Folks, here’s audio of the caller I mentioned in my column who was mad about the Obama endorsement purely because we’re "supporting a black man." Here’s a transcript:
"…I need to talk with someone to discuss the fact that y’all are supporting a black man for president of the United States. I am ASHAMED that we’ve got a newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, one of the best cities in America, and yet we’ve got a black operation supporting black candidates, that doesn’t have any more sense of being president of the United States than I do. He may be educated with a college degree, but let me tell you one thing: He has no common sense whatsoever, or you don’t either. And if you feel like calling me, go to it, girl [the message was left on our publisher’s assistant’s line]. I am disappointed and upset that we’ve got a black newspaper right here in the city of Columbia."
If you have trouble loading the audio, let me know. I guess I could shrink the file, but we would lose sound quality — I think.
Anyway, welcome to my world. Fortunately, this caller reflects a minority view. But it’s a minority that we hear from too often.
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“Thanks for chiming in, President Clinton!”
I think most people would love to move beyond race, past injustices, and identity politics in general. However, whenever people try to move on, someone always comes along to remind us of all the old battles we used to fight. The media (is Obama Black enough?), bigots, pranksters, and provocateurs are all equally responsible for this, and that’s a shame.
I still think we need to move the confederate flag so that it flies over Tillman’s statue. Couple that with a nice plaque or two explaining Tillman’s actual actions, and perhaps the forces at work at that time, and you might have an educational and accurate monument.
Let’s make sure everyone also understands, Karen, that Tillman was a Democrat.
Let people know he came the same county as Strom Thurmond, too.
And while we’re at it, let’s get in something about him being the sponsor of the first federal campaign finance reform, the Tillman Act, which in 1907 banned corporate contributions in federal political campaigns.
In 1900, Tillman said, “We have done our level best [to prevent blacks from voting]…we have scratched our heads to find out how we could eliminate the last one of them. We stuffed ballot boxes. We shot them. We are not ashamed of it.”
Yes, that’s the Ben Tillman the people of South Carolina elected governor once and enough times for him to serve 23 years in the U.S. Senate until his death in 1918.
Four times the people of South Carolina sent one of history’s most predominant white supremacists to Washington. Oh that everyone who voted for him could share the blame.
For all the good it would do.
I’m old enuf to remember when the Democrat party was so close to the ‘Dixiecrats’ as to be indistinguishable here in the South. It’s in my lifetime that Democrats and Republicans switched positions. Charming man wasn’t Tillman. And of course, he did some good or he wouldn’t have been supported. After all, Hitler got the trains to run on time.
The audio plays fine for me. I don’t like Obama and will not vote for him, I’m 100% a Hillary supporter but it’s just amazing to see this kind of prejudice still exist, although it seems most prevalent in the south.
Personally I find him to be arrogant, unqualified and green behind the ears and the media treats him with kid gloves sadly and smears Clinton no matter what she does. It’s embarrassing to see anyone compare him to a Kennedy when he just doesn’t have the resume that John/Bobby had. Obama wrote books about himself when he wasn’t even in his prime yet.. i mean come on! the guy is really full of himself. I totally was willing to look at him in the beginning but wow not only am I completely turned off by him (and I’m someone who follows politics and cable tv media very closely) but I’m getting very frustrated with the pro Obama god coverage by the tv media.. It bothers me greatly that people don’t truly look at the guys resume. and I see abundant reverse racism which infuriates me. I heard Obama in a speech invoke MLK’s name.. this was long before the race thing came up in the media.. Anyone who says him mentioning the name in his speeches wasn’t playing the race card (on his part) is naive! I am over 50 and highly insulted to hear this guy talk of MLK and either of the Kennedy boys as if to compare himself to them.. And you can’t tell me ‘well he wasn’t comparing himself to them’ .. bullsheet!! It was offensive and arrogant imo. Seriously with all the issues I could bring up against the guy, you tell me, how many people can you think of that writes books about themselves in their 30’s !! ?? It speaks volumes imo. As for the race card, the minute the media, any of them refer to him as the “black candidate” they are invoking the race issue. Obama had a white mother so considering this, and if we don’t want race in the campaign, then why is anyone EVER invoking the race card? It’s reverse racism at its finest imo..
By the way so you know, the audio doesn’t just play, it tells me to download it.. that doesn’t bother me but lots of pc illiterate ppl may be afraid to download it to play.. It downloaded in realplayer but I opened it in wmp with no problem (it could play in either but i popped it open in wmp just fine).
Personally I wish we have some resemblance of fairness in the cable news media, and there is NONE, and I wish people would stick to issues, resumes, and not this “promise of hope” crap..
Anyone can promise you the moon, but if they don’t offer up any details how they intend to do it, be suspicious, very suspicious.
http://politicaldiscontent.blogspot.com
Not only does closet prejudice still exist nationwide (not just in the South), it’ll probably decide the final outcome in November, when the ultimate choice is between a white male Republican and a black or female Democrat. For all we’ve accomplished and grown as a nation, I still can’t help feeling that’s what will happen behind the curtain on Election Day.
it’s hard to consider that I was four and my parents did not have the right to vote for kennedy. I wonder how they did.
or that I was seven and only then was an interracial couple allowed to marry.
and I’m at the younger edge of the boomers.
so I sense that our group, having dealt with busing, and mixing, are really less afraid to support a black man as president as the media itself would fear.
I know from their voices more younger voters have no doubts about Obama’s ability. And consider his ability before they consider his color.
There are people who know Obama is qualified. And they know it from their own life experience.
I am 100% white and proud. I am also an Obama supporter. The uptmost quality in a leader is inspiration.
Hillary is a skillful politcian. I saw this video. It has over a million hits already. She really will say or do anything to get elected.
link:
BJ, I don’t expect to change your mind but just to clarify for other readers…Obama didn’t decide to write his first book out of some sort of egotism as you imply. He was approached by the publishing house who thought the backstory of the first President of the Harvard Law Review would be interesting to the general public, and perhaps inspirational to young people. They asked him to write it.
Ha, ha…This is excellent. Good laugh at the expense of a good ole’ Carolina boy! I guess its time for him to move.
This does not surprise me in the least. The average black person not only knows that this sort of racism very much exists, he or she knows that more than likely, a neighbor or coworker who smiles in his/her face, says these things nonetheless. Welcome to how 12% of the nation lives.
And I suppose all of you would have the world believe that the only type of racism that exists is from white to black? Does the black community ever commit any acts of racism…listening to all of you, probably not. Losing SC is no big deal since SC has not supported a Democratic Presidental candidate in how many years? Once Obama wins Florida, Texas, California, and NY, then we can call him a true candidate. Billy Boy actually lost the first 5 primaries and then spent 2 terms in office. Admit it folks, you just don’t want a “white female” in office, so you therefore are practicing a form of racism/discrmination that you so loudly speak out against. Hypocrites I say, all of you are hypocrites.
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Miriam
http://www.craigslistguide.info
I am not surprised at the comment at all because unfortunately Racism is truly alive in South Carolina. Education is the key to overcoming Racism. I feel that the youth of South Carolina is willing to move forward and not judge people because of the color of their skin like their Parents and Grandparents