Typical White Guy
I'm no longer impressed with Obama - to imply that ALL whites are racists (""typical white person" using his grandmother as the example because she was fearful at times) is as racist as his Paster and of the former Kleagle of the KKK, Senator Byrd.
His poll numbers are starting to fall - Hillary may now have a chance as this reverse bigotry is shown (and ill defended).
I will say, the best form of a rebuttal is over at our friend John Hawkins blog, RightWingNews where he snags a quote from Mary Katherine Ham of Town Hall (links, gotta love'em!) - emphasis mine:
"The white "resentment" that Obama speaks of does not primarily come from direct effects of affirmative action or the welfare state. It comes from the societal message that the majority of white people, who have had no part in oppressing anyone, are asked again and again and again to take responsibility for ills they did not cause (and, in many cases have been caused by earlier attempts at assuaging white guilt, like paternalistic welfare). They are lectured about creating a healing "dialogue" in which they don't feel free to speak, lest they employ the wrong politically correct buzz word and confirm their "inherent prejudice." They must feel guilt for "institutional racism" when many of them have never been a part of any racist institution. They're flagellated for benefiting from "white privilege" when many of them don't feel terribly privileged at all.
And, despite engaging in this years-long culturally honored guilt-fest to atone for sins they did not commit, they know that they'd instantly become trogolodytic racists in the eyes of the world for one wrong word, while Jeremiah Wright is excused and even applauded in some quarters for a 20-year stream of hate." -- Mary Katharine Ham
Well put.
My grandparents came from Ireland and Sweden around the early part of the 20th century - they participated in no slavery and certainly were not part of the culture that gave rise to it. I've had no hand in oppressing anyone (except my kids when they broke my rules).
No, I do not feel "free to speak" because of what MKH points out - but I feel no guilt either. The white privilege and the institutional guilt is beyond the pale of those that wish to oppress others.
Privileged? Hardly, other than I am privileged to live the in best country in the world that has done more to free and give freedom to more people than any other country in the history of the world.
Do we have problems? Sure do. But to use a blanket brush stroke in one direction, while complaining about it in the other, serves only one purpose - a la Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton (among others), keeping racism alive.
Getting my vote? Not a chance sir - but because you are an extreme liberal and not because of the color of your skin. Heck, you could be green with purple polka-dots and I still wouldn't vote for you.
