In his official capacity as Attorney General, Eric Holder made a speech to Justice Department employees, saying:
Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards. ...
We, as average Americans, simply do not talk enough with each other about race. ...
It is an issue we have never been at ease with and, given our nation's history, this is in some ways understandable. If we are to make progress in this area, we must feel comfortable enough with one another and tolerant enough of each other to have frank conversations about the racial matters that continue to divide us.
This is an exceptionally stupid, wrong and dishonest thing to say on every level, though it's a common refrain of left wingers such as Mr. Holder. We have black history month, and school children know more about Jefferson holding slaves than about him founding the country. We've talked and talked and talked.
On top of which, we've got black folk working at every level of society. We've had two black secretaries of state. A black dude running the Justice Department just can't have too much there to bitch about. What do we have to do to prove we're cool? You want we should elect an affirmative action candidate for president, someone not vaguely qualified or experienced for the job mostly just because he's black? That would be risking grave danger and damage to the nation just to prove a stupid point, wouldn't it? God, I hope we'd never be that foolish.
What left wingers generally mean by saying that we haven't talked enough about race is not that we should have an open, honest discussion of our observations and perspectives on racial issues. It's that Whitey should feel more guilty and seek penance of being lectured to by self-righteous liberals — and of course giving over yet more of our money.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Phillip Winn
So wrong overall, while making one correct point. I agree with you (*shudder*) that the response to that cartoon was silly. The critics apparently didn't follow the news about the dead chimp, or don't know the legend of monkey's typing Shakespeare, or are just stupid, or all of the above.
That said, I think you misunderstood Holder, and I find your overall views and attitude repugnant. I think you try to walk a fine line, insinuating more than you say, and then deal with critics by talking longer than they're willing to.
So there you have it, that's my opinion. Correct call on the chimp cartoon, but reading this article makes me feel slimy. I've decide you honestly can't understand why, so I guess this comment is for other readers. :-)
2 - Dawn
Ewwwww.
That's all I have to say.
3 - Jordan Richardson
On top of which, we've got black folk working at every level of society.
Wow, really? Congratulations! I guess that means issues of racism in your country are all solved and should simply be forgotten.
Forgive the grotesque analogy, but that's like expecting a little girl to forget she was raped because her rapist bought her a stuffed animal.
And articles like this, Barger, do little to present the notion that you're "cool" with the issue of race. If anything, you keep proving yourself to be more ignorant with each passing sentence.
4 - Matthew T. Sussman
"that's like expecting a little girl to forget she was raped because her rapist bought her a stuffed animal."
Are you saying that doesn't work?
5 - Jordan Richardson
Depends on the animal.
6 - Hope and Change?
Claims of racism are more times than not an lame excuse for peoples laziness and stupdity....when can we end the affirmative mentality of entitlement?
Hey Barry won didnt he?
7 - Jordan Richardson
Claims of racism are more times than not an lame excuse for peoples laziness and stupdity
Oh sweet irony!
8 - Roger Nowosielski
New York Post.
9 - Cindy
H&C' entry into the local "stupidity contest" was declined.
Apparently they don't accept professionals.
10 - Roger Nowosielski
The Man and His Art.
11 - Hope and Change?
Forgive the factual analogy, but that's like expecting an affirmative action president to actually be a leader and make the right decisions just beacuse he reads speaches from a teleprompter writtem by white left wing loon liberals........
"We dont want these jobs to go to whie construction workers" Robert "The Plane! The Plane!"Riech
12 - Roger Nowosielski
more of the same
13 - Hope and Change?
We dont want these jobs to go to white construction workers" Robert "The Plane! The Plane!"Riech
14 - Roger Nowosielski
Robert Reich on the Stimulus Plan.
15 - Al Barger
Of course the responses here are just more proof of the basic point about the liberal fraud of supposedly wanting honest racial dialogue. Nothing but sliming on me, with absolutely zero reason or explanation, other than a childish playground "Ewwww."
Well, that and condescension from Winn. Perhaps the problem isn't that I'm incapable of understanding your opinion, but that I get it and reject it as bogus.
In this particular case though, I don't understand it precisely, in that you haven't explained it. But you don't need to explain it, just cluck your little self-righteous tongue a bit. After all, if you really explained your objection, we'd all get to see how petty and ridiculous it is.
Yup, here's your honest racial dialogue in action. Just accuse me of "insinuating" some unspecified racist sentiment, liken me to a child molester, and call me wicked and stupid.
16 - Robert
Take the Mirror Test.
I suggest that everyone (including the Attorney General) take a close look in a mirror and study carefully what particular shade of skin they see on the face in the mirror; and while doing so, ask themselves if the color of that skin or any other color of skin - or eyes or hair for that matter - is really of any significance whatsoever, or whether, in fact, the real issue of concern is about what goes on inside the skull in the brain that is currently looking at the face in the mirror as well as in other human brains â€" the intelligence, knowledge, judgment, determination, character, experience, work ethic, honesty, language skills, learning ability, trustworthiness, personality and all the other qualities and capabilities related to a particular human brain.
Racial discrimination is illegal in our country and if instances of racial discrimination are taking place the Attorney General needs to see that such cases are prosecuted. Otherwise, perhaps we can agree that skin color is trivial and irrelevant and refocus our attention on the many significant problems we currently face, and put our brains to work on things that actually do matter.
17 - The Obnoxious American
"themselves if the color of that skin or any other color of skin - or eyes or hair for that matter - is really of any significance whatsoever"
Gotta say that's a naive statement. Of course your hair, eyes and skin matters. You can't be a model if you have shitty hair or an ugly face. You can't be a news anchor unless you have a certain look. The fact is that "pretty people" (regardless of race) tend to get more promotions, are more trusted, etc. In fact, I think people who are balding are generally considered older and less confident than people with a thick head of hair.
Not to mention one obvious fact - Holder would likely not even be an AG right now if he was white.
Al,
Really nice comeback on the brainless "Ewwww" comment. In my view, you made the case and point.
18 - Al Barger
Thanks OA. I thought about inviting David Yeagley aka Bad Eagle over for some honest racial dialogue - but of course we don't REALLY want any of that, do we?
19 - Baronius
Maybe we're spoiled on BC. We've been talking for weeks about how Obama didn't write the stimulus package, trusting Congressional leaders instead. So when I saw the cartoon, I didn't equate Obama with the author of the ARRA. I can understand how people would be mistaken though, if they didn't know the facts. If people want to protest based on a misunderstanding, I can't stop them, but they have the responsibility to apologize.
As for Holder, I'm reminded of the words of Thomas Sowell, that anyone who says he wants to have an honest dialogue about race really wants to have a monologue about race.
20 - Dawn
I was being kind by posting "Ewwww," my reaction were it verbalized which clearly is the only one Al and OA can focus on, would be "Wow, Al Barger is still very ignorant."
Clearly, my prayers have yet to be answered, but alas, I will keep on praying that someday those who cling to their cultural and regional based biases will open their eyes and see the "whole" world, not just the world they want to see.
I am all for open dialogue on race, because it really needs to be done for both sides to move on towards a better society. I just don't see how having that dialogue with narrow-minded "folks" is going to get us anywhere.
Let me know when you are ready to be open-minded to the opinions and views of others. Until then, ewww is about all I can muster.
21 - Roger Nowosielski
That is not a very effective way of diffusing the situation, Baronius - to try to account for the protest in terms of misunderstanding that Obama did not author the package. Very few people would labor under such a misconception. But he did sign it, didn't he?
22 - The Obnoxious American
Dawn,
Was your post ironic on purpose?
Lollllll
23 - Al Barger
Dawn, your extended comments are if anything even more lame than "eww." You do nothing but add more personal insults to me. You certainly show no sign of being "open minded to the opinions and views of others."
This is the real "dialogue" that the Holders of the world want - denounce and ostracize anyone who might be seen to disagree significantly with their little pat worldviews and then sit around jacking themselves off about how racist we all are and how cool y'all are because you are supposedly so much more enlightened.
And I still have no idea what exactly the disagreement with me here even is. What have I said that is wrong, exactly? I'm not really even saying anything about race. I said nothing about black folk, or red or white.
What exactly are these horrible retrograde "biases" that I'm exhibiting? Is it just that I don't get my panties all up in an indignant bunch over every lame claim of racism?
Maybe "eww" is all you can muster because you really have nothing else to offer but a hateful emotional reaction.
24 - Baronius
Roger, Obama did sign it. If the cartoon said, "we're going to need someone new to sign the next stimulus package into law", then that would be relevant. Why does the "a" in "relevant" never look right? The point is, I can sympathize with people who misread the cartoon, but that doesn't mean they read it correctly.
25 - Roger Nowosielski
I don't buy it. It's a dodge. In an art-form which is a cartoon, you expect the wording to reflect the facts to the letter?
Not a Laughing Matter.