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OPINION: Was Racism Behind Congressman’s Outburst?

Written by News One on September 10, 2009 3:30 pm

wilsonlie

From the Washington Post:

In 1967, the play “MacBird!” opened in New York. It was (very) loosely based on Macbeth and, like it, told the story of an assassination and a palace coup, only in this case Lady Macbeth and her husband were not mythical Scots, but the first family of the United States. “MacBird!” accused Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson of being responsible for the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Naturally, given the times, it was a hit.

After the boorishness on display in the House chamber Wednesday night, it is useful to recall an uglier political era than the present one for some perspective, and it also useful to recall it for similarities. At the moment, nothing Barack Obama is going through compares in the least to the treatment Johnson got from his political enemies — on the left, not the right — but the reason is the same. Johnson was considered an illegitimate president. So is Obama.

Johnson’s supposed and keenly felt illegitimacy was a consequence of how he came into office — as Kennedy’s last-minute vice presidential choice and, upon his death, his successor. That Johnson was widely — and wrongly — perceived as a conservative southerner only deepened the animosity toward him. He was seen as both politically and culturally the anti-Kennedy, president by virtue of some sort of coup.

Obama is president in the standard way. But his illegitimacy continues to be questioned by the “birthers,” who insist he is not a native-born American, who demand to see the president’s birth certificate, and then, when they see it, insist it cannot be genuine. Neither evidence nor facts will dissuade them because they are the throes of an irrationality based on bigotry. An American president must be — ought to be — white.

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Tags: Barack Obama, Health Care, Racism, Speeches
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  • http://www.blackplanet.com/blkmail2000/ blkmail2000

    This was a racist act because white people have no respect for black people even the black President of the United States, these people was born and breaded this way. The only thing we can do is to wait until they die off.It just a matter of time before all hell break loose.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SamoaBoaConstrictor/ SamoaBoaConstrictor

    The Congressman’s outburst was inappropriate! However, before the continued use of this broad paint brush of raciest white america.Remember, it was white america that elected President Obama!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/gren1shaw2/ gren1shaw2

    The republican Creed ” racism,hatred and persecute blacks “. Has there ever been a time when anyone disrespected the office of the president in front of the full congress and on national television? The mere fact that there is cause for this question,tells you that everyone already knows the answer.the republican creed is destroying the office of the president.It is also destroying the united states.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/northstl/ northstl

    That was an act of TOTAL DISRESPECT TO THE PRESIDENT. I truly believe it’s all about Race for most republicans in the south and western disticts.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Eolufemi/ Eolufemi

    He’s a South Carolina white guy, what do you think?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/slade_black_back/ slade_black_back

    samoa i disagree about white America placing president Obama in office, it was America as a nation, trying to shake the hold that racism grip that has been there since the creation of our country.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/unottalkingaboutnute/ unottalkingaboutnute

    Why everything has to be about racism? What happen to people being able to state their opinions. Quite frankly, I am tired of blacks trying to play a race card every time a white person speaks negative. Blacks can speak negativity about a white person on here and no one shouts racism, but it is vice versa. I can not believe people still can not live in a society of a free mind.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Tried-N-True/ Tried-N-True

    Com’on with this BS—Why was it racism? Yep the man lied (I read the bill) and he got called out on it by a member of congress!!!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/_A_/ _A_

    @Tired-n-true…Where in the bill does it say that illegal immigrants will get tax incentives or a subsidy for a healthcare plan?? You appear to be the liar…

    Here is why it appears to stem from a racist mindset…No other President has ever been disrespected like that to his face, in front of a National audience..With all the lies Bush told and continued to tell even after some of his statements were proven to be lies (Sadaam-9/11 link, WMD’s etc.), no one showed that type of contempt to the commander in chief in public…To Joe Wilson, Obama was more than another n!gger with a microphone!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Shes_Back/ Shes_Back

    100% definitely it was racist!! Whether it was conscious or unconsciously…it was racist! I couldn’t see anyone being so disrespectful toward our previous president, no matter what kind of idiodic thing he said!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Shes_Back/ Shes_Back

    blkmail2000: why would you paint all white people with the same brush? I’m sure you don’t like it when people generalize and use the phrase “all black people.” I’m so sick of hearing that! SamoaBoaConstrictor was right, you gotta remember that it was whites, along with everyone else in our country, who helped to overwhelmingly voted President Obama into office!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/gren1shaw2/ gren1shaw2

    Racist hate versus God’s love!there is a devastating war going on in America,threatening to split this country into.It shows this is no longer one nation under God! It has now turned into a strugle between racism and Godism.love has given way to hate as the strongest emotion in this country.the emotional strength that has made america a winner in all it’s endeavors.the emotion that has made this country strong and looked up to all over the world.the emotion of racist hate is destroying this country in a way that will never be able to be repaired.Now it is.labeled one nation under racist hate, where any abomination is possible, any crime,any hienous act,any putrid hearted commision of any thing felt or thought. This nation now belongs to evil.it’s witnessed on television and radio everyday. It had just festered till now, the lies and deceit are just deathning. What room is left for God’s love in america? Where is it? How do you get there? I believe that place no longer exist!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/trisha_369/ trisha_369

    IN MY OPINION-HELL YES IT WAS…RACISM ALL UP IN THE ROOM. THIS FOOL IS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA & LOOK BACK ON THE NEWS WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA,WAS RUN’ING FOR PRESIDENT & THEY SHOWED ALL THE AREAS WHERE RACISM WAS COLORED IN RED & SOUTH CAROLINA HAD THE MOST…AND IM FROM NORTH CAROLINA SO I KNEW ITS TRUE & SOUTH CAROLINA HAS THE LOWEST RATE OF EVERYTHING BUT,HIGH IN CRIME…THIS IS THE SAME STATE WHERE HELP WAS TURNED DOWN & HE GOT THE NERVE & BALLS TO GET ON TV & OPEN UP HIS DIRTY MOUTH TO THE PRESIDENT ,IN A DISRESPECTFUL WAY HIS A*S SHOULD HAVE BEEN BEATEN,RIGHT THERE ON THE SPOT. THIS HOLD THING REMINDED ME OF THE MOVIE MALCOLM X-WHERE HE DIED AT THE END. I JUST HOPE THAT-THIS BE A WARNING TO THE PRESIDENT,TO WATCH HIS BACK & REALIZE THAT THE ONES WHO ARE TRYING TO BRING HIM DOWN & WANT HIM DEAD-ARE THE ONES WHO ARE IN HIS FACE. THIS FOOL NEED TO LOSE HIS JOB. NO I APOLOGIZE MY A*S…FIRED IS WHAT HE NEED TO BE-IF THAT HAD BEEN ONE OF US LITTLE PEOPLE-THEY WOULD HAVE THREW US IN JAIL & FINED THE HELL OUT OF US.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/bigj97216/ bigj97216

    @Tried-N-True You are a liar, you did not read the bill. This is a conversation for grown folks go play with your toys little boy. didn’t your mother teach you to stay out of grown folks conversations?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/bigj97216/ bigj97216

    @unottalkingaboutnute Just from reading your comments I can tell you’re not intelligent enough to understand. Leave this topic to those of us who can put together an intelligent sentence. Go play with your toys.

  • http://topsy.com/tb/bit.ly/QqTDI Tweets that mention OPINION: Was Racism Behind Congressman’s Outburst? | NewsOne — Topsy.com

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  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Sunshyne_defined/ Sunshyne_defined

    regardless of whether it was based in racism or not, it was disrespectful, ignorant, and should not have been tolerated towards the President of the United States. At no point in our history has anyone felt safe enough to be so brash and bold to the man who runs our country, a position which entitles him to certain treatment from those around him. Every step President Obama makes is scrutinized and criticized, from these negative ignorant a-wholes who have nothing better to do than to attempt to undermine his every step as to keep him from being successful in his efforts to REPAIR the mess they brought upon us. Although, i believe racism played a part in his rude statement, i believe more likely that the Rethugs are running scared. They are afraid that if he is successful, there will be a new era, in which not only will minority races be taken more seriously [thus taking away some of the privileged and powers he shares as a member of the male majority race], but to make it extremely difficult for the Rethuglican’s to have any power without a serious overhaul of their party, which would make them actually have to come into the 22nd century and listen to the people and run it how WE want, go figure. He should be not only taken to task, but banned from at least a set amount of future meetings with the President until such time as he decides to show our President the respect which is due to him.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Sunshyne_defined/ Sunshyne_defined

    Not to mention he had the gall to do so on National Television in front of most of the members of our country. This man is a true example of how Rethuglicans think.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Blac_diamond42/ Blac_diamond42

    What iam tired of hearings, is whites like (shes back) saying i’m tired of hearing blacks saying all whites, and the paintbrushes! Yes it is true white america helped to vote in Obama, AND! should we make a medal, for once we all saw eye to eye! He was the best man for the job, and everyone with a brain got it, so now where is all this anger, and pointing the finger gonna stop? It time now for all american citizens to come together, if you are white or black or grey, what is a word it’s just a word ,all whites or all blacks if you know it doesnot include you GET OVER IT! this is what causes more hate than the word n****r, or cracker it is just a word! I think that sometimes we cause more problems, with non sense than we should. Look at more of what makes us similar, than what separates us. I know many whites, and blacks losing their homes, and jobs right about now, we as a nation look pretty black regardless of our color, were all being treated the same! So who helped voted that into reality, Bush cause he done took his s**t and gone!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/producer6tray/ producer6tray

    If I am not mistaken, SC was the state in which Jefferson Davis presided as the President of the Confederacy during the Civil War and whose flag is an indelible symbol in cars, trucks, and most disturbing.. over government buildings. Alabama has a part of this flag in it’s state flag.

    This….. individual, represents S.Carolina, and its history as well as its BRAINLESS, HISTORIC rascist views. As I look at the photo for this article the two gentlemen seated with him have an intense gaze as if they knew what as going to happen. This was planned and most assuredly was no surprise to this subscriber. We as a people need to quit finding ourselves stunned each time this part of white America Shows its repetitive stupidity/actions as well as knee jerk responses to its lost of control with itself and the new/renewed Afrocentric Condition. We can more change their hereditary blindness to society than they can change our resolve, to always consider the source, and revel in our blessing that received in flipping the script on on their ignorance, Amen!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/producer6tray/ producer6tray

    By the way fox network so called conservative ( actually racist) talk shows and RUSH the pill head Limbaugh are treating/hailing this…..individual as hero, Need I say more …Defense rest.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SoularFlarez/ SoularFlarez

    i voted for Cynthia McKinney

    BUT

    at least Obama is better than BUSH & McCain’s old senile azz

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/phenomeNELL/ phenomeNELL

    Racism Watch is BP’s new name.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Da_J_Rok/ Da_J_Rok

    First of all how u gone be racist to a individual who is “TECHNICALLY” Half Caucasian. Second as far as the bill is concerned, bad news if u are poor because the agenda is simple the worst health care meaning the “LEAST EDUCATED & LEAST FUNDED” facilities will be given to the poor people. Middle Class got two choice if u take the cheap way out, then u know what it is, but u can kick down the new standards of “EXTREMELY HIGH PREMIUMS” that will be set by…*drum roll please* TADA “THE GOVERNMENT” and take a gamble on being sick cause if u not using what u paying for then it would seem to be like money spent in vain. And if u rich, then u probably not even reading this blog…lol Republicans + Democrats = “Same Team” dont let the “POLITRICKS” fool u

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DrAllNightLong/ DrAllNightLong

    It is so VERY Obvious “RACE” played a MAJOR facctor in what this idiot did!! There is NO way he would have said anything out loud if Goerge “Dubya” Bush or Rooster Reagan were in office!! I dont care HOW strongly your convictions are on ANY subject…..At this present moment, Barack Obama is the President of the United States and EVERYBODY in AMERICA needs to get on board with that and stop ALL of this undercover Racist BULLS**T!! ANY parent, and OMG ANY “school system” that would object to the President of the United States speaking directly to their child is a Bonafied IDIOT!!! There would be NO other reason, a parent wouldnt want their child to hear that address EXCEPT……”this is a BLACK MAN….I dont want you to hear what he has to say”!!!

    This man is a Republican Representative of a State where the “Confederate Flag” is still flown on the Capital steps…….A large part of this country is trying to move forward on the racvial front…..This FOOL is the POSTER BOY for that minority that will NEVER let go of the past !!!
    I just wish he lived here….I know some people that would LOVE to kick his AZZZZ!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ms_real2008/ ms_real2008

    For some reason (maybe this is optimism on my part, but so be it), I don’t believe that race had anything to do with it. I just feel that he felt strongly about healthcare and didn’t want to be lead all over the place by false promises. Now, by me saying this I am NOT doubting President Obama, but after a while of political parties telling the American people this promise and that and then it leads to nowhere, it can make a person doubtful……
    If it did involve race: Then I hope he kick rocks and crawl under a rock!

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