Cornellians for Obama

<p>Jesse Jackson's comments at Fox: The</a> Associated Press: Fox: Jackson used N-word in crude off-air remarks</p>

<p>I don't think Obama needs to worry about what Jesse Jackson thinks of his campaign. </p>

<p>diehldun, while I don't think McCain is anything like President Bush, because he isn't a sociopath and appears to be in touch with reality, I think his policies are more in line with the current administration's than Obama's, simply because he is a Republican and needs to appease his party to gain its support. Given the current state of the country, I think a drastic change is needed.</p>

<p>Diehldun, he would be a third Bush because he agrees with most of Bush's policies (although he is now trying to distance himself from Bush). The truth is, he voted with Bush 95% of the time. I guess his disagreement about tax cuts is included in the 5% of the time he did not vote with Bush, although he has since changed his mind on the issue and decided he wants to make them permanent. </p>

<p>When it comes down to it, he would continue the war that unnecessarily wastes American dollars and lives. Also, like Bush, he doesn't understand the economy. Those are his own words, by the way. Kind of sad for someone running for president...</p>

<p>The last piece of the Soccer Guy puzzle to fall. Obama raised $52 Million in June. His funding sure did disappear.</p>

<p>Ya now he is around tied with McCain and the RNC in cash. The DNC has been too busy spending while the RNC was saving...but now the DNC raised a truck load in addition to Obama's. Starting next month the lead will become large.</p>

<p>You Obama supporters are funny. You have no idea where he stands. Your whole "frenzy" is called "Obamamania," even you admit it. It's a rock star mentality. Followers. No thought whatsoever. I have news for you sheep: Obama is not qualified for the office. You just say you like him because you think it will make others think you're cool because you're supporting a black guy. Get a life. McCain will win in November. Mark my words. McCain's qualified. Obama isn't even close. Period.</p>

<p>-- quoted from some website</p>

<p>You're right, DrRusseau, I fell for Obama's lies. He released an email stating they had raised less than McCain trying to solicit donations. Of course, it was all a lie as usual. </p>

<p>Also - looking through his fundraising reports, he raised 25 million dollars on the last day before the cut-off. And yet...no one finds that fishy? Half of his money for that period in ONE day? </p>

<p>Naturally, he didn't want to post such low fundraising totals, so they injected money into his account right before the deadline. Fraud that will, of course, never be investigated.</p>

<p>Excuse me but many people are extremely passionate about politics and know a lot about Obama...rockstar mentality my @$$. I'm a well educated and into politics and I think Obama is great...so screw u for being a condescending *******. </p>

<p>And Obama did raise less than McCain...McCain and the Republican National Committee had a whole lot more money than Obama and the DNC until last month and now they just have a little more. So get ur facts staight.</p>

<p>Why</a> Jesse Jackson Hates Obama - WSJ.com</p>

<p>A well-written piece, thank god the WSJ and the writer didn't kowtow to political correctness.</p>

<p>ResurgamBell, give me a break. Lots of people support Obama because of his political views. Is he ready to be president? I hope so, because he will be soon. Mark my words.</p>

<p>Barack Obama, the Presidential Democratic Party candidate, is for<br>
banning all guns in America. He is considered by those who have dealt
with him as a bit more than just a little self-righteous. </p>

<p>At a recent rural elementary school assembly in East Texas, he asked the
audience for total quiet. Then, in the silence, he started to slowly
clap his hands once every few seconds, holding the audience in total
silence. </p>

<p>Then he said into the microphone, "Children, every time I clap my hands
together, a child in America dies from gun violence." </p>

<p>Then, little Robert Earl, with a proud East Texas drawl, pierced the
quiet and said: "'Well, dumb-ass, stop clapping!"</p>

<p>snopes.com:</a> Clapping Bono Rumor</p>

<p>Make sure you check your facts before you read some story just anywhere. Complete BS. Not to mention that Obama does not support the removal of the second amendment.</p>

<p>That's funny, because I remember McCain having somewhat of the same stance on gun control. But when he won the nomination he suddenly switched sides, and is now groveling to the NRA.
Talk about flipflopping.</p>

<p>That WSJ article was a very opinionated and unsupported theory for what Jesse Jackson and Obama represent. And it's no surprise that Shelby Steele wrote it(and just becasue he is Black does not justify his claims), he is called one of the "Black conservatives" that he talks about in the article. I think he is probably bitter that his ideals do not fit those of most of the Black population, but now he feels relieved because he thinks Obama shares his ideology.
Which he doesn't.</p>

<p>Fair-use excerpt:
"Normally, "black responsibility" is a forbidden phrase for a black leader -- not because blacks reject responsibility, but because even the idea of black responsibility weakens moral leverage over whites. When Mr. Obama uses this language, whites of course are thankful. Black leaders seethe."</p>

<p>TrackBabi17, The irony is that I find WSJ article to be so true, yet so POLITICALLY INCORRECT. Although I can see how it was frustrating (for some) to read, Steele's interpretation of Obama as the "anti-Jackson" is absolutely spot-on, and I'm glad someone's finally taken this position. For Obama actually has solutions, unlike Al Sharpton/Jackson who just know how to finger-point and accuse without any actual substance.</p>

<p>Obama definitely has the ability to move this nation beyond the constant playing of the black race card; individuals such as Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson can't seem to move beyond the current predicament, instead using the current (unfortunate) plight of blacks to their own advantage.</p>

<p>Al Sharpton and Jackson are still daydreaming in doo-doo land; Obama is far far better than that, and it shows. As the article says, "...he [Obama] is the nullification of Jesse Jackson -- the anti-Jackson."</p>

<p>But I would not cite Shelby Steele to prove your position on Jackson and Sharpton. Steele is known in academia as the opposite extreme of those two, so to cite him to prove a point would be the same as me citing Jackson or Sharpton. People will close their ears because Steele's assertions are too obviously personal and poorly supported.</p>

<p>What part of of Steele's assertions are "too obviously personal and poorly supported"? It seems like a rather straight forward analysis if you ask me.</p>

<p>I consider myself fairly liberal, especially when it comes to economic policy, but agree with the majority of what Steele says. The thing I disagree with him most is that Obama would be a "moderate" when it comes to policy and that McCain is a man of "character". While I sympathize with some of Jackson/Sharpton's points about the effects of racism in America, for a lot of white people it just gets exhausting and at a certain point the conflict they constantly drive at needs to be replaced with a consensus surrounding pragmatic goals. Obama is providing that consensus. </p>

<p>The result of Jackson/Sharpton's near constant harangue is rather unfortunate if you ask me. Self-styled liberals have bent over backward to develop affirmative action programs, but these seem to be helping recent African immigrants and the sons and daughters of the upper-middle class rather than the type of individuals that Jackson/Sharpton honestly want to help. Meanwhile, other disadvantaged groups -- e.g. whites among the working and rural poor -- have bee seemingly ignored for a generation.</p>

<p>Perhaps Du Bois was correct and that there is no race issue outside the class issue. For as much as people refer to Obama as a black man, let's not forget he was the son of an African (not an African-America) and was raised by a white mother and his two white grandparents. </p>

<p>Obama's post-racial mentality is exactly what makes him a breath of fresh air -- how else was he able to win both Iowa and South Carolina in the primaries?</p>

<p>That McCain is a man of character is a joke. For heaven's sake, just compare Obama's wife to McCain's wife... If marriage is a window into the the soul, who do you think has more "character"?</p>

<p>Unfortunately, I think the truth is that people will close there ears rather at Al Sharpton or Jackson; if you ask me, it's actually their assertions that are "too obviously personal and poorly supported." Agreed with CayugaRed2005 on almost all points.</p>

<p>Again, Sharpton and Jackson, are very liberal extremes of Black interest activists and at the same time Steele is a conservative extreme.</p>

<p>Steele is a biracial, half Black half white, who did not like how he was automatically group as "Black" and never considered white. This is a challenge many biracial people face, and some blame it on Black people. But this is unfortunate and social product of the one-drop rule create by whites and still upheld by some states in America. </p>

<p>Being characterized as Black he did not like the negative connotations that came with being Black. He felt that he did not fit them, as many Black people do not. Things like affirmative action upset him because he feels like they underestimate the ability of Black people, not because they take away spots from poor whites. </p>

<p>He creates the term "white guilt", not to apologize to white people and stroke their egos like an Uncle Tom, but to say that this method that Sharpton and Jackson use is not effective and undermines the civil rights movement. </p>

<p>But in my opinion, a lot of his ideas come from personal experience. I do not think affirmative action makes Black people achieve less because look at Obama, Rice, Thomas, and Powell, going to school in their time period without AA they could never have he chance to receive the education they did.</p>

<p>He also makes too many assumptions about Obama that I think Obama would not agree with. Obama did not run for Presidency as a Black man, he ran as a Man who happens to be Black. And when America is able to see then maybe it would have moved on from its racist past. But even, I can say that do see Obama is a Black man running for President, because to me as a Black woman in America, race is a big deal because I have to deal with the burdens of my race every day. </p>

<p>And the whole theory on AA only helping Africans is false. I recommend you take a schools class taught by Stephen Morgan at Cornell. You will find that AA has only helped white woman. It does not really affect the achievement of any Black person at all. Africans in America are in school in great amounts because they usually come from educated families and they are expected to continue their education. Africans are the highest achieving group in America anyway. </p>

<p>Also, the whole thing about Obama being African and that making him different than Black Americans does not make sense. He was not raised by his Kenyan father who was absent most of his life. He was raised by his white mother, so he was only affected by her family background.(Not saying that she had a perfect background) But the experiences.hardships he faced were ones that come to all Black people because of their physical appearance. </p>

<p>The advantages/disadvantages of being African as opposed to being Black American only occur when the child is raised in said family. Africans are not genetically smarter than Black Americans.</p>

<p>That was written really fast and I may not have made sense on some things so if something does not make sense feel free to point it out.</p>

<p>
[quote]
And the whole theory on AA only helping Africans is false. I recommend you take a schools class taught by Stephen Morgan at Cornell. You will find that AA has only helped white woman. It does not really affect the achievement of any Black person at all. Africans in America are in school in great amounts because they usually come from educated families and they are expected to continue their education. Africans are the highest achieving group in America anyway.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I had not taken Morgan's class but he is a wonderful professor. I had thought 'The Shape of the River' helped to document how AA has helped African-Americans. It's funny how you attribute Rice, Thomas, Powell, and Obama's success as partially due to AA and then you claim it hasn't had an affect on African-Americans. And I think that when the percentage of blacks at Harvard who are not the descendants of the American slave trade is above 50 percent, that it is reasonable to suggest that AA isn't helping the people it was intended to help.</p>

<p>I had not realized that African immigrants in America are the most successful ethnic group in the country, and not Jews, Mormons, or Indian-Americans. Do you have any facts to back up this assertion?</p>

<p>
[quote]
Also, the whole thing about Obama being African and that making him different than Black Americans does not make sense. He was not raised by his Kenyan father who was absent most of his life. He was raised by his white mother, so he was only affected by her family background.(Not saying that she had a perfect background) But the experiences.hardships he faced were ones that come to all Black people because of their physical appearance.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I'm not going to disagree with Obama. If he considers himself black, then he is black. But I think most would agree that if he was brought up by a white mother and white grandmother that this is a different type of "black" that most Americans readily identify with (e.g. descendants of the slave trade). And I don't disagree that people with particular skin complexions may be treated different by others, just as people who are shorter than average, or disabled, or of a particular religion. (Will we ever have a Jewish president?) But it's easy for people to overlook Obama's varied background when they say he is a "black man".</p>

<p>
[quote]
The advantages/disadvantages of being African as opposed to being Black American only occur when the child is raised in said family. Africans are not genetically smarter than Black Americans.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I don't disagree. The race problem is largely a social-cultural class problem.</p>

<p>The info that you asked for:
Newsvine</a> - African Immigrants are the most educated group in the US
I know there is a better article from the Washington Post but I can not find it.</p>

<p>But this does not mean that Africans are smarter than anyone. It is all due to history. Africa has always being a continent that upholds education before Europe and probably Asia. And also, most of the Africans they are talking about here are Nigerian, and there are a lot of Nigerians in the world. Nigerians and other African immigrants are usually very highly educated in their own countries before thy come to America. So it is no surprise that their children would be too. </p>

<p>I referred to Obama, Rice, Powell, and Thomas because I am saying that AA does work and does help Black Americans in a way. But it does not help them as much, not because Africans are taking their spots, but because of other factors that explain why even a lot of white people can't go to college. AA has only really helped white woman tremendously</p>

<p>As for the hordes of Africans you see in college they are there because they worked hard. Not because the college lowered their standards to let them in for diversity purposes. Most of us are from the top of or class in high school. But that is not to say that the same is not true for Black Americans in college.</p>