The depth of what Reid said.

[Taichiliberal]

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

[ame="http://www.justplainpolitics.com/showpost.php?p=582112&postcount=60"]Just Plain Politics! - View Single Post - The depth of what Reid said.[/ame]

 

[Taichiliberal]

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.

Well Nigel, the "Black English Vernacular" is not exactly accurate. There is a BIG difference as to the historic BEV that was developed from slavery days, and the "slang" oriented version that has been mixed in (and in many cases supercedes) over the last 150 years of so. Check out this response:

[ame="http://www.justplainpolitics.com/showpost.php?p=582112&postcount=60"]Just Plain Politics! - View Single Post - The depth of what Reid said.[/ame]

There are also regional differences, social status differences, etc. Mind you, there are common ground BEV that transgresses most of the USA. But since Obama, like MANY black Americans, speaks English with what I call a "standard" American accent, he becomes more "accessable" to many white folk that don't interact with black people outside of work.

 

[Taichiliberal]

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).


YouTube- Reporter Goes Ghetto

:lol:

A classic. As an official middle aged man, I've seen this type of thing used as a staple for sitcoms for years. Usually, it was a Italian-American the subject, and/or someone with a serious "New Yawk" accent.

 

[Taichiliberal]

Originally Posted by Chapdog
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.

BINGO!

 

[Taichiliberal]

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.)

Damo,

I've no problem with most of what you have been saying, but I must point out something: Define "normal".

 

[Taichiliberal]

Which is why I asked for an example of a state where a 'darker' black person would have had trouble if he was as good at public speaking as Obama. What states that Obama won would not have been won by a darker skinned black man with equal skills and qualifications???

Perhaps living here vs. the south has distorted my view on where race relations on the whole stand. But I simply do not see where a darker skinned black person would have had trouble in states Obama won.

Well, like Reid, it's more of acknowledging what you observe. Case in point, a lot of Northerners automatically equate a heavy duty Southern accent with ignorance or lower intelligence. On the flip side, a lot of Southerners equate Northern accents with snotty know-it-alls who actually don't have common sense.

As for skin color, take a look at our media in the last 40 years. During the "Black Pride" era of the late 60's and early 70's, you had more darker skinned blacks with afros on TV. But in the 80's and 90's, more brown, lite brown skin blacks, practically no afros. Naomi Campbell is the exception, Tyra Banks is the standard.

As Cypress pointed out, Rev. Jackson and Sharpton are no dummies, but because of their Southern tinged speech pattern, they are an instant turn off for a LOT of people, yet the Shrub with his BS down home patter gets elected twice to office.

 

[Taichiliberal]

I think it is insidious for Reid to imply that America is so racist it would never have elected Obama if he spoke or looked a certain way. I am a devout conservative, and frankly, I can tell you from my perspective, I don't care if someone talks like Elmer Fudd and looks like Bella Abzug, as long as they articulate core conservative values and principles. I think a vast majority of America feels that way as well, and only a scant minority would hold Reid's racist viewpoint.

To me, it wasn't as much about usage of the word "negro" that bothered me about Reid's comments, it was the implication and insinuation, that average people routinely exhibit racist prejudice based on skin tone and dialect. Perhaps this is true in Nevada, maybe it's true among Democrats, but it is certainly NOT reflective of the views found in mainstream America.

Define "mainstream America". Then we can address your other claims/statements here.

 

[Damocles]

Damo,

I've no problem with most of what you have been saying, but I must point out something: Define "normal".

In this context, "normally" would mean without the false concept of a "negro dialect"...

I think you try too hard to find fault because you want to disagree so bad it hurts.

 

[Taichiliberal]

Originally Posted by Taichiliberal
Damo,

I've no problem with most of what you have been saying, but I must point out something: Define "normal".

In this context, "normally" would mean without the false concept of a "negro dialect"...

I think you try too hard to find fault because you want to disagree so bad it hurts.

Oh, don't get pissy now! I needed clarification from you...remember, just because you think it doesn't necessarily you transfer that ot print for the reader. I got your explanation...no problem.