Senator Harry Reid, Comments

[QueEx]

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Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) referred to President Obama in private conversations during the 2008 presidential campaign as "light-skinned" and as having "no Negro dialect." </font size>

Reid's remarks about Obama were revealed in "Game Change," a book detailing the 2008 race by Time's Mark Halperin and New York magazine's John Heilemann.

The authors describe Reid assessing Obama's strengths as a candidate. <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">Reid,</span> they write, <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">"believed that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama -- a 'light-skinned' African American 'with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one,'</span> as he said privately. Reid was convinced, in fact, that Obama's race would help him more than hurt him in a bid for the Democratic nomination."​

<font size="3">Not all that shocking coming from a 70 year old white man.

Not all that shocking either, to see us seeing ourselves in similar terms, hopefully, the day when it will be, is nearing.

QueEx
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[VegasGuy]

No, it's not.
This is more of the racial shit the republiklan posse will be tossing in the mix to demean the president. You could find older African Americans 70 plus who still refer to themselves as colored. To them, that was an improvement over the N word. The mission here is to play yet another race card QueEx. Same old shit they always do.

If you ever listen to they shit they say on right wing radio or TV, can you imagine what they call us OFF CAMERA or when we are not around?

-VG

 

[QueEx]

<SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">You could find older African Americans 70 plus who still refer to themselves as colored. To them, that was an improvement over the N word. </span>

-VG

My point exactly; and those terms far less offensive than the various forms of the "N" word, we call each other.

QueEx

 

[VegasGuy]

My point exactly; and those terms far less offensive than the various forms of the "N" word, we call each other.

QueEx

I think this is also being used to cultivate the hypersensitive nature some have about issues of race.I'm sure there will be microphones and cameras on some "sister" who is completely pissed off about this who will also say she will not support democrats in the future as a result. Just watch. It'll have the same effect as the old Poll Tax did to get us not to vote.


It is the standard wing nut gimmick developing that seems to always peel away support for progressive policies. Not to get use to vote for wing nuts but for us not to vote at all.

-VG

 

[thoughtone]

Hey VG,

Is there some sort of movement to offer a more effective alternative to Reid out their in Nevada? I can't stand the prospect of another Republican like Ensign winning a Nevada Senate seat.

 

[Race Harley]

99% of your federal politicians have this same mindset... only a few, like Reid, will get called out on it.

 

[glitchinthematrix]

Yes indeed. It seems to me that many are missing the point. To some it may not be important to distinguish if Harry Reid is racist or not (it seems as though some 'leaders' of color are coming to his defense. It's laughable right?..all these Black folks coming the defense of a Well-Meaning Caucasian Man) that pales in comparison to the fact that the dialogue on race is still needed in this country. If the powers that be can't even TALK about race and the negative repercussions of it then they will have an extremely difficult time DOING anything to rectify it!
Supposedly, let the right wing tell it, now that Obama has become president we don't have any racial problems anymore. I guess many feel the race issue will just go away on its own. This book Game Change, only high lights something that most Black folks have long well known, that race in America is a serious topic that is long overdue for serious discussion. Harry Reid's comments are offensive, Period. Whether his intention was to offend is a different matter all together. But isn't that often the claim of the privileged class in society?..."Well I didn't mean anything by it. Many of my friends are Black."
Ignoring color, (if such can be done especially here in America) those of the privileged class often are not cognizant of the actions/words that affect those of the under-privileged. Why? Because they rarely have to deal with the consequences of those same actions/words if something bad occurs as a result.
Lastly, I think that these "Negro" leaders need to stop defending this man. Let him speak for himself.
I may be wrong but hey....I'm just sayin.

 

[glitchinthematrix]

Yes indeed. It seems to me that many are missing the point. To some it may not be important to distinguish if Harry Reid is racist or not (it seems as though some 'leaders' of color are coming to his defense. It's laughable right?..all these Black folks coming the defense of a Well-Meaning Caucasian Man) that 'pales in comparison' to the fact that the dialogue on race is still needed in this country. If the powers that be can't even TALK about race and the negative repercussions of it then they will have an extremely difficult time DOING anything to rectify it!
Supposedly, let the right wing tell it, now that Obama has become president we don't have any racial problems anymore. I guess many feel the race issue will just go away on its own. This book Game Change, only high lights something that most Black folks have long well known, that race in America is a serious topic that is long overdue for serious discussion. Harry Reid's comments are offensive, Period. Whether his intention was to offend is a different matter all together. But isn't that often the claim of the privileged class in society?..."Well I didn't mean anything by it. Many of my friends are Black."
Ignoring color, (if such can be done especially here in America) those of the privileged class often are not cognizant of the actions/words that affect those of the under-privileged. Why? Because they rarely have to deal with the consequences of those same actions/words if something bad occurs as a result.
Lastly, I think that these "Negro" leaders need to stop defending this man. Let him speak for himself.
I may be wrong but hey....I'm just sayin.

 

[QueEx]

This controversy arose quickly and seems to have died down, just as quickly.

 

[thoughtone]

I wish Black folk would get just as upset about calling each other n***er.