Comments on Los Angelista's Guide To The Pursuit Of Happiness: There's a "Race War" Going On -- But My Neighbor S...

I sure hope we're not in a race war because nobody...

2008-01-19T00:18:19.646-08:00

I sure hope we're not in a race war because nobody asked me what side I wanted to be on.

You nailed the Truth perfectly with your statement that only Obama is being required to transcend race.

It takes a LOT of stupidity to keep racism alive after hundreds of years, and it's utterly bizarre that whiteness is the default setting when most of the world's people are non-white.

I hope very much that your question gets discussed because it is one of the most important issues facing this country and the world.

Noel,It doesn't make sense for people to continue ...

2008-01-17T20:45:38.781-08:00

Noel,
It doesn't make sense for people to continue to advocate any sort of ideology that does not acknowledge that we are, whether we like it or not, moving toward existing as one human family on one planet. Now if the cost of actually traveling to those places went down, I'd be a VERY happy camper. By the way, did I mention how much I'm feeling the new profile picture? Work it out, Noel! Work it out!

Jstele,
I agree, it was damage control. Honesty is the foundation of everything and the lack of honesty, no matter who's dishing the dirt, does a disservice to the efforts of voters to really discern what the candidates are really about. It really says something about character though to not be able to apologize, acknowledge that it was wrong and then make amends. There's just such an attitude that apologizing and then making amends is a sign of weakness.

Phillipe,
Gosh you're brilliant. I can't wait to read whatever book you write.

You are 100% right that race has been a part of this since before Obama declared his candidacy. What most recently went down is certainly not the jump-off point for how race has been involved in this. How deep racism goes in the context of this campaign...well, someone could write a dissertation on the internalized racism by itself.

The media is not talking about a "race war" in the same way you are. I think your definition is more appropriate. We just don't think of that as "war" even though that's what it actually is. The media uses very cynical language to suggest that we are all polarized, in our separate corners. Many of us are not. My circle of friends is all very diverse, just as yours is. but the refusal to even let Obama TALK about race and the insistence that he can't talk about race and still remain politically viable is a clear sign that all is not as well as we'd like to think it is. The thing is, in the quest to get elected, Obama is probably selling some of his soul by not talking about race. Then again, let deeds not words be your adorning.

Kari,
Retired? No way? Oh yeah, you can hook Walter into Facebook, no problem. He's a shoo-in.

What about Mr. Taylor though? He's not retired! :)

Keith,
Well, remember we were supposed to be having that national conversation after all the Don Imus stuff. Oh wait, after Katrina... Sigh.

But I have faith that the conversation will happen on a wide scale in our lifetimes and that it will be MORE than a conversation. It has to. We can't go on like this for much longer. You can feel it in the world...something has got to give. But in our individual lives we can make the decisions about what we say and do -- we have to model what we want the larger world to do.

Oooooh, I like this post. Lots of good questions. ...

2008-01-17T18:56:57.071-08:00

Oooooh, I like this post. Lots of good questions. I would argue that we are maintaining the status quo right now in terms of race (this is the country of slavery, Jim Crow, Civil Right Era, etc.), and every thing else is a mess.

I'm not sure a meaningful national conversation on race will ever happen in our lifetime.

oh - i meant to post a comment yesterday, but i th...

2008-01-17T09:34:46.096-08:00

oh - i meant to post a comment yesterday, but i think it didn't work.

i have not converted those guys to facebook. but, Walter is retired and more and more web saavy every day. i bet he could be enticed to join!

kari

I find it comical that people believe that race do...

2008-01-17T04:55:55.387-08:00

I find it comical that people believe that race doesn't matter just because they say so. Race was part of this whole process long before Clinton's remarks. To think otherwise is to engage in delusion. Also the so called race war was declared long ago it is simply asymmetrical. Predatory lending, discrimination in housing, employment, health care, the criminal justice system, and education, police brutality, the epidemic of stress related diseases, the mass medicating and tracking into "special education" of our children, discriminatory implementation of "zero tolerance" policies, nooses popping up all over the country. There's a race war alright, it's against people of color and people of color are losing big time. We have to wake up from this "we are the world" narcotized state and see what is really going on in our country. The politicians are clueless and don't offer an ounce of leadership regarding these issues, not one of them. The propaganda of the so called "post racial" America is a dangerous opiate. This brother refuses to fall asleep.

When Hillary made that comment about Martin Luther...

2008-01-17T04:34:32.918-08:00

When Hillary made that comment about Martin Luther King and Lyndon Johnson, she was really comparing Obama to MLK and herself to Johnson. Obama represents hope as did MLK. This was her subtle way of saying that he represents hope, but she is the one who will get the job done. His hope is empty while her leadership is what will make the necessary changes.

What's interesting is that not only is it a comparison based on perceived leadership, but also race. She did diminish King's leadership and his contributions to civil rights through her comment. Her comments afterwards were pure damage control.

Liz, I just can't imagine in this day and age, whe...

2008-01-16T20:59:47.678-08:00

Liz, I just can't imagine in this day and age, when France, Kenya, Singapore, Peru is a phonecall, e-mail, IM away that we want to polarize ourselves. I know it happens, but I want to be the change I see in the world--as Ghandi put it.

Noel,Another day has passed and we're still alive!...

2008-01-16T08:30:44.742-08:00

Noel,
Another day has passed and we're still alive! Can you believe it? We're surviving the race war!

Seriously though, can you imagine not living with those people in your lives and all the beauty their cultures bring to this city? I can't, which is part of the reason I haven't gone back to the Midwest. I know some people like to see folks who are just like them all the time, but I certainly don't.

We're in a race war? Why didn't anyone tell me? ...

2008-01-15T22:22:42.021-08:00

We're in a race war? Why didn't anyone tell me? I guess, I have to end my friendships with my best friend (black), her son/my god son (half-Irish), my ex-boyfriend (Jewish), ignore both my neighbors (latino), stop paying my landlady (latina), stop going to my dry cleaners (Armenian), stop getting my gas (Arab), stop teaching my students (a rainbow), stop working in downtown (another rainbow). If there is a race war in Los Angeles, I'm f'd. I have no where to go and nothing to do.

NYC/CR,I'm really curious about South Carolina as ...

2008-01-15T17:53:36.626-08:00

NYC/CR,
I'm really curious about South Carolina as well. Every time I see the clip of Bob Johnson's comments, my blood just boils! And I find it fascinating that there just seems to be a lack of awareness that BET is not revered in the homes of many African-Americans.

Nick,
There has definitely been some false information spread around. Total journalistic irresponsibility, although to give them a break, the journalists weren't the origin of the false info. They just repeat it, speculate on it and watch it grow. I do think so much of what is passed off as hard news is a lot of subjective opinion, no better than what is contained on this blog.

We'll see if the question gets asked. The debate is going to start pretty soon!

1969,
As I was writing this it just came to me why that "transcend" talk has been bugging me. It's taken me since Obama won in Iowa to really name it. But every time I've heard that word, I feel like I'm being stabbed between the eyes. And how sweet are you to nominate me for an award. I'll come over and visit to check it out! ;)

Kari,
Thanks! I have to make myself laugh a little bit because much of this just infuriates me. And Kelsey and Walter! I miss them...did you convert them to Facebook addiction?

Ian,
I know, we will get past it but I feel sometimes like I'm listening to the same bad song on repeat and it frustrates me. I get really mad when candidates are allowed to duck and dodge and not answer questions straightforwardly. I think Barbara Walters asks tougher questions and better follow-ups in her celebrity specials!

Lisa,
No, never bitter, right? I mean, Hillary Clinton's feelings are hurt because of the media...how about the feelings of countless black women who had to endure knowing "Tip Drill" was on BET Uncut every single night, who get ignored when we turn up missing...okay, I will just leave it at that, but yeah, I came back to the US right before the OJ verdict and the vibe of all this reminds me of that time a bit.

Jameil,
Oh yes, everyone wants to know how black voters will respond...but how about ask how white voters are gonna respond? Or Asian voters? You notice nobody says anything about Asian voters? What's up with that!

Jen,
I hope Obama can bring it but if he wins, I imagine the man's gonna be gray before the end of his first term in office. But if we can get some real healing out of all this, how beautiful would it be.

Fabulous post, once again.And right on target. An...

2008-01-15T16:27:07.774-08:00

Fabulous post, once again.

And right on target. And I hope that Hillary is burying herself bit by bit. We DO need real hope for this country and we DO need healing.

For my money, Obama's the only one who has a shot at taking on this oh-so-difficult task.

giiiiiirl!! i love this post rt. here!! "None o...

2008-01-15T12:22:13.476-08:00

giiiiiirl!! i love this post rt. here!! "None of the other candidates are being required to "transcend" their race." WORD. and can't even fathom what its like to have to do so. like how yest. meredith vierra asked michael eric dyson how will af-am voters respond & he had to 1st say "blks are not a monolithic people..." ya jam skippy b/c bob johnson DOES NOT speak for me or most of the blk people i know. AND them tryin to turn this back on obama just lets me KNOW i do NOT want hillary in office.

I have a friend who often prefaced comments about ...

2008-01-15T12:09:03.418-08:00

I have a friend who often prefaced comments about stories such as these with, "When the race war comes -- and it will come..."

Glad to hear your neighbors are still speaking to you and not saying stuff like, "You know, black people are just so sensitive about all this, we all have to be so politically correct all the time." Yeah, sorry about that. Sorry if it makes you uncomfortable to think about things you conveniently never have to think about!

Not that I'm bitter or anything.

By the way, excellent question. I wonder if they'll dare to use it.

Don't give up hope, my love. Someday we'll get pas...

2008-01-15T11:08:09.500-08:00

Don't give up hope, my love. Someday we'll get past it. I love the fact that Hillary is in a tough and defensive place, however. She deserves to be.
And I agree about journalistic irresponsibility, and I say this as a journalist of long standing.

Liz - I only had a moment to read your first coupl...

2008-01-15T11:04:52.594-08:00

Liz - I only had a moment to read your first couple of paragraphs. (I will come back and visit again later today). But, so far, you are cracking me up. I love your writing style.

By the way, I showed your facebook pix to Kelsey and Walter last night. They were beaming looking at your boys!

Kari

Youjust put it down with this statement:"Let's kee...

2008-01-15T10:27:30.477-08:00

Youjust put it down with this statement:

"Let's keep it real and acknowledge that the only person being required to transcend race is Barack Obama. None of the other candidates are being required to "transcend" their race because their race is the "right" race."

I have to go nominate your for an award.

Oh, I meant to mention Liz, excellent question - h...

2008-01-15T09:33:01.645-08:00

Oh, I meant to mention Liz, excellent question - hope it gets debated.

Some journalists just love trying to whip up confl...

2008-01-15T09:27:49.904-08:00

Some journalists just love trying to whip up conflicts and 'wars' where they don't exist. A bit of local friction over something and straightaway the hacks are conjuring up towns being torn apart and society collapsing. And quite often it's them causing the friction in the first place by fanning myths that black people are grabbing all the houses and all the jobs and waging jihad. The destructive power of the media....

Liz, I am so curious to see how South Carolina tur...

2008-01-15T08:00:04.523-08:00

Liz, I am so curious to see how South Carolina turns out, esp. after Bob Johnson's stupid statements.

The Clintons and their surrogates played with fire and got burned. I hope they don't do it again. It's obnoxious and very cynical.