rssThe Week’s First Fake Controversy
Monday, July 20, 2009 at 3:46 pm
- 9 Comments
You almost have to admire Steve Krakauer’s ability to turn this CNN interview with President Obama into a “possible wise Latina moment.” The president, in Africa, thought out loud about being an African-American, and how he knows African-Americans who come to the continent and feel more American than ever. It’s because you’re “in some ways, connected to this distant land, but on the other end, you’re about as American as it gets in some ways. African-Americans are more fundamentally rooted in the American experience because they don’t have a recent immigrant experience to draw on.”
Krakauer was shocked, shocked:
The key line, of course, is “African Americans are more fundamentally rooted in the American experience.” Obama did not expand on this, and nor did Anderson Cooper ask a follow up. So did Mr. Obama mean that African Americans are more rooted in American experience than other Americans, or more rooted in American experience than the African experience?
The second one! He didn’t expand on it because he was talking about Africa. It’s hard to even imagine a more banal comment about the African diaspora. But how did Krakauer’s attempt to stir up angry right-wing comments go? Pretty well:
When the President of the United States makes such a blatantly racist comment your skin should crawl.
… what can one expect from a hopelessly elitist, hard-Leftist, white-man-done-owe-me-forty acres-and-a mule African-American mind?
He’s segregating into groups, and saying whites and Asians aren’t as rooted in America because there have been white and Asian immigrants reciently.
Obama is clearly saying that african Americans are more rooted than white people. It’s his wise Latina moment.
There’s really nothing Obama can do or say that doesn’t drive some elements of the right around the bend.
Follow David Weigel on Twitter
9 Comments
Pingback posted July 20, 2009 @ 4:25 pm
[...] on video: Mediaite — Washington Independent — Hot [...]
Comment posted July 20, 2009 @ 8:37 pm
Because it plays into an already established narrative of persecuted white people. Begins with election of African-American as President, continues with selection of Latina justice for Supreme Court, etc. All of the sudden, even Sen. Jeff Sessions (who has his own problems with other races) can become a “champion” for civil rights.
Comment posted July 20, 2009 @ 9:29 pm
So, for this fake controversy to take off, then the right has to accept that Obama is, in fact, an American. But that puts this “outraged” contingent at odds with the birthers, right?
Wow, can we please pass health care reform while they are busy fighting this one out??
Comment posted July 20, 2009 @ 9:43 pm
It probably began when “persecuted white people” had to start treating newly freed blacks as people rather than property.
Mediaite seems seriously intent on depriving Politico of it's purveyor of Drudge level inanity status.
Pingback posted July 21, 2009 @ 1:02 am
[...] Visit Source [...]
Comment posted July 21, 2009 @ 1:47 am
…even Sen. Jeff Sessions (who has his own problems with other races) can become a “champion” for civil rights.
That's Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III of Alabama to you,
And of course, Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III of Alabama has always been as strong an advocate for civil rights as his name and home would imply.
Comment posted July 21, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
African-Americans are more rooted in the American experience than Other Immigrants, Krakauer. Of course, they are, but you wouldn't know, you culturally-blind buffoon. As an Asian-American, I have my family's Indian culture and traditions (that were transported here intact by their choice) to draw from. African-Americans aren't African; they just look African because that's where they were so cruelly ripped away from many generations ago. So, what do modern African-Americans have to draw on other than the America that has evolved with them since slavery?
Let me make the order of rooting very clear for those who still don't get what I said above:
Native Americans < Recent immigrants < 20th century immigrants < African-Americans < white folk whose ancestors founded this nation and through the Divine Right To Rule gave them all the rooting they'll ever need. Ask Pat Buchanan.
Comment posted July 28, 2009 @ 3:25 pm
This doesn't shock or bother me. Funny thing is … I am a descendant of Southern Slaveowners (and not Proud of the slaving past either, just stating it as a matter of fact). My point is .. if it neither shocks nor alarms me, why does it bother Northerners so much? oops another “wise latina” moment. Sorry Northerners, you all are still my friends (the ones that want to be).
What shocks me MORE is there is no REAL opposition party, from the moment Pelosi said impeachment is off the table … that should have sounded the alarm. Now look at the watered down health care “reform”, this should wake some people up. That's how I see it.
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
