Rice: Race Still Issue Because Of U.S. "Birth Defect"

Washington Times:

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said yesterday that the United States still has trouble dealing with race because of a national "birth defect" that denied black Americans the opportunities given to whites at the country's very founding.

"Black Americans were a founding population," she said. "Africans and Europeans came here and founded this country together -- Europeans by choice and Africans in chains. That's not a very pretty reality of our founding."

As a result, Miss Rice told editors and reporters at The Washington Times, "descendants of slaves did not get much of a head start, and I think you continue to see some of the effects of that."

Read the whole story: Washington Times

Comments

[NickOhio]

This almost sounds like an endorsement, without actually saying it. Of course, she probably will not mention her allegiance for November, should it be Obama-McCain, as it could alienate her in her current role and possibly in her friendships.

However, acknowledgment of racism in America is simple if you don't live or work in a vacuum and have either seen it or experienced it or know & believe those who have.

[transendentilist]

Racism is no longer systemic. Now it is on a person by person basis. We will never be able to rid ourselves of individual racism. You cannot make people love and respect each other. It's up to the parents of our young people to teach them that bigotry and racism are wrong.

[falco]

The "defect" is not with us. No, the defect has to do with the elite rulers. They are the prejudiced ones. They were the slave owners and traders. Just look at the concept of royalty. Hitler's "Aryan" bullshit. Where do you think this special blood stuff came from? This heirarchical thinking, caste system - overt or covert - did not come from the American people, but the elite who rule the world. It is then presented to us by the controlled media as "our" issue. Who stirs it up? People like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Where do they get their money from, who backs them? Three guesses, the first two don't count. No, this article is the truman show folks, not reality. Same with global warming - the corporations have ruined our earth, for profit. Kinda like the gaffing by the CEO of Bear Sterns - gotta get yours off the top and the f-ck the little guy, he gets to clean up the mess and suffer the consequences of our raping. How many families made money off the slave trade AND drug running - now it's our problem. And agriculture in Iraq? How dare you Condi! Here's an article that will make your eyeballs pop out of your head concerning what the elite have done to agriculture in Iraq:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=HAS20051212&articleId=1447

[VOTER]

Mary Matlin read the first part of Condi's interview and was heard calling Condi, "JUDAS!"

[GrainOSand]

She speaks, I sometimes wondered if she was capable of offering an opinion on anything that did not smack of the swamp of political ideology she wallows in everyday. Ms. Rice, congratulations on speaking your own mind though you come very late to this conversation (at least publicly you do). America was born with a birth defect and that defect is evident amongst us here today. The good news: We the public are the surgeons and this campaign season serves as our operating room. Can we eliminate the cancer entirely or at least begin the delicate procedure to cut away large chunks of the rotting tissue that is the American race issue? Do not think that there is no chance for the patient to flatline, far less has brought nations down. Do not forget that America is very young as far as nations go and also do not forget the accelerated times we live in where fifty years now seems to happen in twenty years. This is an emergency code blue situation and our best chance ever stands before us to make strides in healing this patient that is our beloved country. The degree to which you love the country is always gauged to be how fairly you assess the ills not just celebrate the triumphs. So when you read the chart, yes mark the progress but note the critical symptoms that persist.

[SmellyOne]

It is UNBELIEVABLE how you can start your comment accusing Condi of politicizing the issue (which she didn't do), and then YOU go on to politicize it yourself!!!!

By the way, the U.S. may be "young" in one respect compared to other nations, as this continent wasn't discovered by Europeans until late in the game, but our Constitution is one of the longest-standing on the planet, which makes us a very old gov't.

[keir]

No our Constitution is not the oldest...The Confederacy of the Iroquois is. It is over a thousand years old and is still in affect. In fact there are some who say that ours is based on it, with help from the Greeks and Romans.

[GrainOSand]

I did not accuse her of politicizing this issue I accused her of the politicization of all issues. She pretty much tows the party line and so it was refreshing to hear her speak what is not normally spoke by her party in mass, in policy, in a compassionate and sane approach to what divides us as a nation, you know what I mean (I hope).


As for me I am not political, liberal, democrat, republican, or conservative. I am me and as such I speak only for me, not some organization but rather some idea. So when I speak I am willing to be wrong so that I can determine what is right. When I speak I speak from personal experience not prepared sound byte.

On the young democracy thing, well we will just wait and see, for know one not even you knows the answer to that one. I pray America makes it but I keep stock of the faux pas, and the egregious missteps because it is not the economy stupid, it is life itself, yours mine, Fred’s, Shiquita’s, Han’s, Mike’s, Lucy’s, and Bob’s.

[GrainOSand]

I did attempt to respond to your comment earlier but was unable to. I will try again.

I did not accuse her of politicizing this issue I accused her of the politicization of all issues.

You reveal yourself to be one who thinks:
It does not exist until Europeans say it does.
That the written word on paper secures the future of a country in non-compliance.

As for me I am not political, liberal, democrat, republican, or conservative. I am me and as such I speak only for me, not some organization but rather some idea. So when I speak I am willing to be wrong so that I can determine what is right. When I speak I speak from personal experience not prepared sound byte. I try to always speak for the idea of a better world not a worse one, love versus hate, peace versus war, possibility versus doom, and most importantly a better me vs.... Dr. Rice has a powerful platform and I just wanted her to use it more often is all.

[Sylmason]

Don't trust the devil, she wants a job. And she's trying to rewrite how history will view her butt. Cheap shot Condi. Just leave with George and Dick. I never understood why a Russian intellect/professor was chosen to make critical decisions about the Middle east. Goes to show you,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,George needs surgical severance of nerve fibers connecting the frontal lobes to the thalamus for the relief of some mental disorders.

[itsbushstupid]

WOW,
how wonderful, more support for obama.
just what the blue collar labor class is watching.
first, judas richardson,
then, impeachment off the table pelosi,
now, bush is the greatest rice.
opps, i forgot wright, farrakan and the whole muslim world.
wow, bringing gawd damn america down on the backs of
the BLUE COLLAR WORKING CLASS.

yea, obama has a better chance in hell.

DEWEY WINS!!!

[chandler02]

When she said this, I think it could help Obama greatly. I wonder why Huffington didn't use this quote:

"America doesn't have an easy time dealing with race," Miss Rice said, adding that members of her family have "endured terrible humiliations."

"What I would like understood as a black American is that black Americans loved and had faith in this country even when this country didn't love and have faith in them — and that's our legacy," she said.

[MikeDu]

If Obama had made this statement he would've been publically tarred & feathered by the pundits, regardless of the accuracy of the statement.

Perhaps Secretary Rice is starting to look forward to the day she's out of the government. Trying to stake out a position on a few topics somewhat out from under of the administration. I've got to hand it to Bush on this one. He may be a 99% asshole idiot but I haven't seen evidence of him being a typical right wing racists bigot.

[DGregory]

i bet 50$ that this wont make it on foxnews.com website or be even mentioned on fox news, but i bet any news of reverend wright scratching himself will.

[Nutcase]

Seeing the term "birth defect" next to Condi's picture seems an unnecessarily unkind offense against those with a genetic abnormality.

Je pense, donc je suis populiste.

[Witchitalineman]

While I am not a fan of Rice, I do agree with her comments.

[iswearington]

if you do indeed agree with ms rices comments..then you must have some understanding as to why it is so hard for white blue collar racists and deep south klu klux klanners to vote for obama.in every election...every plank in the republican party platform...except the racist plank...skins white blue collar workers and poor racist southerners alive...but they vote republican anyway. former president carter put it this way."the only reason white southerners (and by extension...northeastern archie bunker racists) vote republican...is because they know...african americans are in the other party." in other words..as long as they can ...show those n words a thing or two...they will walk around skinless and in excrutiating pain... after every election.

[GrainOSand]

You know the part in the Christian bible where the "begots" are talked about: Adam begot Abraham, Abraham begot Moses, Moses begot King David,King David begot...

Well the people you refer to, their actions begot Iraq. Their ignorance begot, the assault on the constitution the administration has waged throughout the last seven years. They begot the 40k or less a year job they working being shipped over to someplace filled with other people they have crude names for. In short the actions, and ignorance of these people may prove to be the very thing that begot their own demise. Now that's biblical in proportion and noteworthy going forward.

[moderationsmuse]

How patronizing and sanctimonious. I voted Republican. I am white and have lived in a predominantly black neighborhood for 20 years. Where do you live?
It was a famous Democrat who said, "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country."
He wouldn't recognize his own party today, the party of whining victimhood. Meanwhile, you seem not to have noticed that the African American whose comments provoked this conversation is the Secretary of State and she is the second African American chosen to hold that high office. And she wasn't nominated by Democrats.
Maybe that distinction was a little to obvious to notice.

[JoelNH]

I agree also, but I prefer it when she talks about her Lacuna.

[fact finder]

The only birth defect here is that she was born.

[laocoon]

She is blaming America for something.
where are all the conservatives now?

[TotobiAyokoh23]

Condi is using Obama's ideas like contraceptive!

[suntzu]

Would Geraldine Ferraro say, "Condi, you would never have gotten as far as you have if you were white."

[bmora]

TAG: BREAKING NEWS!!!

Racism still exists. The "Darkside of the Moon" is probably one the greatest albums of all times. Storks do not generally deliver babies, pigs have not acquired the ability to fly and monkeys are not flying out of my behind.

[suntzu]

I find the timing of Rice's remarks on racism very interesting, as it comes just two weeks after Obama's thoughtful talk on the same subject. One wonders why it took her so long to get around to it. If it took Obama's courage to embolden Rice to speak about her own experience, well, let's give Obama some credit.
Does she have an unspoken agenda (VP?) as some suggest? Hmmm. Maybe she ought to have a chat with Geraldine Ferraro. Would Ferraro say, "Condi, you're a sweet and smart gal, but you would never have gotten as far as you have if you were white."