumpy looking Bush made my day. HAHA

 

[anyatara]

I wanted to stay home to try and find it somewhere on British TV. But I couldn't. We had a conversation about it at school, though. Actually, I mostly just listened. I wanted to yell at everyone thought, 'cause they all said it was pointless and they didn't get it. Then they started insulting Americans and blahblahblah. Then I zoned out. 😛 It looked interesting, though, I hope we have a history lesson on it. 😀 'Cause apparently we're supposed to be.

 

[Cohen]

Then they started insulting Americans and blahblahblah.

Eh, well, we Americans are idiots. 🙂

It's cool though. If not for the idiocy, life wouldn't be interesting.

 

[Black Eye Guy]

The Inauguration was cool, watching it you did get a sense of how big and important it is.

I don't really understand how people see the first Black Pres as not a big deal since we don't have the same level of separation as we did before, but this is a first so people are allowed to make a big a deal of it as they want, most people's first are a big deal whatever they be.

On the racism thing, I don't really see it as an issue, and I know that sounds stupid, but Around me it's not. To me colour doesn't matter, to the people around me colour doesn't matter and the school's I've been in it didn't matter, same goes for work, So to me Racism seems dead.

I know thats not true, I know it's out there, but I havn't come across it, so I guess im lucky!

And I guess I'd be very 2 faced when it comes down to the 'N' word in that I'd see it as black people using it and then getting annoyed when white people use it, I see that as racist. Now I don't want to use the word and I never would in any context, just because it's common sense, but I also don't get why im not allowed to use it!

Now what I have see, that always throws me, is that if a coloured person says raciest things to a white person, there is nothing that can be said back, and no one calls them raciest, but if you didn say something back. Immediately you would be called up on it. I say this a bit around my school, I went to what was always to refered to as a stuck up private school, and you would see people in my school being slaged for it, and not being able to say anything back, because they didn't knwo what to saw.

 

[StuckinTraffic]

I remember knowing everything at 18. It was quickly followed by the realization that I really didn't have a freaking clue. I'm sorry, but you really don't.

Um....what does his age have to do with the issue being discussed? If anything, I'd posit that his age makes him MORE enlightened on your particular point, since he's of an age WITH the said population who doesn't see the opportunity available everywhere. Or who don't take advantage of that opportunity.

A lot of these kids don't see black lawyers or astronauts or politicians in their daily lives. They see crime and drugs and gangs. So the "opportunity" may technically be there, but it's a tough fight to see it or grasp it.

One would assume that the kids who see nothing but crime, drugs and gangs would ALSO then see teachers, social workers, police officers, EMTs, doctors, detention officers, etc. who are the same race as them, correct? I take it they don't watch TV? They don't have a sports idol they look up to? We use doctors and lawyers as examples, but they represent the upper reaches of the spectrum. You can't tell me they don't see everyday people going about their everyday lives, who work hard and who lead good, productive lives by virtue of that hard work. I don't hold that a person's circumstances make them automatically incapable of acheiving a higher station in life.