Should Harry Reid step down from Senate leadership?

[332nd]

Do you know the difference between a dialect and an accent?

Yep. It was a huge part of getting my MFA.

Do you understand what syntax means? Do you know what verb conjugation is?

Yep.

Bush and Clinton have regional accents, but their word usage, verb conjugation and the arrangement of their words conforms to Standard American English.

No. They have a regional dialect. Dropping the ends of words, elongating or contracting vowels, etc...

The various American "black" dialects employ different syntax, word usage and verb conjugation from standard American English. That's what a dialect is.

Really? How so?

 

[Darth Rotor]

Allison Samuels comments:

When we only surround ourselves with people who look like us or remind us of ourselves, we miss the opportunity to erase the negative and mostly wrong impressions of those who don't. Sadly in the long run, Reid's comments will be forgotten. The president has accepted his apology (what else could he do?), and the news shows will eventually find something else to focus on. But for brown-skinned people like me, Reid's words will continue to haunt in ways most people will never fully understand.

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theg...roots-of-the-light-skin-dark-skin-divide.aspx

Is this a wound that can never heal?

 

[Drysdale]

It's a sad situation that apparently Reid feels that way.
It's more a reflection on Reid's views about race to me.

I really dont understand the lightskinned portion specifically.
The articulation point ok, that's a fair statement.
I dont think Snoop Dog's lingo would go far in a run for office.
On the flip side nor would Larry the Cable guys. That part I get I guess.

The lightskinned remark though where did that come from?
Is there a general feeling among some people that they'd only vote for a lightskinned black person?(I dont like the terms African American,Euro American,etc and never use them so for the PC hounds sorry about that I guess)

I dont think I've ever heard that or got that impression. Now I am aware that in the black community there is indeed prejudices based on your darkness or lack therof. But he's implying I think that white America would'nt vote for a darkskinned black person. That's his feelings on display I think that shows moreso than America's. That is a problem on his part.

Should he resign? I dont know, but he looks like a bad choice for speaker though I will say that.

 

[Ludicrous Leprechaun]

I am saddened by Harry Reid's racial remarks about Barack Obama.

I feel that in all fairness, once health-care reform is passed, he should step down from the Senate leadership post.

If he does not, he will make Democrats look like hypocrites, and we do NOT need that.

No, he shouldn't step down. The senior members of both parties who are around his age, matured through an era when Negro and colored, were descriptive terms for black people. It will be a wonderful day in America when someone can exercise their right to free thought and free speech, without proffering a vacant apology for daring to speak, afterward!
If he steps down for saying this, the United NEGRO college fund, should be forced to change their name!
As should the NAAColored People!

Why should the black race be given special treatment, because someone of the white race refers to them by a name many within their own community still use?! I know a black man in his 80's,who still refers to himself as a colored man. Jesus will split the clouds in a second coming, before I tell him that phrase is not "politically correct".


What's offensive is, the fascist implication behind such terms and application as, "Political Correctness!"

Stand strong, Harry! Don't you dare apologize for being white! By leaving office for calling Obama what he was, before the racist term "African"~American, became PC. Obama is a negro! He is colored. When those terms are said to be an insult, America can start to admit she's lost her way.

 

[Ohmer]

Bill Maher sums it up nicely with some profanity:

http://twitter.com/billmaher/status/7654741909

Good grief.

 

[MattusMaximus]

Tempest, meet teapot. I don't see a bunch of pissed off black folk in the U.S. calling for Reid's head (quite the opposite, in fact) so why the hell should I (whiter than Wonder Bread) care? Meh

 

[fuelair]

It's a sad situation that apparently Reid feels that way.
It's more a reflection on Reid's views about race to me.

I really dont understand the lightskinned portion specifically.
The articulation point ok, that's a fair statement.
I dont think Snoop Dog's lingo would go far in a run for office.
On the flip side nor would Larry the Cable guys. That part I get I guess.

The lightskinned remark though where did that come from?
Is there a general feeling among some people that they'd only vote for a lightskinned black person?(I dont like the terms African American,Euro American,etc and never use them so for the PC hounds sorry about that I guess)

I dont think I've ever heard that or got that impression. Now I am aware that in the black community there is indeed prejudices based on your darkness or lack therof. But he's implying I think that white America would'nt vote for a darkskinned black person. That's his feelings on display I think that shows moreso than America's. That is a problem on his part.

Should he resign? I dont know, but he looks like a bad choice for speaker though I will say that.

I am white, but I would suggest that those with the light skinned problem look at the brown paper bag test and who used it (I hope - though I have heard of it as a problem in the last 3 or 4 years in this area where I am located - used is the correct term rather than "are using") this reference : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorism And, for people who remember "Frank's Place"......or the books/films of Oscar Micheaux , who, like most was of his time.

 

[MikeSun5]

It is outdated, but mostly not offensive to whites.

ftfy

There must be some way to mention that topic without everyone taking offense.

There are plenty. He could have said "urban," or "inner-city." He could have used "ebonics." I'm just saying he's dumb for using old-white-man-talk.

Ideally, it should be no different than designating someone as "brunette".

I guess so, ideally. Really all I'm trying to point out is I'm sure there are some black people out there who would totally disagree -- and Reid should have known better.

 

[Tricky]

The bottom line is that Obama is perfectly okay with it. The statement was about him and only him. If he's not offended, who are we to tell him that he should be?

There are plenty. He could have said "urban," or "inner-city." He could have used "ebonics." I'm just saying he's dumb for using old-white-man-talk.

I'm guessing Reid would have gotten in just as much trouble for calling Obama a "Brothuh" or a "Blood".

 

[Cain]

An arch-conservative and provocateur yesterday started up about politics. "So, Harry Reid is a racist," countering my protests by saying "No, he is."

Remember how back in the Bush era the moron from Texas, and Republicans in general, allegedly caught endless flak for the slightest error in social etiquette? (Comparisons to Lott forget that Republicans took the initiative in ousting him, though that affair is similar in that they mustered up their best racism charges for ulterior reasons.) These people are just so transparent and shameless and evil.

 

[corplinx]

The bottom line is that Obama is perfectly okay with it. The statement was about him and only him.

You still just don't get it.
A. why do you assume he means ghetto speak?
B. He didn't imply that Barack Obama was inferior, he complimented Obama, and implied the other negros are inferior

The apology is not to Obama, its to all those inferior negros with their dialects. Those darn creoles, southern negroes, Missouri negroes (with their ere/urr substitutions) and the others. I guess urban negroes who you have pre-judged the comments to be about should get an apology as well?

I still think that based on what he said, the most likely use of the term negro was to infer something negative about their speaking habits. Afro-engineered. Negro Dialect.

 

[tyr_13]

You still just don't get it.
A. why do you assume he means ghetto speak?
B. He didn't imply that Barack Obama was inferior, he complimented Obama, and implied the other negros are inferior

The apology is not to Obama, its to all those inferior negros with their dialects. Those darn creoles, southern negroes, Missouri negroes (with their ere/urr substitutions) and the others. I guess urban negroes who you have pre-judged the comments to be about should get an apology as well?

I still think that based on what he said, the most likely use of the term negro was to infer something negative about their speaking habits. Afro-engineered. Negro Dialect.

No, simply, no. He said that he could get elected because he speaks the way he does. This isn't a personal stamp of approval, but an assessment of the chances of getting elected. It doesn't mean that 'negro dialect' is inferior and that black people who speak 'differently' are inferior, but that they probably couldn't get elected president.

He did no such thing as implying that other 'negroes are inferior'.

I'm willing to be shown that he was giving a personal blessing along the lines of, 'I'm ok with him getting elected because he's the kind of black guy I like', but that certainly doesn't appear to be what he meant.

 

[carlitos]

I am white. I have a white friend who ends every phone conversation with "stay black." It makes me laugh every time. I have asked my black friends, and he does this with them too. They also find it funny. It's all in the delivery, apparently.

 

[Skeptic]

In ethics, intent matters a lot. What Reid said wasn't racist in its intent. It was simply a comment to the effect that a Black man with such characteristics would find it easier to get elected, which is probably true. That's quite a different thing than saying such a man is superior to Black people who aren't like him.

But it was certainly stupid to put it in those words.

 

[fuelair]

No, simply, no. He said that he could get elected because he speaks the way he does. This isn't a personal stamp of approval, but an assessment of the chances of getting elected. It doesn't mean that 'negro dialect' is inferior and that black people who speak 'differently' are inferior, but that they probably couldn't get elected president.

He did no such thing as implying that other 'negroes are inferior'.

I'm willing to be shown that he was giving a personal blessing along the lines of, 'I'm ok with him getting elected because he's the kind of black guy I like', but that certainly doesn't appear to be what he meant.

Or, as I'll just keep on saying, he was answering a political question with a politically real answer. ("Can he be elected?" "Yes, he can, because.....")

 

[hgc]

Do we need an inspirational senate majority leader or just someone who can wrangle votes and grease the right palms?

If the Democratic party has enough good leaders promoting the party vision, I think the senate majority leader position would perhaps be best off in the hands of a shady tactician given the cloture rules.

The problem with Reid isn't that he's a good or bad tactician, but that he suffers from cranial-rectal inversion.

Case in point, just from today:

"As I look back it was a waste of time dealing with [Snowe]," Reid is quoted as saying about the White House in a forthcoming New York Times Magazine piece, "because she had no intention of ever working anything out."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/...eed:+tpmelectioncentral+(TPM+Election+Central)

It was obvious to me, at least, that Snowe was never going to lend her vote to Healthcare reform. Perhaps I guessed lucky. But she strung it (and Obama) along right to the very end.

They wasted a lot of time, just to pursue the worthless optics of getting a single Republican to vote for Healthcare. I bet she was in the cloakroom with McConnell every day laughing her ass off about how she was managing to slow down the whole business, playing Reid and Obama like a couple of kindergarten children.

 

[Whiplash]

Really? You think Olympia Snowe is a stalwart Republican? She is in running for most liberal RINO ever, with the likes of Lincoln Chafee and John McCain. She was the best choice they could make for getting a token Republican. The fact the Dems couldn't get her on board is actually shocking to me. The idea she was enjoying the attention and playing them is even more shocking to me.

Then again, she is a bit of an attention whore type. Maybe she does want to hold things up, but if so it's for her own good. I assure you, she's never had the Republican parties interests well at heart. She's an embarrassment to us as much as someone like Lieberman has been to the left.

 

[Random]

Really? You think Olympia Snowe is a stalwart Republican? She is in running for most liberal RINO ever, with the likes of Lincoln Chafee and John McCain. She was the best choice they could make for getting a token Republican. The fact the Dems couldn't get her on board is actually shocking to me. The idea she was enjoying the attention and playing them is even more shocking to me.

Then again, she is a bit of an attention whore type. Maybe she does want to hold things up, but if so it's for her own good. I assure you, she's never had the Republican parties interests well at heart. She's an embarrassment to us as much as someone like Lieberman has been to the left.

It was obvious to liberals the Snowe had no intention of voting for health care reform way back at the start. When she said she has concens about the bill, we met the concerns, then she said she had more concerns, everyone with half a brain knew where it was going. So we yelled and screamed and wrote lettters and phoned and did everything in our power to try to tell Reid that Snowe was playing us, but Reid didn't listen.

Now, much like bankers who were surprised that making loans to people who were mathematically incapable of repaying them was a bad idea, Reid says that he was surprised that Snowe was incincere.

The rest of the Republican party said "No" and marched off the field. They instantly rendered themselves irrelevant to the debate. Why bother negotiating with someone if they have specifically stated that they will not support the final bill regardless of what was in it? Snowe said "maybe" and singlehandedly did more to derail healthcare reform than the rest of the Repbulican caucus combined.

 

[NoZed Avenger]

I think head of the Senate is ok. But I would oppose him gaining any position of real power and influence, like owning an NFL team.

 

[hgc]

Really? You think Olympia Snowe is a stalwart Republican? She is in running for most liberal RINO ever, with the likes of Lincoln Chafee and John McCain. She was the best choice they could make for getting a token Republican. The fact the Dems couldn't get her on board is actually shocking to me. The idea she was enjoying the attention and playing them is even more shocking to me.

Then again, she is a bit of an attention whore type. Maybe she does want to hold things up, but if so it's for her own good. I assure you, she's never had the Republican parties interests well at heart. She's an embarrassment to us as much as someone like Lieberman has been to the left.

What Random said.

But as for Snowe being as much an embarrassment to the GOP as the ever-sniveling Lieberman is to Dems, it's not even a contest. Did Snowe ever run as an independent after losing a primary? Did Snowe ever campaign for a Dem presidential candidate, going so far as to speak at the Dem convention? Does Snowe go to foreign soil and proclaim that the president doesn't set US foreign policy (as the ever-sniveling Lieberman did just last week in Israel)?

She may be an embarrassment to you, sure, but the balance of sympathy certainly belongs to us!