This.
Of today’s events — Obama’s release of his long-form birth certificate and Trump’s gloating response — Baratunde Thurston (Jack Turner) of Jack & Jill Politics writes:
It was during my viewing of this video [Trump's remarks in New Hampshire] that I began to cry. I thought of my ancestors, both direct and collective, who had fought and died so that I might be treated as an American. I then thought of this fetid, smug, hate-filled, wealthy white man taking credit for the release and yet still not being satisfied. It does not matter how long we’ve been in these United States. We will never be American.
So, tears in my eyes, pain in my heart and rage in my soul, I composed this video message. More than written text, it comes close to expressing my full pain at witnessing a white man who was handed everything call the President of the United States (and me) a nigger.
Here’s the video he recorded:
It hurts more than I thought it would. I’m taking it more personally than perhaps seems rational, but I feel sucker-punched.
[via Jack & Jill Politics]
Thank you Baratunde.
I hear you, ABL. It hit me in a very personal way as well. This video really does sum up the feeling very well.
Give em hell ABL, and don’t let up until morale improves.
And a little something from the cute files, especially the pitchfork lady to calm the soul
Something Cute This Way Comes.
from a flickr friend
This breaks my heart.
I sure hope every parent will have a long talk with their children about what happened today like my parents did with me when I was growing up back in the 60′s and 70′s about racism even though my dad is Italian and my mom is African-American. What happened today has gone beyond political parties into a realm that is riddled with hatred and contempt for one our countries greatest Presidents.
What Trump and these racist birthers have done struck a very deep chord inside me that reminded me of some parts of my childhood and college years. I recall when kids would tease me about being a zebra and parents banning their kids from playing with me or even coming over to our house. I recall when some teachers would see my mom at parent-teacher conferences and they thought she was my nanny and refused to talk to her until my white mother showed up.
I do recall one time when both of my parents attended parent-teacher conferences and one teacher actaully went and got the principal when my mom told her that my dad was her husband as she didn’t believe my mom. Shortly after that, my mom and dad transferred me out of that school becasue the that teacher was purposely trying to fail me and treated me like shit. Mind you, my mom is an educator, so you know my mom sat with me every night to make sure, I did my homework and I mean every night along with my dad who was a math wiz.
But the sad thing is, is that these people have hatred in their hearts and I do recall what Lindsey Graham said when Obama got elected that no matter what, there will be people who will not accept Obama as their President no matter what. But I also blame MSM for their lack of integrity for letting Trump race bait like that.
This moved me to tears and hit me deeply. I knew I felt something was terribly wrong with all of this yesterday but couldn’t put words to it because I don’t have the depth of personal experience to express it. Our President did what he did yesterday in his typical classy way and yet, it tugged me that he was caving into this bullshit. I just want to leave this country – I’ve felt that way for a while now but it gets ever stronger by the day. I am embarrassed by what America has become and I am not proud to tell people from other countries that I am an American. We’ve sunk to a low that is unconscionable. Yesterday was truly a sad and shameful day.
This birther nonsense has always been about racism, and it is shameful that the President of the United States had to produce any document at all to shut these racist morons down.
I remember how amazed and proud I was (proud of America) the night Obama was elected. Of course, I knew it wasn’t the end of racism, but it meant something profound. I think Baratunde Thurston was right to point out that Trump’s race-baiting campaign diminished that accomplishment, and Trump should pay a price for that.
I love ths blog, but scapgoating Donald Trump is exactly the wrong the thing to do here.
The election of Barack Obama was “diminished” by the actions of Donald Trump only insomuch as the country’s and the news media reaction to his race-baiting provides a nice illustration of the how white people in this country tolerate a certain level of racism to maintain their own personal privilege and status.
Go on any liberal blog and there will be a contingent of (white) liberals screaming that the President is “morally weak” and a “caver” for releasing the birth certificate at all. Yes, it’s his fault that white people are racists. Derailing for Dummies, anyone?
This is not Trump’s failure. This is an American failure.
This is in fact an American failure.
It’s a failure born of a toxic mix of ignorance, racism, demagoguery, corporate greed, and religious hatred, among other causes.
What we are seeing is its latest incarnation, though most of its roots go as far back as the landing of the first Europeans on North American shores. Some go back farther still, and the racism goes as far back as when the first groups of people realized someone else was out there who was not them.
It’s an American failure, and it’s a human tragedy, in the most classical sense of the term.
Sometimes I look at lower life forms like Trump, Terry (the Muslim-baiter, not the Welsh Monty Python alum) Jones, Bo(eh)ner, and Michele Bachmann, and the screeching teabillies, and the hundreds of thousands who’d rather watch “American Idol” than read even the smallest book, and then I look at President Obama, and I think we have a far better President than we as a nation deserve.
Actually, it not just the birthers, it is the whole damn Tea party lunatics who are racists.
Fuck them.
With all due respect (none), I say this as a very old white woman. It was very clear from the beginning that this birther bullshit was about racism.
During the campaign, Mz Coke Roberts said that Barack Obama shouldn’t go visit Hawaii because it was “sort of exotic.” What’s “exotic” code for? And it was downhill from there. Now they don’t bother with code –it’s all out there in the open.
I’m also sad that ANY Americans have suffered at the hands of these buffoons: ABL, Emily, asiangrrl, Allan: remember that these people are on the wrong side of history. They CANNOT win. They WILL NOT win. I won’t live to see it, alas, but I have seen lots of progress just in my lifetime. Take heart.
Thank you so much for posting this here. This is a gut-punchingly powerful piece of video, and I, too was moved to tears — by how right he is, and by the vast well of sorrow his words reveal. It’s one of those moments where a white liberal gets a glimpse into how little she understands the experience of African-Americans.
I’m done getting mad. I’m getting even.
I even have to get into this shit with two idiots on the tvgasm website. I normally would ignore it, but I am fed up and tired of being nice and patient to these racists. One of them is going on about Obama not releasing tax, medical, or school records and bringing this controversy on himself. Sometimes you just want to put a foot in someone’s ass! This is low point in our country and I can only hope it gets better.
What Trump and his enablers and followers did was make us feel humiliation and hopelessness for a momentary illusion that nothing has changed, and racism still wins. Will always win.
I know I felt that way yesterday. And I hurt for my brothers and sisters of color for having to witness a repeat of the same old humiliating injustice that will NOT stop, even when the target is the President of the United States. Leader of the free world.
So I guess Trump and fellow idiots are celebrating a “victory,” but it’s short-lived, and it will soon morph into a defeat. The majority of the American public will not abide this crap much longer. I’m sure of it.
But more important is this: what they really want will NEVER be accomplished. They’ll NEVER be able to change the fact that Barack Hussein Obama was ELECTED as President of the United States, has led Congress through passage of historic progressive legislation despite some of the most well-financed and well-organized right-wing opposition propaganda ever witnessed, and continues to stand tall and meet each new challenge.
Oh! And as for racists on the left — they’ve been no different from the racists on the right. They all give the black guy respect as long as he talks and acts like they think he should. But if he falls out of line, the stereotyped racial insults will fly. Fuck all of ‘em.
The important thing to remember is that the future of Donald Trump’s business relationship with NBC is up to a very small circle of people. This is precisely why last night Lawrence O’Donnell spun a giant spotlight around and pointed it directly at the head of NBC Entertainment. And why my post yesterday sent everyone in that direction as well, though it was unimaginably brave on Lawrence’s part to do it, because he actually works for the same company.
The change.org link in my post gets your message to Trump’s sponsors, and they are your other target.
Hey, Allan, I saw that most excellent and impressive post you did and loved it. I also used the email address you provided and sent a letter to Rebecca Marks, pledging to organize with like-minded friends to ensure that NBC suffers all available and appropriate consequences and does not profit by enabling Trump’s assery.
I’m motivated to get even too, Allan. }:^[]
ABL have you seen this. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/shiloh-baptist-church-receives-threats-after-comments-from-sean-hannity/2011/04/27/AFLSKi5E_story.html
Thank you for all the wonderful comments. I will be offline for the better part of the next few days — heading to Charlottesville for my 10 year law school reunion, but thank you and I will check in as much as my drunken shenanigans will permit. In the meantime, my cohorts will pick up my slack! :)
Here’s one encouraging thing: On last night’s CBS evening news, Bob Schieffer said Trump was engaging in an “ugly strain of racism.”
I haven’t got the IQ to put up a link, but Huff Post has video (imagine that!).
Eyes on the prize, people. Eyes on the prize.
Okay, now I feel worse. I just read a column and took offense at the title of the post (“Who Does Obama Want to Be When He Grows Up?”) and shot my mouth off, both in the comments section and on Twitter. The author was defensive and kept pointing out “Hey, I’m black!” And I kept saying, “Doesn’t matter, I’m still pissed.” Was I out of line?
http://prospect.org/cs/articles?article=who_does_obama_want_to_be_when_he_grows_up#
Just read it, beulahmo. No, I think you were correct to object to the title. It really doesn’t matter what race you are, but if you use a phrase that implies that the president is a child, you’re not only insulting him, but particularly of an AA man, you’re emasculating him.
I’m going to be mean and attribute the title to projection, based on the author’s photo.
Obama is the grownup in the room, and he knows who he is. It’s the immature behavior of his rivals and critics that distracts from that reality.
Last observation: Ross Perot. Even in his re-election bid, when Perot’s performance was weaker, Clinton never cracked the 50% mark with American voters. A serious third-party candidate changes everything. If Bush had been stronger going into 1992, Perot wouldn’t have siphoned 19% of the vote, more at the GOP’s expense than the Dems.
No one’s seriously challenging Obama from the left, and we may get a fringer candidate or two declare as an independent after failing to win the GOP nod, but right now there’s no credible moderate voice. Trump just went down in flames with the reasonable center.
It occurred to me today that many of our leading “progressive” pundits have only been working, or even politically aware, under two administrations — Bush and Obama. Clinton is something that happened when they were kids.
Thanks Allan. I appreciate your taking the time to read it and give me your feedback.
I realize it’s highly unlikely any third-party challenge will siphon votes away from Obama. Lefty pundits won’t do much damage to Obama’s support from the left, but what about moderates? I just get so damned tired of the relentless sniping from all sides — especially from the ones WE turn to for “analysis.” }:-p
It is indeed sad when the legitimacy of a sitting president 2.5 years into his term is still having to deflect questions on the legitimacy of his citizenship, his religion, and now his college education. Never mind that being born here is a prerequisite to being eligible to serve as President; that fact was proven before the election. What never ceases to amaze is the continued so-called controversy about the rest of his legitimacy. Never before have credentials been called into question as aggressively as they have with this president. In addition, the doubters can hide behind the cloak of racism with the contrived excuses mentioned above and others. It’s fine to criticize a president on his policies, his rhetoric, his choices of staff. Criticize what you will. His record is his record. But it is hurtful to all of us as citizens to relegate a duly and by a large margin elected leader of the world as somehow illegitimate and was able to accomplish all of this through fraud and trickery. As proud of my country I was on a cold election night in November of 2008, I am saddened and ashamed of that same country by evil forces that simply cannot accept that a man of color has ascended to president.
Please please keep in mind that millions of white people find the birther issue disgusting, vile and racist. I hold onto my sanity by believing that it’s a fringe lunatic racist minority that is sustaining the lie. Sadly, they have been given too much media attention and too much leeway by the Republican party – for that they all should be thoroughly ashamed. They have contributed to this very ugly piece of American history. I am so impressed with the dignity and grace shown by Obama throughout this travesty.
@SnoringDogStudio
Amazing, isn’t it, that the ugliest, most incendiary and vile portions of our society make the most noise and get the most attention. Of course the vast majority of Americans, regardless of race, color, or religion, are tolerant of others’ differences and respect their opinions even if it differs from their own.
One of the reasons that people who would make such comments like Trump does, like the assembly person in Oklahoma does, get so much attention is that they are not a part of rational, normal sentiments and as such strike a wrong note. Not unlike a piano concerto being played out of key, it doesn’t sound right and therefore gets undue attention.
As embarrassing as these people are to themselves, to us, and to the country as a whole, I celebrate them being called out for what they are so that they can be dealt with out in the open. With their terrible attitudes and blatant racism, perhaps the shame of their ways will teach them and others like them the err of their ways. Perhaps.
Not sure if it is any consolation, ABL, but there are a lot of middle aged white guys (like me) who are embarrassed by Trump specifically and the birther bullshit in general. It was never anything but veiled racism and the fact that many of these people are still unsatisfied is proof positive of what it is.
I wish that this was just a small lunatic fringe that was propagating this nonsense but sadly, it looks like the group includes somewhere between 25 and 50% of self identified Republicans. Sad, just really sad.
Baratunde expressed his hurt and outrage really well; thanks for cross posting here and at BJ.
@RosiesDad
Like SnoringDogStudio, you are a part of the REAL silent majority who is a rational, fair-minded individual. Can you imagine the chaos if the majority was comprised of misguided, knee-jerk reactionaries who would have their way with even more ridiculous legislation like we’re seeing now? Certainly we’d be in much worse shape than we are already.
Protest. Trump.
Picket. Trump.
Boycott. Trump.
Bankrupt. Trump.
That is all
It is hard to know which is more discouraging: Trump’s self-promotion or our national willingness to give him so much of our attention. There will always be an audience for creepy clowns like Trump; what is depressing is the size of that audience.
I honestly believe that Obama’s timing and strategy were impeccable. He didn’t “cave”; he made his opponents look absolutely ridiculous. All the major Rep candidates have been reluctant to denounce the birthers because they want those votes, but now they have no choice. Brilliant!
Sigh. I know what you mean about Trump. He’s awful and this Birther nonsense is awful. And I know what you mean about not feeling that you re accepted as an American. But you know what, not all white people are like that. All white people do not support Trump and his ilk and many support Obama. We’re not on TV. But we exist. And sometimes, we wonder what the hell happened to the American we were brought up loving. Of COURSE you (and President Obama) are American. My heart goes out to you… but of course you are.
It’s amazing – I am constantly stupefied at the stupidity of the stupid right-wing noise machine, including, especially Mr. Trump, who brags about being a smart guy who went to a great university and made good grades, but is not smart enough to distance himself from those who think a black president is anathema to America!!
Where do these people come from? Is there an idiot factory out there somewhere that mass-produces these fools?
As a white American who grew up in a racist “Christian” southern household, I’m suprised I survived.
They’re all wrong-every damned one of the birthers/racists/stoopid pseudo-American troglodytes who opposed our good President Obama’s election, and now oppose his existence because he had the audacity to accept the results of his great election to be the PEOPLE’S President!
As a white person, I’ll say please don’t take it too hard.
Trump’s ridiculous comments about birtherism and Obama’s purported lack of academic achievement (he slacked his way into Harvard Law? Yeah, right.) simply confirmed in my mind that Trump is just a braying, bag-of-wind jackass….certainly NOT the man I want in the White House…
I would agree that the Tea-baggers and the birthers are all about racism, no matter what they say. Where were these people when W. was slicing and dicing the Constitution and running this country into the very deep red? It all only became a problem after a black Democrat was elected to the White House???
Frankly, I was just glad to have a Presidnet with a brain in his head, and was articulate, after eight years suffering through the mush-mouthed fratboy turning the country into a train wreck. My only disappointment with Obama is that he doesn’t push back harder against the wingnuts and howling Neanderthals who think going back to the 1850s is What This Country Needs.
But as for Trump and the rest of that crowd, I just feel sorry for them. They not not what they do. They not not how stupid they look. They know not how repellent they are.
Barack Obama is one of those once-in-a-generation role models. He will change this world for the better–even moreso than he already has. He is inspiring. As a white lady from the Deep South, I fight daily to teach my young daughter that differences are to be celebrated and that life is better when we love and take care of each other. What an amazing human being to be able to point to–showing her how forgiving the Prez is and how understanding of others. I tell her that our President is what a President is supposed to be. He is the best of us. While others demand swift action and quick condemnation, Obama provides thoughtful responses and compassion and empathy.
I absolutely do not mean to deify Obama, but I have the feeling that African Americans in the 60′s probably had with MLK Jr–you know in your heart that you are watching excellence. You can feel the change in your life as it is taking place. President Obama inspires me to be more and do more and care more and to not accept less and to never ompromise who I am in my heart.
I was livid about the birth certificate issue (and still am to a large degree) but what better contrast between Obama and the ignorant birthers/ Trump/ hate radio/ Teabaggers? While they were busy with their conspiracy theories about Obama not being “American” enough, he was ridding the world of Osama bin Laden! They are silly and he continues to rise above. No wonder they grasp and flail–it is their only chance to approach his level and influence, even for a second.
Donald Trump’s popularity is the embarrassing result of the elevation of image over substance. An increasingly less educated culture, valuing appearance over content, foolishly focuses its attention on grifters like Trump that personify the triumph of ignorance over knowledge. Like a slug’s slime track across the garden, Trump passage through our culture is evidenced by a trail of ignorance staining our public discourse.