Who are you voting for in Nov and why?

[Junior]

Actually we still can, it doesn't matter if a black person said it too, you can't because you're not black. Are you not familiar with the Don Imus scandal. Besides there are numerous black racists out there, i.e. black people who hate their own race.

OFFTOPIC but I seriously do not understand that. Hating your own people seems kinda...silly. My grandfather was like that, Indian but he hated his people. XD


Anyway, on topic, I used to think I'd vote for Obama, but I recently read a couple of things he said that I don't like very much, but in comparison, I guess he's the best choice...maybe. *shrugs* I ain't American. We got our own elections coming up next year and those are hassling enough. PLUS I CAN VOTE NEXT YEAR. HUZZAH.

[The Heretic Azazel]

My views on the election:

If Obama wins, racial tensions in the US will become a major issue. I heard on the news today some white guys got arrested for planning to kill black people and Obama. I see something terrible happening to Obama if he is elected president, and the subsequent riots and racial anger will be equally terrible.

I personally feel that blacks will unnecessarily see his victory as a cultural statement that they deserve something more: more affirmative action, maybe slavery reparations, more representation in public offices, more executive jobs in corporations, etc., whether they earn it and deserve it or not. The funny thing is, Obama himself is a rich elitist who has more in common with wealthy white people than he does with 95% of black people.

The upside of his presidency is that Obama can say things that a white politician can't without being branded a racist. He can say "black folks need to take care of their own business and stop relying on government handouts" and guys like Al Sharpton can't dismiss him as a bigot and call for his impeachment. These same kinds of statements were what got Jesse Jackson so upset with Obama when Jackson made the infamous "I want to cut his nuts off" comment.

Some blacks I have met do have a sense of entitlement. I ignore them the same I do with white people who want a handout. To say the blacks in general, however, demand slavery reparations, or that Obama is going to do something to extend affirmative action just because he's black is just asinine.

[Ryllharu]

I listened to a discussion on a local NPR show (Faith Middleton's Politics, Burgers and Beer) where an inner city teacher was ecstatic about what's going on. Rather than asking for more handouts or reparations, if Obama becomes the first black president, he saw how we may see a very dramatic shift. You'd go from black school kids who think the best they can ever do is maybe own their own house, to seeing history made. He was seeing the kids talking about it already, and if Obama wins, then maybe they too will have greater aspirations for their own futures.

While I think that may be just a hair overly optimistic, it may actually be a huge influence on the black community in America. Will it solve the racism? No. There will be an increase in racial tensions if Obama wins, I know the people of this country too well to think otherwise. Hopefully, there will not arise too many issues, and people may finally gain a little more tolerance in certain regions. I could see a similar effect to what Martin Luther King accomplished if Obama wins. The difference would rather than it be solely a message of hope, it would be a solid message of legitimacy of that past movement. African Americans would only be second class citizens if they didn't put the effort in, just like everyone else. Everyone would be equal, so long as they tried in the first place.

There's also a big difference with Obama compared to other African American politicians. The reason I mentioned MLK above is because of what happened with his movement after he was assassinated. Instead of a message of hope as he preached and practiced, opportunistic individuals like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson no longer spoke a message that was completely about unity and equality, but of paying back. There was a fundamental difference in the way that worked, and it led to things like reparations (which are only legitimate if the one harmed is still alive, as with the Japanese-Americans imprisoned in WWII).

Whether he's lying about it or not (he is a politician), Obama is speaking that same message of unity. He doesn't give a shit about "getting what is owed," he (or McCain, God save us) have much more important things to worry about the moment they take the job.

[Animeniax]

@Itadakimasu: I'm overseas and too lazy to do the absentee ballot business. Besides, I feel the popular vote won't matter because the electoral vote is the true power.

Some blacks I have met do have a sense of entitlement. I ignore them the same I do with white people who want a handout. To say the blacks in general, however, demand slavery reparations, or that Obama is going to do something to extend affirmative action just because he's black is just asinine.

I never claimed Obama would extend affirmative action. He's a wealthy elite, why would he support it except to cater to a section of his constituents? Unfortunately groups like the NAACP that do support affirmative action will try to pressure Obama to support it as well. Whether or not Obama concedes is a different concern. But the issues of reparations and affirmative action will be big stories in the news again.

[itadakimasu]

Thought this was funny. This is some ladies car that lives in my apartments....



Basically, its people like this that made my vote for obama slightly hard since I think alot of people share her mentality, and are obviously only voting for barack because he's half black.

[Abdula]

Why must everything be about race for you?

[XanBcoo]

I think alot of people share her mentality, and are obviously only voting for barack because he's half black.

That's no less superficial than basing your vote on some other emotional response to the candidate:

To me Obama just seems like the more genuine candidate.

I haven't voted yet because I'm still undecided. I need a pros/cons list for myself or something. Not that it matters who I vote for down here in Texas.

[Animeniax]

I just saw the end of a report about black students at Bed-Stuy high school in Brooklyn and their expectations for the future if Obama wins the presidency. They were giddy with nervous excitement that their school would become a proper center of education and advancement for their people when Obama takes office.

@Itadakimasu: that bumper sticker reminds me of Puff Daddy's "Vote or Die" campaign for the 2004 election. It really made me want to participate in the election process.

@XanBcoo: Voting based on skin color is racist. Voting based on some other emotional response may be superficial, but at least it's not racist.

[rockmanj]

Well, I don't really support either of the 2 major parties, and I'm not a big fan of either candidate, but I see that the hope that could be inspired by Obama being elected; I'm not sure about that reparations stuff Ani's talking about; like, there's always people going on about that, but I don't think a significant amount of black Americans support that kind of thing. And I kind of have mixed feelings about affirmative action.

[Animeniax]

Being inspired and hopeful of change with Obama's presidency is a good thing, but not if people expect things to change on their own and to be given handouts in the name of change.

[rockmanj]

Well, I agree with that. No one should expect that...unless, well...I wont get into that. But, yea, you shouldn't just expect to be bailed out if you can help yourself.

[Abdula]

Voting based on skin color is racist. Voting based on some other emotional response may be superficial, but at least it's not racist.

Yes but what does it matter why other people are voting for a candidate. Just last night i was talking to this guy if you can call it that and he was saying he was gonna vote for McCain why, because "I'll be damned if I ever let a nigger become president!"

People vote for stupid reasons but the man says, they have a right to vote so the reason really is not something I get worked up over. People voting for Obama because he is black is no different from the people who are gonna vote for McCain just because he is white or the people who were gonna vote for Hilary just because she is a woman. As far as I'm concerned, they're all idiots.

[animus]

I'm all for having a brotha in office.

[Animeniax]

And that's why you fail animus. Obama is an educated wealthy elite. His credentials for being a great president should transcend his skin color and racial ties, but neither side is willing to accept that and they will vote for him based solely on skin color and race and all the baggage that comes with that.

[Abdula]

Exactly, people were saying that having an old man like McCain running, a black man, Obama, and a woman, Hilary Clinton, was a sign of how American has changed but America hasn't changed. This country doesn't change, you have to force change down America's throat and even then they'll still cough it back up. America doesn't change until its left with absolutely no other choice but to change.

[Animeniax]

OFFTOPIC but I seriously do not understand that. Hating your own people seems kinda...silly. My grandfather was like that, Indian but he hated his people. XD

All peoples of the world do silly stuff or have weird cultural behaviors and beliefs that may seem strange to others or even to their own people. I have little pride and mostly contempt for my native people, whom I consider backwards and primitive. That's why I support Japanese rule of Southeast Asia (and potentially the world) even though I am not Japanese (by birth) and even though the Japanese have their share of ridiculous beliefs and practices. They still trump all the other weird cultures of the world.

@Abdula: good point. It was funny to watch as the proto-typical middle-aged rich white guys dropped out of the party primaries to leave only Obama, Hillary, and McCain in the running.

[rockmanj]

Backwards and primitive? Hmmm...I'd like to get into that, but eh, maybe a different thread. Anyway, back on topic (kinda). Has anyone seen any of these attempts to dissuade voters? For example, there are fliers being circulated in certain communites (read: minority) telling people that if they have unpaid traffic tickets, or warrants, that they can't vote, or in other cases recorded calls, or encouragement to wear Obama clothing to polls?


I mean, there ARE other important things to vote for that your vote actually counts for, such as regional statutes, issues, etc.

[Animeniax]

Not surprising. Social engineering works and produces results.

I heard in Albany or some part of New York that absentee ballots had Obama's name spelled "Osama". Typo or tampering?

[Abdula]

Yeah, there are people here handing out fliers and putting up posters saying election day is Wednesday the 5th. Some really ridiculous stuff. And yeah that Osama thing was supposedly a typo that no one noticed until it was too late.

All peoples of the world do silly stuff or have weird cultural behaviors and beliefs that may seem strange to others or even to their own people. I have little pride and mostly contempt for my native people, whom I consider backwards and primitive. That's why I support Japanese rule of Southeast Asia (and potentially the world) even though I am not Japanese (by birth) and even though the Japanese have their share of ridiculous beliefs and practices. They still trump all the other weird cultures of the world.

I don't think you understand what I meant by black people hating their own race. Its not something understandable, like hating particular aspects of your own culture. Think that episode of the Chappelle show where he was a blind white supremacists and no one told him he was black, only these people know they are black and they hate themselves for it. Some even go as far as bleaching their own skin.

Or Ruckus from Boondocks.

[Assertn]

I hear lots of terrible things about Obama. He's really just starved for attention. I think he'd have far more selfish intentions for running than McCain does.

In other news....Obama might lose his eligibility regardless of the election outcome:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyspCRmJv7w