Considering that a black man is poised to win the U.S. democratic nomination for the highest office in the land would seem to indicate that a hard working intelligent black man has the same opportunity as any American.

I would agree if he pegged you a new left socialist who blames whitey for the shortcomings of certain non-whites.

Well, as much as blacks are still disadvantaged in some important ways, and the African identification is somehow tied in with overcoming these disadvantages, non-blacks are probably wondering what it means for them, and rightly so, given that we live in a hierarchical society.

I thought Obama made a good start of explaining this in his speech, but I would say he has much further to go if he is to get the support of non-ultra liberal whites.

This opportunity to explain this issue may be even more important than whether or not he gets elected president. I hope he goes further and doesn't take the position that he's addressed it and it's time to move on. Our racial divide is a deep seated problem that needs to be addressed in depth if it's to be overcome.

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Who does vote for these dishonest shitheads? Who among us can be happy and proud of having all this innocent blood on our hands? Who are these swine? These flag-sucking half-wits who get fleeced and fooled by stupid little rich kids like George Bush?

--Hunter S. Thompson

I find it tragic that the raging of a black minister to his black flock could cause such a national uproar and throw doubt on the sincerity of the "leading contender" for President of our country.

Obama is the only hope on the horizon for most of our citizens. Are you to once more be manipulated by people like Carl Rove and Jewish money ?

If calmer heads don't prevail and you are spooked by such trivial events you deserve what befalls you.

The old batteries that fuel our engine are run down and a new leader is needed to recharge them. The people show they look to Barack Obama for this charge. Hold fast !

It's going to take a lot more than hope and belief to get out of the hole we've dug for ourselves. We're still not prepared to fully accept the gravity of our predicament, which means we'll have to suffer to a considerably greater degree, and it really doesn't make much difference at all who the next president is, as the die has long since been cast.

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Who does vote for these dishonest shitheads? Who among us can be happy and proud of having all this innocent blood on our hands? Who are these swine? These flag-sucking half-wits who get fleeced and fooled by stupid little rich kids like George Bush?

--Hunter S. Thompson

It is related to pride, identity, bigotry, racism, and a feeling of detachment from our American heritage. Once again I can't understand why he wants to be President of this country if he loves another more. He's not blinded by patriotism for the USA because he has no real allegiance to it.

The continent of Africa has very little to be really proud of. AIDs infects a majority of the population, tribal feuds cause one tribe to hack to pieces with machetes their enemies from other tribes. Racism is everywhere. Obama would be an outcast according to many in Africa because of his white mother. In Africa they don't just discriminate by skin color but the degree of color or the shade one is colored. The darker the better. Lighter colored folks often catch hell in Africa.

Obama has a twisted romantic view of the land of his father. I think he went down this road because he wishes his childhood was more normal. Unfortunately many of the problems with poverty and turmoil are a result of African men turning their backs on their parental responsibilities. Mothers usually raise the children alone. The only part many of the fathers take part in is conception. Obama doesn't even seem to realize that broken homes and illegitimacy is a major cause of poverty in Africa and here in the US.

Obama has learned to be ashamed of our past thus he is ashamed of America. He does not hold our history in high regard. He's not really as impressed with our founding fathers as some of the rest of us. Why would we want him to be the figure head of this country if he feels this way about America and thus feels this way about it's people as a whole.

Obama doesn't realize that he is admitting he agrees with most of what his pastor says when he talks about poverty and it's causes. He and his supporters have portrayed him as being above the fray but now we find out he is up to his neck in it. This is the dishonesty that his campaign represents.

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"These two entities, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are not facing any kind of financial crisis,"

"The more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies,

the less we will see in terms of affordable housing." - Rep. Barney Frank (D)

Patriotism is antithetical of critical thinking, which is an imperative for any society that wishes to be healthy.

__________________
Who does vote for these dishonest shitheads? Who among us can be happy and proud of having all this innocent blood on our hands? Who are these swine? These flag-sucking half-wits who get fleeced and fooled by stupid little rich kids like George Bush?

--Hunter S. Thompson

What makes you think that? Do you believe that simply because his campaign uses the word "hope" in it's slogan?

Or do you have some other reason to believe he is your only hope?


"Only hope" for what. Your only hope to avoid the government from giving you AIDS?

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... ..................
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

If you have nothing good to say about a society of course it will fail. Not all of us ignore the positives of this country and focus only on the negatives. I think that many of our critics need to research the flaws in other societies and compare them with ours. I think they'll find that we aren't all that bad after all.

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"These two entities, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are not facing any kind of financial crisis,"

"The more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies,

the less we will see in terms of affordable housing." - Rep. Barney Frank (D)

Interesting Twist on this Story

Obama calls for Imus Firing
Before Wright Firestorm, Obama Called for Imus Firing - America’s Election HQ

In Obama's speech he offered us an opportunity to redeem ourselves.

We could choose to run his pastor's hate speech over and over again and torpedo Obama's Presidential run, or we can stop trashing the guy and be saved by the great Obama. It is our choice. Continued racism, division, poverty and violence, or elect Obama and be saved.

Sounds like blackmail to me.

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"These two entities, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are not facing any kind of financial crisis,"

"The more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies,

the less we will see in terms of affordable housing." - Rep. Barney Frank (D)

Goodness doesn't need to be spoken of to remain intact. It either is or it isn't, and if it is, it is to our benefit.

To illustrate the flaw in your reasoning, imagine if you went to doctor who decided that rather than informing you that you had cancer, instead told you that your heart was working like a champ. How far do you think that would get you?

No, we aren't so bad in comparison to other societies, but that really isn't saying very much. If, on the other hand, we assess ourselves in terms of the potential that we've thus far realized, I'd say that we're sadly deficient. An awful lot of wealth that we've squandered, and all that we have to show for it is a mountain of debt hanging over our heads.

__________________
Who does vote for these dishonest shitheads? Who among us can be happy and proud of having all this innocent blood on our hands? Who are these swine? These flag-sucking half-wits who get fleeced and fooled by stupid little rich kids like George Bush?

--Hunter S. Thompson

Let's say he diagnoses you with colon cancer. But what if the doctor is a quack and doesn't know what he's talking about. So he cuts you open and after removing 6 feet of your intestine does a biopsy and finds no malignancy. All you had was a few non-cancerous polyps that can easily be scraped out with less radical and invasive surgery.

"My bag" the doctor proclaims. "You should have gotten a second opinion. Tough shit. Pay me."

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"These two entities, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are not facing any kind of financial crisis,"

"The more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies,

the less we will see in terms of affordable housing." - Rep. Barney Frank (D)

why would black americans feel detached from American heritage?

where has Obama (I'm assuming that is who you are talking about) said he loves another country more than America?

from an outsider's perspective and seeing him ( I assume you mean Obama) on our news far more than I want to, he appears to have EXACTLY the same quasi religious devotion to the USA as the most nationalistic posters here.

apart fromt he fact that I suugsted that "Africa" was a symbol of heritage/identity (A point you seem incapable of grasping) where do you get the rest of this re Africa? I would say that tribal factors are far more significant than skin - which is often irrelevant.

hmmmm - I think its possible that many black people have a romantic view of their heritage - as do many other groups (eg Irish Americans). And I also agree that African American families hve had ahigher rate of illegitimacy than the average population ... have you ever looked at historical statistics on illegitimacy? Its actually quite interesting. Illegitimacy and female headed families (for other reasons are well as ex nuptial liaisons) are HIGHER even in the same racial groups during times of economic uncertainty, and conflict.

This doesn't appear to be at all related to race.

As the search function is accessible this week, perhaps you might like to do a search through some of the threads on the forum where i have been discussing race. I can probably refer you to some sources as well, although most I have used are hard copy - and I haven't looked for them on line.

hmmm. Anyone can look at the history of coloured people int he US (and in many other nations) and not be surprised if people of colour can see plenty to be ashamed of. Although it doesn't seem that shame is the only emotion he has WRT the US.

thats a bit of a leap. Where do you see this?

causes of poverty are pretty well known universally. Anyone who is educated and aware can point out the conditions that contribute to the creation of poverty, and the continuance of that cycle.

and whats more - invoking people to be PROUD of who they are is one of the best ways to encourage them to lift themselves out of that cycle.

Do not patronise your opponent when you obviously have not read the church website; attempting to create a strawman out of an issue you know nothing about is not the fault of other posters.

If nothing else it demonstrates bad judgment that he would join in on the black leader festivities, all women in contact sports are a bunch of ugly hoe looking bitches. There was no race involved in the statement. Him not seeing shows he is one not capable of sight. Imus should have had his you know what chewed out and apologized, but race was never and should have never been placed into it. People like Barack Hussein Obama have nothing to cry race on so they concentrate on sh_t like this and criminal element.

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Only a liberal would know how hard it is to get a nicotine patch to stick to a monkey.