Ok but did anyone notice, let alone report on the benediction? Let me see if I can get this racist quote right...
...we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right...
I may be the least prejudiced person you know, but I felt like WHITEY when I heard this.
EVERY minority was called as the victim with the white man as the victimizer. Am I nuts or does it not sound this way?
I have a lot more to say on this, but it will likely just be too inflammatory. So DON'T ask me.
I'm Mexican, not caucasian so I can say this. God forbid anyone who is actually WHITE say this. I am offended that I didn't get a call out. So I will add one of my own.
...when the Mexican can move to Lexington...Yeah! Mexican in Lexington! Tacos for everyone!
18 comments:
I noticed it. I assumed it was a prayer said in black churches,or perhaps black communities, not really sure. I feel like I've heard it before. I'm a whitey. I've gotten it right many times, in fact most times, so whenever I hear things like that I'm like whatever, they're not talking about me. But yes, I noticed it and I am sure many other's did too.
I noticed it too and was offended that it was said in a prayer. I don't think I would have been offended if it was said outside of a prayer because we have free speech, although it really is interesting that the premise of this administration is to unify the people and then those lines were spoken. I was also bothered when people laughed during the prayer, a time when we should be reverent.
Quoted from Colin Powell: skin color is benign. And it truly is. We can't help but notice it like when you notice someone's eye color or hair color. It's just a part of who you are. Am... sorry, but you were being referred to in his remarks (I refuse to call it a prayer) just as much as southern girl me (though let me state plainly that our family never had slaves and, for the most part, worked along side them. My grandfather was a share cropper and I come from a very long line of hard working farmers). Jesus is the true equalizer and He was far removed from this man's heart and speech at a time when He should have been praised for what He brought forth out of men's wicked ways. I've felt throughout this whole event that too much has been placed on Obama's skin color, too much glory from one side and too much pandering from the other. I'm not ignorant in this matter and understand AND appreciate the historical factor but think back biblically... glory and pandering does not make a successful "rule" or leadership.
Steph... mexican is my favorite food so count me in!
Cheryl, I probably sounded arrogant and callous, but when people say strange things I just think "whatever." I can't help it, I just do. It's my way of deflecting offense. I just won't be a part of that silliness - (his, not yours!)
I haven't watched tv today, but I have a sneaking suspicion this is going to be get picked up. I just think yesterday it was a day of general goodwill and the news was being benevolent. I could be wrong. We'll see.
Hey Am... and I didn't mean to come across with a wagging finger at you... I'm really sorry sweetie. You didn't sound callous or arrogant and I actually agree with you whole-heartedly... I appreciate "whatever" so much more than quick offense and am usually more apt to laugh things off... but this man and those like him (Jeremiah Wright) are just as "scary" as the KKK in my opinion.
Stop it, you were NOT wagging your finger - don't you just love how women can go on all day apologizing? It is so fun! Let's see how long it takes for Steph to get mad and boot us!
I'm sorry Steph... you can delete my post if you want to (**looking at Am and snickering**)
AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I definitely felt like I needed to pull all the white sheets off my beds and burn them in shame.....Down with Whitey!!!
Oh, and I can say this because I'm American Indian, at least that was the bubble I darkened on all my standardized testing until 9th grade. I mean caucasian sounds like some sort of russian heritage from the Caucus Mtns. I knew I was from America so I must have been a "indian", right!! Too bad a friend was paying close attention to my test paper in 9th grade or I may have had a full scholarship to college ;)
Well even if I'm not an american indian, I did marry a man with Cherokee heritage. See I must have secretly always wanted to be an indian....
bye from your redheaded indian friend...
Man, you guys really DO have too much time on your hands!
you should see what WORKING does to your sarcasm! Oy vay!
Wait- I'm not Jewish...
BTW-
I agreed with every word Cheryl...I had a big talk about this with a friend today who grew up in apartheid Africa with house servants, etc...and was trying to defend what happened at the speech...I was like, that has NOTHING to do with what I am talking about! If the African American culture is going to be accepted as well educated equals (as well they should be) playing the race card in a PRAYER at the inaugural speech of the 1st black president seems in not only poor taste, but rather uneducated taste as well. It really made me just shake my head as I realized this would work against the very thing they were trying to accomplish.
Because I had some inclination this part of the speech came from somewhere and because I know Lowery was pretty important in the civil rights movement I had to take a gander and see what I could find, (and I love doing research, I honestly do)...turns out it was based on a poem called Big Bill Broonzy, Black , Brown and White...popular poem during segregation. The poen is actually pretty good, not relevant today,for sure, but if you know anything about Lowery you know he didn't have an easy time of it. I would have found it offensive if it came from a younger person, but he was someone who lived through hell so I give him a little but if wiggle room...sort of like I do for my nana when she makes awful comments about Irish people(my dad is Irish, which makes me part Irish, but she could have cared less about offended us) I still don't think he should have said it, it was very awkward and out of context, but it helped me a little to understand. I only assumed it had some historical context because of who Lowery is, but I just had to know for sure. And yes, I have too much time on my hands, so stop yourself from saying it :)
I'm a huge fan of "whatever"
There you go Ann Marie ruining a perfectly good post with "facts"..
Just kidding, I guess it would have been nice if us, younger generations had understood the significance or recognized the poem. Once again a great education by the public school system.
But to also make the point that see what a generation or two removed can accomplish. Our children can't comprehend slavery or segregation, they may see some racisism depending on where they live. In another generation or two noone will be able to comprehend or understand some of this raw emotion. So we truly are probably one of the last generations to be able to "live" amongst the survivors of this struggle.
Kind of cool in a history perspective...
or
whatever works, too.....
Boy it's good to have everyone back again.
Here are the REAL facts. History or no history, a prayer, ANY prayer, but especially at the inaugural prayer of our new President, reverse racism should not be made light of. Whatever that man was feeling still that made him quote a poem to denounce "whites" was inappropriate at the least and divisive at the worst. That statement very well may belong in a poem and would likely even have evoked my OWN "bad whitey" feelings but instead it got me righteous anger up...he used GOD as a venue for his own historical bitterness. Shameful and I doubt God cared for it either.
Update: Apparently, out of an "abundance of caution", he re-took the flubbed oath in the White House, saying it the correct way but without the bible. Further apparent is that the "right" way is the order of the words rather than the hand on bible!
Leisa, I had no idea where the poem came from until I called my dad...he was actually disgusted with me though because he taught me history in my junior and senior year of high school and said I should have known that. So then I told him that if he did his job right I would have remembered, which actually made him chuckle a little, so this was all worth it.
Steph, yes, the man has some bitterness and he needs to work it out, but I don't know what it is I just can't get that mad over this. I guess I am making light of it and I'll have to do a bit of my own praying about this, because I'm still feeling like "whatever". By the way, I am not being sarcastic or making light of YOUR comment, I'm telling my honest to goodness feelings on this one. Maybe there is a bit of apathy going on in me.
Crystal, I wasn't sure if you had dropped off the face of the planet! You must comment more!
She knows better Am.
(that'll git 'er)
I don't think anyone is mad per se, I know I am not. I was really just more disgusted at the whole thing. I think he undid a lot of what was trying to be done from the black perspective. Gave ignorant whites the chance to snicker and say told you so and Christians the chance to say, how COULD you? But somehow, I don't get the impression it bothered many African Americans for all the reasons you say....they just can't let it go. Maybe they can't. I don't know. Until they let the sins of the past be in the past, it will create fuel for more hate on both sides. They have to stop hating the other side too!
Well, I'm going to be my downer self and say we live in a messed up world and we'll never see full on harmony, not in this life. I know, I know, I'm cheery, you don't even need to tell me. I'm a burst of sunshine! But I guess we have come a long way, for sure.
Kirsten (bfarm) had an excellent link on her blog about real hope and where it truly comes from and what it truly is. I know it's kind of a no-brainer, but I felt good after reading it.
I've enjoyed this post and all the comments.
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