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Did you believe the USA would elect a black president?

One year ago: Did you believe a black president would be elected?

  • No, not ever

    Votes: 17 11.6%

  • Possibly sometime in the future

    Votes: 78 53.1%

  • Yup - it's 2008

    Votes: 43 29.3%

  • What do you mean? Clinton *was* black!

    Votes: 4 2.7%

  • Click clicky

    Votes: 5 3.4%
  • Total voters
    147
isitme said:
a black guy won the F1 tournament as well. black people go to private schools etc

I just find it really sad that it's meant to be such a great thing that he's black. I don't go on about how great it is that I have had managers who are black, or how I was working for koreans for years. They are just people, making a thing about the colour of someones skin is just bollocks imo. even if it's in a good way

My friends who are black aren't 'my black friends' they are just 'my friends'. and they are all different colours anyway lol

If Obama was a black power activist i might feel differently, but he just strikes me as yet another politician who will no doubt be continuing the same cycle of oppression that america seems to be based on so I find making a thing about his race a bit sad. even if it is in a 'YAY!! a black guy!!' way

I dunno, I might be being a prick about it. I mean it might be different since you are black cos like you said racism is still very real and american presidents are always old white guys etc
And must mean something to see a country that had laws that were literally designed to exclude black people have a black president

I just find it a bit sad cos he is a millionaire career politician and the colour of his skin sort of comes second to that for me because I don't treat people differently or look at them differently according to their skin colour. maybe i should given the history and so on. but thats another debate
Click to expand...
:)

I'm glad you feel like that.

I feel differently about the US election (in part) because I'm black and probably older than you.

But where you are is where we should be, once we've done this bit :D:)
 
isitme, you do know how recently schools were segregated by race in the US, yes?

Given that, just as one example, can you not understand why people would think that it's remarkable that the US now has a black President?
 
quimcunx said:
Yes you are.


Yes, it should be meaningless but it isn't.

There are people alive today who, as children, sat on the knees of grandparents born into slavery in the US. The world isn't going to suddenly change for black people, racism hasn't been swept into oblivion tonight, people may have voted against Bush instead of for Obama, but this matters.

Barack Hussein Obama is the most powerful man in the world. And that is something.
Click to expand...

You have a good way of putting things.
 
I was just thinking I'd change it to 'dandled on the knees of people born into slavery...'

too late now. :p

thank you. :)
 
I don't want to argue about it anymore cos I feel like i'm pissing on everyones chips. maybe next week....

I am chuffed that bush is out of office, I've been looking forward to that for 8 years :D

and I suppose it will be a triumph in a way to have a black guy sworn in as president of the US despite my reservations since we all know america's history

sorry to be a misery guts
 
His skin colour is a big issue, to african americans it signifies the end of a decades long struggle, it signifies that they have finally overcome oppression. It's a great moment for racial equality and should be celebrated. His race will make no difference to the way the presidency works, but it's significance is huge.
 
racial oppression hasn't been overcome. the courts are where that happens not the whitehouse

but i'm not arguing anymore :D
 
isitme said:
ok fair play

i don't want to fight about this if it means a lot to you.
Click to expand...

My friend, I wish I had the words to explain what it meant to me.

I understand cynicism; I have a huge helping of it inside of me; which makes it that much more unnerving to have inflicted on me, a feeling of happiness, and hope.
 
quimcunx said:
I just watched that Change is Gonna Come link that Rutita put up and it made me feel all teary.

My first 'knowledge' of black people as a child was watching 'Roots'. It's a good day.

:)
Click to expand...

Roots is a very iconic piece of literature. I remember watching it too. Wasn't the first time I saw black people though or becoming aware of slavery etc..

That song though has always had a special place in my heart, it touched me so deeply as a child, it still does....from the videos that have appeared on you tube I can see I am not the only one.:)
 
Would it be okay if we fight about this tomorrow/later?

It will probably be a bigger and better fight anyway as more people will be awake....:hmm:
 
Johnny Canuck2 said:
My friend, I wish I had the words to explain what it meant to me.

I understand cynicism; I have a huge helping of it inside of me; which makes it that much more unnerving to have inflicted on me, a feeling of happiness, and hope.
Click to expand...

The Audacity of Hope:cool:

I'm going along with it now :D

I think you should see my other posts, I agree that it has already changed something having a black prez in itself. It definetely means something. Which is what this thread is about. I just got it wrong tbh
 
Johnny Canuck2 said:
My friend, I wish I had the words to explain what it meant to me.

I understand cynicism; I have a huge helping of it inside of me; which makes it that much more unnerving to have inflicted on me, a feeling of happiness, and hope.
Click to expand...
johnny - loving your posts at the moment. you're explaining it all so well... :)
 
Johnny Canuck2 said:
What did you think of that speech?
Click to expand...

I liked it. He's an amazing speaker. He was clear and honest.

I sat and cried through most of it.....saw Oprah, Jessie and most other people in the crowd did to. Bitter sweet tears....Something buried real deep, powerful and full of remembering and hope. Something that hurts but that I wouldn't change for the world, as it is happiness too. Some of those memories and pain are not mine, but they are completely mine, some of that hope and happiness I didn't create but it belongs to me.

In fact both speeches were very good. Fair play to Mccain.:)
 
Rutita1 said:
I liked it. He's an amazing speaker. He was clear and honest.

I sat and cried through most of it.....saw Oprah, Jessie and most other people in the crowd did to. Bitter sweet tears....Something buried real deep, powerful and full of remembering and hope. Something that hurts but that I wouldn't change for the world, as it is happiness too. Some of those memories and pain are not mine, but they are completely mine, some of that hope and happiness I didn't create but it belongs to me.

In fact both speeches were very good. Fair play to Mccain.:)
Click to expand...

I genuinely believe that McCain is a good man, and could have been a good president. He maybe should have been the republican prez instead of good old George. He's still a senator, and I believe him when he says he'll work with Obama.
 
isitme said:
The Audacity of Hope:cool:

I'm going along with it now :D

I think you should see my other posts, I agree that it has already changed something having a black prez in itself. It definetely means something. Which is what this thread is about. I just got it wrong tbh
Click to expand...

No worries.:)
 
Batboy Returns...

I always thought there would be a 'black' president in the US in my lifetime (although to be fair Obama is more like a milky coffee! colour)

Is it important? yes and no - Obama got there on merit. From where I was observing he came across as immensely Presidential, he is a highly intelligent guy with fantastic oratory skills, he sold himself well and had he been white/Asian/Hispanic/Martian he still would have won, so in that sense his colour is not important.

Where it is important is from the perspective not only of Afro-Americans on the street, but also for Hispanics, Asians and Native Indians - this is hugely significant and this combined with the fact he is a worthy President is fantastic. The audacity of hope indeed!

For too long America has hidden behind a veneer of equality - from my observations and visits to the US the divisions between black and white are still pretty big. His win may start to disintegrate the surreptitious race divide.

Whether he can deliver on policy will be hard to comprehend, I would not like to be inheriting the mess that has been left behind economically and with Iraq/Afghanistan.

As per usual in the campaign, all political issues have been overshadowed by showmanship, but then I've always figured that popular politics is about making it up as you go along!

What is seriously worrying is the structure of American politics and the underlying psyche of its voters. Obama will win with a big majority 370 to 168 or whatever, yet the % of votes will be something like 53% to 47% (That is still very close). What that spells out to me is that 47% of voters still figure that after 8 years of a complete fuck up of neo-conservative policy under Bush that this is the way the world should be and voted accordingly. Thats a big % of people who don't get it!

So a long way to go and I suspect the honeymoon may be very short as the fucked economy is going to take some fixing.

Oh and one last thing... Obama needs to send a royalty cheque to Bob the Builder! Plagiarism is not a good way to kick start one's Presidential career.
 
Rutita1 said:
I liked it. He's an amazing speaker. He was clear and honest.

I sat and cried through most of it.....saw Oprah, Jessie and most other people in the crowd did to. Bitter sweet tears....Something buried real deep, powerful and full of remembering and hope. Something that hurts but that I wouldn't change for the world, as it is happiness too. Some of those memories and pain are not mine, but they are completely mine, some of that hope and happiness I didn't create but it belongs to me.

In fact both speeches were very good. Fair play to Mccain.:)
Click to expand...

I don't normally quote lyrics and the like.

Still I Rise - Maya Angelou.

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.
 
quimcunx said:
I don't normally quote lyrics and the like.

Still I Rise - Maya Angelou.

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.
Click to expand...
Love it....Ben Harper used that in a great song.:)
 
Mation said:
One year ago today or thereaboutsish...

Framing it simply in terms of black and white, did you think a black man would actually be elected as president of the U S of A in 2008?
Click to expand...
Not really, I kind of assumed it would be a case of endless theorising, eulogising the underdog, incessant commentary about "how amazing" it would be "if...", etc...

A year ago I'd have said that the US was far too conservative, entrenched & antiquated to seriously consider a black president.
 
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