When Rove Calls Obama Arrogant, He Means "Uppity"
Karl Rove says Barack Obama is arrogant.
We've heard that; we've heard the pejorative "arrogant" before. When I say "we" I mean those of us who are "others" in America; people of color. Minorities. Women. We hear the word all the time from a select section of privileged white guys; the codifying they use when they fear the silver spoons are about to be snatched from their lily palaces: "Those people... How dare they think they can work jobs like ours or live in neighborhoods like ours or send their children to school with ours? Those people are just so damn arrogant."
Arrogant, of course, is a euphemism. In the monochromatic bunkers from which old-schoolers cling to power the true word they use is "uppity" when hurled at blacks. It's the "B-word" for women. I'm not sure what the Rovian ilk use for the Latinos and Asian-Americans who dare claim their due, but I'm sure it's equally as derisive and wielded with sick pleasure.
Arrogant?
The only arrogance Obama is guilty of is the same "Unforgivable Blackness" so many exceptional people of color have demonstrated throughout the history of this country: a refusal to bend to the will of the Retro Guard. To Rove, to the neocons such attitude is wholly unacceptable. Back in the day such "arrogance" was met with a strong rope and tall branch, and anyone who believes that analogy to be too harsh, read here how Roy Bryant and J.W.Milam dealt with the arrogance of 13 year old Emmett Till.
But in this day and age Karl Rove is reduced to making statements which he does not even have the meat to own up to.
Nevertheless, speaking of Obama's "arrogance" Rove is quoted as saying: "Even if you never met (Obama), you know this guy. He's the guy at the country club with the beautiful date, holding a martini and a cigarette that stands against the wall and makes snide comments about everyone."
Really, Mr. Rove? Do you really wish to go there? I will give you the cigarette. Obama did smoke. I will give you the beautiful date. Beyond being a Harvard-educated lawyer, Michelle Obama is a beautiful woman. But I would bet the farm -- and I have a farm to bet -- that George Bush has been in more country clubs than Barack Obama. I would easily take the line on who's had more cocktails in their day. And isn't it the current president who loves to slap a condescending nickname on everyone?
And is there anything more arrogant, Mr. Rove, than ignoring the international community, the United Nations, weapons inspectors on the ground, very facts themselves, to invade a nation because you and a small cadre believe it's the right thing to do? Is there anything more arrogant than the belief that after such an invasion we as the occupying nation will be welcomed as liberators? Is there anything more arrogant than slapping on a flight suit, playing like you're the one landing on a carrier deck, making nice for the cameras before that infamous banner while tens of thousands of troops are left behind to fight, and four thousand (and counting) are left to die?
Arrogant?
It's nothing but hubris for the neocons to believe they can win the election on that one.
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
The notion that a high-achieving black person is "arrogant" or "uppity" is an old, old story. It is driven by insecurity and envy. But here I must add that these negative human traits are universal and are not just white vs. black and vice-versa. As a high-achieving African-American schoolgirl, I attended both predominantly black and predominantly white schools. I encountered the resentments expressed by Karl Rove in both settings. To some whites, I was "uppity" for winning the spelling bee two years in a row, proving a threat to their sense of superiority. Among some blacks, because I was very articulate and did not talk "black," I was called an "Uncle Tom," a "sell-out," or accused of "acting white." I was even threatened with violence for "talkin' proper." The language and skin color may change from one culture to the next, but the sentiments expressed are identical.
In defense of the attacks that met you from your black classmates, and it does appear they need some, their reactions have more to do with their attempts to make sure you are with them in the "Cause." Think of it as the way white, blue-collar workers want presidential candidates to bowl and drink beer. It's an ill-advised way of assessing whether such a person identifies with you and by extension, your concerns.
I could explain it much better if you're interested. I'm just not sure you're interested and don't want to farther aggravate any wounds by using more words than necessary. You know? I've dealt with the same thing, except white classmates weren't so bold as to challenge me to my face. Though, they weren't big on asking me what I made on tests cause I often did better than they did.
Absolutely. "You are so articulate", "you are intimidating"(this is what I was told when a hotel employee --white male who did not speak English-- walked into my 5-star hotel room without my permission or agreement), "you are too aggressive" because I wouldn't let corporate peers walk all over me as a woman who was of color. They mistook my niceness for weakness and found that they were mistaken. These phrases and terms all come out of the same playbook intended to become thought-stopping, behavior modification of people of color and African descent, just as benign terms, i.e., "You need more development before we can promote you" is code for not in this lifetime. The thing is, we should know by now that these labels-- elitist, uppity, acting white - are not terms of truth, they are intended codes that are rooted in covert racism and come from those whosementality cannot put its arms around the notion that competence has no color, integrity is color-blind.
I agree it's universal and wanted to inject that white girls too get sneered at & called names for winning spelling bees (I know that first hand), making good grades, doing just about anything, well. It seems there will always be people who don't like to see others do well and then take it further to let them know it, too. I've seen white boys go through it as well and know of an incident or two where others tried to sabotage the (white) boys' progress, with success I might add.
I agree it's universal and wanted to inject that white girls too get sneered at & called names for winning spelling bees (I know that first hand), making good grades, doing just about anything, well. It seems there will always be people who don't like to see others do well and then take it further to let them know it, too. I've seen white boys go through it as well and know of an incident or two where others tried to sabotage the (white) boys' progress, with success I might add. Definitely universal.
Rove is a pox on our political scene. That said, I really have a problem with the notion that you know what he's thinking. You don't because you can't.
He may well think Obama is arrogant,who knows. More importantly, who cares? Me, I see it as whistling past the graveyard. He knows the Repubs are in deep, deep trouble. He also knows he is one of the reasons.
By the way, what do you call a black man who IS arrogant, if you can't call him arrogant? You see how foolish this can get.
Agreed that 4000+ America soldiers have died in Iraq and many are still paying the uttermost price each day; But lets not forget the million innocent Iraqis who have also been killed.
Tens of thousands of innocent children have been deprived of their parents; Thousands more are homeless; innocent women have been killed, others raped; innocent children killed, others disfigured for life.
We should also not forget many of our veterans who died at home in the USA as a result of their injuries in Iraq. These soldiers are often forgotten because they did not die in the battle front and their figures are not included in the official tally.
We should also labor to remember thousand more soldiers who are home now but far from been at home because of PTS disorder.
This war have taken its tolls on millions of people, far more than we can all imagine and it will take a real change in attitude and policies to begin the healing process.
I still Love America; America is my country and I cannot deny it, but I destaste American's current foreign policies and I am appalled by them. We are leaders of the free world, everyone out there recognizes that fact, lets lead in humility. Lets remember that, about 3 decades ago, we were not the leaders of the free worlds and that we have been entrusted to that role by events and God.
Thanks Mr. Ridley for voicing what so many of "us" think when we hear the word "arrogant" used in reference to Black folks. Did Rove ever use the word to describe Hillary? I don't expect that non-African Americans will understand - how many even know the name "Emmett Till" or why so many Black Americans will never forget it. And, by the way, why is Karl Rove still not behind bars or is it too soon to ask?
He used it plently of times to describe Bill Clinton. And drawing a line from this creepy guy's comment to Emmett Till is ridiculous. That black Americans have been dealt a lousy hand is indisputable. You know what else is indisputable? You can overplay that victim card. Save it for when it's meaningful, not for this nonsense.
You are not Black. You're judgment on what is meaningful is your own. In other words, you cannot and just ought not to attempt to make that decision for anyone else.
Yes, I remember Emmet Till. He was only a 14 year old boy when he was drug from his relatives house in the middle of the night, and later found in the bottom of a river with a cotton gin tied around his neck. Plus all those men hanging from trees by the neck with hundreds of white people standing around and looking like they're proud of what they did showing their faces knowing that no one will be punished for their crimes.
That same mentality still exists today in people like this clown calling an Ivy League grad "arrogant"! Racism in this country is like an iceberg floating in the sea with the largest part of it under water and unseen.
People like Karl Rove wants Obama to keep genuflexing because of who he is. I say, "Mr. Obama keep movin' on up. Don't lose your step! Many of those people are probably not even registered to vote anyway like that guy in PA who had a problem with what he said about their guns.
Yea Karl Rove is a rich white guy who hangs out with the president and refers to Obama as "the guy you see at the country club in the corner with a beautiful woman and a martini making snide comments about everyone else in the room." So Rove hangs out at the country club, he's rich, he's white, he socializes with the president, and he has the nerve to call Obama an ELITIST?
The McCain camp has all but said that Obama is a "scary black foreigner" and you can't trust him. You being the white person who thinks Obama sounds good but is having a hard time with his blackness.
Excellent and accurate post. I absolutely cringe when I hear terms like "arrogant" being applied to Barack Obama; when the subtle suggestion behind the use of these words only means that he [Obama] is being out of place or character for someone who is black. I wonder how people like Karl Rove (and Ralph Nader) would expect Barack Obama to behave, speak, dress, or walk ? Obama is educated, intelligent, and appealing to a broad spectrum of people. However, should those not be the same characteristics that would be expected of anyone running for president? To be honest, who would want a president without any self-confidence, who spoke poorly, or held their heads down? We need a leader and one who shows it.
I agree with Ridley and 2cntswrth. I couldn't figure out what Rove's and neocons comments of "elitist" and "arrogant" could mean relating to Obama. But of course, it is, "You don't belong in this country club, Boy"; or, "Get on down the road, Boy", or, etc. It is racist. It is "uppity", like when I was a child in the 30's. "Arrogant" or "uppity" is what broils rednecks. America has moved beyond such "racist code words", rednecks and neocons are in the minority. Go Obama.
While I agree with most of the rest of the article, I think dragging racism into the picture is counterproductive, and probably not true. Rove and company feel the same way about whites who don't share their particular view of the world. These select few know better than the rest of us. If someone doesn't agree with their view, then they shouldn't be allowed to speak, vote, or join their club (country, or otherwise).
Hello bschmitt
At first I wanted to believe what you just suggested.
Arrogant and confident are two different words with different meaning:
arrogant -- making claims or pretensions to superior importance; overbearing
confidence -- belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities; self-reliance; assurance
There's been quite a number of white men people couldn't stand to see in the WH too. It's a matter of skin color; character and demeanor, experience, qualifications, etc (whatever you feel is important for a POTUS) all make a difference.
That should be, it's NOT a matter of skin color.
Out of curiosity, I also looked up "uppity":
Taking liberties or assuming airs beyond one's station; presumptuous: "was getting a little uppity and needed to be slapped down"
It seems to be that what is key here is "beyond one's station". That isn't the case, at least to my understanding, with "arrogant"
dragging racism??? It dragged itself in. Ignoring it doesnt make it better.
Why does ANYBODY care what Rove thinks???
Go Karl, I"m with you. But, you are the Left wings boogy man!
WIth the "arrogant" or the "uppity" part? Or are they the same to you?
Hummm, interestingly, although I agree with most of this article, I find the ending a little "arrogant" as well. The last paragraph assumes that the invasion of Iraq was done with high moral values in mind, not for the sake of securing large reserves of oil and taking an american foothold in the region to ensure dominance over the rest of the world. Also are the 4000+ american soldiers who died since the beginning of the invasion worth more than the 1.3 millions Iraqi deaths, among which many women and children? Is there anything more arrogant, from the international community's point of view that is, than attaching more value to the life of an american than of anyone else, especially the life of an american soldier part of an occupying (and hostile) force than that of a civilian woman or child, caught in the disaster of war?
I agree Karl.
What Karl Rove thinks about anything is soooo irrelevant these days. Like, Karl who?
That guy knows he and his brand are toast. That's where his remark is coming from.
Heavenhelpusall offers the best comment on the use of the word “arrogant” as pertaining to black people. His or her thoughts are tranquil, serene and less impassionate than my thoughts were before I read Heaven’s comment. As a black person, I felt myself becoming agitated at what I thought were several mindless written post on this subject; however, Heaven said “our lack of understanding reflects a generational gap”; thus, this statement made me realize that some people are unfamiliar with the racial connotation of the word “arrogant” as it pertains to blacks.
Now, for those of you who are unfamiliar with the racial overtone of the word “arrogant”, let me give you my Sally Hemming historical (code word for oral history)perspective of the word. During the ’50’s and ‘60’s, if you were from the deep south, went off to college, and returned home for a visit, and you looked directly at a white while talking to them, you were thought as being arrogant. If you applied for a job that was reserve for a white, then you were thought as being arrogant (Obama). Does this means that every time a white person calls a black “arrogant” there is some kind of racial implication. The short answer is no; however, I think that one has to look at the context in which the word is used. When Rove called Obama arrogant, it appeared out of context. Rove did not offer any explaination that justified calling Obama arrogant.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I have for the longest time posted comments on several blogs about my distaste for this word "ARROGANT", but my comments always fallen on deaf ears. This racist word was used a lot in the "JIM CROW" days to describe a Negro who dared to think they had any kind of intelligence making them equal to a White Man. As a black woman I am especially upset with the NAACP and SCLC, and others for not standing up when they should ( and they are always asking for financial support from people like me). Why should I support any organization that let me down? Regardless of the fact that this is an electon season, this is not reason to try to make a group of people feel like second class citizens again.
Interesting perspective, John.
Here is what I posted on April 2, 2008 on the HuffPo:
"Still, people need to be careful here. Sen. Obama is now being regarded as "arrogant" by many in the media and blogosphere. I see it as a self-confidence that many people - Black and white - are not used to seeing in an accomplished, African-American male who is not the entertainment or sports industries. I fear that this self-confidence is seen by many as the new "uppity." posted 04/02/2008 at 23:25:06"
Correction when you say Carl Rove is being arrogant. I have heard blacks say the same thing. And he is showing a element of arrogance thanks to the media giving him a pass on everything from answering Rev. Wright questions so on. What do you call it?
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
