Last week when Billary was courting the “Hillbillies” of W. Virginia, she stated that she has the blue collar voters supporting her & that Obama could not get them in his camp. The media spread this as most of us see this to mean; that she has the white voter & Obama did not have the pull to take it away from her.
This week, I was listening to my favorite NPR program: “News & Notes” & Jay Andersen of Average Bro blog on the “Bloggers Round Table” segment, questioned why Black American voters get sifted in to just being black, while white American voters get sifted into many descriptive classifications such as:
- Soccer Mom
- Nascar Dad
- Working Class
- Blue Collar Worker
- Middle American
- Moral Majority
- Evangelical
- Etc….
Then he cleverly asked why we Negoroes get one classification; “BLACK”!
Today after having lunch with Suite Suzy & Sade, a bit aired on the radio on how Billary is dividing people with her blue collar appeal & that made me think.
Suite Suzy is a soccer mom, we are a middle class (but somewhat ghetto) family, we both were once blue collar workers & we are both Democrats, who happen to be Black.
Do we count for anything else other than being Black? Why are we always just Black? If you are Black & have climbed the later in life professionally or socially, we are still just Black.
A Black man in a Beamer, with a Brooks Brother’s suite on in Manhattan pulled over by the NYPD is just a Black man & next beat down or shooting victim. They will not see his power, they will not see his accomplishments, they will not see that he runs a fortune 500 company; they will see A Black Man, A Misfit, A NIGGER.
Am I going overboard? Maybe, maybe not but history & my experience speaks for itself!
Photo Credit: Taken by Chomchom | Entitled “Angela“
muslimahlocs / May 18, 2008
for other folks, about the only thing that trumps my black identity is my muslim identity. however, i am equally satisfied with both.
Jovan / May 18, 2008
Damn brother, we’re a monolith. Didn’t you get the memo ?
BizyLizy / May 18, 2008
It’s sad, but I think in a society of diversity, there is some need to label people. Particularly in politics, where there are definite voting classes, we see this kind of decided segregating.
Why are blacks just blacks? Good question. I don’t know. I will note, however, that generally speaking, minorities tend to fall to the political left. So do gays & lesbians (which I do believe, if you are a black gay or lesbian, this label, too, trumps the black card).
Since the supposed majority white sector consists of a variety of left & right (a political nightmare, to be sure), they require sub-categories. But, what if I’m a soccer mom, and a CEO, and a lesbian, pro-choicer, who likes to watch Nascar racing? What am I then? I’m certainly not a neatly categorized voter…
It’s not right. It’s oversimplification. It’s political profiling. And in its own twisted agenda, still discriminition.
Welcome to politics as usual.
byrdparker / May 18, 2008
hi
i understand what u are saying , but I feel that it is really irrelevant in the scheme of things . I think the issue is simple , especially when we are facing hyperinflation , which knows no color but only our wallet. This election is the biggest joke , it’s like a bad movie/////// It is a dead deal , a bad scene , much like going green… all of us she be more focused , and not just want ” the magical amount of pc ” here is one for you , going green = eugenics/////de population gore
Meikmeika / May 18, 2008
Sadly, it’s how society views us.. That’s why those who do speak clearly are stared at in awe by others and told they ‘speak so well’. It’s the same reason noone wants to say Obama may be the first biracial president.
That’s why I ask myself if it’s worth perming my hair or dressing differently when regardless I’m viewed the same way….
I know my comment may be a bit off topic but it’s true…there may be a select few who don’t place us all in the same basket…
Here’s a question: Why is it my co-worker thinks just b/c a black man walks into our office, I must think he’s handsome? It’s almost as if we’re a different species and regardless of appearance a black man and woman will always find one another attractive….just one of those things that makes me go hhhmmm?
Tamra / May 18, 2008
I still maintain my feeble stance that first and foremost we are all human, but of course if we’re having such a hard time with the issues you mentioned, I guess I won’t hold my breath hoping that one day we’ll all magically “get it.”
Great points. I wish I could do more than just smirk at this.
This whole campaign has been a decisive confirmation of so many things that we already knew about how the rest of America views us. I’m not surprised by any of it. Further saddened by the depth and continuation of the divisiveness, sure.
Sorry, like I said, I can’t bring myself to do much more than smirk right now. Oh, and then again, the media instigates and perpetuates this stuff, so whaddawe expect? (smirk)
AnnaC / May 19, 2008
You are not going overboard.
This is exactly how I feel when anybody starts talking about the Latino vote — even if the person talking is Latino.
They can keep trying to put me in a box, I will keep climbing out.