Obama: "Typical White Person"

[Kelly the Dog]

That is not true. The Asian culture is most definitely not a confrontational, direct-communication type of culture. As a matter of fact, Americans are routinely derided for brashness and tactlessness on the world stage. There are certainly some cultures similar in communication style to our own, but it isn't the norm. Besides, I was not referring to that particular comment in a different setting. A similarly oafish comment made in a diplomatic environment could have quite negative and far-reaching effects internationally.

 

McCain's recent slip is similar, although the concern with him is not whether he really knows the difference, but whether his age is affecting his lucidity. I wish I were joking.

No. Obama's problem was not censoring himself. Being honest. He wasn't brash or even tactless. We're just not used to people saying what is actually happening when it comes to race. McCain was just flat wrong. He said the same thing 3-4 times. Big difference.

[Sirius99]

No. Obama's problem was not censoring himself. Being honest. He wasn't brash or even tactless. We're just not used to people saying what is actually happening when it comes to race. McCain was just flat wrong. He said the same thing 3-4 times. Big difference.

 

I didn't say BO was brash or tactless, I said that is a very common view of American communication style, which was in direct response to your comment about the rest of the world's view. However, I agree with your assessment of what his problem was, and that is exactly my point. Having a President who cannot "censor himself" could be quite problematic. As far as the BO vs. JM comparison, I see no significant difference in effect. You can quibble about the particulars, but the outcome would be the same - a chief executive sticking his proverbial foot in his mouth on the international stage.

[Kelly the Dog]

I didn't say BO was brash or tactless, I said that is a very common view of American communication style, which was in direct response to your comment about the rest of the world's view. However, I agree with your assessment of what his problem was, and that is exactly my point. Having a President who cannot "censor himself" could be quite problematic. As far as the BO vs. JM comparison, I see no significant difference in effect. You can quibble about the particulars, but the outcome would be the same - a chief executive sticking his proverbial foot in his mouth on the international stage.

My point was directly related to your point, that Asians don't appreciate the brashness of Americans. But that wasn't Barack's problem. Again, if he made the problem he made, being honest and genuine, in front of the heads of state, I don't think they would find it offensive. It's not like you ever see him getting loud or angry or bullish. He's always extremely controlled, and he was here, too. He just said something that AMERICANS get all uptight about, but no one else seems to. You're just calling his gaffe a gaffe as if they are all the same, and they are not. He's extremely controlled and calm. I'm not saying that he is never going to make a mistake, just that the kind he made, and he hasnt made many, are a problem here and not there. McCain's gaffe is a problem anywhere. He was just wrong and not understanding the world.

[Sirius99]

My point was directly related to your point, that Asians don't appreciate the brashness of Americans. But that wasn't Barack's problem. Again, if he made the problem he made, being honest and genuine, in front of the heaads os state, I don't think they would find it offensive. It's not like you ever see him getting loud or angry or bullish. He's always extremely controlled, and he was here, too, he just said something that AMERICANS get all uptight about, but no one else seems to. You're just calling his gaffe a gaffe as if they are all the same, and they are not. He's extremely controlled and calm. I'm not saying that he is never going to make a mistake, just that the kind he made, and he hasnt made many, are a problem here and not there. McCain's gaffe is a problem anywhere. He was just wrong and not understanding the world.

 

You are not understanding me. I'm saying if he doesn't have a filter that works for his own culture, how are we supposed to feel confident about his ability to function outside of his culture with heads of state? Honesty is not a silver bullet for cultural ignorance. As for McCain, you can't really believe he doesn't know the difference. He's been involved in NS for decades. As I said, the concern with him is that he might be losing it, which in the end, doesn't really matter internationally. For the most part, I don't believe other countries care about the reason why the gaffe occurred.

[Kelly the Dog]

You are not understanding me. I'm saying if he doesn't have a filter that works for his own culture, how are we supposed to feel confident about his ability to function outside of his culture with heads of state? Honesty is not a silver bullet for cultural ignorance. As for McCain, you can't really believe he doesn't know the difference. He's been involved in NS for decades. As I said, the concern with him is that he might be losing it, which in the end, doesn't really matter internationally. For the most part, I don't believe other countries care about the reason why the gaffe occurred.

I'm understanding perfectly, I'm just not agreeing with it. I'm saying he has made one mistake of political correctness that wouldn't be a mistake anywhere else, so he's made no non-political correctness mistakes. And everything he has done in this campaign and on the national stage suggests he's not going to make a lot of gaffes. But we're getting nowhere on this one, and will just have to agree to disagree.

 

The McCain thing is a completely different ballgame. It's emblematic and a microcosm of the entire problem with the war, not understanding the cultures of people we're directly involved with and forcing our culture on. He made the same mistake three days in a row. That's not a gaffe, that's not knowing or listening, and he was in the friggin middle east when he did it. That's a much, much bigger problem than "typical white person."

[Simon]

Having a President who cannot "censor himself" could be quite problematic.

Depends on your definition of problematic.

I think that kind of problem would be refreshing as well as beneficial.

 

My parents weren't overtly racist but they were typical white people of their generation - black people cleaned our house,

 

I don't know where you grew up but I'll venture to guess that few people of any color had other people coming to clean their house. While that upbringing may have actually helped make you a kind and decent person, it did not make you or your family typical.

[/dev/null]

I was raised "white", in a white neighborhood in a white town in a city where the only black faces were in "the ghetto".

I was raised "white" in a mixed neighborhood in a mixed town. However the majority of the neighborhood and the town was white. But then again so is the majority of America

 

My parents weren't overtly racist

Neither were my parents. But then again my Dad was a cop. And to some people that makes him a racist. And I guess that makes me a racist too since parents pass their values onto their children

 

but they were typical white people of their generation - black people cleaned our house,

Hmm, maybe my parents weren't typical white people of their generation. We couldn't afford to have Negros do our trivial peon tasks. So my Mom did alot of the work herself, plus chores assigned to the kids

 

How can you know what black people were like when you were never exposed to them other than what you heard second-hand, read, or saw on TV?

Maybe go to public school with them? But maybe that's just typical of white people of my generation

 

Okay, I've had enough stereotypes and enough beer to stop paying attention to the rest of your post

[ExiledInIllinois]

So what?

 

She's a typical white person...

 

Who cares?

 

Why can't white person's just man up to their faults?

[/dev/null]

So what?

 

She's a typical white person...

 

Who cares?

 

Why can't white person's just man up to their faults?

Cuz she's not a typical white person?

 

What is a typical white person?

[Kelly the Dog]

Cuz she's not a typical white person?

 

What is a typical white person?

What he explained. Not a racist but once in a great while lets racial prejudices creep in when on the street alone and someone of a different color passes close by.

[/dev/null]

What he explained. Not a racist but once in a great while lets racial prejudices creep in when on the street alone and someone of a different color passes close by.

And Blacks dont' do the same?

Or Hispanics?

Or Asians?

[Kelly the Dog]

And Blacks dont' do the same?

Or Hispanics?

Or Asians?

He was asked about a single white person, and he said she was like a typical white person.

“She is extremely proud, and the point I was making was not that my grandmother harbors any racial animosity. She doesn’t. But she is a typical white person who, you know, if she sees somebody on the street that she doesn’t know, there is a reaction that has been bred into our experiences that don’t go away and sometimes come out in the wrong way…

 

“That’s the nature of race in our society,’’ Obama added in the call to the radio station, “and we have to break through it. And what makes me optimistic is you see each generation feeling a little less like that, and that’s pretty powerful stuff.’’

[ExiledInIllinois]

Cuz she's not a typical white person?

 

What is a typical white person?

 

Yes she is.

 

She makes racial comments that make him cringe... That is typical.

 

I am a typical North American hockey lover... I make comments that make Olivier in France cringe with my "Euro" comments.

[ExiledInIllinois]

And Blacks dont' do the same?

Or Hispanics?

Or Asians?

 

Of course they do! That is what makes them typical in their own right also.

 

What is the big deal? Why is everybody getting hurt feelings?

[/dev/null]

What is the big deal? Why is everybody getting hurt feelings?

 

There is no big deal until somebody can make political hay

[/dev/null]

He was asked about a single white person, and he said she was like a typical white person.

And if a white candidate had used the phrase "the typical black person" there would be hell to pay

[ExiledInIllinois]

And if a white candidate had used the phrase "the typical black person" there would be hell to pay

 

There is the sticky stiutation... White person's have historically been in positions of power. Now don't shoot me, I am not saying that this double standard is right... It is just that the power establishment can act on those comments.

 

Things are changing though and so will that double standard.

[/dev/null]

Now don't shoot me, I am not saying that this double standard is right.

 

At least you recognize (and admit) that there is a double standard

 

The Jesse Jacksons, Al Sharptons, etc of America will never admit that it exists. They'll milk one side of the argument to their advantage, but never admit the other argument even exists

[Kelly the Dog]

And if a white candidate had used the phrase "the typical black person" there would be hell to pay

He is presently paying hell, by people like you, for the phrase. So what is your point, that there is no double standard?

[ExiledInIllinois]

At least you recognize (and admit) that there is a double standard

 

The Jesse Jacksons, Al Sharptons, etc of America will never admit that it exists. They'll milk one side of the argument to their advantage, but never admit the other argument even exists

 

And rightly so... Yes, rightly so. It is the other side that has the burden to concede. Their (JJ/AS/etc...) constituents lack the power in society... BUT, that will change eventually and the free pass.