On this day, let us all be proud of America

50 years ago:Jim Crow
Poll taxes
Separate water fountains for Whites and "Coloreds."
Anti-miscegenation laws
Lynch mobs
Back of the bus
Denial of public accommodations of every sort
et cetera, ad naseumToday, we inaugurate an African-American as President of these United States. On this day, let us set aside petty political differences and rejoice at the progress this country has made from its shameful past of hatred and violence against people for no other reason than their melanin levels. This County, 3/4 of whose population is White, has looked past color in making one of the most important decisions the people make. One need not agree with everything that President Obama stands for, nor indeed anything that he stands for, to be proud of what he represents; not a symbol, but proof, of how far we have come in less than a lifetime.In 1776, 56 White men declared that all men are created equal. In the 232 years since then, this statement has gradually be fulfilled, often by force of law against an unwilling populace. Today, a willing populace trumpets their affirmation of this principal as it applies to all people of all so-called races.On this day, let us all be proud.

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Those who would sacrifice an essential liberty for a temporary security will lose both, and deserve neither. -- Benjamin FranklinWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

I expected that this thread would generate a certain amount of criticism of President Obama, despite that such would be only tangentially related to the topic. I am distressed, however, to see the amount of completely unrelated topic material. I have no wish to call anyone out in particular. I will simply issue this request: Please mind the topic of this thread in the first message. Ignore or take someplace else any off topic sewage.Thank you.

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Those who would sacrifice an essential liberty for a temporary security will lose both, and deserve neither. -- Benjamin FranklinWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

I knew I could rely on you to miss the point, Buz old boy.

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Subbie, do you really expect folks to be proud to have a new black president even if they didn't agree with anything he stands for?

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Yes, for the reasons stated in the OP. Do I expect you to? Of course not. Blinkered, broken down horses who are used to running in circles who's normal view is a bunch of horses' asses are seldom capable of seeing anything other than what they focus on.President Obama is proof that this nation has made enormous strides in the direction of racial equality, regardless of what positions he takes. This is particularly true, given all the racist horseshit that various horses' asses vomited up, carefully calculated to appeal to other horses' asses. The majority of the voting public looked past all of that and elected him anyway.

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Would you be doing this thread if that it was Allan Keys or Clarence Thomas?

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Yes. I don't expect you to believe that because apparently the concept of there being both good and bad in something is beyond your comprehension. Your loss.As far as your subtitle (Has Race Become A Qualification?) goes, I'm sure there are some people who voted for President Obama because of his race. But I'm considerably more certain that more people voted against him because of his race. If you don't think so, you're every bit as big a horse's ass as I think you are.

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For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. -- Barack ObamaWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

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- Lynch Mobs was a lot longer than 50. The founder of the black holocaust museum James Cameron was the last living survivor of a lynching in 1930 (79 years ago)
- Back of the bus was fixed in Browder v. Gayle in 1956 (53 years ago)

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'Preciate the heads up, thanks.

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BO is mostly white.

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Well, he absolutely wouldn't be under any of the various laws that defined one's race for assorted segregationist purposes. More to the point of this thread, race is almost entirely a societal distinction that (some) people use in deciding how to treat another person. It is based almost entirely on appearance. Given that President Obama is treated by most of the country as Black, the fact that he was elected is remarkable.

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I guess we should be proud of him just for getting elected.

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Interesting of you to say so. Perhaps you'd like to compare and contrast that opinion with the topic of this thread.

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For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. -- Barack ObamaWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

Oddly enough, I did explain my reasoning in the post you replied to. If that explanation isn't good enough for you, and you conclude that me being proud of my country is nothing more than political bullshit, well, I guess I'll just have to live with that.Edited by subbie, : Tweak

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For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. -- Barack ObamaWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

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So my question here is why did Subbie made a VERY BIG THING of Obama's race.

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Why exactly did he do that?

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Because it was the topic I wanted to discuss. Note how cleverly I emphasized that that was the topic, in order to throw you off the scent.

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He claims that America is racist.

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Really?REALLY?!?Do you really take from my OP that I think America is racist!?!

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Everyone in the Republican Party would have supported and voted for Colin Powell if he ran in 1996.

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Hmmmm, that's fascinating. You know what? I would have supported Colin Powell as well. How about that! And if he had been elected, I would have been every bit of proud of our country for that election as I am now.Lemme clue you in on something, fella. I'm not a liberal socialist. I don't think America is racist. I don't even think the Repugnantcan party is racist. Nor do I think the Dimwitcrats are saints and the answer to all our country's problems.My OP was about one thing and one thing only. Here's a hint: it wasn't a paean (look it up) to President Obama. Give it another read and see if you can figure it out.

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For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. -- Barack ObamaWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

Brilliant! You're a genius. I'm a racist, the only reason I think President Obama is black is because the purity of White blood has been defiled by Black blood, and I'm proud of our country for electing our first Black President.Cognitive dissonance much?

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For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. -- Barack ObamaWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

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To misquote you, Why are you making such a big deal out of his biracialness?

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The answer is obvious. He, like Buz, thinks President Obama is the worst thing that ever happened to this country. And, like all ideologues, he cannot conceive of there being anything good in the success of someone from the opposing camp.

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For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. -- Barack ObamaWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

Here, I'll make it a bit bigger so you can't miss it. More to the point of this thread, race is almost entirely a societal distinction that (some) people use in deciding how to treat another person. It is based almost entirely on appearance. Given that President Obama is treated by most of the country as Black, the fact that he was elected is remarkable.You claim, without support, that lineage is traced through the mother. You give no explanation why this should make any difference, even if true. You argue that he's half and half. But you've said absolutely nothing responsive to my rationale. Let me spell it out a bit clearly.This country has a racist past, including atrocious inequities as little as 50 years ago. Biologically, there's no significant distinction between any of the races. Race is a societal distinction based on appearance. That's why, in the past, some Blacks had an easier time of it by "passing." They didn't look Black, so nobody treated them as if they were Black.President Obama looks Black. Everyone treats him as if he were Black. My point is that our country has made great strides in 50 years or so in its treatment of Blacks. If everyone in the country treats President Obama as if he's Black, his election to the Presidency is a powerful statement about the progress our country has made.Pedantic quibbles about how Black he is are irrelevant. Unless you can come up with a particular reason related to my OP that makes them relevant, this is the last post I will waste on you. I can't make it any clearer than I have. If you don't get it, you never will, at least not from me.

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For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. -- Barack ObamaWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

Well, thanks for the rant.Do you have anything to say relevant to the topic of this thread? Or did you just need to exercise your fingers a bit?

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For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. -- Barack ObamaWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

I take that to mean that you don't in fact have anything to say relevant to the topic of this thread.I note that you are new here. This is a moderated forum. Participants are expected to stay within the topic of a given thread. If you want to start a bash the President, feel free. However, I will ask you to stop in this thread, since it's not the topic.

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For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. -- Barack ObamaWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

That's right, Herbert. There's more of us than there are of you!*diabolical laughter*Hey, I guess that means we're in the majority, eh? Which of course means you're not normal any more! (Not that you ever were, but now you've been stripped even of the argumentum ad numerum.)BTW, it would greatly aid communication if you used the little reply button down at the bottom of the message you are replying to.

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For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. -- Barack ObamaWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

You are of course quite correct and Buz, as usual, keeps missing the point by a mile.

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For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. -- Barack ObamaWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

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IMO any democrat that won the party's ticket would have won this election.

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Possibly, but irrelevant. In 1956, no Black could ever have even made it to a major party ticket, and if he had, he would have lost to Carabell the Clown. Thus, we have progressed.

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I dont think its such a great stride that a half-white guy raised by white people in white culture, to succeed in white american society, has succeeded.

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And you're entitled to your opinion. I strongly suspect your opinion is heavily influenced by the fact that a Dimwitcrat won, and if it had been Clarence "Uncle" Thomas you'd be singing a different tune, but that's just me.

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like always i think you post here for comedic value, because taking your double standards seriously is impossible for me.

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Fortunately for me, as always, I couldn't care less what you take seriously or what you consider a double standard, particularly since you can't be bothered to say exactly what double standard you are referring to.

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For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. -- Barack ObamaWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

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4. In war you do what you must do to survive and win.

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Quite amusing to watch all the fair weather christians abandon the teachings of Christ when it's not expedient to follow them. Didn't he say something about turning the other cheek?Oh, don't bother replying. We all know you have some stock way to weasel out of the very words that Christ himself spoke.

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For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. -- Barack ObamaWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat