No, Oprah - USA Today Opinion Piece
Nov 25, 2013 22:17:35 #
No, Oprah, America isn't r****t: Column
Mark Joseph 1:43 p.m. EST November 25, 2013
President Obama isn't loathed for his skin color.
In an interview, Oprah Winfrey seemed to chalk up much of the opposition to the president to r****m. Oprah is still living in that other time when people separated themselves from one another by race.
Yet, our first black president is actually accorded more respect than some past presidents have received.
Shortly before receiving the medal of freedom from President Obama, Oprah Winfrey gave an interview to the BBC in which she seemed to chalk up much of the opposition to the president to r****m: "I think there's a level of disrespect for the office that occurs ... because he's African American," she said.
Her claim reminded me of the times when, as a child of the '70s, my father would ask an odd question about my friends, "What is he?"
"Huh?" I'd ask.
"You know, what is he Italian? German? Lebanese? What is he?" my father replied.
I had no idea what my friends' ethnic origins were. It was only when I traveled with my father to the north side of Chicago where he grew up, and he pointed out which ethnic groups had lived in various parts of town, that I understood.
To be sure, I was well aware of r****m. I had read Black Like Me as a third-grader. But the idea of discriminating on the basis of race simply made no sense to my young mind.
Oprah's pronouncement produced another "huh?" moment for me, considering the fact that it was millions of Americans that gave their colorblind eyes to her show for a quarter-century, famous enough to be interviewed by the BBC.
As c*******m wound down in the Soviet Union, President Reagan was asked whether he still considered it an evil empire. "You are talking about another time, another era," he replied.
Oprah is still living in that other time and era in which people separated themselves from one another primarily on the basis of race a real time to be sure but one that is, for the most part, not our reality today. That's especially so at the highest levels of politics and entertainment.
Tea Party r****m
Because it is more often than not Tea Party types who are accused of racial hostility toward Obama, I have a parlor game I play with my white conservative friends that tells me everything I need to know about the state of race relations in America.
"If your daughter were thinking of marrying a man like Clarence Thomas or one like Chris Matthews, which would you choose?" I ask.
The answer is quick and unanimous: They'd choose to spend their holidays with a son-in-law who looks nothing like them but shares their values rather than one who merely shares their skin color.
Oprah might want us to believe Obama faces extraordinary opposition that can largely be explained by his race, but she conveniently forgets that in the past 100 years, six presidents were shot at, one k**led, another impeached and two driven from office. All were loathed by millions. Some more than others.
Our first black president is actually accorded more respect than some past presidents have received. At the height of his health care reform failure, Obama has the lowest popularity of his presidency, yet the past eight (white) presidents in a row were all less popular at their own low points.
The success of the civil rights movement and the widespread acceptance of interracial marriage has fundamentally changed America's racial equation.
Some day soon, when we all look like actor and TV host Mario Lopez, it will simply be impossible to find people of a different skin color, let alone h**e on the basis of it.
Mark Joseph is an author and producer. His next book is Rock Gets Religion: The Battle for the Soul of the Devil's Music.
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Mark Joseph 1:43 p.m. EST November 25, 2013
President Obama isn't loathed for his skin color.
In an interview, Oprah Winfrey seemed to chalk up much of the opposition to the president to r****m. Oprah is still living in that other time when people separated themselves from one another by race.
Yet, our first black president is actually accorded more respect than some past presidents have received.
Shortly before receiving the medal of freedom from President Obama, Oprah Winfrey gave an interview to the BBC in which she seemed to chalk up much of the opposition to the president to r****m: "I think there's a level of disrespect for the office that occurs ... because he's African American," she said.
Her claim reminded me of the times when, as a child of the '70s, my father would ask an odd question about my friends, "What is he?"
"Huh?" I'd ask.
"You know, what is he Italian? German? Lebanese? What is he?" my father replied.
I had no idea what my friends' ethnic origins were. It was only when I traveled with my father to the north side of Chicago where he grew up, and he pointed out which ethnic groups had lived in various parts of town, that I understood.
To be sure, I was well aware of r****m. I had read Black Like Me as a third-grader. But the idea of discriminating on the basis of race simply made no sense to my young mind.
Oprah's pronouncement produced another "huh?" moment for me, considering the fact that it was millions of Americans that gave their colorblind eyes to her show for a quarter-century, famous enough to be interviewed by the BBC.
As c*******m wound down in the Soviet Union, President Reagan was asked whether he still considered it an evil empire. "You are talking about another time, another era," he replied.
Oprah is still living in that other time and era in which people separated themselves from one another primarily on the basis of race a real time to be sure but one that is, for the most part, not our reality today. That's especially so at the highest levels of politics and entertainment.
Tea Party r****m
Because it is more often than not Tea Party types who are accused of racial hostility toward Obama, I have a parlor game I play with my white conservative friends that tells me everything I need to know about the state of race relations in America.
"If your daughter were thinking of marrying a man like Clarence Thomas or one like Chris Matthews, which would you choose?" I ask.
The answer is quick and unanimous: They'd choose to spend their holidays with a son-in-law who looks nothing like them but shares their values rather than one who merely shares their skin color.
Oprah might want us to believe Obama faces extraordinary opposition that can largely be explained by his race, but she conveniently forgets that in the past 100 years, six presidents were shot at, one k**led, another impeached and two driven from office. All were loathed by millions. Some more than others.
Our first black president is actually accorded more respect than some past presidents have received. At the height of his health care reform failure, Obama has the lowest popularity of his presidency, yet the past eight (white) presidents in a row were all less popular at their own low points.
The success of the civil rights movement and the widespread acceptance of interracial marriage has fundamentally changed America's racial equation.
Some day soon, when we all look like actor and TV host Mario Lopez, it will simply be impossible to find people of a different skin color, let alone h**e on the basis of it.
Mark Joseph is an author and producer. His next book is Rock Gets Religion: The Battle for the Soul of the Devil's Music.
.
Nov 25, 2013 22:36:46 #
Thanks for spotting that. That writer hit the nail square!
AuntiE wrote:
No, Oprah, America isn't r****t: Column br Mark Jo... (show quote)
Nov 26, 2013 08:21:32 #
Donmac
Loc: Lincoln, RI
Oprah has lost it! She is so far from t***h about Obama. His policy and actions and lies have revealed his true self and actions, so his color of skin didn't make him like he is in t***h and she doesn't understand what is happening in the real world due to his ACTIONS as President.
Oprah is living in a completely different world than the one of people who put her there.
Oprah is living in a completely different world than the one of people who put her there.
Nov 26, 2013 08:26:52 #
I do believe she places way to much on skin color or she thinks it's fine for a president to lie. I posted 'Obama Lies' and it's from almost every news source.
Donmac wrote:
Oprah has lost it! She is so far from t***h about Obama. His policy and actions and lies have revealed his true self and actions, so his color of skin didn't make him like he is in t***h and she doesn't understand what is happening in the real world due to his ACTIONS as President.
Oprah is living in a completely different world than the one of people who put her there.
Oprah is living in a completely different world than the one of people who put her there.
Nov 26, 2013 09:49:28 #
AuntiE wrote:
No, Oprah, America isn't r****t: Column br Mark Jo... (show quote)
I would actually like nothing more than to agree with you AuntiE, on the fact that his color is not the basis for his unpopularity, unfortunately I dont, not entirely. I do agree that it is not the complete reason, but does it have influence on peoples decision making about him? Of course, and to say otherwise is just simply not true. It has an impact on the people where color does matter, yes they still do exist.
I thank God that prejudices are dying out with generations. Mixed marriages are becoming more popular. If this is what it takes for people to stop this ridiculous line of rational? It is as simplistically stupid, as a white cat not mating with a black cat.
For example mixing up the genetic pool can create a superior hybrid. I raise Azteca horses, a mix of the Spanish/Peruvian horse with the American Quarter horse, and I will swear to you this mix is phenomenal!
Nov 26, 2013 10:03:59 #
I POSTED THIS ON HER FACE BOOK PAGE A WEEK AGO
I just read your comment to the BBC that White People don't like Obama because he is Black, first off he is only half black, remember Stanley Ann his mother WHITE.
Let's tell it like it is Oprah, not only W***e A******NS but A VAST MAJORITY OF B***k A******NS DISLIKE HIM AS WELL. IT IS "YOU" THAT IS A PROVEN "R****T", you did however cover it up very well with your show when it first came out and then little by little your show moved from neutral to Black in your comments, your guests etc., but you still had all those White and Black Middle Class Housewives fooled.
And then you brought Obama on the show, NO ONE EVER HEARD OF HIM BEFORE, and it was YOU who launched his campaign publicly supporting him and like good little mice your audience followed you like a pied piper not knowing anything about him.
Oh and how does it feel after you got him elected you were tossed out of his inner circle by Michelle thru Valerie Jarrett saying you were trying to weave your way into his inner circle?
WE DISTANE OBAMA FOR WHAT HE IS, A MAN, NOT BLACK, NOT WHITE, HAS NO BEARING, HE COULD BE PURPLE, WE DISLIKE HIM FOR WHAT HE STANDS FOR, SOCIALISM, MARKISM, ISLAMIC RADICALISM, WHITE HATING AS HE WAS RAISED TO DO BY FRANK MARSHALL DAVIS, AND HIS AFFILATION WITH VERNON JARRETT PAUL AYERS, BILL AYERS, JEREMIAH WRIGHT, SO DON'T THROW THE RACE CARD OUT THERE.
PEOPLE ARE SLOWLY WAKING UP TO WHAT HE REALLY IS, OH HOW IS JEREMIAH WRIGHT DOING? YOU KNOW THE MINISTER OF TRINITY CHURCH OF CHICAGO WHERE YOU AND THE OBAMA'S WERE MEMBERS OF WHO SAID IN THE 60'S HE HOPED THE VIET CONG WOULD K**L ALL THE WHITE SOLDIERS, AND THEN SAID GOD BLESS AMERICA, NO GOD DAMN AMERICA, AT LEAST HE HAD THE GUTS TO SAY HOW HE FELT AND NOT HIDE AS YOU AND OBAMA DO.
AND MICHELLE WITH HER SAYING "THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE BEEN PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN" AND THEN "ALL THIS FOR A DAMN F**G" and you, HID A CHILD FROM YOUR AUDIENCE THAT YOU HAD "WHAT WERE YOU ASHAMED OF?
WERE YOU AFRAID YOUR REPUTATION WOULD BE HURT AND YOUR RATINGS WOULD FALL IF IT WERE KNOWN THAT YOU HAD A CHILD OUT OF WEDLOCK AND YET NEVER DEVULGED THAT INFORMATION TO YOUR AUDIENCE?
YET WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED, YOU PUT YOUR PUBLIC RELATIONS PERSONNEL INTO OVERDRIVE TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO MINAMIZE THE DAMAGE SINCE IT WAS NOW IN THE OPEN AND HAVING YOUR MOTHER AND OTHERS AROUND YOU ON THE STAGE WHEN YOU INTRODUCED YOUR CHILD TO YOUR FLOCK ON NATIONAL TV.
It has not been the Black Community as a majority that has made you the Billionaire that you are, it was the average White Middle Class Housewives across this Nation that tuned into your show and if by chance they (like my wife) had to work while your show was on, she would record it so she could watch it when she came home.
At first I found your show to be educational and entertaining but as the years passed I watched it move more to the left and not maintain the Neutral Ground as when it started.
Yes you launched the careers of many individuals, Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil, to name two and I am sure they are very thankful.
You were also very generous with you in house audience giving various gifts to them, cars, trips, etc. But as I said above, I watched your show move more towards the left as the years past with specific guests, and topics.
Then you took on the plight of the issues in Africa with your Billions of dollars building hospitals, schools and such in these 3rd world countries and although it is sad the situation over there, WE WILL NEVER BRING PIECE OR FIX THEIR PROBLEMS WHEN MOST OF THE COUNTRY IS RAN BY DICTATORS, PRONOUNCED KINGS AND ALL THEY KNOW IS REVOLUTON.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHAT DID YOU DO FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN CHICAGO, DETROIT, AND OTHER CITIES ACROSS THIS NATION? I AM SURE THAT THE ANSWER IS IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF FOR YOUR VAST FORTURE THAT YOU HAVE ACCUMULATED FROM THE WHITE MIDDLE CLASS HOUSEWIVES WHO SUPPORTED YOUR SHOW BUT NOW IN YOUR EYES THEY ARE R****TS
On the BBC broadcast which I watched and also read the article pertaining that there is disrespect for the Office of the President in this country.
It is not the office that the disrespect is for. It is the person who is sitting in the office that there is NO RESPECT FOR.
Obama has lied to the American People both Black and White since he has taken office.
OBAMACARE was designed to FAIL from the start; Obamas main goal is a One Payer Program ran by the Government, who will decide if a person based on their age, and type of illness if it would be cost effective to PROVIDE TREATMENT, and if not then deny them the treatment AND THUS THEY DIE.
And based on your statement to the BBC that is exactly what you want, stating that the older generation who you believe to be R****t needs to die.
I would purpose that would mean any of your relations (TO INCLUDE YOUR MOTHER) in that group that you are describing ALSO NEEDS TO DIE SINCE I AM SURE SHE WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE SOUTH AND HAS A R****T MENTALITY.
It is also Obamas intent to destroy this Nation WHICH HAS MADE YOU VERY RICH.
I just read your comment to the BBC that White People don't like Obama because he is Black, first off he is only half black, remember Stanley Ann his mother WHITE.
Let's tell it like it is Oprah, not only W***e A******NS but A VAST MAJORITY OF B***k A******NS DISLIKE HIM AS WELL. IT IS "YOU" THAT IS A PROVEN "R****T", you did however cover it up very well with your show when it first came out and then little by little your show moved from neutral to Black in your comments, your guests etc., but you still had all those White and Black Middle Class Housewives fooled.
And then you brought Obama on the show, NO ONE EVER HEARD OF HIM BEFORE, and it was YOU who launched his campaign publicly supporting him and like good little mice your audience followed you like a pied piper not knowing anything about him.
Oh and how does it feel after you got him elected you were tossed out of his inner circle by Michelle thru Valerie Jarrett saying you were trying to weave your way into his inner circle?
WE DISTANE OBAMA FOR WHAT HE IS, A MAN, NOT BLACK, NOT WHITE, HAS NO BEARING, HE COULD BE PURPLE, WE DISLIKE HIM FOR WHAT HE STANDS FOR, SOCIALISM, MARKISM, ISLAMIC RADICALISM, WHITE HATING AS HE WAS RAISED TO DO BY FRANK MARSHALL DAVIS, AND HIS AFFILATION WITH VERNON JARRETT PAUL AYERS, BILL AYERS, JEREMIAH WRIGHT, SO DON'T THROW THE RACE CARD OUT THERE.
PEOPLE ARE SLOWLY WAKING UP TO WHAT HE REALLY IS, OH HOW IS JEREMIAH WRIGHT DOING? YOU KNOW THE MINISTER OF TRINITY CHURCH OF CHICAGO WHERE YOU AND THE OBAMA'S WERE MEMBERS OF WHO SAID IN THE 60'S HE HOPED THE VIET CONG WOULD K**L ALL THE WHITE SOLDIERS, AND THEN SAID GOD BLESS AMERICA, NO GOD DAMN AMERICA, AT LEAST HE HAD THE GUTS TO SAY HOW HE FELT AND NOT HIDE AS YOU AND OBAMA DO.
AND MICHELLE WITH HER SAYING "THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE BEEN PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN" AND THEN "ALL THIS FOR A DAMN F**G" and you, HID A CHILD FROM YOUR AUDIENCE THAT YOU HAD "WHAT WERE YOU ASHAMED OF?
WERE YOU AFRAID YOUR REPUTATION WOULD BE HURT AND YOUR RATINGS WOULD FALL IF IT WERE KNOWN THAT YOU HAD A CHILD OUT OF WEDLOCK AND YET NEVER DEVULGED THAT INFORMATION TO YOUR AUDIENCE?
YET WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED, YOU PUT YOUR PUBLIC RELATIONS PERSONNEL INTO OVERDRIVE TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO MINAMIZE THE DAMAGE SINCE IT WAS NOW IN THE OPEN AND HAVING YOUR MOTHER AND OTHERS AROUND YOU ON THE STAGE WHEN YOU INTRODUCED YOUR CHILD TO YOUR FLOCK ON NATIONAL TV.
It has not been the Black Community as a majority that has made you the Billionaire that you are, it was the average White Middle Class Housewives across this Nation that tuned into your show and if by chance they (like my wife) had to work while your show was on, she would record it so she could watch it when she came home.
At first I found your show to be educational and entertaining but as the years passed I watched it move more to the left and not maintain the Neutral Ground as when it started.
Yes you launched the careers of many individuals, Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil, to name two and I am sure they are very thankful.
You were also very generous with you in house audience giving various gifts to them, cars, trips, etc. But as I said above, I watched your show move more towards the left as the years past with specific guests, and topics.
Then you took on the plight of the issues in Africa with your Billions of dollars building hospitals, schools and such in these 3rd world countries and although it is sad the situation over there, WE WILL NEVER BRING PIECE OR FIX THEIR PROBLEMS WHEN MOST OF THE COUNTRY IS RAN BY DICTATORS, PRONOUNCED KINGS AND ALL THEY KNOW IS REVOLUTON.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHAT DID YOU DO FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN CHICAGO, DETROIT, AND OTHER CITIES ACROSS THIS NATION? I AM SURE THAT THE ANSWER IS IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF FOR YOUR VAST FORTURE THAT YOU HAVE ACCUMULATED FROM THE WHITE MIDDLE CLASS HOUSEWIVES WHO SUPPORTED YOUR SHOW BUT NOW IN YOUR EYES THEY ARE R****TS
On the BBC broadcast which I watched and also read the article pertaining that there is disrespect for the Office of the President in this country.
It is not the office that the disrespect is for. It is the person who is sitting in the office that there is NO RESPECT FOR.
Obama has lied to the American People both Black and White since he has taken office.
OBAMACARE was designed to FAIL from the start; Obamas main goal is a One Payer Program ran by the Government, who will decide if a person based on their age, and type of illness if it would be cost effective to PROVIDE TREATMENT, and if not then deny them the treatment AND THUS THEY DIE.
And based on your statement to the BBC that is exactly what you want, stating that the older generation who you believe to be R****t needs to die.
I would purpose that would mean any of your relations (TO INCLUDE YOUR MOTHER) in that group that you are describing ALSO NEEDS TO DIE SINCE I AM SURE SHE WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE SOUTH AND HAS A R****T MENTALITY.
It is also Obamas intent to destroy this Nation WHICH HAS MADE YOU VERY RICH.
Nov 26, 2013 11:13:02 #
Papabear wrote:
I POSTED THIS ON HER FACE BOOK PAGE A WEEK AGO br ... (show quote)
Papabear you went from talking to us to talking to Oprah, Apparently you have very strong issues with her, maybe you should email this to her, and you will feel better.
Nov 26, 2013 11:41:21 #
Papabear, I agree with your article 110 per cent.It should be read by everyone in America that can read and let them make up their own minds about what kind of race baiter the black b***h really is.GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
Nov 26, 2013 12:26:22 #
Nov 26, 2013 22:54:39 #
Papabear wrote:
I posted it on her Face Book
Thank you, I would not have changed a word.
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