I have been trying to sort out my feelings about the racial profiling beer party at the White House. I’m going to sit here and try to type my way to an opinion. Should I look at this as a symbolic way of bringing Americans together on the issue of racial profiling and the justice system? Is this President's Obama's way of appeasing law enforcement because he hurt their feelings with the truth? I can't make up my mind. It seems like the president and Dr. Gates are both taking this issue way too lightly for me. It seems The White House is trying to get rid of the subject instead of accepting the debate head on. It's like I said the other day, there is too much focus on Sergeant Crowley. The president might be too worried about offending people. Nothing in this country has ever changed without someones feelings getting hurt. That's just part of the growing pains when you live in progressive society. If President Obama thinks he's going to bring about the change he was talking about during the campaign while not pissing anyone off then he needs to think again or step down because he's wasting his time.
I could be having a bad week but it seems the only people he can chastise with no repercussions are black men with our irresponsible and deadbeat daddy lifestyles. That’s true for some but if a group of black dads show up at the White House with their children angry because his speeches about responsibility offended them, is the president going to back off his stern words and invite them in for a couple of Heinekens? The community’s opinion about racial profiling doesn’t apply to all police officers but it does apply to enough where you shouldn’t have to buy them a drink for calling them out. While writing this I have made up my mind and I think it was trivial and doesn’t give the issue the attention it deserves. It’s another wasted opportunity to have a serious discussion about a real issue. Over 100 years of black people being arrested and harassed for anything and everything has been reduced to a six pack and I have typed my way into being disappointed.
3 comments:
All I can think about now is what a commentator on "The Daily Show" said about this: that throwing alcohol into the mix is how the racial incidents START.
This is not the end of racism in this country, nor is this going to fully sweep the issue under a beer stein. Not by a long shot...unless Obama deals with it head on.
He probably wants it to take second fiddle to health care reform right now - make sure we are all still alive and healthy before we can get to why we can't be good to each other regardless of what our races or classes are.
I was glad that V.P. Biden ordered a non-alcoholic drink at the affair. But I think this beer event wasn't dismissive, but more symbolic of acknowledging the idea of having civilized discussion even when serious disagreements exist. It's inevitable for President Obama to face racial issues at unexpected times. It would have been more disappointing all around, if we had McCain and Palin up there right now. sp, n.o.
I agree with you. It was a bit disappointing that the issue at hand was not addressed but was swept under the rug. I believe that if President Obama is going to walk on egg shells throughout his presidency he should step down because change is what he promised and in order for change to happen there will be some angry and unhappy individuals along the way.
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