One thing that's bothering me ALOT

[soxfan22]

[Just as you are welcome to think that the word "hanged", as I used it, was a racial reference.
[/color]

Actually if you'll recall, that was X who said that the term "hanged" in the context that YOU used it was racial.

I just asked if she would apply the same standard to you as she did to me (once she realized I hadn't said it), and her response was typical.

[flip-flop]

Now I am a Racist, Sexist Douchebag.

I think you are finally getting it. Dude, you are so worse than Bush. I am pretty damn sure even he knows that the use of Mulatto is inappropriate in any circumstance.

The "lefist, fascist, commie, liberal, elite, what else were we called ... oh right lambs to the slaughter and let's not forget Jews on the train...." are the ones who can't handle dissenting opinions. Right on.

As for us having judged poor GWB before he took office, those circumstances were quite different. He did after all lose the popular vote in 2000. By the way, can you really with a straight face say you have held your judgement on Obama. I think not. You have no credibility here anymore. You call our President a mulatto and then cry foul over those who are critical of GWB. Again I say Seriously??? That is just funny. You truly do amuse me.

And while we're on the topic of respect. It would be great if you would refer to the ladies of the forum as women, not girls. Thanks!

[soxfan22]

[As for us having judged poor GWB before he took office, those circumstances were quite different. He did after all lose the popular vote in 2000. By the way, can you really with a straight face say you have held your judgement on Obama. I think not. You have no credibility here anymore.

Flip, last I checked, we elect our president based on the results of the Electoral College. That is still the case, right?

And no, I do not pretend to have ever supported President Obama. I support him now to the degree that he is my president, however I have great reservations about his policy and decision-making abilities.

So far, I think it interesting that he has actually moved more to the center...He is suddenly in no rush to close Guantanamo...No rush to end Bush's tax cuts (in fact the stimulus bill he sent up had more tax cuts included than anyone could've imagined)...No immediated withdrawal from Iraq (understanding of course that due to the utter succes of the surge, GWB has already started the drawdown)...He kept Gates on as Sec of Defense (brilliant move IMO)...I'm interested to see, once he's consistently receiving Presidential level security briefings, what he does in terms of terrorist surveillance.

[sherban]

This may be my last post on this board because of what I may start.

I want to be open and I don't know if anyone else has thought about this but....

Obama is not the first black president....

Thanks for rolling the grenade in the room Connie...what were ya thinking...

Think positive folks, let's find something good to talk about! Anyone a member of the mile high club? We are!

[nothintolose]

LMAO Sherban!!! No way in HELL I would be a member of the mile high club as one of my major fears is that I will be in the bathroom, and the plane will crash, and I will be found with my pants down.

I get out of the things they call bathrooms on planes faster than I get out of a port-o-let at Jazz Fest or Mardi Gras

[XOXO]

I really didn’t care about Obama’s skin color until others started making a big deal about him being “black”. We were told during the campaign that the election was not about race and that Obama was going to be the great uniter, and yet all I have seen and heard today and in the last several months is about the fact that Obama is black. I find it strange that although he mentioned slavery during his speech, there was not a mention made of his white mother or the white grandmother. Obama is also the first president raised by a single parent. But apparently that is not as important as the fact that one of his parents was black.

I feel more alienated than united to be honest.

Before the election there was a little brouhaha about how white people will not vote for a black man. I thought it was pretty sad that anyone would consider not voting for Obama based on color. It did not make me very proud to be white. But hearing over 90% of black voters voted for Obama isn’t any more impressive. In my opinion, both are voting color and both are equally racists.

Martin Luther King Jr. once hoped for a day when people would be “judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin.” I guess we’re still a long way off from that reality.

I had the misfortune of mentioning the great melting pot and saying that I wished no one could see color. Ohmygod, you would think I was the devil from the reaction I got. Apparently, that is offensive and somehow it implied that black people shouldn’t be proud of their ancestors and how far they have come. What?? Don’t I have ancestors? That isn’t what I was trying to say . . . I can’t help but wonder what is at the core of such a defensive stand on a simple comment that clearly means something different to me than them.

After that I saw a segment on The View with Whoopie and Elisabeth about the melting pot. Honestly, I didn’t understand. I tried . . . Whoopie said there is no way for us to understand and maybe she is right. But maybe Whoopie needs to understand that racism doesn’t only come from whites.

For those of you who are calling out Soxfan you need to examine yourselves. As offended as you seem to be by Soxfan you sure aren’t doing much to differentiate yourselves from what you feel are his offenses.

OR........

Shut up douche.

It saves time typing.

You continue to expose either your ignorance or your simple indifference to the feelings of others.

I'm tired of explaining myself to you and I'm tired of you... Yawwwwn. Get over your bad self. You bore me.

As for us having judged poor GWB before he took office, those circumstances were quite different. He did after all lose the popular vote in 2000.

Straight up . . .this offends me.

If you think I am trying to engage anyone, you are wrong. I am not. I am calling it like I see it. I don't see a difference. I have seen about 3 threads this week where I feel members of this forum were calling other members out for bad behavior . . . but certainly weren't shining examples of respectful behavior themselves.

just-sayin'

[mahojim]

Connie-
I still love you, Baby!
Sherb-
Thanks for the levity!
Rodney King-
Yes, hopefully we can all just "get along".
Mr. President-
Thanks for reminding us that we're ALL Americans.
Without speaking beyond my means, Obama was voted into his position by the American people, and I'm looking forward to seeing how things may change.
We're all in this together, no?
Smiles-
MJ

[soxfan22]

Connie-
I still love you, Baby!
Sherb-
Thanks for the levity!
Rodney King-
Yes, hopefully we can all just "get along".
Mr. President-
Thanks for reminding us that we're ALL Americans.
Without speaking beyond my means, Obama was voted into his position by the American people, and I'm looking forward to seeing how things may change.
We're all in this together, no?
Smiles-
MJ

Jim, I always enjoy reading your posts. You are one of the most upbeat, positive people on this board.

But here again, did you really need a president to remind you that you are American? And that being born in this country is truly a gift? No matter who is president?

I have mentioned this a few times, but I had an Irish-American grandfather (he passed in 1985). He was an extremely hard-working, blue collar man...He worked for Electric Boat for 30 years and was a firefighter in our town. He fought in Korea.

When someone would ask him about his heritage, he would only say "I'm American". He is also the man who taught me the respect I have to this day for our Flag..."Never allow it to touch the ground...never". More importantly than that, he educated me on why that is important...Who scarificed? Why did they do it? Who was positively impacted by those sacrfices?

The pride and patriotism that has been an integral part of our fabric, has been taught and inherited though the family. Not by a guy who says "Bring it on" or "Mission accomplished", and certainly not by a man who says "Yes, We Can". Not even by a guy who said "Today is a day that will live in infamy".

I find it disturbing that folks need a saviour to come along to cultivate pride in America.

[flip-flop]

Maybe it went unnoticed but Soxfan has made his own bed here. Perhaps you were not around for his jews on the train to Auschwitz post or for the many times he called me things, Girl being the best amoung them.

He has been trying to reel someone in on every thread related to the incoming president for weeks. Mostly, we ignored or avoided that debate. Just as I needed to respond to his attacks of our new President as a babykiller, I couldn't let his "laugh in your face" use of Mulatto slide.

I only regret engaging him, but I stand firmly by my belief that he is not here to illuminate or add any intellectual argument to the table. He is here to incite and inflame.

I absolutely stand by the two quotes attributed to me:

"You (Soxfan) continue to expose either your ignorance or your simple indifference to the feelings of others."

Do you honestly think he had lofty intentions when he posted this "Or "mulato"...Ha! Yes girls, it is still an outdated term that I don't know how to spell!"

And my statement that Bush did not win the popular vote was only to demonstrate that his first term in office was more controversial than Obama's, in relation to the "disrespect" that has been shown to Bush. I, in no way, indicated a personal disrepect for Bush. I did not say his presidency was illegitimate. Yes, I do happen to know about the electoral college. It was simply a statement of fact. How that is offensive is beyond me.

[Connie]

I just can't believe some of the words that are coming out of some posters fingers to the keyboard. When I saw the DB word I was really offended myself.

No matter how you put it, he is bi-racial. To constantly hear over and over again through broadcasts, political interviews and such that he is the first black president is just pushing it a little too far.

Can someone ask an opinion on this board without things getting so nasty?

I wonder what the boundaries are here for what is politically correct to talk about.

[Pete (Mr. Marcia)]

Connie,

Here is the first line of your initial post on this thread: "This may be my last post on this board because of what I may start."

Now you act surprised by the reaction that ensued.

Perhaps you should have kept your musings on Obama's race off this board in the first place. You knew full well what would happen...and it did.

[soxfan22]

Perhaps you were not around for his jews on the train to Auschwitz post or for the many times he called me things, Girl being the best amoung them.

I couldn't let his "laugh in your face" use of Mulatto slide.

Taking my Jew on the train comment in context...This was back when people were seen "fainting" (conveniently always within camera range)...Nobody was questioning anything he said...Just falling in line behind him like zombies (i know, that is probably another insult).

BTW, we haven't seen anybody "faint" on camera at an Obama speech in some time now. Shocking.

My point was that the blind dedication, loyalty, and trust to a man most knew little about (including Brokaw and Charlie Rose who sat there with one another and chuckled about how "we really don't know anything about Obama's world view", the day before the election) was disturbing. It is cult like. We were being told "everything will be fine, don't worry about his past"..."it doesn't matter that there isn't much of a track record, he's a uniter"...etc etc...Yes, I said it reminded me of the people on the train to the camps...thinking all would be okay because that was what they were told...That was what they were made to believe...Just vote for him, it will be okay. NOT to say we are heading to a holocaust (I can't believe I really have to spell that out)...Just the frame of mind and the fact that yes, I think we were duped.

BTW, I hope you are equally as insulted by Mr. Ahhhhk-Ma-Din-Uh-Jaad over in Iran when he said that the Holocaust never happened. That is the little beast that your guy wants to sit down with and have a 'rational' discussion with.

Ronald Reagan said many great things...One of his greatest was when he said:

"Trust, But Verify".

There was no verification process with this president. So, now we are all on the train. And I, for one, have no idea where it's taking me.

And I don't remember calling President Obama a 'babykiller'. If I did, I will apologize. However, I am disturbed at a man who is now our leader and our example who says "If one of my daughters makes a mistake, I don't want her punished with a baby".

That is about as insensitive as it gets.

[Connie]

Connie,

Here is the first line of your initial post on this thread: "This may be my last post on this board because of what I may start."

Now you act surprised by the reaction that ensued.

Perhaps you should have kept your musings on Obama's race off this board in the first place. You knew full well what would happen...and it did.

And Pete, I have been nothing but nice on this board and to others. I have not called anyone names or told any other poster what they can ask, or say or quote or whatever.

It's not me that has the problem here. It's other posters who can't act like adults and talk about the subject at hand and not go off on tangents and name calling.

Read Gina's post. She says it better then I can.

[soxfan22]

By the way, can you really with a straight face say you have held your judgement on Obama. I think not.

I gave Obama about the same benefit of the doubt as you gave to Sarah Palin.

[Lulu76]

It's hard to talk about race without people's feathers getting ruffled. It just is.

Many years ago, when Tiger Woods was at his prime, a black Comedian (I think it was Chris Rock but I am probably wrong), had a little bit about Tiger's ethnicity. Basically, to sum it up, when Tiger started he was the first black golfer, but as he got more successful, the got "less black." He'd win a tournament and he'd be "bi-racial Tiger Woods," then he'd win another and by the time he got done he was "part-Asian Tiger Woods."

I don't see skin color. People are people to me. As long as Obama is fit to lead, I don't care what country his ancestors came from.

That being said, I think the black community needs a black president, and I don't think any of us need to begrudge them that. Let them have the moment and embrace it. Let Dr. King's dream ring true.

A little boy from Atlanta was on the news last night. He said, "I am glad that Obama's president because maybe now when people watch TV they will see that a black man isn't always a criminal. Sometimes he can be president."

This is just an important time for Americans, regardless of skin color. As Obama said yesterday, "Fifty years ago, my father couldn't have had a meal in this town and now I'm here speaking to you as president." That's a big deal, regardless of your genetic make-up.

As for the rest of the comments here, I do think we know when we pull the pin on the grenade and toss it in a crowded room. All of the banter back and forth reminded me of my all-time favorite college professor. Frank Henderson was a large, black man who graduated from Little Rock Central High School in 1959. He had seen hatred that none of us could ever imagine being one of the first students to attend integrated school in the South.

Dr. Henderson always said: "The first amendment does give you the right to say whatever you want. It also gives me the right to kick your ass if I don't like what you have to say."

If you take the gloves off, you better be ready to duck when the jabs come back at you.

Seriously, folks. I know it's easy to sit behind a computer screen and be a playground bully when no one knows who you are. But I just don't think this is that kind of message board. We meet each other, forge friendships, even go on vacation together. Let's not be jerks to each other; let's act like friends. (And yes, I know that's very liberal and idealistic of me, but to me this is where I go to get a little island time, and island time is stress-free and there are no arguments.)