If you disagree with the president, you're a racist??

The political parties are so polarized and *have been* so polarized during the lifetime of most reading this that the nation has easily had about 50% of the population against 100% of whatever the president said for at least the last four presidential terms. Many that leaned GOP seemed to hate Clinton for two terms. Many that leaned DNC hated Bush for two terms.

Unless we assume that a LOT of people changed sides... statistically it'd be safe to bet that roughly half the population would be anti-Obama if we do not include race as a factor. If race is added and we assume that those already be predisposed to be against him are augmented by an additional group that are opposed to him on the basis of race... he would have a worse approval rating than the two Presidents before him, not a better one or even the same. His numbers don't substantiate the claim.

Basically this is a horse-shit charge... Jimmy Carter just found it convenient to play the race card and get his justifiably forgotten name in the paper. It worked.

 

Probably the most appropriate, eloquent statement made here all week! 100% accurate too.

I suppose if I had Jimmy Carter's legacy haunting me, I'd do all I could to look better in the eyes of history too.

 

I totally agree. I suspect we both believe, twas ever thus - the lunatic loud sell the tickets, not the reasonable and principled. And all we have is a salacious public feeding a salacious news media - salacious, because it tickles the same, ephemeral bone as sex (<<cough>>...yes, pun intended) with both, really, not giving a rat's ass about anything other than what's bubbling for the moment.

I saw it during the primaries - the press hated periods of relative calm, between Obama and Clinton - forget the stories, but I actually compared the timbre of the articles during these periods, with the timbre of the articles during more contentious times. Calm hurts readership.

That's because I can be an atavistic pedant.

Apt points, Rob. Though I don't know where exactly the swath-line would excise the "racist assholes who strenously oppose him" from those who "strenuously oppose him, based on his policies," I do think it's the relatively few, who are relatively loud, who get the press.

Agreed, as well, though I'm sad to say it (for reasons I'm not sure of, at the moment).

 

It's never going to get better as long as the media continues to do what it's doing. And there's no reason for them not to, which means it's not going to get better. I'm seriously thinking of moving to a third world country that has decent internet connectivity, reasonably good looking, thin women and a lack of weird exotic diseases. Spain doesn't qualify as third world does it?

I don't think it's complete horseshit. I know too many people in real life who I know are racists and who hate obama. One is even a baptist preacher. I don't think the degree that race is a factor can be quantified though, so Carter's use of the "overwhelming" qualifier is inappropriate.

 

Hahahah - Spain, well, if it ain't qualified, I officially make it so. Vaya con dios, brother.

I might be missing the Carter thing - I need to read it again, as I might have gotten it wrong. I thought he was ascribing the primary reason for the vitriol to racism, which I can't agree with - I don't think it's a primary portion of those pissed off, by any stretch. Again, I need to read it again (I get sick of reading anything on current affairs, actually...no kidding, I'd much rather read, and vicariously live, in history...).

That said, yep, it's there, often enshrouded in false indignations; not too much digging to reveal the real motivator. Bald, disgusting bigotry - as evidenced on this website, alone, and with you, I've seen enough of it in my personal experiences as well. It is as freaky as some of the fanatical loons I've seen from among any number of other idiotic, blind ideologies - also seen here, unfortunately.

 

Yeah, I agree with you. I don't think it's the primary reason. And the people who hate Obama and for whom race is a factor, they would still hate him just because he's a democrat, race just gives them another reason.
Race may have not changed the anti-obama numbers but I think it's intensified it a bit. Can't say how much. But then again if obama was a white democrat with a muslim sounding name, who lived in muslim countries, had muslim family members and wanted public health care, the reaction would probably be pretty close to the same.

 

Offsetting factors
In response to several of the posts above... yeah, there are racists out there, that's reality. There are also whites that feel guilty opposing a black person simply as a kneejerk against appearing to be racist, and probably some blacks that have been so thrilled to see someone break that ceiling that they might support him on that basis.

Not a single one of those views is a valid reason to support or hate someone... but they all exist out there in unknown numbers. The second two forms of lunacy form an offset to the first, though theres no way to gauge how much. Few people would tell the truth if asked to ID themselves in one of these categories.

Still anyone that ever watched Leno's JayWalk All-Stars knows there's still a growing population of idiots out that can't find their ass with a map... so it's a waste of time to suppose these types of idiots arent out there too.

 

The only group I have a problem with are the ones hijacking the debate while carrying "I Blew Glenn Beck" and "Down With The Czars!" signs. It's not just that they are idiots, there surely are idiots from all walks of life with a diversity of stupid opinions or beliefs on varying subjects. The problem I have is the role that the ignorant are playing in the debate. When I don't know about a subject I keep my mouth shut. And I certainly would not exercise my right to protest without exercising my responsibility to know what the fuck I was protesting.

 

It'd be damned nice if that trait was universal... but then even the DP forums would be deathly quiet.

 

It appears to me that the conversation in this thread is made entirely by Whites.

From what I read the effort in Congress to issue a condemnation against Joe Wilson for his actions was pushed by members of the Black Caucus. That was done even as the President took Wilson's apology and Pelosi said "lets move on"...and not have a vote on condemnation.

Beyond that I read that following the attacks on the health care proposals over this summer members of the Black Caucas in Congress see a rising tide of racism reflecting the attacks on Obama.

I'm not Black. I can't speak for that perspective.

Meanwhile I do appreciate RobJones' perspective on how polarized this nation has become. There are amazing levels of hatred. The hatred flows ever more visible and ever more loudly. The internet exposes it at a more heightened level than ever before.

Of course there is racism in this nation. Is the blanket statement that disagreeing with the president equates to racism a truism for everyone.

Obviously not. Is it out there. You betcha.

Look a couple of days ago, Rush Limbaugh said that there should be segregated buses.

If that doesn't reflect race baiting, isn't inciting, doesn't push the race hating perspective, than nothing does.

But meanwhile, if one disagrees with the President it doesn't qualify everyone of those folks as a racist.

As a blanket statement covering everyone I don't accept the OP.

OTOH, one only has to keep one's ears open and see the disagreements mixed with a variety of race baiting commentary. Oh yeah, its out there. It just isn't everyone.

 

Black Caucus?
Gotta love a claim of racism extended by a group that determines membership qualification by looking the color of the applicant. I mean, heck, maybe we need to ask the Colonial Country Club their opinion too, then we'd at least have a balanced point/counterpoint. Not sure I wanna put all my eggs in either of their flimsy-ass baskets.

btw - Though I'm not black, I am descended from some darker European stock and one or two slutty Cherokee maids that didnt listen to mom's warnings about white guys... so if any of you disagree with me, I'm gonna say it's a sign of racial bias... you buncha palefaced sonsabeeches.

 

yeah, Rob. Bring on the Colonial Country Club. Bring on the Black Caucas. Have them go at it. I like that point /counterpoint stuff.

That point counterpoint stuff is very educational with both sides presenting a perspective.