Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize?!?!

[lsiberian]

I rarely if ever make a comment related to race but this gave me a WTF moment. If black people need a role model, how about the highest paid athlete (Tiger), highest paid entertainer (Oprah), best selling pop music artist (MJ), highest paid actor - 2008 (Will Smith), etc. There is no shortage of exceptional black role models in every career. Adding president to the list of black accomplishments is just another notch, not a game changer. I think the list above, as well as the thousands of other successful black people in politics, sports, television, movies and music clearly demonstrate that hard work and talent determine a person's success and not the color of their skin.

In terms of role models and bringing hope, I think Thomas Sowell is a better role model for young black people than Obama despite the fact he became president.

I think it is a game changer. Obama inspires me to do better in my life and I'm not even black. He's an inspirational person. Obama is a great person and while I don't agree with all his policies I see him as doing the best he can in life. I may not vote for him in the next election, but he's still been great for many people in our nation.

However now is the time for him to deliver on his promises and plans. He's got 3 more years left. Time is ticking.

 

[redass]

Cut him some slack. I doubt he thinks everything Obama does is bad. I think he is suspicious of him, but it's warranted considering his rise to power. We need people that ask questions and don't just stand there letting the leader do as he pleases. The best solutions come when people on both sides have input. I want folks to realize that he hasn't rammed healthcare down our throats like Bush did the reckless tax cuts.

cheapening the notion that obama is the first dark skinned guy to be president and pretending that his election is no big deal for our society while wanting to believe that obama's acceptance of the nobel peace prize shows arrogance is very productive as far as policy making goes. thank god it's not all a bunch of meaningless propaganda from partisan monkeys designed to pull attention from important things.

oh, and obama is a communist nazi facist kenyan warlord who is infiltrating our government from the inside; that's good policy discussion, too.

 

[Chu Gai]

cheapening the notion that obama is the first dark skinned guy to be president and pretending that his election is no big deal for our society while wanting to believe that obama's acceptance of the nobel peace prize shows arrogance is very productive as far as policy making goes. thank god it's not all a bunch of meaningless propaganda from partisan monkeys designed to pull attention from important things.

oh, and obama is a communist nazi facist kenyan warlord who is infiltrating our government from the inside; that's good policy discussion, too.

Well, you could've just said that he's a lawyer. That would've been shorter

 

[discodon]

Next thing you know they're going to sing about him in public Schools

Oh wait...that's already happening. I guess he is the best human to walk the earth, Oh wait...He's not human. Man we are in serious trouble. I wonder if he can require that everyone that subscribes to Audioholics be given new gear once a year? I'm holding my breath. Free Health Care and Audio Gear for all Americans!! I mean really, the government has plenty of our cash and if we run out, we can just priny more, YEA!! Go Oboma

 

[Schupo]

I rarely if ever make a comment related to race but this gave me a WTF moment. If black people need a role model, how about the highest paid athlete (Tiger), highest paid entertainer (Oprah), best selling pop music artist (MJ), highest paid actor - 2008 (Will Smith), etc. There is no shortage of exceptional black role models in every career. Adding president to the list of black accomplishments is just another notch, not a game changer. I think the list above, as well as the thousands of other successful black people in politics, sports, television, movies and music clearly demonstrate that hard work and talent determine a person's success and not the color of their skin.

In terms of role models and bringing hope, I think Thomas Sowell is a better role model for young black people than Obama despite the fact he became president.

You're saying that the top entertainer (notice that every person you just mentioned is an entertainer, not just Oprah) is on par with being the head of one of the most powerful nations in the world? Don't be foolish. Obama's election shows people - not just black people, ALL people - that adversity can be overcome and greatness can be achieved no matter who you are.

 

[gmichael]

You're saying that the top entertainer (notice that every person you just mentioned is an entertainer, not just Oprah) is on par with being the head of one of the most powerful nations in the world? Don't be foolish. Obama's election shows people - not just black people, ALL people - that adversity can be overcome and greatness can be achieved no matter who you are.

You do know that all of those "entertainers" make way more than the pres does?

 

[Chu Gai]

Yes, but they had better years.

 

[rnatalli]

You do know that all of those "entertainers" make way more than the pres does?

True, but how many of them get to travel around in a nuke-proof 747?

 

[gmichael]

True, but how many of them get to travel around in a nuke-proof 747?

Good question.

IDK....

 

[Adam]

True, but how many of them get to travel around in a nuke-proof 747?

Two.

 

[highfigh]

The money was donated to charity.

Right, but which one? One of his pet projects? Something separate? Something for everyone or is it for one group? Acorn?

 

[highfigh]

ACORN?

Just kidding.

Sure wish I had seen this before my post.

 

[highfigh]

Cut him some slack. I doubt he thinks everything Obama does is bad. I think he is suspicious of him, but it's warranted considering his rise to power. We need people that ask questions and don't just stand there letting the leader do as he pleases. The best solutions come when people on both sides have input. I want folks to realize that he hasn't rammed healthcare down our throats like Bush did the reckless tax cuts.

What is the difference to the economy and national debt between reckless tax cuts and reckless spending?

 

[highfigh]

What is the difference to the economy and national debt between reckless tax cuts and reckless spending?

I rarely if ever make a comment related to race but this gave me a WTF moment. If black people need a role model, how about the highest paid athlete (Tiger), highest paid entertainer (Oprah), best selling pop music artist (MJ), highest paid actor - 2008 (Will Smith), etc. There is no shortage of exceptional black role models in every career. Adding president to the list of black accomplishments is just another notch, not a game changer. I think the list above, as well as the thousands of other successful black people in politics, sports, television, movies and music clearly demonstrate that hard work and talent determine a person's success and not the color of their skin.

In terms of role models and bringing hope, I think Thomas Sowell is a better role model for young black people than Obama despite the fact he became president.

Do you actually talk to black people? Every single one I have talked with has said the same thing- there's not a lot of hope in the lives of desperately poor people. They may have dropped out of school, may have been treated like a dog through their childhood, may have been beaten and abused, may have been a crack or born with fetal alcohol syndrome, may have been raised in a place that doesn't tolerate minorities, may have fallen in with bad people at a young age- how far do you want the list to go? Go to some of the poorest parts of town and tell them "Don't worry, be happy" and see how far that gets you.

You're forgetting that Tiger isn't 100% black, either. Most of Oprah's life was bad before she moved to Chicago. Even when it wasn't terrible, it wasn't necessarily great- she went to the same high school I did. but she was only there for one year and I don't remember more than about 15 blacks in her class and I seriously doubt there were more than 60 in the whole school population of 2200. Because of her past, she was really shy and didn't associate with too many kids, mainly because she went in without knowing anyone and not thinking that she'd be there for more than one year.

I have a hard time recommending that kids use entertainers and athletes as role models. Better to look at someone who led a tough life and dragged themselves out through hard work and determination, not through the efforts of others or playing a game. Sure, the skills needed to play at that level are hard to come by but most of them have more natural ability in that. To me, the guy who was the subject of 'Pursuit of Happyness" (Chris Gardner) is more of a role model than any athlete I can think of.

 

[itschris]

uh... you said you were trying to wrap your head around the "first black president" thing. the only reason anyone cares about "first black president" is due to the deeply rooted racist traditions in america, so it would be ridiculous to dismiss "what a racist would think" in this discussion. he's the "first black president" because people like him are considered to be black by the racist traditions of america, thus making him the first black president. of course you're not wrapping your head around it; anybody reading your posts can see you have the "everything about obama is bad bad bad bad bad" mindset in which it is impossible to give the guy credit for anything, no matter what is may be. how ridiculous is it that you're trying to cheapen the fact that america has elected a man who would unarguably have been considered a second class citizen less than a century ago by pointing out that he is half white? or that you are attacking obama because he didn't refuse the nobel prize? you absolutely know you would give him grief for refusing it as well... "oh, who does he think he is, just flat out rejecting a nobel prize? oh, the arrogance of obama!"

Are you f-ing kidding me? Listen newbie, you need to be on here a lot longer to know me well enough to assess my motives and to read into what I say and make assumptions of what you think I mean.

 

[itschris]

All right, as a half-black, half-white man who considers himself "black", let me answer the questions put forth, as how they relate to me.

Why do I consider myself black? It mainly has to do with how I look. I have brown skin and brown eyes. I look more black than I do white. It also has to do with how I have been treated by people in my life. I have been the victim of racism and discriminated against by people that made it abundantly clear that I was not white. It was just a personal choice that I made. I assume that Obama and others that consider him black, feel the same way.

I am in NO way denying my white side. I was raised by my mother, who is white, and I love her to death. She and my father had nothing but problems being a mixed couple in the 60's. His family didn't like her and her family didn't like him. She told me that they even lived in their car briefly as they weren't welcome in either parents homes. Unfortunately due to their youth and the rigors of being an interracial couple, they broke up soon after I was born. I've only met my real father a couple of times.

Unfortunately, I have also felt racism on the part of blacks towards me. I was raised by my mother, so I have more white mannerisms than black ones. I HATE the whole "ghetto-fabulous" craze that makes blacks look ignorant. I love being mixed, but it did make growing up difficult. But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Obama is considered black, because he sure isn't white. As Highfigh himself said, Obama might not have won the election if he was 100% black. This statement illustrates that racism is still prevalent in this country. So whether you like it or not, race was a factor in the last election. I see Obama's election as a positive, as it seems like we are moving in the right direction. Perhaps some day race will not be an issue in politics, but we are not there yet.

Thanks for sharing that Darien. I know we've talked about this in the past, but what you just said defines a lot for me. If how you look dictates both internal and external influence on how you're perceived, then I can totally get how you would ultimately decide to consider yourself one race or another.

Like I said in another post, as a white male, I likely have a myopic view despite my desire to have or thought that I have, otherwise. I imagine it must be even more difficult to experience prejudice from whites because you're black, and prejudice from some blacks because you're not black enough. I just don't see things in racial terms. I don't hold a door open for someone walking into my office and think to myself "I just opened the door for a black woman." I don't sit in a meeting and find myself questioning this guy's accuracy because he's black. I do often times think that about what someone is saying, but I'm an equal opportunity skeptic.

Having "known" you for sometime here on the forum, you often articulate ideas that make me rethink things I've felt pretty strong about. I may not change my opinion ultimately, but at the same time, broadening your experience base is never a bad thing. I've long thought that if everyone would or could just ignore race altogether and not have even enter the mindset, that that would be the ultimate path to true equality. But I don't know if that's necessarily the right or best way anymore. Anyway, good post. I'll be pondering this stuff.

 

[Adam]

Are you f-ing kidding me? Listen newbie, you need to be on here a lot longer to know me well enough to assess my motives and to read into what I say and make assumptions of what you think I mean.

Well, to do it correctly, anyway. It takes no experience at all to completely misjudge someone.

 

[billy p]

Our mods are not supposed to get into these types of heated exchanges (regardless of which side they support) and make a thread all about their personal views.

FWIW......

 

[Alex2507]

FWIW......

The same should apply to Canadian members
and you're only bringing that up because of his conservative slant.

MarkW is so gonna get you.

Where is Mark anyway? I just know he wants to jump in here.
C'mon in Mark, the water's fine. Jamie and Minus need to be set straight, those liberal bastards.

 

[JerryLove]

Right, but which one? One of his pet projects? Something separate? Something for everyone or is it for one group? Acorn?

Oh dear lord: Now a man giving 1.4 million to charity is being argued as a "bad act"?!?

"Obama cures cancer".

"Yea, but which cancer? Probably not the one he should have cured" ?!?

Or were you being tongue-in-cheek as the previous post was?