The depth of what Reid said.

[Taichiliberal]

Columnist and commentator George Will (conservative) stated this past Sunday that Sen. Reid's revealed private statement just FINALLY echoed what was on America's mind from the day Obama announced his candidacy.

And that is very telling.

Okay, put aside the neocons dancing with glee that a Dem got nailed saying something insulting to many black folk, and it's another bullet in their "anti-Obama" gun for the upcoming interim elections.

It essentially reveals the deep racial psychosis in America that NO ONE wants to publically air...and that's the old pecking order for accepting of blacks by "white" society since slavery times.

If Obama was a few shades darker and had anything near the bastardized Southern accent/speech pattern that is common among many black folk in America, he most likely (and this is speculation) would've never made it out of the senate. That he is of mixed parentage and knows EXACTLY the balance between black activism and homogeneous "American" attitudes of patriotism, ethics, etc., gave him the edge to take advantage of the disillusionment of the Shrub era.

Should Reid be forced out? Why not?....like Trent Lott, Reids already done a some things that less endeared him to the political party, much less the general population. Will the Dems dig in their heels, brave the charges of hypocrisy and soldier on? Possibly, because given the extremism, tencacity and determinism of the neocon driven GOP Obama and company can ill afford to let them write the script even more so. But, if Reid steps out of line or screws up again, Obama and the Dems may have no choice but to dump them.

In the meantime, the neocon punditry will be riding high for the next two weeks.

 

[evince]

Riding high and pulling a cart load of vote suppression history aimed mostly at black voters.

 

[christiefan915]

Columnist and commentator George Will (conservative) stated this past Sunday that Sen. Reid's revealed private statement just FINALLY echoed what was on America's mind from the day Obama announced his candidacy.

And that is very telling.

Okay, put aside the neocons dancing with glee that a Dem got nailed saying something insulting to many black folk, and it's another bullet in their "anti-Obama" gun for the upcoming interim elections.

It essentially reveals the deep racial psychosis in America that NO ONE wants to publically air...and that's the old pecking order for accepting of blacks by "white" society since slavery times.

If Obama was a few shades darker and had anything near the bastardized Southern accent/speech pattern that is common among many black folk in America, he most likely (and this is speculation) would've never made it out of the senate. That he is of mixed parentage and knows EXACTLY the balance between black activism and homogeneous "American" attitudes of patriotism, ethics, etc., gave him the edge to take advantage of the disillusionment of the Shrub era.

Should Reid be forced out? Why not?....like Trent Lott, Reids already done a some things that less endeared him to the political party, much less the general population. Will the Dems dig in their heels, brave the charges of hypocrisy and soldier on? Possibly, because given the extremism, tencacity and determinism of the neocon driven GOP Obama and company can ill afford to let them write the script even more so. But, if Reid steps out of line or screws up again, Obama and the Dems may have no choice but to dump them.

In the meantime, the neocon punditry will be riding high for the next two weeks.

Good post. I agree Reid should go (and take Nancy with him). We need two people with more spine in these positions.

 

[cawacko]

Good post. I agree Reid should go (and take Nancy with him). We need two people with more spine in these positions.

You don't think Nancy has a spine? I'm no fan of hers but I never really thought of her as someone who wouldn't go after what she wanted.

 

[christiefan915]

You don't think Nancy has a spine? I'm no fan of hers but I never really thought of her as someone who wouldn't go after what she wanted.

Well, actually I turned on her when she announced that a bush impeachment would be off the table.

I know that's really, really partisan but it's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!

 

[Chapdog]

I find this whole thing so odd. Maybe its because i live in new England. EDUCATED blacks talk the same as EDUCATED whites here.

 

[Damocles]

I find this whole thing so odd. Maybe its because i live in new England. EDUCATED blacks talk the same as EDUCATED whites here.

That doesn't just happen there. Black people tend to speak the same as white people here too.

 

[Chapdog]

Doesn't make any sense to me. Is there areas where its OK to use slang in a professional setting besides on talkshows?

 

[Bonestorm]

That doesn't just happen there. Black people tend to speak the same as white people here too.

Not to disagree, but the black people that you fellers run into may not necessarily be a representative sample of black folks.

The fact of the matter is that Black Vernacular English (aka "Black English," "Black English Vernacular," "African American Vernacular English" etc. . .) is a real thing and is a distinct variety of American English. Some black people do not speak Standard American English. Some do.

I'm not terribly surprised that two successful white men do not know any black people that speak Black Vernacular English.

 

[Chapdog]

Not to disagree, but the black people that you fellers run into may not necessarily be a representative sample of black folks.

The fact of the matter is that Black Vernacular English (aka "Black English," "Black English Vernacular," "African American Vernacular English" etc. . .) is a real thing and is a distinct variety of American English. Some black people do not speak Standard American English. Some do.

I'm not terribly surprised that two successful white men do not know any black people that speak Black Vernacular English.

nobody said they didn't.. nore did anyone say Hispanic, black or even whites dont have street talk.. BUT this is the president of the united states and a former senator and Harvard grad.. He talks like every other successful American regardless of the color of his skin. In my entire career working in corporate world I have never known anybody in anything higher then a entry level job that talked anything but normal English at least during work.

 

[Bonestorm]

nobody said they didn't.. nore did anyone say Hispanic, black or even whites dont have street talk.. BUT this is the president of the united states and a former senator and Harvard grad.. He talks like every other successful American regardless of the color of his skin. In my entire career working in corporate world I have never known anybody in anything higher then a entry level job that talked anything but normal English at least during work.

First of all, you're comment about "street talk" is way off base. I'm not talking about slang. Black Vernacular English isn't "street talk."

Second, I'm not disagreeing with you that every successful person you know speaks Standard American English. Neither is Harry Reid. That was kind of his point.

 

[cawacko]

this video is short but hilarious. this shows how quickly one can change their 'dialect'. (In case I get railed on I got this off of Facebook from black friends who posted it and thought it was hilarious. I second that notion).


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWulZOKANB4"]YouTube- Reporter Goes Ghetto[/ame]

 

[Cypress]

nobody said they didn't.. nore did anyone say Hispanic, black or even whites dont have street talk.. BUT this is the president of the united states and a former senator and Harvard grad.. He talks like every other successful American regardless of the color of his skin. In my entire career working in corporate world I have never known anybody in anything higher then a entry level job that talked anything but normal English at least during work.

I can tell just by their voices, that Al Sharpton and Sheila Jackson Lee are black. And I can tell Mitt Romney is white, just by his voice. I don't even have to see their faces. Even though both Lee and Sharpton are the intellectual superiors of Shrub and Palin, and both successful within the context of what they do.

But, the point is no one who has the accent of Lee or Sharpton are going be be promoted to President, or to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. And it's obvious that a significant part of that glass ceiling is the perception of their "ethnicity" with respect to accent and demeanor. White dudes aren't held to that same standard. An inarticulate dumbass with a corny, podunk Texas accent got elected President of the United States....twice.


As for Reid, I'd be totally happy for him to be replaced.

 

[cawacko]

I would also argue anyone from Boston who does not have the letter R in their vocabulary could not be elected nationally. Or someone from Brooklyn who you can't understand a freaking word they say at 100 mph. That also goes someone from Kentucky whose drawl is so thick you can understand them either.

 

[Damocles]

Not to disagree, but the black people that you fellers run into may not necessarily be a representative sample of black folks.

The fact of the matter is that Black Vernacular English (aka "Black English," "Black English Vernacular," "African American Vernacular English" etc. . .) is a real thing and is a distinct variety of American English. Some black people do not speak Standard American English. Some do.

I'm not terribly surprised that two successful white men do not know any black people that speak Black Vernacular English.

So is the southern drawl. That's why Hillary was "so successful" because she could turn on and off her "white trash" speak at any moment and sound intelligent and stuff while Johnny Ed just couldn't drop that "ig'nant" drawling...

Seriously, the whole "all blacks all across the nation speak in the same dialect" stuff is just rubbish that you want to desperately believe in because it makes Reid's comment less stupid and makes it so it doesn't show him to be totally insensitive when in "private"...

 

[Jarod]

Conservatives have gotten so Politically Correct you really cant say anything anymore without them calling for your resignation.

Yet, noone has been able to explain to me what is racist about Reid's comments, they just call me dumb for not intrensically knowing!

 

[Jarod]

So is the southern drawl. That's why Hillary was "so successful" because she could turn on and off her "white trash" speak at any moment and sound intelligent and stuff while Johnny Ed just couldn't drop that "ig'nant" drawling...

Seriously, the whole "all blacks all across the nation speak in the same dialect" stuff is just rubbish that you want to desperately believe in because it makes Reid's comment less stupid and makes it so it doesn't show him to be totally insensitive when in "private"...

Where did Reid suggest that "all blacks all across the nation speak in the same dialect"?

 

[Damocles]

Where did Reid suggest that "all blacks all across the nation speak in the same dialect"?

That would be the implication in the "no negro dialect" portion of his statement. Quit being so deliberately obtuse. Light hyperbole as sarcasm is acceptable in any conversation, even here.

 

[Bonestorm]

So is the southern drawl. That's why Hillary was "so successful" because she could turn on and off her "white trash" speak at any moment and sound intelligent and stuff while Johnny Ed just couldn't drop that "ig'nant" drawling...

Seriously, the whole "all blacks all across the nation speak in the same dialect" stuff is just rubbish that you want to desperately believe in because it makes Reid's comment less stupid and makes it so it doesn't show him to be totally insensitive when in "private"...

Yes, I am involved in a huge conspiracy among linguists in creating Black Vernacular English because I want to defend a politician I don't particularly care for. You caught me.

And in comparing what I am talking about to a southern drawl just shows your ignorance on the matter. Do a little poking around of "Black Vernacular English" and you'll see what I'm talking about.

 

[Damocles]

Yes, I am involved in a huge conspiracy among linguists in creating Black Vernacular English because I want to defend a politician I don't particularly care for. You caught me.

And in comparing what I am talking about to a southern drawl just shows your ignorance on the matter. Do a little poking around of "Black Vernacular English" and you'll see what I'm talking about.

And your insisting that the people here must speak it because you find websites on "negro dialect" doesn't mean that I am incorrect that black people tend to speak normally here. It would be more surprising to run into some dude who couldn't do that "amazing" feat of speaking with "no negro dialect"...

(BTW - I compared it to a dialect because that is what it was called. The southern drawl is a dialect.)