“Hip-Hop-Dancing Colin Powell..."

[Corinthian]

...What?

[Tommycat]

...What?

 

haha it was a joke on being offended by silly off the wall perceptions of racism... Guess you couldn't hear the sarcasm in my voice:D

[Corinthian]

Sort of hard to tell sometimes on the 'Net.

[mimartin]

See unlike Whites, the African American community isn't split nearly 50/50. That community is near 98% for Obama.[/Quote] So when are we going to see “Washing Her Hands Condoleezza Rice fuels speculation that Fuels Speculation She’ll Endorse Obama”?

Him attending a festival with a large majority of Obama supporters tends to lend credence to the speculation that he will endorse Obama.[/Quote] They were not a large majority of Obama supporters. They were largely of African ancestry, but the majority of those in attendance were not even Americans, they were English. The fact that Powell attended a festival that celebrate his culture’s music and fashion in another country has nothing to do with American politics beyond what he said in his speech. Since the article largely ignored the speech, I can only assume Powell did not say he endorse Obama in it.

Powell emphasizing his being black can be seem as him being with the majority of the black community.[/Quote] So? I do not see a problem with someone emphasizing who they are.

Personally, it would be more likely to turn more Fox viewers towards voting for Obama anyway. Most of us have a deep respect for Powell. [/Quote] Even those that don’t watch Fox News can have a deep respect for Powell.

Even when the African American community was calling him an Oreo(no, that's not racist at all), I respected him.

Two wrongs make a…?

Of course it could also be Powell trying to show that just because he supports the Republicans that doesn't mean he's any less black(considdering the criticism he's had over the years, that may be what he's doing).[/Quote] So the only reason he would endorse Obama is skin color? We cannot take Powell, a man we both say we respect, at his word that he is looking at the issues before making his decision based on those issues?

But either way, the article itself isn't racist. If you see him at an NRA meeting palling around, it'll fuel speculation he's endorsing McCain.

Isn’t the NRA only located in America?

[KinchyB]

1: Oh. My. Lord. They did not put the word FESTIVAL in there. RACISTS. BURN THE RACISTS. Did you take lessons on how to flip out over nothing?

 

I'm not saying it's a big deal because they didn't add the Festival part to the name, this specific point is a slight issue as they emphasized Africa Rising specifically. They don't put the quotes around it not a big deal as that's the name, but they choose to emphasize that part of it for some unknown reason. I am curious... why do you think they emphasized only that part of the festival name? Why emphasize any part of the name at all?

 

Like it or not, in some parts of the U.S. they see this phrase and people start to question things and may become a bit nervous.

 

2: Uh, no. It says 'Colin Powell danced hip-hop.' Which he apparently did. Although probably quite badly and ridiculously. Projecting much?

 

Perfectly fine... as he was at a festival. However, what does this have to do with politics? Nothing. Trying to draw a conclusion that he's Endorsing Obama from the fact that he's dancing hip hop at an African American Festival in London is drawing on an African American stereotype. That's racist.

 

3: That's the kind of thing that's going to fuel speculation, especially given there's also a lot of speculation that Obama is getting a large number of votes from people who are only interested in him being Black.

 

This is a basic assumption, not entirely wrong but an assumption none the less. Are people voting for him because he is black, yes. I know people in my family that are voting for Obama just for that reason and I dislike that fact. However, saying the majority will just because he is black without having any data to back that specific assumption up is somewhat racist within itself. Belive it or not African Americans have specific issues and concerns like every other non-african american out there. I would be willing to bet that although there are some out there that will vote for Obama because he's black, there are far more that will vote for him for his beliefs in the issues and because they belive he understands their issues and hardships more so than McCain.

 

4: Yep. You're right.

 

Thanks

 

The article is pretty horrendous, but come on, painting it as a racist diatribe against the black community is stretching.

 

Nope not really... If you want to help make me believe the article isn't answer this question...

 

Why did they use the quote of Colin Powell that they did? Out of his entire speech, where he talked about several other issues, they choose to focus on the quote where he talks about being black and proud of it (and then somehow with everything else, tying it back to Obama). Is the speech bad within itself, no... but what relationship does this quote have with the entire article? If it's a political article it has no place... if it's an article about the festival (which is stretching it a bit as they barely talked about it or who was there) then it's a bit more understandable, but why not one more sentence from the whole speech?

 

Don't get me wrong, i'm not offended by it... but I do think it's racist. Kinda weird, but I won't waste my time being upset over an article. Debating and article on the other hand can be fun.

[Balderdash]

I think the article is clearly racially insensitive, if not outright racism.

 

On the other hand, it kind of does bring up a valid point, in a way - without meaning to. I would be very surprised if there wasn't a small part of Colin Powell that would be happy to see a black president, regardless of ideology or policy. African Americans have only been able to vote free from discriminatory practices since 1965. The US has come a long way in his lifetime.

[Corinthian]

Personally, I think people in general and the Black Community in particular need to stop whining about racism at every opportunity that is presented.

[Balderdash]

Huh? Who is whining?

[Corinthian]

Everyone who's decrying this article as racist.

[jonathan7]

Personally, I think people in general and the Black Community in particular need to stop whining about racism at every opportunity that is presented.

 

I was under the general impression that those who had brought this to light weren't actually members of the black community...

 

Personally I do think race is still a massive issue state side from my limited experience of America...

[Tommycat]

Maybe I'm not being clear enough.

 

The black community largely(almost exclusively) supports Obama

Powell attends festival and emphasizes his being black.

 

While it does not guarantee he will support Obama, it does fuel speculation.

 

Those of you calling this article racist are ignoring reality and looking for an excuse to call Fox racist.

 

Now as for the reality of it, Powell may very well be endorsing Obama. I doubt though that a man of his calibur would endorse someone based on something as simple as race. More likely he likes what Obama is saying over what McCain is saying. But political pundits are bound to throw race in there as a factor. The same reason they didn't ask Oprah who she was endorsing on 04, but this year we sure heard about it on all of the news outlets. They've been throwing race out there at every turn. But only when Fox draws a correlation do people get up in arms. Why weren't you screaming racism about how CNN was harping on Oprah's endorsement of Obama? Why did she all of the sudden matter?

[Q]

I must admit that after reading through this article twice I utterly fail to see WTH all of the fuss is about.

 

Personally I do think race is still a massive issue state side from my limited experience of America...

I agree, but nowadays it's become sort of a sick joke in the US as more and more unscrupulous opportunists ride the issue to death for their own ends.

[Achilles]

I must admit that after reading through this article twice I utterly fail to see WTH all of the fuss is about.

And that should really be a clear indicator for the rest of us that there really is no problem. From this point forth, Qliveur will be the barometer of what really is or is not an issue. Settled.

[KinchyB]

While it does not guarantee he will support Obama, it does fuel speculation.

 

No, actually it doesn't. Again, take away the talk about race, it's not racism. However the way the article is put together it could be considered racism as they are drawing conclusion based on race and stereotypes... hence racism.

 

BTW... don't care that it's fox, which is why fox is not referenced anywhere else in my posts, unless you are trying to make this an issue about fox...?

 

Also... forcing african americans to sit in the back of the bus wasn't considered racist until Rosa Parks... seperate drinking fountains and bathrooms were normal as well... just because people accept things doesn't mean those things aren't racist.

 

If you can draw a clear connection between Colin Powell and why he's voting for Obama without using race or stereotypes from only this article I will concede this is not racist. Until then... or an edit of the article... it is racist.

 

Why weren't you screaming racism about how CNN was harping on Oprah's endorsement of Obama? Why did she all of the sudden matter?

 

Because she came out in support of Obama... there was no Oprah is at a black festival she must be supporting Obama article. The only reason this may have come out when it did is that she was not supporting Hillary, which the media then turned into "It's okay for women to not vot for Hillary since Oprah didnt" which doesn't make any sense at all either.

 

Personally, I think people in general and the Black Community in particular need to stop whining about racism at every opportunity that is presented.

 

When people stop denying that racism is present we'll stop "complaining" (in your words, which by the way... saying people are complaining about racism is a dangerous line to cross depending on who you are talking to. If at work, this can quite literally get you fired and a lawsuit before you even know what's going on). Pretty simple...

[Tommycat]

No, actually it doesn't. Again, take away the talk about race, it's not racism. However the way the article is put together it could be considered racism as they are drawing conclusion based on race and stereotypes... hence racism.

 

Hmmm It DOES fuel speculation. It may not to you, but it does to others. That is factual. Take away all the talk of race and this whole thread is pointless.

[Inyri]

Let me repeat your statement with a few logical word replacements:

Take away the topic of this thread and this whole thread is pointless.

I agree!

[KinchyB]

Hmmm It DOES fuel speculation. It may not to you, but it does to others. That is factual. Take away all the talk of race and this whole thread is pointless.

 

Ohh, that's right. I forgot you were the lone expert in the presidential campaign as to what causes speculation and what doesn't. Care to actually prove how it fuels speculation. so... without the article saying anything about politics... how would one come to the conclusion that Colin Powell is thinking of endorsing Obama by being at an African Rising Festival in London and talking about his job in the whitehouse?

[Q]

And that should really be a clear indicator for the rest of us that there really is no problem. From this point forth, Qliveur will be the barometer of what really is or is not an issue. Settled.

I never said that there wasn't a problem, I merely stated that I failed to see what all of the fuss was about. Is it implied or something?

 

Really, Achilles.

[Achilles]

Oh, so you acknowledge that it is a problem but just don't care? Please clarify exactly what your position is, because I appear to be having some difficulty divining it on my own. Thanks in advance.

[KinchyB]

I merely stated that I failed to see what all of the fuss was about. Is it implied or something?

 

Know this is at Achilles... but only 2 cents worth from me here... does the article have racist overtones, yes or no? to sum it up

[Q]

If you're talking about racism in general, yes there is most definitely a problem. Has been and always will be to some extent.

 

If you're talking about the article, there is nothing that I found there that could be construed as offensive, which is exactly what I said before.

 

Clear enough for you now?

[Achilles]

If you're talking about the article, there is nothing that I found there that could be construed as offensive.

 

Clear enough for you?

Yes, that's what I thought you said the first time. So are you acknowledging that this is nothing more than your subjective opinion and could therefore be dismissed within an objective context (or an opposing subjective context) or would you like to attempt to support the assertion that there really is nothing offensive here?

 

To be fair, here is the crux of the article one more time: Black man at black function indicates that he must be getting ready to endorse the black candidate. What's the only thing tying the premises to the conclusion? Black.

 

Take the name of a prominent white political figure (heck, try it with a prominent political figure from any racial background except black) and replace all mention of Colin Powell with that name. If the article ceases to make sense, then maybe you'll start to see what the rest of us are seeing.

[Q]

Isn't the opinion that it is offensive subjective?

[KinchyB]

Isn't the opinion that it is offensive subjective?

 

Depends what the courts say.

 

/levity

[Achilles]

Isn't the opinion that it is offensive subjective?

Yes, I fully acknowledge that some people may not find racism offensive. In fact, some people *cough*FoxNewsJohnMcCainSarahPalin*cough* actually promote it.