I’m back!
Hey Picklers…. guess who’s back? Well, kind of. I have partied so hard over the last week or so that I actually felt ill yesterday from exhaustion. Nevertheless, as a true political trooper, I have been live-blogging the American presidential elections in Iowa while sipping on green tea and wrapping a duvet tightly around me.
For the next week or so, until I get back to London, it is gonna be American elections coverage here and over at Liberal Conspiracy because they matter, whether you like it or not. Obama won the Iowa poll as a democratic nominee but there’s much more to come and I’ll be watching like a hawk.
Of course there is much to say about Pakistan too, the other big story here in the United States. Nothing gets people talking more than the assassination of a political heir over here. But I have little to say that hasn’t already been said. Let’s see how things pan out in the coming weeks.
In the meantime… it’s a new year! Happy New Years! What resolutions did y’all make? One of mine is to (finally) get a driver’s license. Just to keep, I don’t actually intend to buy a car.
Will you be visiting Chicago area?
I decided to quit smoking on New Years Eve. Lasted all of 15 minutes :(.
Quite amazing, typically issues from outside the US are irrelevant for our elections. The fact that Bhuto’s murder (an international affair) has gotten so much press and actually might impact the primaries is a welcome change to our usual introversion.
Do the 2 parties select the first and second position results from the caucus results to field as the President and Vice-Pres candidates in November? What if Obama gets trounced by Clinton in New Hampshire?
I’m rooting for a Clinton/Edwards ticket.
No I’m lying. Its gotta be Obama/Edwards.
Obama: The only Black American in the US Senate, and with a proud record of having opposed the Iraq war from its inception.
The only Black American in the US Senate
Why should his skin colour have anything to do with it?
Unless you’re a racist like S. Hundal or N. Griffin who supports people based upon their skin colour, of course.
and with a proud record of having opposed the Iraq war from its inception.
Wanting to keep Saddam in power is something to be proud of?
Because he belongs to a minority which until now has never seen the chance to have a member as the President. Its a momentous occassion for USA and the whole world, as a matter of fact. The fact that you don’t recognise this seems like a strange over-compensatory reflex. To not recognise is as silly as not recognising Hilary Clinton is a woman.
Is your use of the race-card a form of defence by attack I wonder? You, from a previous thread, have proved to not being to tell the difference between a racist, the BNP and an Asian politician you’ve never even heard of. You’re also on record for supporting the call for incarcerating people on the basis they look like “Pakistanis or Arabs”? I’m not sure you have room to comment on who is a racist when you’ve proved yourself to be one more explicitly than anyone else.
And as for the Iraq War, if you’re still proud of supporting it, you’re obviously ideologically stuck in 2003 without an idea to spare. ergo, if you don’t know now, you never will.
Because he belongs to a minority which until now has never seen the chance to have a member as the President. Its a momentous occassion for USA and the whole world, as a matter of fact. The fact that you don’t recognise this seems like a strange over-compensatory reflex. To not recognise is as silly as not recognising Hilary Clinton is a woman.
By that logic then, Sid, you’ll be the first one to applaud Margaret Thatcher as the first woman prime minister of the UK?
So, he’s black. Well done. And Hilary is a woman. And Romney is a white male. Yay.
So fucking what? But what about their policies?.
You’re also on record for supporting the call for incarcerating people on the basis they look like “Pakistanis or Arabs”?>
When Welsh methodists or japanese samurai start detonating themselves on our underground, I’ll call for the preemptive incarceration of Welsh methodists or japanese samurai.
I’m not sure you have room to comment on who is a racist when you’ve proved yourself to be one more explicitly than anyone else.
Ah, here comes the old “racist!” canard, that you’re so dependent on, and that you resort to so quickly. All, without evidence of course. Having said that, its pretty much par for the course - 95% of what you write here is just deranged Pavlovian wittering, as others have increasingly noticed. You’re effectly just a pub-bore style Alf Garnett, with self-declared darker skin, ranting “racist!” or “islamaphobe!” at people instead of “bloody foreigners!” or whatever.
You’re living proof that Ingio Wilson’s Lefty Lexicon is spot on.
And as for the Iraq War, if you’re still proud of supporting it, you’re obviously ideologically stuck in 2003 without an idea to spare. ergo, if you don’t know now, you never will.
I am proud of supporting the overthrow of a fascist genocidal dictator.
You on the other hand, wanted to keep him in charge.
Which one of us is the throwback, eh?
So let’s get this right. You’ve admitting to being raist because of Islamist terrorism.
Sid,
Were I alive, I would also admit to being wary against Germans in the years circa 1939 to 1945, and especially the ones with the funny uniforms and salutes, and would urge strong measures to be taken against them, not excluding detention and close examination until individuals could be exonerated.
Are you now calling British Policy 1939 to 1945 regarding Germans in the UK “racist” as well?
Hi Sid
Liked your point that what happens in America sends signals to the rest of the world. Perhaps it’s more because America’s business is business (I remember reading this statement somewhere when I was 18) and what happens in business, it seems, matters everywhere else.
Yes, and you’re Winston Churchill and its 1933.
Its about the US caucuses. And this is Obama in fine form.
Yes, and you’re Winston Churchill and its 1933.
Metaphorically, I’m in the same position. without the Cigars.
Obama is a naive waif, alas. If it came down to a choice between him and Huckabee, I would have to go with Obama, very reluctantly.
My personal preference is either Clinton or McCain/Guiliani.
Not you hamila, that attacking-defensive racist on comment #9.
Oh shut up, Sid. Your “racist!” schtick is tiresome old hat, even for you. You’re like a broken record.
you played the race card first, you silly buffoon.
“I” played the race card? You were the one who mentioned his skin colour first (#4).
Now Sid, this isn’t the first time you’ve screamed “racist!” at me.
All the other times, you’ve spectacularily failed to provide any evidence to back up this slur. Now’s your chance. Feel free to provide ANY evidence that I’ve ever uttered any racist statement, ever.
Else withdraw your remark.
Here comes? You had already brought it in #5. But on the subject of “racist”, do you know what a racist is? It is someone who considers other races as undesirable, a menace or inferior. I do agree that it is silly to vote or support someone on the grounds of gender or race alone, but to call someone a racist for supporting a person for being black, is the same as calling someone a sexist or a misogynist for voting a woman. See how silly you are?
As for Iraq. I am happy you are proud for taking out Saddam. I am sure you are also proud for thousands of dead civilians, the increase of terrorism and terrorists, the fact that by attacking Iraq, we have had less resources to attack Al Qaeda or even take on Bin Laden who is still allowed to broadcast his messages, and plot terrorist attacks.
If Bush commanded 2nd World War, we would no doubt have been invaded by Germans, as this US administration has been characterised as the most incompetent ever, with two failed wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. I guess only an incompetent and ignorant fool would see failures as successes.
I mentioned his skin colour first, so that makes me racist. You call for the incarceration of people based on looking like Arabs and Pakistanis, and you are…?
You had already brought it in #5
In response to Sid in #4, Ravi.
is the same as calling someone a sexist or a misogynist for voting a woman.
If they’re voting for a woman because she’s a woman, then, yes, it is sexism.
I mentioned his skin colour first, so that makes me racist. You call for the incarceration of people based on looking like Arabs and Pakistanis, and you are…?
I never mentioned Arabs and Pakistanis, you did. I support profiling based upon targeting of followers of Islam. Someone like David Hicks is just as worthy of targeted profiling as say, Babar Ahmed.
You supported Martin Amis more than a number of times on the issue of detaining people based on looking like Pakistanis and Arabs and you have even jusitified it again on this thread on #9. Who do you think you’re fooling?
Morgoth, I think you are a genuine fascist. To take your analogy about WW2 to its conclusion, I think you would have been right at home reporting to Himmler, had you been born a German (at the time).
Just imagine if you had been an Iraqi at the time of Saddam’s rise. But the role best suited to you in today’s climate would be to be a part of Guiliani’s campaign.
Sid, so Germans are now a race are they?
You’re pathetic.
You were caught out being racist and now you’re just making chaff up to try and worm our way out of it.
Refresh, I’m the very opposite of a fascist:
“Fascism is an authoritarian political ideology (generally tied to a mass movement) that considers individual and social interests subordinate to the interests of the state or party.”
I consider individual interests to be paramount above all others.
I think you’re failing to squirm out of it. The defence of jailing people because of Islamist terrorism is the same reflex that attacks Jews because of perceived Israeli human rights abuses. Its important for you to realsie that and important for you to realise that you’re not as transparent as you like to think.
Sid, in normal times I would thorougly agree with you. However, we are at war with an expansionary and genocidal Islam (a war not of our starting), and in wartime normal rules do NOT apply.
stick to the point: that makes you agree with jailing people based on their ethnicity.
Morgoth, so would you have been reporting to Himmler or not?
Would you have worked within Saddam’s regime?
Would you like to be a part of Guiliani’s campaign?
Anyway here’s wishing godspeed to Obama - the first BLACK President of the USA.
He is as BLACK as he is WHITE.
Anyway here’s wishing godspeed to Obama - the 44th WHITE President of the USA.
So I take it you support Gitmo?
No he’s a fat, majoritorian, racist white boy.
stick to the point: that makes you agree with jailing people based on their ethnicity.
No. Jailing people for supporting a murderous ideology, yes.
So I take it you support Gitmo?
Ravi, I don’t actually. I would have supported the fuckers being summarily executed on the battlefield as per the Geneva Convention instead.
Refresh, No, No, Yes. What sort of fucking stupid questions are the first two anyway?
Cut the race crap. I just hope a Democrat wins the next election, and take us out of this nightmare. Of course, Obama would be great, but I would not be depressed if Clinton got the job.
No he’s a fat, majoritorian, racist white boy.
Yawn. I think if there’s any racist around here, its YOU.
you’re not white?
But I take it you don’t support people being put in prison indefinitely without a trial.
I am curious at what you said earlier in #25. What sort of rules should not be applied during war time?
Ravi, ts important Obama is not elected on a race ticket, but he’s proven his ability across the board to all people. The fact that he appeals to the young AND women is amazing. But to suggest that these achievements by a black man in the USA are nothing short of breathtaking is to deny something of his place in history. Its squelchy, misguided prudery.
This is 2 years after Hurricane Katrina.
I see. 2 years ago racist Americans let blacks die, and now they are voting for one. Surely, if you see it like that, it does sound breathtaking.
huh??
What does Hurricane Katrina have to do with Obama?
But I take it you don’t support people being put in prison indefinitely without a trial.
Nope. Charge ‘em or shoot ‘em (or otherwise) under the JC.
I am curious at what you said earlier in #25. What sort of rules should not be applied during war time?
Argh..it just ate my post. I was gonna mention public order statues in wartime Britain. But I’m gonna do a blog post on this soon.
Sunny,
Well, so much for your attempt at an upbeat thread discussing people’s New Year’s resolutions !
Life continues as usual on PP……
******************
The analogy in the second paragraph above is inaccurate. A more accurate one would be supporting the preemptive incarceration of anyone of European or Far Eastern physical appearance respectively, even if the atrocities were being undertaken specifically by “Welsh methodists” or “Japanese samurai”.
With regards to Obama (the candidate that I personally hope wins the election)…..I agree with Ravi’s comment (and, to some extent, once you wade through everything else he’s written, Morgoth’s remark) about the fact that it is unwise to vote for someone purely because of some aspect of their identity, regardless of whether you are doing so because you share some aspect of that identity yourself or if you think that helping such a person achieve power will facilitate a “step forward” in terms of national/global politics, national culture, redressing past wrongs etc. The candidate’s policies have to be the primary deciding factor, by far.
HOWEVER, if the candidate concerned is indeed “the right person” above and beyond all the others because of their ideals, actions, character, political principles etc, particularly because he represents a positive change (and yes, Obama’s ethnicity is one factor in this, but it shouldn’t be the only one or even the dominant one), then there should be no qualms about supporting such a person. Obama represents all of this — an idealistic transformation from what has gone before — and, again, to some extent his ethnicity also plays a role in this, because it overturns centuries of institutionalised disenfranchisement, disempowerment, bigotry and prejudice. So there is obviously a strong symbolic element in this — but only if he is simultaneously the best man for the job, not just because he is black.
Furthermore, given America’s current dominance in the world (not least via the media), having a non-white person in the Oval Office will potentially play a considerable part in how the US is perceived and the willingness of non-European nations to constructively deal with him; again, because of the symbolism and because it’s such a dramatic change from all the precedents.
Having said that, if Obama wins (and again, I hope he does), let’s hope that in terms of being the “young candidate who represents hope, idealism and change”, out of two well-known precedents in the West who were similarly viewed through optimistic eyes, he is more like JFK than our very own Tony.
Morgoth,
“Refresh, No, No, Yes. What sort of ****** stupid questions are the first two anyway?”
Are they really stupid? Think it through. You presume to be the light and yet you seem to have fallen into a trap where no one else is worth a second thought. Self-interest seems to be the order of the day.
So given that - and you immersed in a different environment, would you or could you have become a henchman for Himmler?
My intuition places you firmly in the front row. And perhaps on the watchlist.
Ravi - Not much. Except Katrina exposed the reality of American society which has black people still living as an underclass. Yet two years later a black man becomes US prez. There is an element of social correction to the turn of events.
So… our civil liberties are dictated by terrorists. That’s what you are saying, Morgoth?
I’d love to see Sid’s reaction if I said that I was supporting Hilary Clinton because she was white. What on earth are you thinking? The fact that a black man is a viable candidate for presidency in America says a lot about how American society has progressed and is undoubtedly a good thing, but whether or not he’s the best candidate for presidency is nothing to do with his skin colour.
I wasn’t advocating supporting Obama because he was black anywhere or anytime. I *am* celebrating the election of a black man to the presidency given the context of black people in US civil rights history.
And I’ll be gutted if he loses to Whitey.
[Joke typed in previous line]
Sunny welcome back. Hope you had an aweful boring time. IT happens in LA that way anyway so yeah left you some love on facebook. hee hee.
Sid - it’s definitely something to celebrate.
Sid: Obama was never part of the underclass, even though his skin colour is dark. So, there is little that connects Katrina with his candidacy. Your narrative sounds a tad simplistic.
Long time Katy. How’ve you been?
So given that - and you immersed in a different environment, would you or could you have become a henchman for Himmler?
No. The biggest “crime” or “sin” in my book is “restriction”. Himmler and ideology was kinda “restrictive”, don’t you think?
So… our civil liberties are dictated by terrorists. That’s what you are saying, Morgoth?
And our laws are dictated by criminals, according to that analogy, Ravi.
Actually, if you have a fetish for “social mobility”, what’s more impressive than Obama becoming President is the certain son of a Brixton trapeze artist becoming Prime Minister.
Sid - filled with dread. I spent the whole of Christmas lying around and now the thought of returning to work fills me with abject misery. You?
Morgoth
“No. The biggest “crime” or “sin” in my book is “restriction”. Himmler and ideology was kinda “restrictive”, don’t you think?”
Restrictive to whom? Himmler and his folk seemed to have had a grand old time restricting others.
Katy - not bad at all. Worked like a dog all through the holidays and now I’m putting my feet up, tentatively, for a few days. Very glad its Friday…
Himmler and his folk seemed to have had a grand old time restricting others.
Exactly. No two true wills can clash, in Thelemic philisophy.
No, I am not: I am not saying that under special conditions - dictated by criminals or terrorists - we need our laws changed, and liberties restricted:
Of course you failed to mention what rules would not be applied, but I suspect they would closely resemble a fascist state.
“Himmler was a hero to Morgoth but he never meant shit to me.”, as Chuck D said.
Of course you failed to mention what rules would not be applied, but I suspect they would closely resemble a fascist state.
Would you call Wartime Britain fascist?
Britain is not at war with Muslims Morgoth, surely your carers have told you that?
You tell me: what are the rules you say are NO LONGER APPLICABLE because of radical Islam.
Morgoth,
Guiliani has a campaign vacancy now that John Deady has resigned.
ps. Before you go warring, any chance of letting us have your list of crimes of passion on that Prisons thread.
Morgoth, I feel I am now fully acquainted with Thelemite philosophy. It took all of 3 minutes. Fascinating.
Its peculiar, but from all you’ve said you seem to have broken the only Thelemite law of import.
By definition you cannot be a misanthrope and a Thelemite. What happened?
I’m not a Thelemite, Refresh, though I do sympathise with a lot of Crowley’s writings and philosophy. In the same way I’m not a LaVeyian, though I do think a lot of a lot of his output. *shrugs*
As for crimes of passion, battered wives, mercy killings and such like *shrugs*.
Hooray, my Sunny poopsie is back! Now I can send you another guest post and you can put it up
Re: American elections, I am wondering if I am the only American who, yet again, feels like there is no major candidate with whom we can identify with.
Also, I really resent how whatever happens in Iowa determines the course of the presidential elections.
Morgoth, I haven’t stopped laughing since I discovered what LaVeyian is/was (one minute ago).
It has to be the ultimate victimology group - so its satanism; and LaVeyian groups are complaining they have suffered most at the hands of Christinity??
And now is the time to fight back?
Have I got that right?
“As for crimes of passion, battered wives, mercy killings and such like *shrugs*.”
Come now Morgoth, there is more to that shrug than you are letting on.
You tell me: what are the rules you say are NO LONGER APPLICABLE because of radical Islam.
I would suggest, in the short-term:
a) immediate suspension (and scrapping) of the Human Rights Act.
b) temporary internment on national security grounds with judicial reviews after a set and repeating interval.
b) admission of wiretap evidence in court.
c) reintroduction of control orders.
d) allowing questioning of suspects on charges even after they’ve charged.
e) introduction of diplock courts on certain national security-related courses.
f) temporary immunity from health and safety rules and from the IPC for law & order personnel.
g) introduction of legisation to allow “mirroring” of certain laws in foreign countries on equivalence grounds.
h) banning of foreign funding and money-flow of institutions and individuals in this
i) giving powers of arrest to the security services.
j) reintroduction of the death penalty for capital crimes and treason.
Refresh, I wouldn’t really call LaVeyians “Satanists”. The temple of Set crowd, yes, they are indeed Satanists, but Satanists are judeo-christians anyway. I agree with Thelema in one respect: I do think every person has the potential, to quote Crowley, to become a star, and should be granted the opportunity to. However, it is clear, and this is where misanthropy comes in, that the vast, vast majority of the human race neither wants to, nor cares. So stuff ‘em.
Lovely.
One final question: when will we know the “War on terror” ™ is over? Are you suggesting it will be soon?
“However, it is clear, and this is where misanthropy comes in, that the vast, vast majority of the human race neither wants to, nor cares. So stuff ‘em.”
Sounds like Tony Blair’s vision of ‘empowerment’. And those that won’t be ‘empowered’ are indeed being stuffed.
“Satanists are judeo-christians anyway” - my ribs have now cracked and my head is beginning to hurt.
Morgoth:
Sounds like a lovely totalitarian police state you’ve just described - and there was me thinking you’d only just said that as far as you were concerned, “restriction” was the thing you hate the most?
Joined up thinking at it’s best - LOL!!
Refresh:
He’s right that Satanists are essentially Judeo-Christians, just that they are an inverse Judeo-Christianity (a rejection of it and inversion of many of it’s ideas, but a general acceptance of the existence of God, Satan, Jesus and so on.)
Morgoth, you could always live in Israel. Hur hur.
Oh look, our resident troll / idiot Morgoth is back and still around. Please ignore him from now folks - he is now officially a troll with nothing new or intelligent to say and can fuck off somewhere else. Though, like Muzumdar, I think he’s sad enough to stick around in the sad hope someone actually listens to his opinions.
Come on Sunny, without Morgoth, without Mazumadar and no Amir - how can we continue? Where’s the fun?
Anyway welcome back.
And can you please add Desi Italiana as a regular rather than just a guest. Between Desi and Rumbold I think we are all set to finally be the progressive blog PP is supposed to be. It should free you to party all year round.
In the meantime, can I just say I luuuuuurve California and Las Vegas. Long live hedonism.
Both Desi Italiana and Halima are more than welcome to do a guest post here.
Sunny: I guess Morgoth may be trolling, but ya know, it’s worth smashing stupid views to bits every so often - even if only for the practise.
I happen to think that Morgoth may be a textbook fascist - but not someone who would work for Himmler.
Morgoth is the textbook fascist, because the fascist tendencies apply only to other people, whereas Morgoth himself is the poor, threatened lover of freedom (as long as he’s the one who gets to decide who is free).
Just as all textbook fascist dictators and authoritarians are - even those who don’t realise their own fascist tendencies.
Morgoth wouldn’t work for Himmler - Morgoth would be Himmler!
Dave S,
“Morgoth wouldn’t work for Himmler - Morgoth would be Himmler!”
You stole my line!!!!
Sunny:
“In the meantime, can I just say I luuuuuurve California and Las Vegas. Long live hedonism.”
Yeah, well, thank your lucky stars that you are not in SF and around right now- it’s far from being hedonistic here, more like people are escaping as if Armageddon is about to hit with furious winds whipping everyone and everything and rain pounding down. It’s hurricane conditions here; bridges, buses, and major BART lines have shut down, including to the East Bay, which means I won’t be able to go home tonight!
Desi Italiana, Down and Out in San Francisco and Berkeley. So sad!
[but secretly pleased at the unpredictableness of it all, though thoroughly cognizant of the fact that the weather conditions are by no means even remotely similar to say, a tsunami hitting the Indian Ocean which is really freaking scary and terrible for the folks who live there...]
welcome back, pickles!!! even if youre still in redneck town! you were missed!
Despite his fascist tendencies, Morgoth is smarter than some of you give him credit. His hard logic and lack of compassion reveals a deep social ignorance. It’s laughable if he thinks that incarcerating people according to racial/religious profiling will a) win the war and b) protect democracy. It’s clearly naive.
However, comparisons with Himmler — the architect of industrialised mass murder — are unhelpful. In fact, they make the accusers sound like buffoons.
Despite his fascist tendencies, Morgoth is smarter than some of you give him credit.
He may have a brain somewhere but that doesn’t mean I have to tolerate his terrible and trollish logic on here. He has his own frikking blog, let him vent there. Or on Harry’s Place, where he has been for years.
Dave S: but ya know, it’s worth smashing stupid views to bits every so often - even if only for the practise.
Yeah but with him its getting rather repetitive. He’s hoping that if he puts me and Nick Griffin in the same sentence enough time, people will start believing it. The guy’s stupidity is beyond redemption.
Thanks Isheeta! LA isn’t redneck town! I love it here
Desi - yeah I was watching the weather reports today - crazy! But then LA has a few days of rain too… not much better. I’m just staying in and taking a break after all the partying of last few weeks.
Because he belongs to a minority which until now has never seen the chance to have a member as the President. Its a momentous occassion for USA and the whole world, as a matter of fact. 蒸馏塔
烟气余热蒸汽炉
蒸馏塔
恒温恒湿试验箱
立式蒸汽发生器
除氧器The fact that you don’t recognise this seems like a strange over-compensatory reflex. To not recognise is as silly as not recognising Hilary Clinton is a woman.
Desi Italiana, Down and Out in San Francisco and Berkeley. So sad!
In the meantime, can I just say I luuuuuurve California and Las Vegas. Long live hedonism.
Oooh shut up you guys… atleast none of you are holed up in Urbana-Champaign. We’re averaging -8 C this winter
:( :(.
I’m quite impressed thus far by Obama’s inclusive style. He has potential. But self-hating white, wannabe radical, wankstain liberals could spoil it all by overplaying the race angle. Check out The Independent’s cliched leader today for example:
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article3309995.ece
You think that’s bad? Try watching the news here? Every commentator of every race and every political persuasion has been talking about Obama’s race apart from the man himself.
The Indy’s piece is quite mild… check this out:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/05/us/politics/05race.html
Vikrant:
“Oooh shut up you guys… atleast none of you are holed up in Urbana-Champaign. We’re averaging -8 C this winter
:( :(.”
Don’t worry, I went through that when I lived in Chicago from 2005-2006. I have to say that I was the most miserable ever in my life climate-wise.
At least you get snow, which is pretty, and makes you feel it’s actually Christmas– according to the Northern Hemisphere’s habits, that is
“Every commentator of every race and every political persuasion has been talking about Obama’s race apart from the man himself.”
Because no matter how we market our national mythologies to each other and the world, race matters here. I can’t think of one non-white person here who has never had experience with racism here. It doesn’t surprise me at all that Obama’s race gets continuously referred to, or that Hillary’s gender gets brought up so much.
“Because no matter how we market our national mythologies to each other and the world, RACE MATTERS HERE.”
I meant to say that race is still an issue here.
It’s really interesting how people perceive “American society” and some positive impact on how the rest of the world sees us if Obama becomes president. Like, it’s somehow really indicative of how “far” America has come, or that it’s going to “change” the way others see us. I mean, does it really? How much have Colin Powell and Rice’s tenure in some of the highest positions in the US government- including being the first black Sec of State– really indicate how race is perceived for the majority of US citizens? It’s true that Powell and Rice didn’t ever get voted in, but I don’t think that if Obama becomes president, it’s going to change the way we do politics because of his race, or if it even indicates any substantive change in American society(ies).
El Cid, its the mindset that matters - as you say he has fascist tendencies.
And adding social ignorance to that suggests a psychopath.
The cod psychology on this thread from liberals is very, very funny indeed. Just proves the old saying: “scratch a liberal, find a fascist beneath”.
“scratch a liberal, find a fascist beneath”
And in your case: ’scratch a fascist, find a boring moron’.
Desi, right on the money as always #96. Race matters more in the US than any other place I’ve been to. And not always in a negative way. I think this is the social compartmentalisation that Americans do. Whites live in white areas, Blacks live in black areas, Hispanics and Chinese have their defined spaces, gays live in Boystown. Well, at least they do in Chicago, which is where I lived and what a great place it was too.
Oooh shut up you guys… atleast none of you are holed up in Urbana-Champaign. We’re averaging -8 C this winter
-8 Celsius is fairly mild for an Illinois winter, Viks.
It’s the kind of thing which made me glad Hamilton didn’t win the F1 this year (that and his basic childish errors).
Well I hope the endless race angle fizzles out as editors run out of things to say. The irony is that Obama will win because he isn’t black enough for some people.
I don’t deny the historical significance (for him or Hilary, and I’m gonna get some election stickers as mementos on my last day here in the USA and then sell them on ebay! - Joke)
I worry that he will be taken out though.
Sid:
“Race matters more in the US than any other place I’ve been to.”
Same here. I have been struck so many times about how race centered we are, and how significant it is to us (and gender as well).
“Well, at least they do in Chicago, which is where I lived and what a great place it was too.”
Chicago is one of the most segregated cities I have lived in. It is also one the most white downtowns I have seen, which is in stark contrast to the other major metropolitans that I’ve lived in/grew up around.
But Los Angeles is that way too. East LA is mostly Hispanic, West LA is mostly white and wealthy folks (like Persians), South Central is mostly black…and you can tell which part you are in judging from either the upscaleness of the place (West LA) or the depilitated degradation of others….
What about culture and socioeconomic status? I would say that is how cliques are formed, not necessarily race by itself. But race, unfortunately, is still
tied with these cliques: blacks do earn on average less than whites, and have less success in school.
Race is incredibly simplistic and superficial - specially when talking about Obama. It is not surprising that news are looking at that angle.
Nelly Fertado…
Thanks for the nice read, keep up the interesting posts…..