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America's race obsession
The sudden appearance of nooses in the US is just the most blatant representation of the hostility many whites still
have for blacks.
Lionel McPherson
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October 30, 2007 6:00 PM |Printable version
In its American heyday, which ended around 1930, nooses inspired grave fear. The noose meant lynching, and not
the "high tech" kind US supreme court justice Clarence Thomas continues in self-delusion to lament.
Lynching functioned as a"ritual of blood", the sociologist Orlando Patterson has argued, communally directed by
whites mainly against black men in response to the South's forced transition from a slave society. Billie Holiday
gave voice to this terror through the haunting songStrange Fruit: "Southern trees bear strange fruit. Blood on the
leaves and blood at the root. Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze. Strange fruit hanging from the poplar
trees." Those words are made concrete in lynching postcards that proudly display suspended corpses at the centre
of local spectacles. The noose was no idle threat and certainly no joke. So what to make of the recent outbreak of
noose incidents, the knotted ropes without the bodies?
Nooses were hung from a purported whites-only tree at a high schoolin Jena, Louisianaafter a black student asked
whether he could sit under the tree. The principal had replied that students could sit where they wanted.Predictably, the letter of the law did not serve black students well. The decisively white school board, the white
district attorney, and an all-white jury could not have been expected to treat bullying violence by white students
and retaliatory schoolyard violence by black students in an evenhanded manner. AtColumbia Universityin New
York, a noose was hung from the office door of an African-American professor, sparking a protest rally and swift
condemnation from the campus community. Her response to the noose: "It felt very personal and very degrading."
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/profile.htmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/profile.htmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/index.htmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/index.htmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/index.htmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/index.htmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/profile.htmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/profile.htmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/index.xmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/index.xmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/webfeeds.htmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/webfeeds.htmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html.printer.friendlyhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html.printer.friendlyhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html.printer.friendlyhttp://www.perseusbooksgroup.com/perseus/book_detail.jsp?isbn=158243039Xhttp://www.perseusbooksgroup.com/perseus/book_detail.jsp?isbn=158243039Xhttp://www.perseusbooksgroup.com/perseus/book_detail.jsp?isbn=158243039Xhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Fruithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Fruithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Fruithttp://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,2170644,00.htmlhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,2170644,00.htmlhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,2170644,00.htmlhttp://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/27326http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/27326http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/27326http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/27326http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,2170644,00.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Fruithttp://www.perseusbooksgroup.com/perseus/book_detail.jsp?isbn=158243039Xhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html.printer.friendlyhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/webfeeds.htmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/index.xmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/index.xmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/profile.htmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/index.htmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/index.htmlhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/profile.html7/30/2019 Americas Race Obsession
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The Jena and Columbia incidents are only the most publicized. Nooses have lately made appearances inMaryland,
Pittsburgh,North CarolinaandLong Island, in a police station locker room. The US justice department claims to be
investigating - the incidents might violate federal and state laws - though no arrests have been made anywhere.
This same justice department found no evidence of unfair prosecution of the six black teenagers in Jena originally
charged with attempted second-degree murder.
None of these nooses was brutally put to use. Lynchings - of James Byrd Jr in 1998 and Michael Donald in 1981 -
stand out in contemporary America because they are rare. Perhaps this helps explain why some observers
underestimate the significance of the noose today. Lawyer and social criticWendy Kaminerbelieves that "hanging
a noose is expressive conduct" and, "hateful or not," on a par with "swastikas and burning crosses." Kaminer
transforms the noose into a hobbyhorse, namely, opposition to hate crime statutes that she supposes leave "all of
us ... less free." Such first amendment righteousness lacks sympathy and imagination.
The noose, at least a functional one, is not simply among various symbols of hate when left incongruously and
deliberately in the presence of African-Americans. We are well aware the device was a common means for
committing terroristic, racially-motivated murders. Here's a scenario. Outside your home, at your workplace or in apublic space, you find what appears to be a gun hung next to a hateful scrawling directed at people of your kind.
Surely you could understand - even if you were broadly skeptical about hate crime statutes - that this act might
well be intimidating or threatening along the lines of assault, whether the target was you in particular or
unspecified members of your group.
No doubt, the noose also is a symbol. These incidents represent a deep, lingering antipathy that more than a few
Americans have for blacks. Nooses can replace the epithet "nigger" as an expression of racial contempt and
privilege. "Nigger" doesn't fly any longer. Its use by non-blacks mostly succeeds in conveying plain racism or
ignorance amid an officially multiracial public that rejects such use. By contrast, the noose often gets explained as
a prank - insensitive yet inconclusively indicative of a racist attitude or environment. The joke presumably works
like this: You can't lynch black folks these days, but you probably can get away with aggressively tweaking their
tender sensibilities. Not amused? Oh well - lighten up, or appreciate the burdens of living in a free society.
The current hostility toward African-Americans is more routinely evident in ongoing obsessions with affirmative
action, IQ, rap music's "thug" culture and OJ Simpson, along with the increasingly mainstream strategy of shouting
down black grievances by accusing blacks of playing the race card or indulging in victimology. We're now told that
other Americans don't care much about race and that radically disparate outcomes by race don't bear much
relation to racial injustice. Against this background, the noose fad is hardly shocking. The country will revert soon
enough to its less blatant anti-black sensibilities.
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All Comments (72)Most Recommended Comments (0)
Saeed
Comment No.896704
October 30 18:25
ZAF
Lionel I think you'll find that many people, who are concerned or disturbed by racism, remain inactive because to
do anything might impact on their comfort zone.
We looked at this with regard to the Holocaust and Apartheid
http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/traps/2007/10/13/apartheid-impact-patriotism-is-the-virtue-of-the-vicious/
Action takes courage and most people would rather pay lip service or act dumb than face the consequences of
standing up and being counted.
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ComicalSpook
Comment No.896719
October 30 18:33
GBR
Amazes me how black people keep their composure given the crap they have to put up with - and let's face it,
white society has had long enough to put things right. If anything, seems to me the plight of black people has been
put out of mind and out of sight in a post 9-11 world.
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halgeel84
Comment No.896720
October 30 18:34
CAN
--Lionel McPherson
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protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896704,%20was%20written%20by%20Saeed,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%206:25%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20Lionel%20I%20think%20you%27ll%20find%20that%20many%20people,%20who%20are%20concerned%20or%20disturbed%20by%20racism,%20remain%20inactimailto:[email 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protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896704,%20was%20written%20by%20Saeed,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%206:25%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20Lionel%20I%20think%20you%27ll%20find%20that%20many%20people,%20who%20are%20concerned%20or%20disturbed%20by%20racism,%20remain%20inactihttp://crregistervote%28%27896704%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896704%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896719#comment-896719http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896719#comment-896719http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896719#comment-896719http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896719#comment-896719http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896719#comment-896719mailto:[email 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Peace to you. I would like to point ou that`American whites, which I suppose you do mean the middle and upper
class Americans, hate the poor, no matter of the colour of their skin. Thus you do know American white middle-
upper classes hate socalled 'white trash' as much as they hate poor blacks. I am from Africa[Somalia]. Now we are
being recolonised by the America's corporate/military complex using Black Africans as their 'native' conduits. So,
we do really need a serious semoitic reading of what theses nooses may or may not say about America's race
relations.
I do would what you think about Condi' Race, Jendi Frazer and other dagerous native informents who are bring
death and destruction to my people- In Somalia before we can discuss the symbolic meaning what these nooses
may mean for black Americans
Best, helgeel 84
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MrPikeBishop
Comment No.896742
October 30 18:49
GBR
Aw Cif you dissapoint me... surely a cracking headline was waiting here
No noose is good news... etc
I'll get my hood.
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BarkingBird
Comment No.896778
October 30 19:08
USA
I think an important point about this issue that has been overlooked is the class angle. The disgusting incident at
Columbia U. was more deeply disturbing because Americans tend to believe that racism lingers only among the
white poor and working class and mainly in the rural South. But Columbia showed that racism remains rife
throughout all America, all income, all regions, and all class levels.
It highlights why affirmative action in some form remains necessary and why Americans need to work harder at
integration and historical understanding.
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mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896720,%20was%20written%20by%20halgeel84,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%206:34%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20--Lionel%20McPherson%20Peace%20to%20you.%20I%20would%20like%20to%20point%20ou%20that%60American%20whites,%20which%20I%20suppose%20yomailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896720,%20was%20written%20by%20halgeel84,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%206:34%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20--Lionel%20McPherson%20Peace%20to%20you.%20I%20would%20like%20to%20point%20ou%20that%60American%20whites,%20which%20I%20suppose%20yomailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896720,%20was%20written%20by%20halgeel84,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%206:34%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20--Lionel%20McPherson%20Peace%20to%20you.%20I%20would%20like%20to%20point%20ou%20that%60American%20whites,%20which%20I%20suppose%20yohttp://crregistervote%28%27896720%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896720%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896742#comment-896742http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896742#comment-896742http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896742#comment-896742http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896742#comment-896742http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896742#comment-896742mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896742,%20was%20written%20by%20MrPikeBishop,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%206:49%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20Aw%20Cif%20you%20dissapoint%20me...%20surely%20a%20cracking%20headline%20was%20waiting%20hereNo%20noose%20is%20good%20news...%20etmailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896742,%20was%20written%20by%20MrPikeBishop,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%206:49%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20Aw%20Cif%20you%20dissapoint%20me...%20surely%20a%20cracking%20headline%20was%20waiting%20hereNo%20noose%20is%20good%20news...%20etmailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896742,%20was%20written%20by%20MrPikeBishop,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%206:49%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20Aw%20Cif%20you%20dissapoint%20me...%20surely%20a%20cracking%20headline%20was%20waiting%20hereNo%20noose%20is%20good%20news...%20ethttp://crregistervote%28%27896742%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896742%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896778#comment-896778http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896778#comment-896778http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896778#comment-896778http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896778#comment-896778http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896778#comment-896778mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896778,%20was%20written%20by%20BarkingBird,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:08%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20I%20think%20an%20important%20point%20about%20this%20issue%20that%20has%20been%20overlooked%20is%20the%20class%20angle.%20The%20disgustmailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896778,%20was%20written%20by%20BarkingBird,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:08%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20I%20think%20an%20important%20point%20about%20this%20issue%20that%20has%20been%20overlooked%20is%20the%20class%20angle.%20The%20disgustmailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896778,%20was%20written%20by%20BarkingBird,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:08%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20I%20think%20an%20important%20point%20about%20this%20issue%20that%20has%20been%20overlooked%20is%20the%20class%20angle.%20The%20disgustmailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896778,%20was%20written%20by%20BarkingBird,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:08%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20I%20think%20an%20important%20point%20about%20this%20issue%20that%20has%20been%20overlooked%20is%20the%20class%20angle.%20The%20disgusthttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896778#comment-896778http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896778#comment-896778http://crregistervote%28%27896742%27%29/mailto:[email 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protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896720,%20was%20written%20by%20halgeel84,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%206:34%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20--Lionel%20McPherson%20Peace%20to%20you.%20I%20would%20like%20to%20point%20ou%20that%60American%20whites,%20which%20I%20suppose%20yo7/30/2019 Americas Race Obsession
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Recommend?
TheEarlofSuave
Comment No.896789
October 30 19:16
GBR
I think nooses hanging around are quite terrifying. However, let's not blow things out of proportion. There are
hardly any racists to march against anymore. Surely it's better to treat it as a serious crime, then engage in the
theatrics of marches and all the other hubub. I mean what's worse, people killing people, or a noose on a tree. I
think black people have more to worry about, such as the *deadly* crime in their own neighbourhoods that people
tend to accept.
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GreenLake
Comment No.896794
October 30 19:20
USA
halgeel84:
"I would like to point ou that`American whites, which I suppose you do mean the middle and upper class
Americans, hate the poor, no matter of the colour of their skin."
This kind of obscene generalisation is deemed perfectly acceptable, I presume, because it maligns Americans
rather than any other race in the world. Disgusting.
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Klashnekoff
Comment No.896796
October 30 19:20
"The joke presumably works like this: You can't lynch black folks these days, but you probably can get away with
aggressively tweaking their tender sensibilities. Not amused? Oh well - lighten up, or appreciate the burdens of
living in a free society."
Could not have put it better myself?
http://crregistervote%28%27896778%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896778%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896789#comment-896789http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896789#comment-896789http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896789#comment-896789http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896789#comment-896789http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896789#comment-896789mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896789,%20was%20written%20by%20TheEarlofSuave,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:16%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20I%20think%20nooses%20hanging%20around%20are%20quite%20terrifying.%20%20However,%20let%27s%20not%20blow%20things%20out%20of%20proportiomailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896789,%20was%20written%20by%20TheEarlofSuave,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:16%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20I%20think%20nooses%20hanging%20around%20are%20quite%20terrifying.%20%20However,%20let%27s%20not%20blow%20things%20out%20of%20proportiomailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896789,%20was%20written%20by%20TheEarlofSuave,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:16%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20I%20think%20nooses%20hanging%20around%20are%20quite%20terrifying.%20%20However,%20let%27s%20not%20blow%20things%20out%20of%20proportiohttp://crregistervote%28%27896789%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896789%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896794#comment-896794http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896794#comment-896794http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896794#comment-896794http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896794#comment-896794http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896794#comment-896794mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896794,%20was%20written%20by%20GreenLake,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:20%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20halgeel84:%22I%20would%20like%20to%20point%20ou%20that%60American%20whites,%20which%20I%20suppose%20you%20do%20mean%20the%20middle%20amailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896794,%20was%20written%20by%20GreenLake,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:20%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20halgeel84:%22I%20would%20like%20to%20point%20ou%20that%60American%20whites,%20which%20I%20suppose%20you%20do%20mean%20the%20middle%20amailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896794,%20was%20written%20by%20GreenLake,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:20%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20halgeel84:%22I%20would%20like%20to%20point%20ou%20that%60American%20whites,%20which%20I%20suppose%20you%20do%20mean%20the%20middle%20ahttp://crregistervote%28%27896794%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896794%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896796#comment-896796http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896796#comment-896796http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896796#comment-896796http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896796#comment-896796http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896796#comment-896796http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896796#comment-896796http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896796#comment-896796http://crregistervote%28%27896794%27%29/mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896794,%20was%20written%20by%20GreenLake,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:20%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20halgeel84:%22I%20would%20like%20to%20point%20ou%20that%60American%20whites,%20which%20I%20suppose%20you%20do%20mean%20the%20middle%20ahttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896794#comment-896794http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896794#comment-896794http://crregistervote%28%27896789%27%29/mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896789,%20was%20written%20by%20TheEarlofSuave,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:16%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20I%20think%20nooses%20hanging%20around%20are%20quite%20terrifying.%20%20However,%20let%27s%20not%20blow%20things%20out%20of%20proportiohttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896789#comment-896789http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896789#comment-896789http://crregistervote%28%27896778%27%29/7/30/2019 Americas Race Obsession
6/41
It is precisely these mechanics that are in operation today in the UK concerning ethnic minorities, their systematic
denigration within the context of a faux political correctness / immigration debate on limits to free speech in liberal
democracies all whilst clearly supporting a dangerous far right agenda.
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halgeel84
Comment No.896816
October 30 19:36
CAN
---GreenLake
I will not return your insulting terms but indeed the literature is think on how American middle and upper classes
hate the poor.
Evidenc: why all the all the talk of progressivistic discourse there is no universal healthcare and unversal education
in the US.
here is a good title for you to read.
'White Trash: Race and Class in America' eds. Matt Wray and Annalee Newitz (1997} Routledge
Thus according to the editors of this collection [supported by evidence] " Americans love to hate the poor. Lately, it
seems there is no group of poor folks they hate more than than white trash' (p.1).
And yes, these black Americans are now working for the US corporare/military imperial complex in the recolonising
project of Africa.
Thus your insults misplaced.
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RichardAdams
Comment No.896819
October 30 19:39
MrPikeBishop - "Cif you dissapoint me... surely a cracking headline was waiting here."
MPB, we did consider a few alternatives, but none could beat this magnificent example in poor taste from the awful
Management Today magazine:
mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896796,%20was%20written%20by%20Klashnekoff,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:20%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20%22The%20joke%20presumably%20works%20like%20this:%20You%20can%27t%20lynch%20black%20folks%20these%20days,%20but%20you%20probably%20can%20gmailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896796,%20was%20written%20by%20Klashnekoff,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:20%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20%22The%20joke%20presumably%20works%20like%20this:%20You%20can%27t%20lynch%20black%20folks%20these%20days,%20but%20you%20probably%20can%20gmailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896796,%20was%20written%20by%20Klashnekoff,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:20%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20%22The%20joke%20presumably%20works%20like%20this:%20You%20can%27t%20lynch%20black%20folks%20these%20days,%20but%20you%20probably%20can%20ghttp://crregistervote%28%27896796%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896796%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896816#comment-896816http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896816#comment-896816http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896816#comment-896816http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896816#comment-896816http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896816#comment-896816mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896816,%20was%20written%20by%20halgeel84,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:36%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20---GreenLake%20I%20will%20not%20return%20your%20insulting%20terms%20but%20indeed%20the%20literature%20is%20think%20on%20how%20Amermailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896816,%20was%20written%20by%20halgeel84,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:36%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20---GreenLake%20I%20will%20not%20return%20your%20insulting%20terms%20but%20indeed%20the%20literature%20is%20think%20on%20how%20Amermailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896816,%20was%20written%20by%20halgeel84,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:36%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20---GreenLake%20I%20will%20not%20return%20your%20insulting%20terms%20but%20indeed%20the%20literature%20is%20think%20on%20how%20Amerhttp://crregistervote%28%27896816%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896816%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896819#comment-896819http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896819#comment-896819http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896819#comment-896819http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896819#comment-896819http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896819#comment-896819http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896819#comment-896819http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896819#comment-896819http://crregistervote%28%27896816%27%29/mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896816,%20was%20written%20by%20halgeel84,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:36%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20---GreenLake%20I%20will%20not%20return%20your%20insulting%20terms%20but%20indeed%20the%20literature%20is%20think%20on%20how%20Amerhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896816#comment-896816http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896816#comment-896816http://crregistervote%28%27896796%27%29/mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896796,%20was%20written%20by%20Klashnekoff,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:20%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20%22The%20joke%20presumably%20works%20like%20this:%20You%20can%27t%20lynch%20black%20folks%20these%20days,%20but%20you%20probably%20can%20g7/30/2019 Americas Race Obsession
7/41
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/usa/2007/10/wall_street_blues.html
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GreenLake
Comment No.896842
October 30 19:54
USA
halgeel84:
You have a strange grasp of what constitutes an "insult". You'll notice, on reflection, that I said nothing about you
personally - I don't not know you - but commented only on the ugly, sweeping generalisation you made.
On the other hand, your comment, to the effect that all middle and upper class Americans, without qualification or
exception, hate poor people is a grave insult to many of the people I love most in the world and some of the finest
human beings I've ever met.
I expect some Americans hate poor people - although i suspect they're more liekly to be contemptuous of them,
ambivalent about tham or just not give a damn one way or another about them. Others, though, love and care for
and about them, work with and for them, champion their cause and make tremendous sacrifices on their behalf.
Fine, decent and loving people exist in all nations, in all classes and all walks of life. It is depressing that such asimple and obvious truth needs to be spelled out on these pages.
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ToothlessHooligan
Comment No.896851
October 30 20:01
USA
Deleted by Cif moderator. Other posts repeating this post have also been deleted.
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bannedbycastro
Comment No.896855
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/usa/2007/10/wall_street_blues.htmlhttp://blogs.guardian.co.uk/usa/2007/10/wall_street_blues.htmlmailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896819,%20was%20written%20by%20RichardAdams,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:39%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20MrPikeBishop%20-%20%22Cif%20you%20dissapoint%20me...%20surely%20a%20cracking%20headline%20was%20waiting%20here.%22MPB,%20we%20did%20mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896819,%20was%20written%20by%20RichardAdams,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:39%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20MrPikeBishop%20-%20%22Cif%20you%20dissapoint%20me...%20surely%20a%20cracking%20headline%20was%20waiting%20here.%22MPB,%20we%20did%20mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896819,%20was%20written%20by%20RichardAdams,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:39%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20MrPikeBishop%20-%20%22Cif%20you%20dissapoint%20me...%20surely%20a%20cracking%20headline%20was%20waiting%20here.%22MPB,%20we%20did%20http://crregistervote%28%27896819%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896819%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896842#comment-896842http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896842#comment-896842http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896842#comment-896842http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896842#comment-896842http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896842#comment-896842mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896842,%20was%20written%20by%20GreenLake,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:54%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20halgeel84:You%20have%20a%20strange%20grasp%20of%20what%20constitutes%20an%20%22insult%22.%20%20You%27ll%20notice,%20on%20reflection,mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896842,%20was%20written%20by%20GreenLake,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:54%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20halgeel84:You%20have%20a%20strange%20grasp%20of%20what%20constitutes%20an%20%22insult%22.%20%20You%27ll%20notice,%20on%20reflection,mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896842,%20was%20written%20by%20GreenLake,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:54%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20halgeel84:You%20have%20a%20strange%20grasp%20of%20what%20constitutes%20an%20%22insult%22.%20%20You%27ll%20notice,%20on%20reflection,http://crregistervote%28%27896842%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896842%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896851#comment-896851http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896851#comment-896851http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896851#comment-896851http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896851#comment-896851http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896851#comment-896851mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896851,%20was%20written%20by%20ToothlessHooligan,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:01%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20Deleted%20by%20Cif%20moderator.%20Other%20posts%20repeating%20this%20post%20have%20also%20been%20deleted.mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896851,%20was%20written%20by%20ToothlessHooligan,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:01%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20Deleted%20by%20Cif%20moderator.%20Other%20posts%20repeating%20this%20post%20have%20also%20been%20deleted.mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896851,%20was%20written%20by%20ToothlessHooligan,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:01%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20Deleted%20by%20Cif%20moderator.%20Other%20posts%20repeating%20this%20post%20have%20also%20been%20deleted.http://crregistervote%28%27896851%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896851%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896855#comment-896855http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896855#comment-896855http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896855#comment-896855http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896855#comment-896855http://crregistervote%28%27896851%27%29/mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896851,%20was%20written%20by%20ToothlessHooligan,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:01%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20Deleted%20by%20Cif%20moderator.%20Other%20posts%20repeating%20this%20post%20have%20also%20been%20deleted.http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896851#comment-896851http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896851#comment-896851http://crregistervote%28%27896842%27%29/mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896842,%20was%20written%20by%20GreenLake,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:54%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20halgeel84:You%20have%20a%20strange%20grasp%20of%20what%20constitutes%20an%20%22insult%22.%20%20You%27ll%20notice,%20on%20reflection,http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896842#comment-896842http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896842#comment-896842http://crregistervote%28%27896819%27%29/mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896819,%20was%20written%20by%20RichardAdams,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%207:39%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20MrPikeBishop%20-%20%22Cif%20you%20dissapoint%20me...%20surely%20a%20cracking%20headline%20was%20waiting%20here.%22MPB,%20we%20did%20http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/usa/2007/10/wall_street_blues.html7/30/2019 Americas Race Obsession
8/41
October 30 20:03
USA
I hope the author supports Hate crime legislation and in doing so he will be glad that it is applied to the case where
six people of one race, attack an innocent member of anther race; because of the victims race.
Looks like an open-and-shut case to me. If you wish to punish racial attacks the law should apply to six black guys
kicking the crap out of a white guy, jast as you would if six wite guys kicked the crap out of a black guy.
I look forward to your reply.
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arg907149
Comment No.896874
October 30 20:15
USA
In response to Halgeel84, I think you're close to the target when you say that better-off Americans hate the poor,
but I think it is more fear than hatred. Hatred and fear are very close emotions.
I'm white and grew up in North Carolina. My family was very poor. I was beaten every day that I went to school.
Not by black folks, but by the better off white kids who lived in town. Who knows why I was the target? Maybe
because I simply looked poor, and people fear poverty and don't want it near them.
best, arg
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Generic109
Comment No.896881
October 30 20:18
USA
bannedbycastro,
Please look further into the matter before commenting. The Jena incident was about equal protection under the
law. Read further. You'll change your mind.
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896855#comment-896855http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896855#comment-896855mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896855,%20was%20written%20by%20bannedbycastro,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:03%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20I%20hope%20the%20author%20supports%20Hate%20crime%20legislation%20and%20in%20doing%20so%20he%20will%20be%20glad%20that%20it%20is%20appliedmailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896855,%20was%20written%20by%20bannedbycastro,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:03%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20I%20hope%20the%20author%20supports%20Hate%20crime%20legislation%20and%20in%20doing%20so%20he%20will%20be%20glad%20that%20it%20is%20appliedmailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896855,%20was%20written%20by%20bannedbycastro,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:03%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20I%20hope%20the%20author%20supports%20Hate%20crime%20legislation%20and%20in%20doing%20so%20he%20will%20be%20glad%20that%20it%20is%20appliedhttp://crregistervote%28%27896855%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896855%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896874#comment-896874http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896874#comment-896874http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896874#comment-896874http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896874#comment-896874http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896874#comment-896874mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896874,%20was%20written%20by%20arg907149,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:15%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20In%20response%20to%20Halgeel84,%20I%20think%20you%27re%20close%20to%20the%20target%20when%20you%20say%20that%20better-off%20Americans%20mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896874,%20was%20written%20by%20arg907149,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:15%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20In%20response%20to%20Halgeel84,%20I%20think%20you%27re%20close%20to%20the%20target%20when%20you%20say%20that%20better-off%20Americans%20mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896874,%20was%20written%20by%20arg907149,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:15%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20In%20response%20to%20Halgeel84,%20I%20think%20you%27re%20close%20to%20the%20target%20when%20you%20say%20that%20better-off%20Americans%20http://crregistervote%28%27896874%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896874%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896881#comment-896881http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896881#comment-896881http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896881#comment-896881http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896881#comment-896881http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896881#comment-896881http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896881#comment-896881http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896881#comment-896881http://crregistervote%28%27896874%27%29/mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896874,%20was%20written%20by%20arg907149,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:15%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20In%20response%20to%20Halgeel84,%20I%20think%20you%27re%20close%20to%20the%20target%20when%20you%20say%20that%20better-off%20Americans%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896874#comment-896874http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896874#comment-896874http://crregistervote%28%27896855%27%29/mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896855,%20was%20written%20by%20bannedbycastro,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:03%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20I%20hope%20the%20author%20supports%20Hate%20crime%20legislation%20and%20in%20doing%20so%20he%20will%20be%20glad%20that%20it%20is%20appliedhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896855#comment-8968557/30/2019 Americas Race Obsession
9/41
Halgeel, I have to disagree with you. In some places, such as the south, race trumps everything. Poor whites hate
blacks as well. Race and class always have to be looked at together, but they have their own separate
explanations.
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ComicalSpook
Comment No.896898
October 30 20:32
GBR
Let me tell you something - people always go on about integration and social cohesion and all this crap, but in my
experience, the problem is 'white flight' - you look at any area where there is a high proportion of ethnic minorities
and you will find every race under the sun living perfectly happily with each other, but noticeably the whites have
moved out - whether that's to do with them not wanting to live in a poor area or not wanting to live in a ghetto,
you tell me.
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JohnLilburne
Comment No.896900
October 30 20:33
USA
A widespread response among Americans is to point to those cases of nooses and other threats that have turned
out to be fakes. This outbreak of reported cases is dismissed as a fad rather as evidence that people, both black
and white, have been emboldened to complain.
In fact, if one looks at legal cases concerning hostile work environments, nooses seem startlingly common.
Management always tries to claim that it had no idea that nooses were perceived as hostile. Such cases are so
difficult and stressful to bring, that we may assume there is a large unseen iceberg. Although there may be some
copycat cases, one good result of this publicity is that claims of ignorance can no longer be made.
Although the point about racism continuing to lurk in many social environments is well taken, it is nevertheless the
case that life is harder for any visible minority in small communities, where there is far less diversity. Stereotypical
assumptions can be startlingly naked in towns where there is no substantial black middle class.
However, the position of many Hispanic Americans, even if legal immigrants or established in the US for
generations, can be at least as bad, depending on the region. They are not only assumed to be ill-educated
criminals, but they are believed to be stealing jobs and breeding too rapidly so that they threaten English-speaking
mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896881,%20was%20written%20by%20Generic109,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:18%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20bannedbycastro,Please%20look%20further%20into%20the%20matter%20before%20commenting.%20The%20Jena%20incident%20was%20about%20emailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896881,%20was%20written%20by%20Generic109,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:18%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20bannedbycastro,Please%20look%20further%20into%20the%20matter%20before%20commenting.%20The%20Jena%20incident%20was%20about%20emailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896881,%20was%20written%20by%20Generic109,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:18%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20bannedbycastro,Please%20look%20further%20into%20the%20matter%20before%20commenting.%20The%20Jena%20incident%20was%20about%20ehttp://crregistervote%28%27896881%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896881%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896898#comment-896898http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896898#comment-896898http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896898#comment-896898http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896898#comment-896898http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896898#comment-896898mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896898,%20was%20written%20by%20ComicalSpook,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:32%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20Let%20me%20tell%20you%20something%20-%20people%20always%20go%20on%20about%20integration%20and%20social%20cohesion%20and%20all%20this%20cmailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896898,%20was%20written%20by%20ComicalSpook,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:32%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20Let%20me%20tell%20you%20something%20-%20people%20always%20go%20on%20about%20integration%20and%20social%20cohesion%20and%20all%20this%20cmailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896898,%20was%20written%20by%20ComicalSpook,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:32%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20Let%20me%20tell%20you%20something%20-%20people%20always%20go%20on%20about%20integration%20and%20social%20cohesion%20and%20all%20this%20chttp://crregistervote%28%27896898%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896898%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896900#comment-896900http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896900#comment-896900http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896900#comment-896900http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896900#comment-896900http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896900#comment-896900http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896900#comment-896900http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896900#comment-896900http://crregistervote%28%27896898%27%29/mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896898,%20was%20written%20by%20ComicalSpook,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:32%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20Let%20me%20tell%20you%20something%20-%20people%20always%20go%20on%20about%20integration%20and%20social%20cohesion%20and%20all%20this%20chttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896898#comment-896898http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896898#comment-896898http://crregistervote%28%27896881%27%29/mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896881,%20was%20written%20by%20Generic109,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:18%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20bannedbycastro,Please%20look%20further%20into%20the%20matter%20before%20commenting.%20The%20Jena%20incident%20was%20about%20e7/30/2019 Americas Race Obsession
10/41
Protestant culture. Such prejudices are to be found even in the work of respectable academics in major
universities.
The extent to which conservative opinion denies the continuing influence of socio-economic disadvantage and
prejudice is extraordinary. Many conservatives claim that racism survives only among liberals and ethnic
minorities. The Bush administration censored half of a report on racism within the Department of Justice, cut
references to disadvantange and inequality from a Department of Health and Human Affairs report on healthcare
gaps, and most recently cut out discussion of the disproportionate effect on the health of ethnic minorities that
climate change will cause, from the report of the Director of the CDC.
In part, this reflects the longstanding American refusal to consider the possibility that widespread social
phenomena are brought about by social causes rather than just individual choices. However, it also reflects a
rejection of the social interventionism of LBJ's Great Society, FDR's New Deal, and even the regulation of big
business of the Progressive Era. Opposition to environmentalism and international organizations is part and parcel
of this.
Consequently, the lack of educational opportunities in the inner city cannot be acknowledged as proceeding from
either white flight or the inter-generational effect of the economic distance put between black and white Americans
brought about by the heavily biased administration of the GI Bill and by the Jim Crow laws. The heavy pollution of
areas occupied by ethnic minorities cannot be acknowledged to have any connection with the biased exemptions
from environmental controls provided to corporate campaign donors by politicians such as the former Governor of
Texas.
The largely unexamined category of whiteness remains the basis for American identity and the privileges that
accrue from full status, even if it has been extended to include European Catholics and Jews. Some affluent or
conservative black Americans and Hispanic Americans have been granted the status of "honorary whites", but the
promise of social coherence that broke out after 9/11 now seems only a flash in the pan.
Of course there are many poor whites who have been left out by the absence of social provision and by the failure
to use parental poverty as a category for affirmative action. However, a single generation of higher education will
suffice for their descendants to escape prejudice. Their lack of full American status is not written on their faces.
The educated or newly affluent children of poor whites are not going to be made the target of racial profiling every
time they buy a new car, even by black police officers. They will not be assumed to have gained access to a good
university only because they got a sports scholarship. They will not be instant suspects when they shop in a
department store, even for black store detectives. Extra hurdles will not be placed in their way every time they try
to take out a loan, even if the bank manager is black. They will not be refused a job interview just because their
given name indicates that they are members of an ethnic minority.
All of the above obstacles have been well documented in the case of black Americans. Most white Americans are
absolutely unaware of these phenomena, even if they are participating in them.
7/30/2019 Americas Race Obsession
11/41
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bannedbycastro
Comment No.896904
October 30 20:36
USA
Deleted by Cif moderator
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europeanstudent
Comment No.896923
October 30 20:50
NLD
@Lionel McPherson
Saddening.
It reminds me of an little incident in my own life last year. I was following a course (part of an MA-programme in
English Literature) on James Joyce's works, and some of the students in this course were also enrolled in another
course on some novels by William Faulkner. At one point during a discussion some of the other Dutch students, the
professor and I started discussing - mind you, in an academic setting, and not on the street - the usages of and
controversies surrounding the word 'nigger'. We weren't hurling the word at anyone. We were in the Netherlands,
and we were discussing the word 'nigger' as we would discuss the word 'Untermensch' in the context of a course on
the Third Reich.
Suddenly, this American student started attacking us for the simple fact of having uttered the word 'nigger'. I tried
to tell her that I felt that if we were to stop discussing the (different) usages of such words in history, culture,
literature and politics - and in the history of literature, culture and politics - we would be fooling ourselves: you'll
end up erasing the memory of the Ku Klux Klan, and the entire history and the context from which the most
hateful use of the word 'nigger' emerged. I pointed out that, for example, in the USSR it was very normal to erase
the images of people who had fallen out of favour with Stalin or other Party Big Shots from the history books. How
convenient it seems for some people to stop talking about the most painful issues surrounding the word 'nigger'!
Certainly, these Dutch students and I would also have discussed the history of Dutch colonialism and the slave
trade, etc, on another moment, - and I certainly have done that - but we were having a discussion in the context of
a course on Literature written by means of the ENGLISH language.
mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896900,%20was%20written%20by%20JohnLilburne,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:33%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20A%20widespread%20response%20among%20Americans%20is%20to%20point%20to%20those%20cases%20of%20nooses%20and%20other%20threats%20that%20hamailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896900,%20was%20written%20by%20JohnLilburne,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:33%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20A%20widespread%20response%20among%20Americans%20is%20to%20point%20to%20those%20cases%20of%20nooses%20and%20other%20threats%20that%20hamailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896900,%20was%20written%20by%20JohnLilburne,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:33%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20A%20widespread%20response%20among%20Americans%20is%20to%20point%20to%20those%20cases%20of%20nooses%20and%20other%20threats%20that%20hahttp://crregistervote%28%27896900%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896900%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896904#comment-896904http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896904#comment-896904http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896904#comment-896904http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896904#comment-896904http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896904#comment-896904mailto:[email 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protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896904,%20was%20written%20by%20bannedbycastro,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:36%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20Deleted%20by%20Cif%20moderatorhttp://crregistervote%28%27896904%27%29/http://crregistervote%28%27896904%27%29/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896923#comment-896923http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896923#comment-896923http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896923#comment-896923http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896923#comment-896923http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896923#comment-896923http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896923#comment-896923http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896923#comment-896923http://crregistervote%28%27896904%27%29/mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896904,%20was%20written%20by%20bannedbycastro,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:36%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20Deleted%20by%20Cif%20moderatorhttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896904#comment-896904http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html#comment-896904#comment-896904http://crregistervote%28%27896900%27%29/mailto:[email protected]?subject=A%20problem%20with%20http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/lionel_mcpherson/2007/10/americas_race_obsession.html&body=Please%20tell%20us%20the%20problem.%20For%20our%20reference,%20internally%20this%20comment%20is%20known%20as%20Number%20896900,%20was%20written%20by%20JohnLilburne,%20%20at%20October%2030,%202007%20%208:33%20PM,%20and%20starts%20with%20A%20widespread%20response%20among%20Americans%20is%20to%20point%20to%20those%20cases%20of%20nooses%20and%20other%20threats%20that%20ha7/30/2019 Americas Race Obsession
12/41
The strange thing was that this young American woman assumed, completely out of the blue, that we Dutch
students were all some kind of pro-Apartheid nazi Aryan fanatics simply because we were DUTCH students trying
to figure out what's up with all the different sides to the 'n-word'-controversy. The young lady was from New York.
With regard to the incarceration rates of African Americans, the state of New York is one of the worst in the USA,
which I mentioned to her..in vain. I tried to confront her at a later stage with her unwillingness to discuss the
horrible treatment of a large percentage of African-Americans in present-day USA, but she did not wish to react.
Then I tried to confront her with the way it struck me as rather odd that she was so passionate when it came to
trying to censor ANY kind of discussion of the historical use of the word 'nigger', while simultaneously she was
unwilling to engage in a discussion about the present-day injustices in American society.
I refrain from calling the young American lady 'White'. I am myself a white-looking, Portuguese-Dutch person, yet
my mother and all of the family from my mother's side look quite Mediterranean, North-African, sometimes they
look like 'typical' Arabs, and two aunts of mine have Black African-type hair. Both my parents are Portuguese, and
my father is of Germanic, Celtic, Latin and Sephardic Jewish descent.
'Whiteness' and 'Blac