Chris Matthews made the “mistake” of saying that he forgot the President was Black after last night’s State of the Union address. This is coming from an Obama-lover, a fanboy, if you will. I somehow highly doubt that Matthews meant that statement in the way that most critics seem to have taken it but it does raise another interesting question among the millions of queries raised since Obama’s election and, thereby, since race and racial politics became a part of dialogue among the nouveau political.
WATCH:
Matthews’ full comments:
I was trying to think about who he was tonight. It’s interesting: he is post-racial, by all appearances. I forgot he was black tonight for an hour. You know, he’s gone a long way to become a leader of this country, and past so much history, in just a year or two. I mean, it’s something we don’t even think about. I was watching, I said, wait a minute, he’s an African American guy in front of a bunch of other white people. And here he is president of the United States and we’ve completely forgotten that tonight — completely forgotten it. I think it was in the scope of his discussion. It was so broad-ranging, so in tune with so many problems, of aspects, and aspects of American life that you don’t think in terms of the old tribalism, the old ethnicity. It was astounding in that regard. A very subtle fact. It’s so hard to talk about. Maybe I shouldn’t talk about it, but I am. I thought it was profound that way. [Source: Huffington Post]
This is a complicated and tricky question. Does “forgetting” someone’s Blackness make them inherently racist? Does it make them a white supremacist, a person who believes that the default racial setting for all intelligent and articulate human beings is white? That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?
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At what point does it suddenly become politically incorrect to invoke the race of the President as something to be lauded? I mean, wasn’t that what we were ALL celebrating when he was elected? Now, it seems, that anyone still marveling at the fact that a Black man stands before Congress to give a State of the Union is “hung up on race.”
Still, on the other hand, I can understand how a hyper-racially-aware public can become inflamed over Matthews’ comment. I get that his show is live and all, but why not just avoid the whole topic of race altogether? If the point Matthews was trying to make was that “we’re beyond race” what is the logic of bringing it up in that context?
America is a fascinating place. What are your thoughts on Chris Matthews comment? Just curious…
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at 2:30 pm
When I heard the comments by Harry Reid and the immediate analysis by the
“talking heads”, my opinion was that Reid should be apologizing to the
entire African-American population (which I think he did) and not to
President Obama. His comments were meant as a compliment to President Obama (in a white, prejudicial sort of way). He was actually insulting the population of African-American people by insinuating that the entire group speaks in a “Negro dialect”, which I assume means that African-Americans don’t speak good English. Harry Reid was basically saying to President Obama something I have had some white people say to me, incorrectly thinking that I would take it as a complement instead of the insult it REALLY is to the whole African-American population. That is, “You speak well for a black guy!” This attitude and the comment suggests that all African-Americans speak broken English and are not educated when there are many examples of African-Americans who are very well educated that I can point out. They refer to them as “uppity” and “arrogant” and “elitist”. All white people like this really need to do is let go of their negative feelings about African-Americans and open their eyes. The problem is that some in white America (Harry Reid included) still seek out the worst example of African-Americans and use that to define, in their own minds, what the entire group of African-Americans are. This tells me that Harry Reid and people like him are not exposing themselves to a wide enough variety of African-Americans in social settings. You would think that a Senator who interacts with other politicians would be able to find a few more African-American politicians he can interact with that would disprove his stereotypes. White America does not apply this same standard to white Americans.
Some in White media tend to focus exclusively on the most negative images of African-American people. There is not much balance in their coverage of African-Americans. If you turn on the local news everyday, you will often, mostly see images of African-Americans (particularly males) committing crimes or being arrested for something. This is not the majority of African-Americans, but you wouldn’t believe that if all of your information is coming from some of these white media sources. Some (maybe most) white people in American don’t interact with African-Americans everyday. So of course, when they turn on the news and ONLY see African-Americans involved in crime, they allow their ignorance to get the better of them and come to the lazy conclusion that all or most African-Americans are committing crimes, when in reality most African-Americans are out working and doing something positive in their own lives so that they can continue to be productive members of society. Unfortunately, some African-Americans and some from other groups are also affected by this bombardment of negative images about their own people. And even they forget to compensate for the white media bias and they believe the worst about their own people and treat them accordingly when they interact with them in some social settings. Imagine if African-Americans reacted this way towards whites every time a white person acted like an ass (which seems to happen quite often from my personal experience). But most of us usually take it as an isolated incident and move on. My point is this . . . People like Harry Reid and whoever else, need to stop acting like every African-American is supposed to fit into their racist, stereotypical view of what THEY THINK an African-American is supposed to be. Just like any other group on the planet, African-Americans come from a wide range of backgrounds, education levels, parental upbringing, etc. That means, just like any other group, those people will conduct their lives based on that upbringing. There is no such thing as a “Negro dialect”. A person either speaks proper English or they don’t. All African-Americans don’t speak broken English any more than all whites speak proper English. Take a trip down south and you’ll see what I’m talking about. But in this society, some in white media CHOOSE to depict themselves as all that is good in this country (sweeping their own deficiencies under the rug and making those deficiencies the exception rather than the rule) while they depict African-Americans as all that is wrong with this country (Sweeping their best attributes under the rug and promoting the worst stereotypes and images of them). This is strictly because that is what they choose to do, and because there are not enough African-Americans making decisions in media and helping to show the balance that exists, just like for every other group. The reasons why there are not enough African-Americans in media making those decisions is because whites won’t hire them. So yes, whether Chris Mathews or Harry Reid or anyone like them realize it, the comments they made were both stupid and racist.
at 1:28 pm
Mathews’ statement was both stupid and racist. It’s just a shame that “liberal” whites don’t realize it. This is no different than a white person telling an African-American person, “You speak so well.” It’s really just a dumb thing to say, because in actuality, what you are really saying is . . . “My expectation of your race is that you would not have done what you did as well as you did it.” Just goes to show the sickness of racism, prejudice and discrimination in this country and around the world, as promoted by white people (some) throughout history. Mathews actually thought his stupid statement was a complement. Somebody please tell me where the line ends for white people that make dumb comments, because I can’t see the end.
at 9:35 am
African American is not a race…it is a title that was assigned to people living in America of African descent. A lot of people confuse race with nationality…Jamaica, Africa, Japan, China, Korea, etc., etc., are places. They are not races…a racist is a person who hates or is intolerant of a race or races…including his or her own race.
at 11:51 pm
OK, What I mean is not to “forget” but just not to bring it into the conversation all of the time, such as I have two black friends and one Asian and three Spanish friends or not to say (if I may use your name) Gera is a very nice black person instead of saying Gera is a very nice person. Because as far as I am concerned we are all from one race the human race and skin color is really meaningless. I am also not Liberal but very Conservative.
Thank you for your comments.
Bethany
at 10:21 pm
I wouldn’t want someone to “forget” my race, it is a part of me. What I want is for someone to know me including my race and not have preconceived notions about who I am or my capabilities. Colorblind people are liberal oppressors.
at 12:54 pm
Does “forgetting” someone’s race make them inherently racist?
No, however remembering it does.
at 2:20 am
Not to me and I think it’s stupid to think that, we want people to treat us all the same and when someone actually does forget our color and just listens to us, it’s racist……morons.
at 9:11 pm
The irony of the Double Consciousness issue within ourselves. smh.
at 6:19 pm
@ thelastgriot
and you wrote all that 2 say what??????
SHHH11111111TTT!!!
I’m feelin like C. Matthews on the low
I 4got this mark was a nlgga myself when he has no policies 2 directly have any cause and effect of US since we have been the fukin ground this Nation has walked on since day fukin one!!!
and 2 be politically CORRECT he is Bi-Racial!!! muthaf**kas always wanna claim some shlt….I wanna see what you nlggas post when the shlt hit the fan
and you nlggers need 2 stop speaking for this mark ya’ll dont REALLY kno what the nlgger was saying….it’s a lotta CLEO’s in this post