Why isn't this racist

[scamper]

Mr. Obama was asked at last night’s debate whether Mr. Clinton was “the first black president,” as Toni Morrison, the novelist, has said. Mr. Obama replied that he would first have to see whether Mr. Clinton can dance before calling him a brother. It was a brief moment of levity in a contentious slug-fest of a debate with Senator Hillary Clinton and former Senator John Edwards.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/22/dance-off/

In a world where Kelly Tilghman is getting crucified for a joke about lynching everyone thinks this is funny. She said it not even thinking about race, Obama said it directly about race. This is not a slam against Obama because I thought it was funny too, but who is making the rules saying one is OK but not the other.

[scamper]

Originally posted by scamper
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2.../22/dance-off/


In a world where Kelly Tilghman is getting crucified for a joke about lynching everyone thinks this is funny. She said it not even thinking about race, Obama said it directly about race. This is not a slam against Obama because I thought it was funny too, but who is making the rules saying one is OK but not the other.

Oops I said crucified, who is that going to piss off.

[Hollywood Jesus]

Originally posted by scamper
Oops I said crucified, who is that going to piss off.

Any time you reference the good Lord in conversation, it's a good thing. Keep the visibility high.


As far as racism, I think we should use our collective heads a little more. Intent has a whole heck of a lot to do with it. Neither case you reference sound like malicious intent to me. Now, I have an uncle who can't even say the words "watermelon" or "fried chicken" without dripping malice--these are the scary people. Not Don Imus.

[VanHalener]

Whitey can't dance?

I'm gonna sue that bastard!

[Nickdfresh]

Re: Why isn't this racist

Originally posted by scamper
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2.../22/dance-off/


In a world where Kelly Tilghman is getting crucified for a joke about lynching everyone thinks this is funny. She said it not even thinking about race, Obama said it directly about race. This is not a slam against Obama because I thought it was funny too, but who is making the rules saying one is OK but not the other.

Why would it be racist? Dude, you're way too uptight...

Blacks can get away with more of these types of jokes, but then again, they're the minority whose ancestors were slaves and had their continent raped, although certainly not just by white people....

[VanHalener]

I thought Obama's reply was spot on and quite funny.

[scamper]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
Why would it be racist? Dude, you're way too uptight...

Blacks can get away with more of these types of jokes, but then again, they're the minority whose ancestors were slaves and had their continent raped, although certainly not just by white people....

The point I was trying to make is that one is considered racist and one is not. I don't consider either one racist but alot of people said the lynch remark was. This lady was suspended because of it.

Originally posted by Hollywood Jesus
As far as racism, I think we should use our collective heads a little more. Intent has a whole heck of a lot to do with it.

I agree with this comment point.

[VanHalener]

Originally posted by Hollywood Jesus
As far as racism, I think we should use our collective heads a little more. Intent has a whole heck of a lot to do with it.

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TBh-YDP06m8&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TBh-YDP06m8&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

[jhale667]

Originally posted by scamper
The point I was trying to make is that one is considered racist and one is not. I don't consider either one racist but alot of people said the lynch remark was. This lady was suspended because of it.

I'm amazed you're even making the comparison...

dancing....LYNCHING....

Anybody ever been killed by dancing?

[scamper]

Originally posted by jhale667
I'm amazed you're even making the comparison...

dancing....LYNCHING....

Anybody ever been killed by dancing?

Both said as jokes....thats the comparison. When I first heard of the lynching remark I was amazed they made it a race thing. The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear lynch is the old west, and I'm originally from the south.

[jhale667]

Originally posted by scamper
Both said as jokes....thats the comparison. When I first heard of the lynching remark I was amazed they made it a race thing. The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear lynch is the old west, and I'm originally from the south.

Maybe so, but one is a joke about gauging someone's dance skills, and one is about KILLING someone....and I'm from the south too, and that's not the first analogy that pops into my mind....

[scamper]

Originally posted by jhale667
Maybe so, but one is a joke about gauging someone's dance skills, and one is about KILLING someone....and I'm from the south too, and that's not the first analogy that pops into my mind....

So you're saying that it's what you're joking about not who you're joking about?

[blonddgirl777]

Originally posted by scamper
So you're saying that it's what you're joking about not who you're joking about?

In the case of Dancing Vs Lynching...

The blacks have good reasons to be offended by lynching jokes... Some of their ancestors DID get lynched and as everyone knows, those crimes against humanity and the humiliation can be hard to forget.


But it always comes down to the same fact; WHITE MEN are the ones who have to watch everything they say or do... There will always be a woman or an ethnicity to come back and cry o'sexism/racism... sometimes being reasonable, sometimes not!

[blonddgirl777]

Some black people must be sick and tired to hear everyone assuming that blacks can dance, run or jump better...

It's like saying that they are only good at the physical stuff, due to their natural body structures. Because the "important" intellectual matters are mostly left in the hands of white men!

And until now (soon to change, maybe), we still see the colour differences between what goes on in the white house and the professional basketball courts.

[LoungeMachine]

Re: Why isn't this racist

Originally posted by scamper
[

, but who is making the rules saying one is OK but not the other.

That would be me.

Let me know how I can help.