[Orion27]

Interesting Opinion in the LA Times Today: Obama the Magic Negro
Sign Up
The point being if Obama has no past he is less threatening to white people.

Quote:....Obama's fame right now has little to do with his political record or what he's written in his two (count 'em) books, or even what he's actually said
in those stem-winders. It's the way he's said it that counts the most. It's his manner, which, as presidential hopeful Sen. Joe Biden ham-fistedly
reminded us, is "articulate." His tone is always genial, his voice warm and unthreatening, and he hasn't called his opponents names (despite being
baited by the media).
Like a comic-book superhero, Obama is there to help, out of the sheer goodness of a heart we need not know or understand. For as with all
Magic Negroes, the less real he seems, the more desirable he becomes. If he were real, white America couldn't project all its fantasies of curative
black benevolence on him.

Does Mr Ehrenstein have a point? White people really couldn't support a real black man like Al Sharpton, but only a Magic Negro, unknown, articulate and with no past.

[Dakar²]

Linky, please?

[Orion27]

Originally Posted by Dakar² 

Linky, please?

The link is there: You gotta sign up to the LA Times. Search Magic Negro

Column: Obama the 'Magic Negro'
The Illinois senator lends himself to white America's idealized, less-than-real black man.
By David Ehrenstein
L.A.-based DAVID EHRENSTEIN writes about Hollywood and politics.

Another Obama is not authentic hit piece by the "Liberal LA Times"
I guess it takes a white liberal to inform us what " Black" is

[Dakar²]

Ugh. No thanks, L.A. Times.

[Sherman Homan]

I don't know if this squares with the forum rules, but bugmenot got me right in:
Bugmenot.com - login with these free web passwords to bypass compulsory registration
paste in:
latimes.com/news/opinion

[BRussell]

So white people like a black candidate who projects a positive persona, but wouldn't like a black candidate who projects a negative one? Don't white people like white candidates who are positive too? And why is he magic rather than real if he's positive? Are all real blacks obnoxious assholes, and because Obama isn't, he's "magic?" Jeez.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by Orion27 

Obama's [...] two (count 'em) books

How many books has George W. Bush written?

Or Mr. Ehrenstein, for that matter?

[OAW]

Originally Posted by Dakar² 

Linky, please?

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedi...tory?track=rss

OAW

[Dakar²]

Thank you.

Edit: Now I get why the term 'magic negro' was used.

[OAW]

Originally Posted by Orion27 

The link is there: You gotta sign up to the LA Times. Search Magic Negro

Column: Obama the 'Magic Negro'
The Illinois senator lends himself to white America's idealized, less-than-real black man.
By David Ehrenstein
L.A.-based DAVID EHRENSTEIN writes about Hollywood and politics.

Another Obama is not authentic hit piece by the "Liberal LA Times"
I guess it takes a white liberal to inform us what " Black" is

Perhaps you should consider doing a little "due diligence" before you run amok with the typical "white liberal" bashing. This is David Ehrenstein ....



And even then, had you actually read the article you could have easily picked up on this fact from the following excerpt ....

The only mud that momentarily stuck was criticism (white and black alike) concerning Obama's alleged "inauthenticty," as compared to such sterling examples of "genuine" blackness as Al Sharpton and Snoop Dogg. Speaking as an African American whose last name has led to his racial "credentials" being challenged — often several times a day — I know how pesky this sort of thing can be.

OAW

[OAW]

One can also get the background on the whole "Magic Negro" concept here ...

Magical negro - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It's also referenced in the article.

OAW

[analogika]

Originally Posted by OAW 

Perhaps you should consider doing a little "due diligence" before you run amok with the typical "white liberal" bashing. This is David Ehrenstein ....



And even then, had you actually read the article you could have easily picked up on this fact from the following excerpt ....

Oh dear, that's embarrassing.

Poor Orion27...

[OldManMac]

Originally Posted by Orion27 

The link is there: You gotta sign up to the LA Times. Search Magic Negro

Column: Obama the 'Magic Negro'
The Illinois senator lends himself to white America's idealized, less-than-real black man.
By David Ehrenstein
L.A.-based DAVID EHRENSTEIN writes about Hollywood and politics.

Another Obama is not authentic hit piece by the "Liberal LA Times"
I guess it takes a white liberal to inform us what " Black" is

Wow. Open mouth, insert foot.

[dcmacdaddy]

For a "white liberal" he seems awfully dark. Maybe someone in his family had a n***** in the wood-pile a ways back?

Or maybe--I know it's a crazy idea but hear me out--this "white liberal" is actually a black liberal? It's shocking, I know, but he does kinda look black. So, maybe then, just maybe, Orion27's smarmy, sarcastic post was completely amiss and wrong.

[BRussell]

Orion27 is MacNN's very own Magic Whitey.

[dcmacdaddy]

Originally Posted by BRussell 

Orion27 is MacNN's very own Magic Whitey.

Umm, as a non-magical white person can I ask that he be NOT associated with me in any way. I've got plenty problems of my own to tarnish my reputation; I don't need the likes of him to do it for me. Thanks!

[Orion27]

Originally Posted by OAW 

Perhaps you should consider doing a little "due diligence" before you run amok with the typical "white liberal" bashing. This is David Ehrenstein ....



And even then, had you actually read the article you could have easily picked up on this fact from the following excerpt ....




OAW

Yikes! I guess it's the stockade and a few lashes with cat o nine! The thrust of the column holds though, Obama still isn't black enough.

[OldManMac]

That's one thing I admire about you; guts. You never give up trying to stick your foot in your mouth even further. You seem to have a fixation on race issues. Hmmm.

[Orion27]

Originally Posted by KarlG 

That's one thing I admire about you; guts. You never give up trying to stick your foot in your mouth even further. You seem to have a fixation on race issues. Hmmm.

No I think it is liberals who have a fixation with race. I believe it was Bhrentsein who wrote about the Magic Negro and apparently white racist America who wouldn't accept an authentic "Negro". I think a subject worthy of comment. I really do need to take more care before posting and I'm sorry my sloppiness has diverted us from an interesting topic.

[Atomic Rooster]

"Jesus is magic"

[Orion27]

Originally Posted by Atomic Rooster 

"Jesus is magic"

Your insightfulness is only exceeded by your brevity, Rooster.

[Atomic Rooster]

Originally Posted by Orion27 

Your insightfulness is only exceeded by your brevity, Rooster.

Thanx.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_S...Jesus_Is_Magic

[besson3c]

Why is this an important issue?

[Orion27]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

Why is this an important issue?

A Magic Negro running for President is not an important story? Why do liberals feel compelled to condescend, invoke the racist pejoritive "Negro" and then call Americans who defend diversity racists? And then in the same breath try to destroy a candidate not by by disagreeing with a policy or past record which in this case he could not do, but chose to destroy a man's credibility as ascribing his unworthiness as being inauthentic? I think that's a liberal playing the race card and point the finger somewhere else. I suppose in this case, the race of the finger pointer gets a pass as being incapable of being racist because of the color of his skin.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

This thread has now been labeled Embarrassing™.

greg

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Orion27 

A Magic Negro running for President is not an important story? Why do liberals feel compelled to condescend, invoke the racist pejoritive "Negro" and then call Americans who defend diversity racists? And then in the same breath try to destroy a candidate not by by disagreeing with a policy or past record which in this case he could not do, but chose to destroy a man's credibility as ascribing his unworthiness as being inauthentic? I think that's a liberal playing the race card and point the finger somewhere else. I suppose in this case, the race of the finger pointer gets a pass as being incapable of being racist because of the color of his skin.

If you are really put off by these sorts of political hack job character assassinations, perhaps the best strategy is to ignore them?

How about we leave the "who doesn't like who", "who said what and when" political gossip for the tabloids? All of this is really unimportant, what has ever been accomplished by putting any politician under the microscope in search of such inane details?...

It's going to be a very long road until Nov. 2008 if this continues.

[Orion27]

Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton 

This thread has now been labeled Embarrassing™.

greg

It is embarrassing when a defender of the Faith faces the reality of the hypocrisy hidden
in it's canons.

[Dakar²]

That we want an intelligent well-spoken candidate with, presumably, no skeletons in the closet?

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Orion27 

It is embarrassing when a defender of the Faith faces the reality of the hypocrisy hidden
in it's canons.

Who. Cares.

Is it not possible for somebody to say something containing any validity if they are not a shining example of what they are preaching, and if so, must we go through the process of questioning every messenger there ever was by putting him/her under a microscope?

You might accuse me of just playing partisan politics here, but I'd say the same for anybody on either side. I don't care about the skeletons, so long as they can do an effective job, and so long as whatever they did did not hurt somebody in a rather unforgivable way.

[Orion27]

Originally Posted by Dakar² 

That we want an intelligent well-spoken candidate with, presumably, no skeletons in the closet?

No. The Bhrenstein dismisses Americans willing to embrace a black candidate by dimissing the depth of their honesty.
"..He's there to assuage white "guilt" (i.e., the minimal discomfort they feel) over the role of slavery and racial segregation in American history......... "

And then adds this aside:
"...But the same can't be said of most white Americans, whose desire for a noble, healing Negro hasn't faded. That's where Obama comes in: as Poitier's "real" fake son.
And

"Like a comic-book superhero, Obama is there to help, out of the sheer goodness of a heart we need not know or understand. For as with all Magic Negroes, the less real he seems, the more desirable he becomes. If he were real, white America couldn't project all its fantasies of curative black benevolence on him."

So, he's not real, not black enough to be worthy of the black vote?

[Dakar²]

So we don't want an intelligent well-spoken candidate with, presumably, no skeletons in the closet?

[Orion27]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

Who. Cares.

Is it not possible for somebody to say something containing any validity if they are not a shining example of what they are preaching, and if so, must we go through the process of questioning every messenger there ever was by putting him/her under a microscope?

You might accuse me of just playing partisan politics here, but I'd say the same for anybody on either side. I don't care about the skeletons, so long as they can do an effective job, and so long as whatever they did did not hurt somebody in a rather unforgivable way.

Listen, you are making my point. We are all fallible. We all have made mistakes. In public life, that should not disqualify one from articulating an ideal. Hopefully the system will help weed out the truly cynical.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Orion27 

Listen, you are making my point. We are all fallible. We all have made mistakes. In public life, that should not disqualify one from articulating an ideal. Hopefully the system will help weed out the truly cynical.

Sorry if I was misreading you or being a little reactionary.

It just grows tiresome to have to entertain people "contributing" to political discourse by discussing stupid things like whether Howard Dean is not a good candidate because he let out a yelp, you know what I mean?

[ink]

Originally Posted by Dakar² 

So we don't want an intelligent well-spoken candidate with, presumably, no skeletons in the closet?

Have we ever had one of those?

[Dakar²]

No, it's an impossible trifecta.

[Orion27]

Originally Posted by ink 

Have we ever had one of those?

Ronald Reagan

[itistoday]

Like a comic-book superhero, Obama is there to help, out of the sheer goodness of a heart we need not know or understand. For as with all Magic Negroes, the less real he seems, the more desirable he becomes. If he were real, white America couldn't project all its fantasies of curative black benevolence on him.

This David Ehrenstein fellow reminds me of that black woman who went on the Colbert Report saying the same thing. Both of them are full of it. They are just spreading more racial bigotry.

I think I speak for the majority of Obama's white supports when I say that we like him not for the color of his skin, but because he's just so ****ing awesome. It's the things he says, his ideas and actions that appeal to us. I've read parts of his book and have listened to his speeches and I can tell he's the right person to be President of the United States.

What does Ehrenstein mean when he says, "If he were real"?

Is he saying that the things Obama says aren't genuine? Bullshit, I don't believe that for a second.

Is he saying that Obama doesn't represent "real black people"? What the hell is a "real black person"? What's a "real white person"? If you think you know the answer to that, you're stereotyping. There's no such thing as a "real" white or black or yellow or red person. There are just people. What comes to white people's minds when they hear "black person"? Many have an image of a poor, uneducated, violent delinquent living in the inner city and doing/selling drugs. Could this perhaps be the "real black person" Ehrenstein is referring to? What would his point be then? Of course I'm not going to vote for someone like that. No one will vote for someone like that, not even black people.

Edit: The fact that Obama is black is just nice bonus, if he's elected President this shows that we've made great progress against the racial tension in this country.

[Orion27]

Originally Posted by itistoday 

This David Ehrenstein fellow reminds me of that black woman who went on the Colbert Report saying the same thing. Both of them are full of it. They are just spreading more racial bigotry.

I think I speak for the majority of Obama's white supports when I say that we like him not for the color of his skin, but because he's just so ****ing awesome. It's the things he says, his ideas and actions that appeal to us. I've read parts of his book and have listened to his speeches and I can tell he's the right person to be President of the United States.

What does Ehrenstein mean when he says, "If he were real"?

Is he saying that the things Obama says aren't genuine? Bullshit, I don't believe that for a second.

Is he saying that Obama doesn't represent "real black people"? What the hell is a "real black person"? What's a "real white person"? If you think you know the answer to that, you're stereotyping. There's no such thing as a "real" white or black or yellow or red person. There are just people. What comes to white people's minds when they hear "black person"? Many have an image of a poor, uneducated, violent delinquent living in the inner city and doing/selling drugs. Could this perhaps be the "real black person" Ehrenstein is referring to? What would his point be then? Of course I'm not going to vote for someone like that. No one will vote for someone like that, not even black people.

Ergo, the cultural dilemma they face. Don't forget, this is the election season, Hillary has a lot of support in the black community just by dint of being the wife of the first black president. They will do whatever it takes to win. Even slur a legitmate candidate as unworthy, inauthentic and "magic". It's an appeal to the lowest comon denominator. A vote is vote, be it an illegal alien or an authentic black. How else to look at it?

[Dakar²]

Originally Posted by Orion27 

They will do whatever it takes to win.

You're talking about both sides here, right?

[itistoday]

Originally Posted by Orion27 

Ergo, the cultural dilemma they face. Don't forget, this is the election season, Hillary has a lot of support in the black community just by dint of being the wife of the first black president. They will do whatever it takes to win. Even slur a legitmate candidate as unworthy, inauthentic and "magic". It's an appeal to the lowest comon denominator. A vote is vote, be it an illegal alien or an authentic black. How else to look at it?

So you're saying this guy is a Hillary supporter and is just doing his part to insult Barack? I don't think he's helping his cause by writing this article, but maybe you're right, maybe some people do actually buy this bullshit. Maybe he even believes it, that still doesn't make it any truer.

Edit: Really, all this shows is how low Obama's opposition is forced to stoop; they've got nothing on him.

[OAW]

Originally Posted by Orion27 

So, he's not real, not black enough to be worthy of the black vote?

Your uh ... "enthusiasm" for attacking the motivations of liberals has blinded you to the fact that the writer's point wasn't about how black people perceive Obama or whether or not they will/should support him. The entire article was about how white people perceive Obama. Furthermore, the writer doesn't even criticize the man at all.

In actuality, the article was highly critical of what the writer perceived to be white America's ... and dare I say ::::GASP::::: white liberal America's motivations for their support of Obama.

He's there to assuage white "guilt" (i.e., the minimal discomfort they feel) over the role of slavery and racial segregation in American history, while replacing stereotypes of a dangerous, highly sexualized black man with a benign figure for whom interracial sexual congress holds no interest.

After all, white liberals are the vast majority of whites who support Obama. Surely you as an apparent conservative are familiar with the phrase "liberal white guilt"?

The fundamental point the writer is making ... right or wrong ... is that the white liberal support of Obama is rooted more in the fact that he's a clean cut, articulate, smooth, and congenial black guy whose message steadfastly does not focus on the vestiges of racial discrimination in our society .... which if he were to put more energy into such issues would trigger that old "liberal white guilt" thing. And then his support in that group would start to seriously fade. He's a black guy (score one for "inclusiveness"), he's bi-racial (hey ... even better) ... he's educated (Harvard Law school graduate) ... he's charismatic (good looking and a great speaker) ... but he does NOT have a "civil rights" background (so little to no discussion of those pesky "race issues").

OAW

[OAW]

Now personally I like Obama. I like his policy ideas and his style and I think he would make a good President (provided he doesn't get shot) if for no other reason than to get a break from all this hyper-partisan foolishness for a while. And I'll most likely support him in the primary provided that he doesn't say or do something utterly stupid to mess things up for himself. He has to remain electable, so I have no problem whatsoever with his approach because he has a genuine shot at winning the Presidency. Quite unlike the presidential runs of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton whose civil rights backgrounds virtually eliminated the possibility of winning in the primary, let alone the general election. Their campaigns were more oriented in gaining power within and influencing the platform of the Democratic Party for the benefit of their constituency (and/or themselves depending on who you ask). But Obama is different. He just might be able to pull it off (though I am a realist and I'm not holding my breath). So in light of that, I and a lot of (if not most) other African-Americans with any sense of political savvy don't have a problem with white America's view of Obama, or what some perceive to be suspect motivations behind that support. It's simply the "cost of doing business" if we want to see an African-American (who is not hostile to the interests of his own community like the Clarence Thomases and Ward Connerlys of the world) in the White House in our lifetime. In other words, pragmatism is the order of the day ... as outlined in this article.

A presidential candidate has to woo hundreds of millions who make up the most diverse nation on the planet. There are more different races, religions, distinctly regional mores, economic ranges and lifestyles here than some whole continents can boast. As the senator will learn -- and surely must know already -- not only can you not please all of the people all of the time, it’s hard as all get-out to keep half content.

This means, too, that he won’t be able to be as straight-up about matters of controversy or contention nor as confrontational as we might like. Obama may want to, but we must be understanding when he smiles at Dick Cheney and shakes his hand all the while we are wishing he would, to repeat the dour vice president himself, tell him to “go f--- yourself.”

And let us not get out of sorts if he doesn’t work race -- particularly blackness -- into every speech and conversation. And when he doesn’t, let’s not start calling him a sell-out and an Uncle Tom, because there’s nothing in his history or his reputation that would be deserving of that slight. Besides, he won’t need to raise the issue. America can talk about color-blindness all the livelong day, but it has not and will not forget that the man from Illinois with the infectious smile and the cool, confident demeanor is a black man with a black wife and two black children. He won’t have to introduce race into the discussion; it’s in his skin.

BAW: Commentary: If Black Folks Really Want Barack Obama to Be President, Here’s What We – and He - Must Do

It seems to me that this is where the heads of most of Black America are at regarding the Obama candidacy. Sure you can always dig up some knucklehead here or there to spout some foolishness on TV about Obama not being "black enough". But don't get it twisted and start thinking that's what most African-Americans think. Besides, I've heard a helluva lot more white people talking that nonsense than anybody. Go figure.

OAW

[OldManMac]

Originally Posted by Orion27 

Ergo, the cultural dilemma they face. Don't forget, this is the election season, Hillary has a lot of support in the black community just by dint of being the wife of the first black president. They will do whatever it takes to win. Even slur a legitmate candidate as unworthy, inauthentic and "magic". It's an appeal to the lowest comon denominator. A vote is vote, be it an illegal alien or an authentic black. How else to look at it?

How else to look at it is to stop obsessing over the insignificant viewpoints of one person who obviously has issues with his own racial identity, and stop being a part of the lowest common denominator, by moving on and not having your own issues with race exposed, by, for example, labeling Bill Clinton as America's "first black president." I know there are others that have called him that, but it doesn't excuse your attempts to assuage your own race issues. Get over it! Move along, and quit trying to convince yourself that it matters. If you'll notice, this "Magic Negro" issue has died down, and no one, except of course, Fox News, has made a huge deal out of Obama being black (which says everything you need to know about Fox "news," but that's another story). You've already posted several threads about Obama's racial identity, which is why I question your issues with it, but it's time to stop the obsession. If you claim that it doesn't matter, then quit trying to make it matter.

[Orion27]

Obama is a liberal. If he was as white as white, he has an uphill struggle. And the quote from the piece OAW cited:"....Obama may want to, but we must be understanding when he smiles at Dick Cheney and shakes his hand all the while we are wishing he would, to repeat the dour vice president himself, tell him to: “go f--- yourself." represents a small minority of opinion which is why, quite frankly, the Democrat position is so unappealing to most. We cautioned here earlier about the coarseness of the debate and I believe the Democrats are sewing the seeds of their own destruction. There is reasonable and honorable disagreement.

BAW: Commentary: If Black Folks Really Want Barack Obama to Be President, Here’s What We – and He - Must Do
e

[besson3c]

I don't really care what Obama might be thinking when he shakes Cheney's hand.. I really don't. I have a difficult time seeing how any of this is relevant and important.

[Orion27]

Originally Posted by KarlG 

How else to look at it is to stop obsessing over the insignificant viewpoints of one person who obviously has issues with his own racial identity, and stop being a part of the lowest common denominator, by moving on and not having your own issues with race exposed, by, for example, labeling Bill Clinton as America's "first black president." I know there are others that have called him that, but it doesn't excuse your attempts to assuage your own race issues. Get over it! Move along, and quit trying to convince yourself that it matters. If you'll notice, this "Magic Negro" issue has died down, and no one, except of course, Fox News, has made a huge deal out of Obama being black (which says everything you need to know about Fox "news," but that's another story). You've already posted several threads about Obama's racial identity, which is why I question your issues with it, but it's time to stop the obsession. If you claim that it doesn't matter, then quit trying to make it matter.

I find it difficult not to point out the hypocrisy of the left when they mak a living off exploiting the race issue. They are the ones who claim to be color blind. We all know where to find the plantation. The Democrat Party

[Orion27]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

I don't really care what Obama might be thinking when he shakes Cheney's hand.. I really don't. I have a difficult time seeing how any of this is relevant and important.

Second time this thread you're having difficulty. Liberal race baiting is becoming a timeless subject in poltical debate.

[Orion27]

Originally Posted by KarlG 

How else to look at it is to stop obsessing over the insignificant viewpoints of one person who obviously has issues with his own racial identity, and stop being a part of the lowest common denominator, by moving on and not having your own issues with race exposed, by, for example, labeling Bill Clinton as America's "first black president." I know there are others that have called him that, but it doesn't excuse your attempts to assuage your own race issues. Get over it! Move along, and quit trying to convince yourself that it matters. If you'll notice, this "Magic Negro" issue has died down, and no one, except of course, Fox News, has made a huge deal out of Obama being black (which says everything you need to know about Fox "news," but that's another story). You've already posted several threads about Obama's racial identity, which is why I question your issues with it, but it's time to stop the obsession. If you claim that it doesn't matter, then quit trying to make it matter.

I also find it tiresome that what should be a cultural and political debate be reduced to racist slurs on Americans who don't deserve to be so labeled.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Orion27 

Second time this thread you're having difficulty. Liberal race baiting is becoming a timeless subject in poltical debate.

Meh... so is baiting the Christians, or any other base.

Whatever, I don't like it, but since this will not change anytime soon, I don't really care about the details... Still don't understand why you are getting worked up over this.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Orion27 

I also find it tiresome that what should be a cultural and political debate be reduced to racist slurs on Americans who don't deserve to be so labeled.

I agree... I also grow tiresome of people paying attention to people like Ann Coulter when she calls Edwards a faggot, what school Obama went to, etc.

I agree with your discontent and by citing these other examples I'm not trying to claim that multiple wrongs make a right, I just don't understand why you have your targets set on a small subsection of the overall problem.