Lifestyle > Train of Thought

Former President Jimmy Carter: "Racism plays major role in opposition to Obama"

(1/3) > >>

pootypooty:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/15/carter.obama/

(CNN) -- Former President Jimmy Carter said Tuesday that racial politics played a role in South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst during President Obama's speech to Congress last week and in some of the opposition the president has faced since taking office.

"I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he's African-American," Carter told NBC News. "I live in the South, and I've seen the South come a long way, and I've seen the rest of the country that shares the South's attitude toward minority groups at that time, particularly African-Americans."

"That racism inclination still exists, and I think it's bubbled up to the surface because of belief among many white people -- not just in the South but around the country -- that African-Americans are not qualified to lead this great country. It's an abominable circumstance, and it grieves me and concerns me very deeply," Carter said.

Carter made similar remarks at an event at his presidential center in Atlanta, Georgia, The Associated Press reported Tuesday, pointing to some protesters who have compared Obama to a Nazi. "Those kind of things are not just casual outcomes of a sincere debate on whether we should have a national program on health care," the former president said at the Carter Center, according to AP. "It's deeper than that."

He grouped Wilson's shout of "You lie!" during Obama's speech in that category, according to AP. "I think it's based on racism. There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president," he said.

"The president is not only the head of government, he is the head of state. And no matter who he is or how much we disagree with his policies, the president should be treated with respect."

The House voted Tuesday to formally disapprove of Wilson's behavior during the joint session of Congress. The resolution was approved largely along party lines, with Republicans calling the measure unnecessary partisan politics.

Wilson apologized to the White House last week, but congressional Democrats said he owed the chamber a similar statement of regret.

Suffice:
C'mon, what role can racism possibly play in this? the guy's a conservative, with strong conviction that the Heatlh-Care overhaul will not work. Obama gets more respect in Washington than any president since Reagan.

Sikotic™:
The problem with America today is that whenever a vanilla face opposes a chocolate face, its automatically racism. Not to go off topic, but even with the whole VMA retardation. A black guy ruins a white girl's moment and all of a sudden its the black man out to get payback on whitey. I've literally heard people say this stupid shit lol.

Its politics. Democrat vs. Republican. If Joe Biden was giving the speech, the same guy woulda screamed the same shit.

Blasphemy:
While no doubt more racist are starting to come out of the wood work (regardless of there color, white seem to be showing a increase, I guess the comfort zone is destroyed). This wasn't race based, it was political party based. Republican vs Democratic president. Not a surprise. The entire political system is infected with both parties retarded tendencies, but I think Jimmy Presents us with some even more retarded tendencies making something into a issue that its not...

pootypooty:
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/obama/2009/09/16/obama-doesnt-see-race-as-a-factor-in-criticism.html

President Obama doesn't believe that racism is much of a factor in the wave of opposition to his policies evident at rallies and other protests around the country this summer. Obama acknowledges that many Americans oppose his ideas on healthcare and other issues, but he disagrees with those who see racism at play, a senior Obama adviser told U.S.  News.

Obama, the first African-American president, still feels a strong sense of approval and affection from the crowds that he speaks to, a replication of the positive attitudes he felt from voters, both white and black, during the campaign. Obama believes that any racist sentiment against him is held by a very tiny minority that doesn't reflect the attitudes of the vast majority of Americans, the senior Obama aide says. Obama tells friends that the American people have been very "welcoming" to him, and he gets the feeling that they are still rooting for him to succeed.

The media, including CNN, Fox News, columnist Maureen Dowd of The New York Times, and writers in the blogosphere, are raising questions about whether the anti-Obama movement is tinged with racial prejudice. Some critics have also questioned whether Republican Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina would have disrupted President Obama's address to Congress last week—calling Obama a liar—if the president had been white.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page