Instinct says:

“For all of my life I’ve been an American, reluctantly. Came here in chains.”

Wow, she was a slave?!?! She must be reeeeeaaaalllly old, or is there a part of the country that I am unaware of that still has slavery?

These people are idiots. They cling to a victim mentality because it’s easier than saying ‘I am responsible for what I do, how I feel, and how far I go in life’.

Heck I had a class mate who whined about how when she looked in the mirror all she saw was “a BLACK WOMAN! Not a WOMAN, but a BLACK WOMAN! And it’s the white man’s fault”

I just looked at her. “So how is it that I made you black?”

Charity says:

I read something where the author was talking about how proud she was now because her son would grow up knowing that there is nothing he can’t become (because of his race). At first I was sad, then outraged. I have two black sons and neither of them has ever thought that his race would be a barrier to becoming what he wants. What kind of parent teachers their children that crap?

I thought that was bad, but “came here in chains” sure does top that.

ModDem says:

What never seems to get brought up is just who it was fought to ensure freedom for slaves: white people! We get no credit or thanks for that though, I guess. And hey, the Republican party is the party that fought for civil rights

So white folks ‘gave blacks their freedom’? Come again? Are black folks supposed to come up to you shake your hand and say, ‘thanks for giving me my freedom’?
And the Republican party fought for it [alone]? Yes, the Republicans voted for the Civil Rights bill[s] in great numbers – but they didn’t start the legislation. The legislation was started by Northern Liberal Democrats in the 1950’s and 60’s.
The white folks who marched and the politicians who voted should be thanked for supporting the civil rights cause and for standing up when it was not popular to do so. But they didn’t ‘give’ blacks freedom.

bob says:

One more thing, “roll their eggs over the White House lawn on Easter Monday” Monday?? what is that the anti-white Easter Sunday for her?!

lv4921391 says:

her sisters live without shoes in Africa…perhaps she’d be more
comfortable there…if she’s lucky she won’t get her arms chopped off…what a load.!!!

Ian Becker says:

It’s precisely this kind of nonsense that incenses me about the Left. It shows liberals’ absolute ignorance of the world and its history. Throughout human history, *all* societies have used slavery. Every one. European, Asian, North and South American, and, yes, African societies have always enslaved people. In all those thousands of years of human history, there has been exactly *one* society that has fought and ended slavery: Western Civilization, and in particular, Britain and the US.

We fought our Civil War (led, of course, by the first Republican president) to end slavery, which war still holds the record for the most Americans killed. Britain, throughout the Empire, ended slavery as well, by force where necessary. And yes, a far greater percentage of the Republicans voted for the Civil Rights Acts than did the Democrats.

I find it interesting that Western Civilization (and the US & Britain in particular) is decried as evil for its slaveholding past, yet the places in the world where slavery still exists (and yes, it does still exist in many places) are those places which have had the least Western influence (i.e., places that were never British colonies).

Knott Buyinit says:

Over 360,000 Union soldiers died taking the chains off of this moron’s ancestors (presumably, that is, unless, of course, like the Obamessiah, her ancestors were not American slaves).
I might add that the descendants of those ancestors, including this moron, have worked assiduously ever since at putting the chains back on.

I might also add – for the libertarians in the audience – that over 260,000 of my ancestors died on the Confederate side trying to keep the chains on this moron’s ancestors, something they had every /Constitutional/ right to do.

Happily, for this moron’s ancestors, anyway, the Bible was (and is) subject to interpretation on the slavery issue, where the Constitution in 1861 was not – giving Lincoln a moral, if not a Constitutional, ground to stand on.

I’m reminded of the words of ‘The Prophet’ on ‘Freedom’:

“…And how shall you rise beyond your days and nights unless you break the chains which you at the dawn of your understanding have fastened around your noon hour?

In truth that which you call freedom is the strongest of these chains, though its links glitter in the sun and dazzle the eyes…”

I’m just sayin’…

Mat says:

Mod,

“Suffice it to say I’m looking for something a bit more humble.”

Humble? In what way? In the way the left acts? Sorry, humility seems to be in short supply these days for both sides.

“Too many Conservatives [not all] take a view that blacks were just part of the equation like sheep or something and that it was whites who did all the leg work. Whites laid it on the line, they passed the legislation, they went to protests, etc. Meanwhile blacks just kind of hung around until their freedom was ‘given’ to them.”

We’re all part of an equation of some kind. That’s just the way life works. No one’s really special. Well, many people want to think they are, but reality’s quite different. You’re right, It’s only Conservatives who think blacks are part of an “equation.” Democrats never think like that all. Ever.

Actually, in respect to the Civil War, yeah, whites did lay it all on the line, literally in many cases (see my point on Civil War deaths in previous post, not sure you got that). I mean, it’s great and all that 200,000 black soldiers served the Union and it certainly helped. However, let’s face it, the war was fought largely by whites, paid for in a number of ways by whites won pretty much by whites. There is no spin that you can use to hide that fact. Ever. I want to reiterate that MLK and his group could have marched around until they were exhausted if it weren’t for white support. To say that whites were irrelevant to the Civil Rights effort is ridiculous.

“It’s a slightly distorted version since – you know – whites actually took their freedoms in the first place.”

Yes, I’m well aware that there were slave traders. I’ve been brow-beaten with it since I was in grade school. However, I wish to inform you that it is now 2008, not the 1700’s. Actually, the African tribes had a good helping hand in that as well (oops, I stated a fact, sorry) Last time I checked, I know of no current slave trading (at least in Africa) going on here. Maybe you’re partial to some information that I am not, it’s entirely possible. However, I’m not going to succumb to white guilt. I didn’t do it, and I grow heartily sick and tired of hearing that I have to pay for sins of the past. I will state once again that I resent being considered automatically racist due to the color of my skin (wow, that was a turn around).

“What seems forgotten in this equation is the actual struggle blacks went through. Blacks were not considered or legally equal for 100 years after the Civil War. And while [some] whites did stand up to protest – for many it was a day job. They could sink right back into society. But blacks still had to deal with the hatred and division. What I’m saying is their struggle was far too great to simply say whites gave it too them.”

Actually, I’m aware of it. I really am. But what exactly would you like me to do about it? Build a time machine and apologize to the slaves? Once again, I didn’t personally enslave anyone, so I resent being told to wear an albatross around my neck for something that happened 150 or even 50 years ago. Day job? Tell that to the whites in Mississippi who protested. I do recall the authorities found their bodies in pretty bad shape, that is, when they eventually found them.

Ok, let me reiterate. Without white authority and white reaction to what was going on the south, the blacks would have been much worse off. I would say it was a joint effort. There are good people and bad people on both sides of the story. To simply say that blacks are perpetually good and whites perpetually bad is simply wrong on so many levels.

“Also you are simplifying it a bit to say the Civil War was fought over slavery. A lot of it dealt with western expansion proposals, southern secession, federal vs state rights and economic considerations.”

Yes, I am well aware that the Civil War was fought due to a number of issues, of which slavery was only a part. But the fact is that the political climate between 1830-1860 revolved heavily on the slavery issue. The Liberty Party of the 1830s was founded solely around the issue of liberating the slaves. The Free Soil Party of the late 1840s and 1850s also revolved around this concept with the addition of stopping slavery in the territories. The Whig Party disintegrated during this time precisely because it had no coherent message regarding this. The Republican Party was formed from the Free Soil, Whig and Northern Democrats that had the slavery issue at the heart of its message (there were other things as well). The Democratic Party literally split in the 1860 election among regional lines due to the slavery issue (which is what gave Lincoln the presidency).

That means while there were other issues, slavery was a dominant issue prior to, leading up to and during the Civil War. One cannot escape that conclusion.

ModDem says:

Mat
I will state once again that I resent being considered automatically racist due to the color of my skin

So just who is saying this? I certainly am not. And most African Americans are not either. This woman columnist is not saying it either.

It’s only Conservatives who think blacks are part of an “equation.” Democrats never think like that all. Ever.

Civil Rights was by and large about equality for blacks. Therefore, it wasn’t about something else like ‘what the white folks did for blacks back in the sixties’. Know what I mean?
If I went to the front lines today to fight for gay marriage rights I wouldn’t come back in twenty years and say, ‘I gave gays the right to marry.” I would say I fought and marched for them and their rights. In short, I would be humble because they are not my rights I am fighting for. I already have the right to marry.

I am not sure what you mean by Democrats never think like that. Isn’t the word ‘never’ sort of over-the-top?

Here’s my issue. You may hate it when whites don’t get credit for black struggle. But I don’t like it when whites pat themselves on the back for being so good and kind to blacks for ‘giving’ them their freedom. Or more to the point; I cringe when people who actually never marched with blacks take credit for other white men and women who did and then saying blacks should be respectful of that. First off most black people are thankful. Although they may not grovel and shouldn’t. Second, most whites who fought are not so arrogant as to think they ‘gave’ anyone freedoms. Do you see how a right wing attitude like that is a bit condescending?
Should women thank white men for the rights they finally achieved? Don’t think so.

Next, this columist is simply saying that the election of Obama has made her proud to be an American. Yes, we are all Americans. But the African American stuggle was a different one than the white American struggle. We are all in this together but we are not all the same nor have the same experience. Let her enjoy her experience. Afterall, the whites ‘gave’ it to her. I guess. #:^)

beb says:

She was brought here in chains? What a coincidence, I died to set her free.

philmon says:

Uhhh… did I miss something? Was someone, somewhere saying blacks should grovel because whites fought for their freedom and for their Civil Rights? (I mean besides Democrats, who pander to their voting block every cycle?)

I’ve never seen a white person pat himself on the back for being “good and kind to blacks and giving them their freedom”. Where ARE these people?

Or is it you taking a quote like this:

“What never seems to get brought up is just who it was fought to ensure freedom for slaves: white people! We get no credit or thanks for that though, I guess.”

and reading this into it:

“So white folks ‘gave blacks their freedom’? Come again? Are black folks supposed to come up to you shake your hand and say, ‘thanks for giving me my freedom’?”

No. But they’re sure as hell not supposed to come up to me and blame me for their plight or demand special treatment from me because I’m white. Some whites enslaved blacks. Others fought to free them and still others marched with them and voted to ensure their rights. But all an angry black sees is the slave owner or the idiot bigot, and that supposedly justifies black on white bigotry. Yeah, that irritates me a bit.

Republicans voted for Civil Rights in great numbers, but northern Democrats introduced the legeslation? Have you SEEN the numbers? 64% of Democrats voted for the 1964 Civil Rights Act. 80% of Republicans voted for it.

After the Civil War, 23 blacks (13 ex-slaves) were elected to Congress. All as Republicans.

The first black Democrat was not elected to Congress until 1935.

The thirteenth amendment (Emancipation) was passed in 1865. 100% of Republicans voted for it. 23% of Democrats voted for it.

The 14th Amendment, giving emancipated blacks full civil rights? All Republicans who voted voted for it. No Democrat voted for it.

15th Amendment, guaranteeing blacks the right to vote. Every single Republican voted for it. Every single Democrat voted against it.

When Democrats took control of Congress and the Whitehouse in 1892 and repealed all of the Civil Rights laws the Republicans had passed back in the early 1870’s and opened the door for Jim Crow laws & poll taxes.

Colin Powell. Condeleezza Rice. Clarence Thomas.

Most diverse cabinet in history? G.W. Bush’s.

Republicans have consistently been for ensuring that blacks are the legal equals of whites. Socially, blacks’ most severe problems were brought on by the Democrat power base in the south. The KKK was started by …. Democrats.

Being against affirmative action and reparations does not make one racist. Being against one standard for whites and a lower standard for blacks means we believe that blacks are fully capable of meeting the same standards.

Are there racist Republican voters? Sure. You bet. And there are racist Democrat voters. I personally know some of the latter.

Finally, about all this “right wing” bullcrap.

I believe that all of us are equal in the eyes of God and the law. Since I don’t believe in stacking the deck the other way to “correct” past problems, I am labeled a conservative.

Because I believe the Second Amendment means what it says, I am a labeled conservative.

Because I give reverece to the flag, I am labled a conservative.

Because I believe that abortion kills a human being, I am labeled a conservative.

Because I don’t believe we should be legally forced to call something “marriage” that most of us don’t believe is “marriage”, I am labeled a conservative.

Because I believe that the First Amendment gives us freedom of speech, but not freedom from being offended, I am labeled a conservative.

Because I believe that the first amendment guarantees Freedom OF Religion, not Freedom FROM Religion, I am labeled a conservative.

Because I keep going back to the intent of the founders (which is well documented outside of the official documents they produced, making it clear what they were thinking when they wrote them), I am labeled a conservative.

Great. So be it. I will proudly wear that label. I am Conservative because of what I believe, not the other way around.

But every conservative now is dismissively labeled “Right Wing” now, and “Right Wing” has been loaded with defacto definitions, like “racist”, “warmongering”, “homophobe”, “greedy”, “ultra-religious”, “hateful”, “mean” — and I am none of those things.

As a good friend once said, and I keep quoting him: we look pretty silly when people pretend we believe things that we don’t believe.

ModDem says:

philmon
Your statistics are correct. But your historical perspective is not.
You are making the assumption that because Democrats used to be racists in the 19th century that somehow we still are…or Democrats should be punished for past sins…or how can voters be so stupid as to not know this or… something?
You are confusing today’s Democratic platform with some from the past.

Have you SEEN the numbers? 64% of Democrats voted for the 1964 Civil Rights Act. 80% of Republicans voted for it.
Yes, I know the numbers very well. Yes, more Republicans voted for Civil Rights than Democrats. I’m not saying Republicans are racists! Never did.
But any historian knows the Democratic party was split in two between Northern progressive Democrats and what we would call Southern ‘Dixiecrats’. The Dixiecrat voters by and large switched over to the Republican party. The Solid South literally flipped between 1964 and 68 because of Civil Rights legislation. Now, this does not mean they were racists. But some folks were not happy with Civil rights. Just like some folks are not happy an African American is President. Been to the Stormfront website? I wouldn’t confuse them of being liberal…or conservative although they do like David Duke and he was a Republican. But, hey, we’ve got Senator Byrd so were even.

After the Civil War, 23 blacks (13 ex-slaves) were elected to Congress. All as Republicans.
Yes, see answer above. Lincoln was a Republican. Makes sense. I’m not saying the Democratic party of the 19th century is one I am proud of.

Sorry if you took Right Wing the wrong way. I found this site from Right Wing News of all places. Thought it was an badge of honor for some. Although right wing nut job is not a compliment. But saying Liberals don’t love America is not one either. Because we do. We just don’t love it the exact same way you do.

Mat says:

Mod,

“So just who is saying this? I certainly am not. And most African Americans are not either. This woman columnist is not saying it either.”

Hey, you’re the one who’s telling me I have to be humble for some odd reason. Humility signals guilt. Implied guilt means that I did something wrong, i.e. being white. And of course the columnist is saying that. Maybe not directly, but this “I’m finally proud to be an American” crap has one conclusion: That we’re a racist society always wanting to put the black man/woman down. The implication is there, clear as day. I’m white, therefore, I’m a racist. I must be really racist, since I voted for McCain. In fact, why don’t we step it up another notch and I’ll admit that I’m a Republican who doesn’t believe that this guy is the messiah. Hoo boy, I must be superhero racist now. And please do not even begin to tell me that most blacks look at whites and think “racist.” That’s not paranoia, that’s fact. Look at any black magazine, music, anything cultural and the stuff practically screams it.

“Civil Rights was by and large about equality for blacks. Therefore, it wasn’t about something else like ‘what the white folks did for blacks back in the sixties’. Know what I mean?
If I went to the front lines today to fight for gay marriage rights I wouldn’t come back in twenty years and say, ‘I gave gays the right to marry.” I would say I fought and marched for them and their rights. In short, I would be humble because they are not my rights I am fighting for. I already have the right to marry.”

Yeah, but you did fight the good fight (assuming the breakdown of the family is a good fight, I’m sure that’s highly debatable), so yes by all means take credit for it. Your statement there is a bit odd. I mean, if whites don’t march to help the blacks, then how would the blacks attain freedom? You might want to work that argument out a little.

“I am not sure what you mean by Democrats never think like that. Isn’t the word ‘never’ sort of over-the-top?”

I’m sorry, because I should have elaborated on this more. Democrats automatically assume that blacks will vote for them. They just assume it because it’s part of the Democratic “equation.” Democrats, over the past 40 years, have done more to keep most blacks down through economic slavery than anything that Republicans could have done. The social programs have been a disaster. In order to really help someone, you don’t just spoonfeed handouts. It has to be earned. That’s how people (white, black, whomever) grow.

It is no secret that the Democratic Party has demonized Republicans for being “big meanies” and racists towards blacks because they don’t want to hand stuff to them. I’m all for helping someone, but only if they are willing to help themselves. I’m not for give-away programs which have no purpose other than to keep someone or a group beholden to a political party for further handouts. If that’s your idea of “empowering” (seriously, I really hate this catchphrase) someone, you have an odd way of showing it.

Let me give you a big example. You want to know what the true tragedy of Hurricane Katrina was? The fact that thousands of blacks didn’t have the critical thinking ability to get out of the city before it hit. Why that’s outrageous, you’ll scream. Purely racist! Is it though? They didn’t have the ability to get out because they were waiting for the government to tell them what to do. Of course, we all know how well that worked out. Setting aside the Bush problem (yeah, he was pretty slow on the uptake and hiring Brown for FEMA was the height of stupidity), Governor Blanco did not declare an evacuation until less than a day before it was supposed to hit.

Think about that for a moment. A massive hurricane is about to hit the coast right into New Orleans and the governor (a Democrat by the way) sat on her ass until virtually the last moment to declare an evacuation. You want to figure out how you can evacuate a major urban area in less than 24 hours (note: I mean, outside of Hollywood)? If you can, you’re a genius, because no one has come up with such a solution. Mayor Nagin (also a Democrat) didn’t do much better, screwing up the transportation system and pretty much guaranteeing that lots of people would be right in the hurricane’s path.

Now, I find it interesting that the suburbanites (well a lot of them, anyway) managed to take the initiative and haul ass out of there long before Katrina hit. But the urban population, which was raised on government handouts, couldn’t even draw a simple conclusion to get out of the danger area. Now, there were a lot of people who literally didn’t have the physical ability to get out (we know who they were). However, I saw plenty of able-bodied people during and after the hurricane that were perfectly capable of at least walking out of the city. Sound stupid? Well, people were doing it before Katrina hit.

Of course, this must be placed into context. Around the same time, there was a big earthquake in northern Pakistan. I remember this mainly because I watched news footage of people leaving the area. You want to know how these people were getting out? By walking along freaking mountain footpaths! In the goddamn Himalayas! No one told them to leave, they just did, (probably due to survival instincts) while it was going on, mind you.

Now, if a bunch of people can leave a danger area through treacherous mountain footpaths through some of the most difficult terrain on the planet, then how the hell can a bunch of people not get out by one of the best infrastructures in the world (i.e. our highway system) and with time to spare? I mean, it wasn’t like we didn’t know when and where the thing would make landfall.

That’s what I mean by the equation. Blacks are simply assumed to vote Democrat. They always have (well, since the 60s anyway) and they always will. Just throw them a bone or two (or a handout) every election and they’ll come running. Because that’s all they are to the Democrats. Just simpletons waiting their turn for the government feedbag (this is your party talking, by the way). That is conscending and arrogant. I dare you to tell me otherwise.

So yes, by all means, let’s keep up the dividing by making a group’s struggle a bigger deal than the other. “My group suffered more than yours, so nyah!” Yeah, real mature. We’ll grow real fast as a nation if this balkanization continues. And for the record, well duh, men are responsible for women being able to vote, since they were pretty much all of the politicians. I’m not looking for undying gratitude, but it would be nice if the feminuts wouldn’t keep looking at me as a virtual Saudi woman oppressor. Oh well, I suppose that’s too much to ask.

ModDem says:

Mat
I think you overanalyze a bit.
When I say humble I am thinking more in terms of being humble before God. As in if you do good work; you don’t have to crow about it or take credit for it – or worse become offended if people don’t thank you.

Political tar and feathering: What’s funny is you are taking these same conclusions that we on the left use. For instance when McCain brought up the Ayers connection to Obama most of us thought what McCain really meant to say was “Obama is a terrorist, right? I mean why else bring it up?” No reason to make assumptions.

How are social programs a disaster? And which are we talking about? [I just found out Joe the Plummer’s family was on welfare for a while. I mean the guy is a bit odd but at least he can admit this helped him out].
This whole ‘it has to be earned’ stuff is just b.s.
You think if people financially fail because of medical bills or because stocks tumble they should just be left in the dirt?
We just bailed out the Banking industry and will probably do so with the Auto industry. Should we call them a bunch of whiny losers and tell them to suck it up?
This is what gets me about many Conservatives. They hate anything that smacks of socialism until their company fails. Then they want the government to bail them out.

You’re conflicted on your Hurricane Katrina argument. First you say it is the people’s fault for not leaving [many who had no vehicles] then you say it was the governments fault for not providing transportation. So who is to blame? Note too it wasn’t the Hurricane by itself that caused all the problems. The broken levees played a big part. Why blame the citizens for that?
Also the survival comparison is sort of odd. What are you saying? Pakistani’s are smarter than New Orleans citizens? A city is a lot different than a village.

Regarding your rant against blacks and Democrats I should note that a good many of the blacks I know are middle class Americans in NY and CA who get no handouts and happen to like the Democratic platform and where it stands on many issues. You make it seem like the only reason people like Democrats is because of welfare, which if you can recall, was stopped by Clinton a decade ago.
Can’t be social security because that can only be used by people over 65. So what do you mean?

No one should be looked down on because of what party they vote for. I suppose in time more blacks will become Republicans. But they aren’t dumb because they are Democrats.

Mat says:

“I think you overanalyze a bit.
When I say humble I am thinking more in terms of being humble before God. As in if you do good work; you don’t have to crow about it or take credit for it – or worse become offended if people don’t thank you.”

You’re the one who made the humility statement, not me. If you think I “overanalyzed” it, then you should have been clearer. Personally I have no issue being humble. However, when I have blacks constantly harping about how racist this country is, yeah, I’m not going to feel pretty humble. Whites in this country have been getting a pretty bad rap over the last forty years and as I said before, and I’m getting sick of being lumped in with a truly racist group that died long ago because my skin color happens to be white.

“Political tar and feathering: What’s funny is you are taking these same conclusions that we on the left use. For instance when McCain brought up the Ayers connection to Obama most of us thought what McCain really meant to say was “Obama is a terrorist, right? I mean why else bring it up?” No reason to make assumptions.”

Ok, to equate me to that douchebag Ayers is pretty low (though it doesn’t seem to bother the left too much). Bill Ayers is an American-hating pile of prehistoric frogshit who should have been put down long ago. His Weatherman movement is responsible for a number of deaths and it’s only by sheer luck that a lot of American soldiers weren’t blasted away at Fort Dix. That guy is on record after his pardon by saying “Guilty as sin, free as a bird. What a country!” He had no issues proclaiming his guilt then, but now he says that it’s all a mistake? He and his whore (yeah, she was definitely that) of a wife have yet to even express remorse for what they did. Reverend Wright was essentially a black separatist. Those are not assumptions, but grounded in total fact.

These are people that Obama constantly hung around with (and still does). Sorry, but that puts up red flags all over in my book. Even if he didn’t know all of this shit (and I don’t believe for a moment that he didn’t), then that shows an incredible lack of judgement on his part. That’s the equivalent to a what-if scenario of McCain hanging out with the Grand Master of the KKK and hanging Hitler portraits all over his room. And I think we both know what would have happened if the press ever remotely found out that this was the case (note: this is in fact hypothetical).

“How are social programs a disaster? And which are we talking about? [I just found out Joe the Plummer’s family was on welfare for a while. I mean the guy is a bit odd but at least he can admit this helped him out].
This whole ‘it has to be earned’ stuff is just b.s.”

Um, the kind that pays out my hard earned paycheck to a bunch of deadbeats who refuse to work. So what if Joe the Plumber was on welfare. The point is that he isn’t now. However, you have entire generations of blacks living off of welfare like it’s a wage. As far as earning being BS, I guess that’s a fundamental difference between you and I that will never be resolved. I believe that people should be able to keep what they earned through labor. You seem to think that people making wages are a cash-cow for those who do not want to work.

“You think if people financially fail because of medical bills or because stocks tumble they should just be left in the dirt?”

It depends on the medical condition. The elderly should be taken care of. They’ve earned that right. However, there is plenty of medical crap out there that was self-induced. It’s a person’s responsibility to stay healthy. They don’t have a “right” to my money. End of story. Stocks go up and down. The stock market is also not a right. It’s never a given and it’s often not fair. I’ve had my stocks make major tumbles and have lost money. That’s the nature of the game. You’re telling me that people who make dumb stock market decisions should always make money? People who don’t understand Wall Street shouldn’t be investing. Period. That’s just a responsibility issue. The Democrats don’t believe in any personal responsibility. Everyone should be given everything. Bull.

“We just bailed out the Banking industry and will probably do so with the Auto industry. Should we call them a bunch of whiny losers and tell them to suck it up?
This is what gets me about many Conservatives. They hate anything that smacks of socialism until their company fails. Then they want the government to bail them out.”

Ok, let me make this perfectly clear. Thos Republicans who voted for that bailout cannot, in good conscience, call themselves conservatives. I was totally against the bailout for the reason I stated above. It’s a responsibility issue. If ordinary people screw up consistently and don’t get a handout, then that goes double for businessmen who get greedy and overreach. They, of all people, should understand that. And I think the vast majority of true conservatives would agree with me on that. And yes, I think they should suck it up and take their losses. The American auto industry makes shit cars (for the most part) and their employees are way overpaid. $73 to put a wicket in a widget? Yeah, I wish I had that problem. I personally have a Subaru, so I speak with a clear conscience. When the American auto industry gets serious about making a decent car for a reasonable rate, I’ll consider buying one. Manufacturing is dying out in this country. It’s just the way it is. Companies are naturally going to go to a place where they can pay a worker $20 an hour to make the same product that can be made here for $73. I have no real issue with that, but then I’m not in the manufacturing trade.

“You’re conflicted on your Hurricane Katrina argument. First you say it is the people’s fault for not leaving [many who had no vehicles] then you say it was the governments fault for not providing transportation. So who is to blame?

Ok, since you totally missed my point…
I don’t think I ever laid the blame on the people. I said that was the true tragedy. The fact that many of them waited for the government to tell them what to do was the really sad part. So obviously, I’m saying it was mostly the governments fault, since they created an entire generation of people who couldn’t think for themselves. By the way, since when do you necessarily need a vehicle to leave a disaster area?

“Note too it wasn’t the Hurricane by itself that caused all the problems. The broken levees played a big part. Why blame the citizens for that?”

Yeah, but they knew that it was a category 5 storm and that the levees weren’t built for that kind of hurricane. Again, I’m not blaming the citizens for it. Check above argument.

“Also the survival comparison is sort of odd. What are you saying? Pakistani’s are smarter than New Orleans citizens? A city is a lot different than a village.”

I would say that the Pakistanis were at least mentally astute enough to get out of a bad situation when it happened. By the way, even though there were villages, the sheer number of people who walked was quite substantial (we’re talking thousands). Most of the people that were caught in New Orleans were waiting for the government to tell them what to do. And if the government is to provide all of the services to the people (which is what they expected), then the least it can do is organize an evacuation, which never occurred.

“Regarding your rant against blacks and Democrats I should note that a good many of the blacks I know are middle class Americans in NY and CA who get no handouts and happen to like the Democratic platform and where it stands on many issues.”

I hate to break it to you pal, but the majority of blacks are not middle class. While blacks in the middle class have increased substantially in the last 20 years, it is by no means the majority. So this argument is moot.

“You make it seem like the only reason people like Democrats is because of welfare, which if you can recall, was stopped by Clinton a decade ago.”

Well, let’s face it. People vote Democrat because they want something handed to them. Democrats excell at giveaway programs. That’s hardly a mystery. And no, Clinton did not “stop” welfare. It was simply reduced. I’m sure it will once again become the rage when the messiah gets into office. In this particular election, I think people voted Democrat (or at least didn’t vote Republican) because Republicans stopped being Republicans. When one side has a consistent political message, no matter how warped it is, and the other is just a muddle of incoherent thoughts, guess who’s going to win?

“No one should be looked down on because of what party they vote for.”

Of course they should. That’s the nature of being in a political party. Cripes, the left didn’t have an issue with this for eight years. Why suddenly develop a conscience now?

“I suppose in time more blacks will become Republicans. But they aren’t dumb because they are Democrats.”

It is possible that blacks will wean themselves off of Democratic handouts and giveaway programs. I personally think they’ll be better for it. As for being dumb, those are your words, not mine.

Jay says:

I just don’t see how I can ever love America until a Norwegian-American is elected president. Before I can truly feel like a part of the American Dream, we must have a president who looks like me: white, bearded, bald spot on the back of his head, and of course he must wear glasses and bite his fingernails. Until that happens, I just feel excluded.

Mat says:

“And sorry but the ‘my country right or wrong’ position I find a bit out of the mainstream. America is a great country but some of its leaders and some of its policies have not always been great. People do have a right to expect more and expect room for improvement. Even you’d have to agree that some of the time we can do better. I think electing Obama is a step toward doing better. But I’m a liberal so I’m biased.”

How is that out of the mainstream? Leaders (yes, even Bush despite leftist cries to the contrary) come and go as to its policies, but the country remains. So what you’re saying is that the American flag is linked to a particular administration and not the country? Talk about being out of the mainstream…

I think there’s a profound difference between wanting something better and essentially giving aid and comfort to the enemy by denouncing our soldiers as babykillers (please, there are tons of liberals who think that way and I see them on campus all the time). When you protest like a bunch of loonies, you’re telling muslim fanatics that we’re hopelessly divided and that they can attack at will to drive us back to our own shores. Case in point, your messiah will withdraw our troops from Iraq just when they’ve approached victory. He may or may not send them to Afghanistan (I suppose it’ll depend on how much he needs the far left). So we’ll muddle around for a few years, take some more casualties and then the left will start screaming to get our troops out there too. Oh yeah, I can already see that happening.

That’s a fantastic strategy, by the way. Way to be appreciative of the troops (I won’t mention the 25% reduction in the budget that the Democrats are already clamoring for, but hey you gotta support the troops somehow) Sorry, but that’s just bizarre. So you’re essentially saying that in order to help the troops, you’re giving messages to the enemy to strike that much harder? Personally I think a sound battle plan, good logistics and a reduction of Rules of Engagements works wonders. Can’t wait to see what the next terrorist attack will look like.

BTW, you’re definitely right about the biased part…

Sisyphus says:

Julianne Malveaux is one pathetic person.

Seriously.