Guess I Am Too Much Yankee
... because this didn't strike me at first, aside from being rather condescending about his age (ironic, considering the flak Obama has been getting recently).
But then I realized that the person speaking is a representative of KENTUCKY.
Then I thought, well, maybe he's an older man, who meant it as though Obama is a snot-nosed kid.
Geoff Davis is a scant 3 years older than Obama.
People, what we have here is a man saying the N word without saying the N word.
But then I realized that the person speaking is a representative of KENTUCKY.
U.S. Rep. Geoff Davis, a Hebron Republican, compared Obama and his message for change similar to a "snake oil salesman."He said in his remarks at the GOP dinner that he also recently participated in a "highly classified, national security simulation" with Obama.
"I'm going to tell you something: That boy's finger does not need to be on the button," Davis said. "He could not make a decision in that simulation that related to a nuclear threat to this country."
Then I thought, well, maybe he's an older man, who meant it as though Obama is a snot-nosed kid.
Geoff Davis is a scant 3 years older than Obama.
People, what we have here is a man saying the N word without saying the N word.
by MG at 3:06 PM
6 Comments:
Yes, if you don't get that moxie, you are too yankee. The hurtful aspect of the use of the word "boy" to refer to african american men rest in the notion and white's lower their status in every way. Socioeconomics, politics, etc. And thus, the jr. title is fitting as it accurately reflects, not only how whites feel about african americans, but their rights and privileges in society. The use of the term is a reminder of that and specifically reserved to create the conotation that some-how "jr" is not up to handling some situation.
I was born and raised in the northeast, have lived my entire life here, and am sadly not much of a traveler so I assume I have been rather sheltered from common use of such a derogatory term. Hence it didn't register on first pass.
MG, consider yourself fortunate that you do not know those terms.
I was born and raised a long time ago in the Deep South (still live there) so I know those and many other hateful words. Fortunately, I was "raised right" and quickly determined the injustice and hatred of it all. I know, believe, and act differently now but at times I still must intercept a phrase between thought and its utterance.
I was born and raised in New England so I didn't hear "boy", thankfully, but I heard a lot of other casual sleights sent at African Americans. You'd think we are past this, but obviously we aren't.
Mox...and what about this comment from Senator McConnell:
"I hear she hasn't been this worried since a new Hooters opened" near her home with former President Bill Clinton, McConnell said, prompting laughs from the 400 Northern Kentucky Republicans
What a pig!
I'm in my late 50's. Even living in the Northeast, didn't spare me from having to hear really nasty words used and horrible jokes being told and not just about African Americans.
With the civil rights movement I saw that all that went "underground". Rarely said openly but I knew the feelings were there.
I really think that the younger generations will have the biggest impact for changing these types of predudices.
We have to wait for a lot of those old bigots to die off.
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