In life, often times we say the wrong things. We are usually judged by the words that we deliver, not the intention that is behind them. When Senator Harry Reid was quoted in the new book, Game Change, saying that the president is "light skinned" with "no negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one," we are right to deem these words offensive. However, it is important that we do not judge the Senator solely by his words, but more importantly by the content of his character.
Over the years, the Senator has been a strong advocate and supporter of strengthening human and civil rights in our country and around the world. He is leading the effort to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell, which will be a major accomplishment for the advancement of the rights for gay people. He was at the forefront of the first minimum wage increase in over a decade, which was passed in 2007. It has been his leadership in the Senate that has given us a chance to make significant reforms in health care that will save millions of lives. I know Senator Reid, and I know his choice of words was poor. However, like the President, I forgive him, for I know that in his heart he goes to work everyday to make the lives of all Americans better.
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Senator Reid is much like Senator Kennedy, he is just more soft spoken.
I watched the race issue in this campaigne discussed to death by all the policical pundits on MSNBC. I do understand that I didn't see them on tv discuss the exact shading of President's skin. Nor did they use the world Negro. I also realize a US Senator is different than a pundit. But he was speaking candidly about a very historic election in which race played a big part. And I think perhaps he was speaking for a book that he thought might be important in the future when future generations look back on this election. This year I read the book, Lies My Teacher Told Me, about how history is presented to US students. THe only way the author could point out some of these inaccuracies or perhaps misleading books, was to do deep research, Books written at the time etc. So as ugly as Senator Reid's choice of words were, please look at this in the context of 2075 rather than 2010.
The funny thing is, IMO, I think his use of the term "Negro Dialect" was him trying to be politically correct. In his behind the times way.
That's just my gut take on the whole thing.
He is the one American parliamentarian I most admire.
Show me an iffy Republican comment that meets that criteria and then we can talk.
People have been talking about the difference between Trent Lott and Chairman Reid. but they miss the big issue, when Strom Thurman ( then a democrat) heard the party would push civil rights, he said that it is wrong to “admit the nigra race into our theaters, into our swimming pools, into our homes, and into our churches.” When the dems didn't agree, he and several southern states became dixicrats then republicans. That fact that those people form the southern republican block is not lost on any person of color.
It stands to reason my scutiny is given to a republican who makes the same remarks that Reid made- you can't missed that many joined the republican party to avoid treating people of color equally.
Reid made an accurate assessment. His faith in Obama as a candidate proved out. And being bi-racial or black is NOT a dirty little secret that nice folks 'jest don't talk about!' Which is what the Republicans are attempting to make race relations into -- an unspeakable issue.
Alveda King, the niece of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr says:
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“I think that’s terrible. What he’s really saying is, ‘Now we have a White House Negro.’”
“A long time ago you had house Negros and field Negros. I don’t think people are seeing it that way,” King said in reference to terminology used during the time of American slavery. “Basically, what he is saying is, if you have light skin and a particular education, we’ll let you in the House. If not, you need to stay in the field. I’m sorry. That’s what I hear.”
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/59667
Poor choice of words, but a truthful assessment of the mindset of white voters. If anything, it was an indictment of the fact that we're not a colorblind society.
Guess Harry felt better then and not so when the gaffe came out .
Politics, Politics,Politics, does not bring any consolation to the Pollies!
Our president is bi-racial. During the campaign, one evening I caught up with two speeches he'd delivered that day -- one to a predominantly black audience, the other to a 80% white audience. His speech pattern changed -- he ran with a more MLK delivery for the first audience. And it didn't matter, because he was intelligent and educated, and on-point.
Reid is old -- and he endorsed Obama as a candidate because he believed he could win. Now, if only Reid would step out of a leadership position he clearly cannot handle.
Karl Rove learned from the master, Lee Atwater. Play to the voters' fears and prejudices, divide and conquer.
So, yeah - quite a false equivalence there. Nice try, though.