Razethestandard

  1. Just email me your contact info to opinionwriter2@gmail.com
    March 30, 2013 8:31 am on GOP attacks against Obama disrespect presidency
  2. PS Again (Sorry) I am just curious as to if you are willing to acknowledge the assumptions made by Mr. Roddy in his letter? For example, "The GOP has fought every effort the president has set, not because they were bad ideas, but because he is black and has no place in the White House." This presupposes that every opposition vote was racial in nature and not an opposition to policy, something Mr. Roddy could not possibly know for certain.
    March 30, 2013 12:41 am on GOP attacks against Obama disrespect presidency
  3. PS-I would be honored to sit down with Mr. Roddy or anyone else that would like to have a reasoned discussion on this issue.
    March 30, 2013 12:34 am on GOP attacks against Obama disrespect presidency
  4. Penrose-Thank you for your honest assessment of my comments. As all posters on this site, I state my opinion. I base this not on any effort to offend Mr. Roddy personally, but on the fact that he SEEMS to interpret opposition to the President only in terms of race. This does indicate the possibility that one could see life in general that way. As for you finding my statement regarding "authentic blackness" outrageous, I would again say that as one who observes from within (I confess I do not know if you do or not), and one who has progressed through the same sorts of issues; there is definitely a connection between support of the President and a means to maintain authentic blackness. I offer as evidence the castigation of former black Rep. Artur Davis by the Rev. Jesse Jackson. Jackson accused Davis of not "being black" for his opposition to the AHCA. In addition, Jackson questioned candidate Obama's "black cred" during the 2008 election because Obama had the temerity to speak concerning black fatherhood. In my community it is well known that to oppose the president, especially publicly means that one will face questions about race loyalty and likely be ostracized and perhaps even marginalized.

    Regarding the approval comment, I agree that this may be an assumption on my part. However, I will stand by my own experience in this area and say that most of what gets called "racism" in today's racially charged culture is really more about trying to change hearts and thoughts. Admittedly, there exist some issues of stubborn racism, but I think it a foolish endeavor to waste one's life trying to get others to like you/approve of you for whatever reason. This is unnecessary in my opinion. I do not, as a black man, strive to get non-blacks, or anyone for that matter to approve of me. My esteem is not at all affected by moronic racially charged comments by anyone because they do not now, and never will define me. This makes me completely free. My esteem is based on the fact that I am created in the image of my Maker-God. If anyone doesn't like that, then that is not my problem but theirs and I refuse to take on their problem.

    Finally, as for the quote concerning good politics to oppose the "black guy" I have to simple things to say. First, I never would suggest that one person speaks for either party; all have a right to their opinion. Secondly, no one ever had to say the "white guy" in the White House because prior to our current President, they have all been white.
    March 30, 2013 12:33 am on GOP attacks against Obama disrespect presidency
  5. PS-I was never taught any of this history in school. It required much research during my adult years. I suspect that little of this is being taught to black children now, since most of what is taught is done so from the victim perspective only.
    March 30, 2013 12:12 am on GOP attacks against Obama disrespect presidency
  6. RP-My take on the narrative that gets played regarding one reason the Democratic Party has a leg up in the black community is that many blacks may not know the real record of the Republican party during the most turbulent years of the Civil Rights Movement. First, President Eisenhower pushed through a Civil Rights Bill, albeit relatively weak, that set the pattern for the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Bill. President Kennedy patterned his bill after Eisenhower's. Secondly, the 1964 Civil Rights bill was filibustered by the Southern Democrats in the US Senate. It was Illinois Republican Sen. Everett Dirksen that garnered enough republican senatorial votes to end the Democratic filibuster and pass the legislation in the Senate so President Johnson could sign it. Because Johnson, a Democrat, was President and in keeping with the Washington DC custom, he got most of the credit for this legislation, even though he could not persuade members of his own party to support it. (http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_emd_earlyadvocateCR.htm) In addition, after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,the very nature of the civil rights struggle completed a shift that began with the Great Society social programs of President Johnson in 1964 or thereabouts. The Democrats benefited from there ability to turn social spending into votes; effectively destroying the essence of the King philosophy that sought to remove legal barriers regarding economic and racial discrimination so that blacks could gain success by their own industry and not become a permanent underclass. After King's murder, the Movement shifted toward a desire for America to not only end legal discrimination, but also to compensate those injured by years of segregation and discrimination. This was the last shift of blacks from the party of Lincoln toward the Democratic party. In addition, Nixon's Southern strategy also played a significant role in undermining the record of the GOP in Civil Rights.
    March 30, 2013 12:11 am on GOP attacks against Obama disrespect presidency
  7. I would love to take you up on that offer, I am just not sure how to do so without divulging personal information on this public forum.
    March 29, 2013 6:35 pm on GOP attacks against Obama disrespect presidency
  8. Joey C-I would agree that our education system is complicit in these matters. However, please be advised that it is not the system as much as it is those in position of influence who, like Mr. Roddy, seem to have difficulty overcoming the emotional and intellectual reactions associated with viewing oneself as a victim rather than a victor. If our teachers, and there certainly are very fine educators, could view and interpret circumstances beyond the prism of race, then our children would enjoy a greater foundation of self-esteem and have a better chance of success in the world.
    March 29, 2013 4:19 pm on GOP attacks against Obama disrespect presidency
  9. Stay to the Left-the reason is very simple and has a twofold answer. First, Candidate Obama, and in general all black Democratic candidates enjoy a 90% or better commitment from African Americans, due in part to the Democrat Party's ability to twist the historical record regarding Civil Rights. In a general sense, Candidate Obama's policy proposals were unimportant not only to blacks, but many Americans because of the policy failures and extreme unpopularity of George Bush, the age of John McCain, as well as the qualitative unknown of Barack Obama. It served Candidate Obama well that much was not known of him or his policies. So my comments were not directed as much to those who support his policies now, for which he is criticized by Republicans (just politics), as much as the initial support for him centered on a political agenda based in large part on an emotional appeal of hope and change. For example, I asked a prominent white politician to give me three policy reasons for their support of candidate Obama in 2008 and they could not do so by their own admission. They simply said he was inspiring. I am sure they could do so now after five years, but my point is that much of his support initially came from a perfect storm of political congruency that worked in his favor.

    The GOP does criticize him for his policies, as Democrats criticized Bush and other GOP leaders for policy positions. In my opinion, the criticism leveled at President Obama often is interpreted as despise due to the aforementioned prism of race that which far too many Americans view circumstances regarding our President. The power of free speech is that it extends to every citizen, period. Someone much smarter than me once said that America is advanced citizenship. To enjoy personal freedom of speech means that you must defend the right of those to speak freely that which you would give your life opposing.

    Finally, I am a bit baffled by your question since my original point dealt with why many blacks may have supported the President rather than why the GOP might oppose him.
    March 29, 2013 4:15 pm on GOP attacks against Obama disrespect presidency
  10. Ok, I am going to set the record straight for all of you. As a black man, like Mr. Roddy, I understand where his angst comes from. There are three very important interconnected cultural issues that help us understand why Mr. Roddy writes this letter. First, the support of President Obama as a black person is tied to the enormous feeling of victimization that exist within the black community. In all likelihood, Mr. Roddy has feelings of being victimized by white people that result in a persistent emotional pain just beneath the psychological surface. This pain can result from incidents of racism experienced, assumed or even handed down by family, friends or media. This is one reason why any criticism of a black president is viewed as racist; it is interpreted within the context of this unresolved emotional pain. Hence, Mr. Roddy can criticize a white president in much more virulent ways, but will never allow the same or even less for a black president.

    Secondly, Mr. Roddy and many who feel like he does, also see it as a cultural duty to publicly protect the President, while it is likely that private misgivings exist. This is because the support for then candidate Obama germinated from blackness and not policy. In order to maintain "authentic blackness" it was very necessary to support the first black candidate with a real chance to be elected to the highest office in the land. It did not matter that he was as much white as he was black; all that was necessary was that he identify as black. (This worked to the President's advantage with whites as well-but that is another story) It is very likely that in Mr. Roddy's mind, shaped by feeling victimized, his ethnic pride was at stake. Therefore, in order to authenticate and value his own ethnicity, it was crucial to support the president at all cost-even when all logic says he has erred. This is not a matter of Mr. Roddy imagining racism-he really believes that criticism of the President is racially based because he interprets his own life through the prism of his ethnicity.

    Finally, we must view Mr. Roddy's comments in light of the fact that his definition of respect, skewed by feelings of victimization, means that all criticism is a direct attack on what makes a person who they are-their ethnic distinction, rather than their character. Mr. Roddy likely defines his own life in this manner-he is black before anything else. This in effect is a prison of sorts, a bondage that only allows the individual to view their life and world through the color of their skin, as well as those around them. This also results from a lifetime of feeling victimized by those of a different, perhaps even more (perceived if not real) powerful group. It is important for my thinking white or non-black brothers and sisters to note that Mr. Roddy is only acting upon the impulse that he knows and one with which he is comfortable. To view life outside of ethnicity, means that one must begin to look at self in terms of character-this also means one must view others in like manner. Hence, one would then begin to see the successes and failures of leaders in a different more realistic light.

    The cure for Mr. Roddy and others like him is spiritual in nature. I know, because once upon a time I was there. I had to look at myself beyond my skin color and begin to define myself by my character-of which I am still developing daily to the good. The only way to be free of victimization is to forgive those whom you perceive to have victimized you-even if they have not asked or especially if you have no direct proof of their malice toward you. Mr. Roddy and others must understand that it is unnecessary to live for the approval of anyone other than your Maker. This is the essence of true freedom. I hope this helps all understand the roots of letters like this; and I hope we can eventually have meaningful dialogue with the goal of mutual understanding in mind. Peace to all.
    March 29, 2013 1:34 pm on GOP attacks against Obama disrespect presidency
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