Could a black man win the GOP nomination?

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Could a black man win the GOP nomination?

Grand Rapids, Michigan (CNN) -- We have seen Michele Bachmann being asked questions about her relationship with her husband, Marcus.

We have seen Mitt Romney deal with questions about his religion.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry recently denied rumors he dislikes George W. Bush.

And yet, despite our penchant for asking candidates personal questions that have little or nothing to do with their ability to do their jobs, everyone is avoiding the most basic question with regard to Herman Cain, which is, "Do you honestly believe a black man could win the GOP nomination?"

...

I'm not suggesting all Republicans are racists nor am I suggesting all Democrats are colorblind. After all, it was the Democrats who passed Jim Crow laws and a Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, who issued the executive order known as the Emancipation Proclamation. I believe the constant race card playing of the Revs. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are counterproductive and I think most people would be shocked to know that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Republican.

...

This is a country where race still matters -- and this is a month in which the nation saw shocking video of a random black man being beaten and then run over by a group of white teenagers yelling racial epithets.

...

Talking about race does not make one a racist, just as not talking about race doesn't make it go away. I can respect Cain not wanting to spend a great deal of time talking about the color of his skin, but I can't respect a line of thought that wants to ignore it either. Especially when we know many blacks feel compelled to vote Democrat -- regardless of how they feel about the party's policies-- because the GOP refuses to address its image regarding race.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/08/16/granderson.cain.racism/index.html?hpt=op_r1
 
First thing that jumps out at me is many people thought Colin Powell could have won the GOP nomination in 2000 if he had run.
 
I think we need to be less afraid to speak of race issues. Some people here would do well to listen to poet, his ideas are not all "Whites are bad" or even "Black people are perfect and always victims", in fact much of what I have seen him post through articles say a much different story.

We shouldn't be afraid to speak honestly about issues of race.
 
Damocles said:
I think we need to be less afraid to speak of race issues. Some people here would do well to listen to poet, his ideas are not all "Whites are bad" or even "Black people are perfect and always victims", in fact much of what I have seen him post through articles say a much different story.

We shouldn't be afraid to speak honestly about issues of race.
Click to expand...

i absolutely agree. why i mostly ignore him is because he automatically starts calling people racists. that is not having an honest discussion. people like topspin actually harm the conversation regarding race and racism in the US. by running around calling me and others here who are not racists, racists all the time, diminishes the true meaning of what a racist and what true racism is. it is like over using the race card, as some point you have diminished its value to such an extent, it no longer has any real meaning.

there is racism in all cultures, countries, groups and intergalactic secret super smart alien species. i don't think it will ever go away, but we can work on diminishing it and that is done by discussion and knowledge. much racism can be directly attributed to ignorance. if we are open about that and can talk about it in a rational manner, it would go along way to bringing many people, cultures together.....
 
Yurt said:
i absolutely agree. why i mostly ignore him is because he automatically starts calling people racists. that is not having an honest discussion. people like topspin actually harm the conversation regarding race and racism in the US. by running around calling me and others here who are not racists, racists all the time, diminishes the true meaning of what a racist and what true racism is. it is like over using the race card, as some point you have diminished its value to such an extent, it no longer has any real meaning.

there is racism in all cultures, countries, groups and intergalactic secret super smart alien species. i don't think it will ever go away, but we can work on diminishing it and that is done by discussion and knowledge. much racism can be directly attributed to ignorance. if we are open about that and can talk about it in a rational manner, it would go along way to bringing many people, cultures together.....
Click to expand...

I work to see past the angry comments. I don't see him believing he is a victim of any of us. I find him quite interesting when he speaks seriously on a subject and isn't getting involved in the ad hom game. I likely would like him IRL if I met him, although we would probably never agree on politics.
 
Yurt said:
Could a black man win the GOP nomination?

Grand Rapids, Michigan (CNN) -- We have seen Michele Bachmann being asked questions about her relationship with her husband, Marcus.

We have seen Mitt Romney deal with questions about his religion.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry recently denied rumors he dislikes George W. Bush.

And yet, despite our penchant for asking candidates personal questions that have little or nothing to do with their ability to do their jobs, everyone is avoiding the most basic question with regard to Herman Cain, which is, "Do you honestly believe a black man could win the GOP nomination?"

...

I'm not suggesting all Republicans are racists nor am I suggesting all Democrats are colorblind. After all, it was the Democrats who passed Jim Crow laws and a Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, who issued the executive order known as the Emancipation Proclamation. I believe the constant race card playing of the Revs. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are counterproductive and I think most people would be shocked to know that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Republican.

...

This is a country where race still matters -- and this is a month in which the nation saw shocking video of a random black man being beaten and then run over by a group of white teenagers yelling racial epithets.

...

Talking about race does not make one a racist, just as not talking about race doesn't make it go away. I can respect Cain not wanting to spend a great deal of time talking about the color of his skin, but I can't respect a line of thought that wants to ignore it either. Especially when we know many blacks feel compelled to vote Democrat -- regardless of how they feel about the party's policies-- because the GOP refuses to address its image regarding race.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/08/16/granderson.cain.racism/index.html?hpt=op_r1
Click to expand...

LOL. Anyone that thinks so is doing some serious "crack".
 
Damocles said:
I think we need to be less afraid to speak of race issues. Some people here would do well to listen to poet, his ideas are not all "Whites are bad" or even "Black people are perfect and always victims", in fact much of what I have seen him post through articles say a much different story.

We shouldn't be afraid to speak honestly about issues of race.
Click to expand...

Wow.
 
Damocles said:
I think we need to be less afraid to speak of race issues. Some people here would do well to listen to poet, his ideas are not all "Whites are bad" or even "Black people are perfect and always victims", in fact much of what I have seen him post through articles say a much different story.

We shouldn't be afraid to speak honestly about issues of race.
Click to expand...

It can be hard to have a discussion on race in such a politically charged environment such as this board where so many statements are used as 'gotcha' moments to try and score political points or make someone else (or the 'other side') look bad. Not saying it can't be done just that it is a challenge.
 
Yurt said:
i absolutely agree. why i mostly ignore him is because he automatically starts calling people racists. that is not having an honest discussion. people like topspin actually harm the conversation regarding race and racism in the US. by running around calling me and others here who are not racists, racists all the time, diminishes the true meaning of what a racist and what true racism is. it is like over using the race card, as some point you have diminished its value to such an extent, it no longer has any real meaning.

there is racism in all cultures, countries, groups and intergalactic secret super smart alien species. i don't think it will ever go away, but we can work on diminishing it and that is done by discussion and knowledge. much racism can be directly attributed to ignorance. if we are open about that and can talk about it in a rational manner, it would go along way to bringing many people, cultures together.....
Click to expand...

I don't have a problem being ignored. The folks that are meant to get my gist, generally "do". Those that don't, oh well. I don't run around calling everyone a racist...especially those with whom I have disagreements. Don't act like a racist, and you won't be called one. I'm not the one. I am not what you are used to. I'm educated, experienced and seasoned. I'm not the negro you see on the 5 O'Clock News.
So, when you attempt to treat me as such, you'll find resistance and "a reading". A lot folks around here, running around, don't think that they are racist, because they have had their mindsets all of their lives, and no one has told them otherwise. You can't say everything that comes to your mind. You have to filter and think about how it's going to impact another human being...not your servant, not your maid, not your stepping stone, not your footstool, and not your slave. When you and others accept the fact that you automatically receive "special treatment", carte blanche, and privileges afforded no one else, simply because you were born with white skin (although some of you are not 100 % white, in the first place, hello?), then we can start the conversation....because , like it or not, that is reality. And you can pretend that it doesn't exist...but you are only prolonging honest dialogue...and just like folks that don't vote have no business complaining about what government doesn't do, or does poorly, likewise, don't complain when folks point out the racism you don't want to acknowledge, but want to project.
 
I can respect Cain not wanting to spend a great deal of time talking about the color of his skin, but I can't respect a line of thought that wants to ignore it either.
Click to expand...

To me, this is just an insidiously racist comment. Why should a line of thought that wants to ignore a person's skin color not be respected? Do we have to acknowledge a person's skin color before we can evaluate what they might have to say? Sounds like it to me. Isn't that is what is being said here? Unless we recognize Herman Cain is a black man, we can't rationally be expected to listen to what he has to say! If we want to evaluate his message on merit, and formulate our opinion of Mr. Cain on that basis, it is wrong, because we haven't considered what color he is. It's only when we consider his race above all else, that we can truly say we aren't being racists, apparently.
 
Dixie said:
To me, this is just an insidiously racist comment. Why should a line of thought that wants to ignore a person's skin color not be respected? Do we have to acknowledge a person's skin color before we can evaluate what they might have to say? Sounds like it to me. Isn't that is what is being said here? Unless we recognize Herman Cain is a black man, we can't rationally be expected to listen to what he has to say! If we want to evaluate his message on merit, and formulate our opinion of Mr. Cain on that basis, it is wrong, because we haven't considered what color he is. It's only when we consider his race above all else, that we can truly say we aren't being racists, apparently.
Click to expand...

I wish for a world where we don't consider color, but that isn't this time. There are some people who still judge a human by the color of their skin, as CSNY, sang, "teach your children well"
 
Rana said:
I wish he had, unfortunately, he is now tainted.
Click to expand...

True that. It is unfortunate. Had he got in the race I would have had somebody to support from beginning to end and would have worked extremely hard to get him elected. Instead... Jeebus... Instead...
 
Damocles said:
True that. It is unfortunate. Had he got in the race I would have had somebody to support from beginning to end and would have worked extremely hard to get him elected. Instead... Jeebus... Instead...
Click to expand...

I think he probably shares our sentiment!
 
Rana said:
I wish for a world where we don't consider color, but that isn't this time. There are some people who still judge a human by the color of their skin, as CSNY, sang, "teach your children well"
Click to expand...

There will always be that. That will never go away. I mean maybe in hundreds and hundreds of years people will all have inter married so much that everyone has the same skin tone but highly doubtful.
 
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