It’s NOT Racism Just Because Race is Mentioned in a Negative Comment

By Daniel Miessler on March 11th, 2008: Tagged as Culture | Politics | Racism

ferarro

If my name were Gerald instead of Geraldine I wouldn’t be here today (as candidate for VP) — Geraldine Ferarro

I can’t stand when people are too loose with the racism/sexism labels. So many seem to think that the prerequisites are as follows:

  1. The comment is negative.
  2. Race or sex is mentioned.

So if you happen to say anything negative about someone, and race is anywhere to be found in the content of the comment, the person who said it must be a racist. Bullshit. That’s exactly the type of overly sensitive stupidity that’s hurting this country.

Here’s what Geraldine Ferarro said about Obama:

“If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept.”

All Ferarro is saying is that many in the country are very excited about the possibility of having a black man in the white house, and Obama is benefitting from that because he’s not actually qualified to be where he is. That’s her opinion, and it’s an opinion that I disagree with as an Obama supporter, but it’s not racist.

Let’s remember Ms. Ferarro has openly said on many occasions that she would not have been a vice presidential candidate were she not a woman.

Sexist, right? Oh, wait…she said it, and she’s damn sure not a sexist. She’s simply pointing out that there is a huge amount of emotional support for Obama based on race, just as there was for her based on her gender. That’s totally different from saying someone is or is not qualified BECAUSE of their race or gender.

Can’t you people see the difference?

Question for you: would Hillary Clinton be where she is today, competing for the White House, if she were not a woman? I’d say no. I’d say she’s far too blemished to have survived this far if she didn’t have that progressive, emotional movement behind her.

Ferarro would agree, I’m sure. And it’s not sexist, so stop applying a double standard. The people accusing Ferarro of racism should be ashamed of themselves, and they should be pressured to apologize.:

  • http://maxolasersquad.com/ Maxo

    People like this only confound the problem. It makes it really difficult to discuss race honestly because there is the fear that something you said may be misconstrued as being racist. Today I was discussing the race problems in my middle school and nobody seemed interested in touching the subject.

  • http://maxolasersquad.com/ Maxo

    People like this only confound the problem. It makes it really difficult to discuss race honestly because there is the fear that something you said may be misconstrued as being racist. Today I was discussing the race problems in my middle school and nobody seemed interested in touching the subject.

  • Me

    Obama isn’t qualified to be where he is? Well that’s a matter of opinion, but as a black girl I will definitely say that the statement made is a perfect example of what my friends and I call “Backlash of the Race Card”. It just so happens that when black people address race in situations where it is an important factor, white people have a tendency to call it “playing the race card”, often times to deny any possibility that we still live in a very racist society dominated by white oppression. All of a sudden we have a VERY “qualified” BLACK candidate running for president, and some of the same people will argue that his success is somehow related to race, which to me seems like a very ironic and idiotic thing to say. If anything I assumed that would be the one thing holding him back from even coming close to Hilary in the elections. Then again, Obama is a charismatic orator as well as a negotiator who pretty much tends to the white man’s ego in a way. Anyway…about the comment made. I don’t necessarily think it was racist, but I disagree with him and therefore see no need for an apology.

  • Me

    Obama isn’t qualified to be where he is? Well that’s a matter of opinion, but as a black girl I will definitely say that the statement made is a perfect example of what my friends and I call “Backlash of the Race Card”. It just so happens that when black people address race in situations where it is an important factor, white people have a tendency to call it “playing the race card”, often times to deny any possibility that we still live in a very racist society dominated by white oppression. All of a sudden we have a VERY “qualified” BLACK candidate running for president, and some of the same people will argue that his success is somehow related to race, which to me seems like a very ironic and idiotic thing to say. If anything I assumed that would be the one thing holding him back from even coming close to Hilary in the elections. Then again, Obama is a charismatic orator as well as a negotiator who pretty much tends to the white man’s ego in a way. Anyway…about the comment made. I don’t necessarily think it was racist, but I disagree with him and therefore see no need for an apology.

  • YouGottaBeKidding

    This article is SO wrong. She is a racist and a hypocrite. She said the same thing bout Jesse Jackson 1988. Also the hypocritical part is that the ONLY reason why she got picked to be VP in 84, was because she’s a woman. The same thing could be said about Hillary too. The ONLY reason why she is relevant, is because she married Bill Clinton. That statement is WAY more accurate because she IS running on his coattails. She is also working the “I am a woman” angle while people were asking if Obama was black enough. And NEVER used the color of his skin to get votes. Black people were with Clinton, please remember that. Obama is just the better candidate period. Maybe that’s what makes Hillary cry so much. Ready to serve on day one? It took her 13 months on the campaign trail to find her “voice”. She isn’t even ready to run for president!

    She’s Dividing the party just like they did to MacGovern in 1972. You remember how that turned out? Thanks Hillary.

    “Yoko Ono was not a Beetle!” -Andrew Sullivan

  • YouGottaBeKidding

    This article is SO wrong. She is a racist and a hypocrite. She said the same thing bout Jesse Jackson 1988. Also the hypocritical part is that the ONLY reason why she got picked to be VP in 84, was because she’s a woman. The same thing could be said about Hillary too. The ONLY reason why she is relevant, is because she married Bill Clinton. That statement is WAY more accurate because she IS running on his coattails. She is also working the “I am a woman” angle while people were asking if Obama was black enough. And NEVER used the color of his skin to get votes. Black people were with Clinton, please remember that. Obama is just the better candidate period. Maybe that’s what makes Hillary cry so much. Ready to serve on day one? It took her 13 months on the campaign trail to find her “voice”. She isn’t even ready to run for president!

    She’s Dividing the party just like they did to MacGovern in 1972. You remember how that turned out? Thanks Hillary.

    “Yoko Ono was not a Beetle!” -Andrew Sullivan

  • http://dmiessler.com/ Daniel Miessler

    @YouGottaBeKidding

    You astound me with your ability to miss the point.

    She actually said herself that she wouldn’t have been a VP candidate if she weren’t a woman. That’s the whole point. That wasn’t sexist just as what she said wasn’t racist.

    Did you read what you wrote?

  • http://dmiessler.com Daniel Miessler

    @YouGottaBeKidding

    You astound me with your ability to miss the point.

    She actually said herself that she wouldn’t have been a VP candidate if she weren’t a woman. That’s the whole point. That wasn’t sexist just as what she said wasn’t racist.

    Did you read what you wrote?

  • YouGottaBeKidding

    @ Daniel

    I was just pointing out how hypocritical it is to comment on such devicive things, especially when you were a victim of it. It’s like the way our country was founded. When the Irish (and other) immigrants came to America, they were treated like shit. Then they turned around and did the same to the blacks as was done to them, and WAY worse. (KKK anybody?) If they didn’t like it when it was done to them, why would you do it to ANYBODY else. You’ve been in that position. and you should know better!

  • YouGottaBeKidding

    @ Daniel

    I was just pointing out how hypocritical it is to comment on such devicive things, especially when you were a victim of it. It’s like the way our country was founded. When the Irish (and other) immigrants came to America, they were treated like shit. Then they turned around and did the same to the blacks as was done to them, and WAY worse. (KKK anybody?) If they didn’t like it when it was done to them, why would you do it to ANYBODY else. You’ve been in that position. and you should know better!

  • YouGottaBeKidding

    In addition, when the Governor of Pennsylvania, a Hillary supporter, says that white people in his state won’t vote for a black candidate, This is all a huge race bating situation. Hillary is trying to scare the white voters, instill doubt, and hope they vote for her.

    BTW the republicans want Hillary to run against McCain too. So they can beat her skull in on her fake “foreign experience” claim. A Vietnam vet will CRUSH a president’s wife on experience.

    The Dem primary popular vote is skewed. Those are republican votes for Hillary 3 to 1 now that McCain has sewed up the nomination. They can “waste” a vote on Hillary. Obama Republicans voted for him when the Republican vote mattered, before they had their man locked down. The GOP want Hill, not because they like her, but the infighting makes McCain’s job easier. Which ever candidate wins, they will be beat up, and easy pickings for the Republicans. Either way, Hillary is dividing the party, because after stuff like this, there will be no black turnout on election day for Hillary, because stuff like this pisses them off!

  • YouGottaBeKidding

    In addition, when the Governor of Pennsylvania, a Hillary supporter, says that white people in his state won’t vote for a black candidate, This is all a huge race bating situation. Hillary is trying to scare the white voters, instill doubt, and hope they vote for her.

    BTW the republicans want Hillary to run against McCain too. So they can beat her skull in on her fake “foreign experience” claim. A Vietnam vet will CRUSH a president’s wife on experience.

    The Dem primary popular vote is skewed. Those are republican votes for Hillary 3 to 1 now that McCain has sewed up the nomination. They can “waste” a vote on Hillary. Obama Republicans voted for him when the Republican vote mattered, before they had their man locked down. The GOP want Hill, not because they like her, but the infighting makes McCain’s job easier. Which ever candidate wins, they will be beat up, and easy pickings for the Republicans. Either way, Hillary is dividing the party, because after stuff like this, there will be no black turnout on election day for Hillary, because stuff like this pisses them off!

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