Media Jerks Using Race and Gender Cards

Women and black men have been suppressed forever. More black men in prison than white;, more domestic violence against women, more sexual exploitation of women and children; increase of gang mentality, more reality shows about Bad Girls, Rich Blacks; Women fighting women, Blacks on black... I could go on and on.

We have been watching the media for years and seeing sex and race used as a bully pulpit by rich white men so that they can preach their purity family values and false christian views.

So it is no wonder now that the media is and will have a field day at pitting Hillary and Obama against each other.

And the main reason in my view?

Because we scare them. WE women and blacks and other races are now in the MAJORITY and we are uniting in a POLITICAL way that worry those white men in charge.

WE are also the major consumers of the junk made in China, the drugs, the scraps of stuff in Walmart. The RICH shop elsewhere.

We have been robbed since the day we, women and minorities were born. We have been controlled and duped and discriminated against in every way possible. When, in a moment in time, a woman, or black breaks out with leadership qualities, that person has mostly been killed or otherwised silenced. Think about that.

WE are the biggest threat in this moment of time and will shift the planet and society in a way that white men thought could never happen.

This Primary Season is going to be brutal. I hope as Democrats, that whoever comes out on top, we will remember this battle and all really come together.

I also hope that the GOOD white men will get why Hillary and Obama supporters are getting so LOUD and GROWING in STRENGTH- we have found OUR VOICE on the biggest stage possible and JOIN with us.

This is a race for all humanity and if any good white men get trampled in the process, please be understanding that we all deserve a chance and you have had yours. With all due respect, of course.

•  tips please

  "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

  by roseeriter on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 03:33:47 AM PDT

  •  The behavior of the press has been

    unbelievable. Especially against Hillary. As a women I have been outraged. Every slam against her is a slam against every women. And I am not a Hillary supporter but deep inside a part of me screams, go Hillary. I am fighting with myself right now over Tuesdays Primary. Do I go with an uncommitted vote and hope it goes for Edwards? Or do I stand up for a women and all women? I don't know.

    by Owllwoman on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 03:50:21 AM PDT

    •  You really want to get angry?

      Check out the current diary showing Pat Oliphant's editorial cartoon on Hillary. My blood is still boiling. What is wrong with people?

      by Psychotronicman on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 04:03:35 AM PDT

      •  That's what got me started this AM

        "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

        by roseeriter on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 04:06:51 AM PDT

      •  Oooops

        I put the link in a comment below before reading this comment.  here it is again

        http://www.dailykos.com/...

        by huntsu on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 04:12:23 AM PDT

    •  As a woman with the Opportunity before me, I

      saw no other choice.

      "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

      by roseeriter on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 04:13:13 AM PDT

  •  And this one from Pat Oliphant

    http://www.dailykos.com/...

    by huntsu on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 04:04:45 AM PDT

•  No respect for identity politics

  It loses.

  It divides us and diverts us from the common goal of stopping the looting of our society and country.

  Let's start treating blacks, women and....yes.....the evil white male too....as people.

  The notion that some of us have "had ours" and therefore can get by with fewer rights than others is unfair, revolting, and a loser. It helps to fuel GOPerism, and does little else.

  by dabize on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 04:05:43 AM PDT

  •  Politically correct, but I'm tired of carrots and

    sticks.

    "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

    by roseeriter on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 04:07:50 AM PDT

    •  Ironic that you should see my view

      as politically correct.

      That term, used without irony (originally), is what helped establish identity politics as a "progressive" thing, when in fact it is anything BUT progressive.

      Equal rights for people is not a "carrot".

      That is basic.

      Injustices in the way that people with particular identities are treated by our society must be dealt with on the basis of common human rights.

      If we do anything else, we forfeit not only the moral high ground, but political success itself, to our enemies.

      This is precisely the same error than the GOPers make when they justify the use of torture to get information out of presumed "terrorists".

      Do you support that?

      by dabize on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 05:21:08 AM PDT

      •  "dealt with on the basis of common human rights"

        That is the ideal situation, one I believe in, but it is not, has not happened the way it should, in my life time. I hope that we all strive for that humanity equality.

        I feel a major universe shift about to occur, but it will not be battle free. In my personal life I work on my Tao lessons, but sometimes my emotional, feeling, side (ego) wins out. But damn I am working on it.

        "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

        by roseeriter on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 05:32:24 AM PDT

  •  Yes.

    I read one idiotic diary yeasterday that devolved into "I'm supporting Hillary because she is a woman and mother," whose author simply could not understand that this was nothing more than sexism.

    Moral value does not reside in DNA. No, not even when it comes in an XX package, nor with added melanin. Moral value, and presidential quality, reside in one's character. Want my vote? Demonstrate some.

    by khereva on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 04:21:22 AM PDT

    •  I agree on a spiritual level, but I don't see the

      society of humans at that level yet unfortunately. And until women and minorities are treated respectfully, equally by the media and those in charge it has everything to do with who I am today. Right now I see that as a control issue. Keep the restless politically correct and mute their individuality for who's advantage? Not mine.

      I'm just riled up today.

      "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

      by roseeriter on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 04:34:21 AM PDT

      •  So you want sexism, as long as you benefit?

        No, thank you. It doesn't work that way.

        If you let the camel's nose in, the whole camel comes with it. If you admit that it's fair to support a candidate for being a woman, or for being black, then it must also be fair to dismiss a candidate for being a woman, or for being black.

        Doing either of those last two will get one flayed alive here, and rightly so. Doing the first two should get one no better treatment.

        by khereva on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 05:34:43 AM PDT

        •  and where does free speech come in there?

          "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

          by roseeriter on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 05:37:31 AM PDT

          •  It comes in where you also accept

            other's right to criticize your speech.

            You're free to say (hypothetically: I do not accuse you of saying so) that you think Hillary deserves to be President precisely because she is a woman (a particularly idiotic sentiment directly expressed by one diarist yesterday). And I'm free to remind you that that's simple bigotry. You're free to demonstrate otherwise, or to say you think I'm a poopiehead, or talk about something entirely different. That's Free Speech.

            But if you decide to argue that Hillary deserves to be President simply because she has XX chromosomes, then you have brought into the debate whole libraries of argument about biology determining behavior, gender creating moral value, and which stereotypically gendered qualities are good or bad to exhibit, and I suggest without malice that this is not a move you wish to make. That, too, by the way, is Free Speech.

            by khereva on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 05:45:33 AM PDT

            •  I've heard this from you before

              Have a nice day.

              "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

              by roseeriter on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 05:48:05 AM PDT

              •  Yep, that whole rationality thing

                can be a problem.

                When you figure out that I'm on your side, you let me know.

                by khereva on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 05:54:59 AM PDT

                •  I'm just mentally weary right now and do know

                  where you are coming from, but debating is not my strong suit.

                  But delighted that you are on my side. LOL!

                  "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

                  by roseeriter on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 06:11:46 AM PDT

•  The Punditry Is Like A Good Soldier . . .

  . . . for corporations.

  The majority of the media has no real standards anymore, except for pockets of insurgent journalistic behavior like Frontline and the like, and individual outcasts like Molly Ivins used to be.

  Corporations run the show, and the media does their bidding . . . PBS/NPR or the CPB used to be (I assumed) the hope and potential salvation for information dissemination in this country, but just like the Kennedy's and MLK, the CPB became too dangerous.

  Can you imagine if the vast majority of people had just stopped watching the news outlets of ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and CNN, and went in droves to PBS? Unthinkable (to corporations). So they went ahead and co-opted from behind the curtain.

  by KOTCrum on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 04:41:44 AM PDT

  •  Yes and the media has used and exploited women

    and minorities for entertainment. We've always done well on the stage, in sports arenas etc.,

    Watch them play, love and fight and kill each other-
    Thank goodness, there have been some pearls in the process, but so much damage has been done to our psyches also.

    "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

    by roseeriter on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 04:46:15 AM PDT

•  And you were expecting....

  what, exactly. I don't get how this outrage, pointing out how this works for the 2 billionth time, helps us.

  It is like saying, "Hey, look, there is a shark, acting like a shark!"

  Get over it, and fight. Fight with ideas and statistics and work. The fight is on, like it or not, and no amount of kvetching about how the sharks act like sharks is going to help.

  We need some shark killers, not shark observers right now.

  by OregonOak on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 04:46:10 AM PDT

  •  Guess its old mentality coming out

    and the media is pushing the envelope and me over the edge.

    "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

    by roseeriter on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 04:48:18 AM PDT

    •  and rising to the shark bait..

      "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

      by roseeriter on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 04:52:19 AM PDT

      •  Thanks...

        I just see so much passion right now, that HOW we are going to accomplish a huge change in American Politics seems to be getting lost.

        I remain an Edwards supporter just for this reason. Passion wont get us there, and Reason wont get us there. Its going to take a few million tons of BOTH to get us there, because CHANGE puts the BURDEN OF PROOF on those advocating change. Why should anyone change? Things are ok. Its not THAT horrible, they will argue.

        The burden of proof lies with Us. Not them. Floating along downhill is good enough for them. For us, passionate and logical proof is required, and that's why we have been stuck in the 1950's. I also am reacting to the shark bait..

        Sorry to seem so grouchy! Mea Culpa.

        by OregonOak on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 05:15:24 AM PDT

•  Here's my concern

  This isn't just the media.  People from both the Obama and Clinton campaign are using these issues against one another and it's disgusting.

  by juliewolf on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 05:48:48 AM PDT

  •  I think its a battle fatigue thing- We've been

    unable to fight from the top down with impeachment, stopping the Iraq occupation, etc. so the battle is coming up from the bottom-grassroots so to speak.

    If I believed that Edwards could really stop the corporations I'd get on his bandwagon in a nano-second. But he can't, nobody can at this point in time. The corporations will destroy him. I don't see a chance in hell of anyone being able to do that right now.

    I think the corporations will eventually turn on each other-look at the stock market- as they battle for that last nickel and dime, and many will crash and burn, but probably not in my life time.

    So in my mind a woman or black or any minority candidate is the only progress that has real potential of succeeding right now and the only real change that could be immediate, though still not fast enough.

    "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

    by roseeriter on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 06:09:30 AM PDT

    •  I can't help but find that really problematic

      So in my mind a woman or black or any minority candidate is the only progress that has real potential of succeeding right now and the only real change that could be immediate, though still not fast enough.

      I'm a lot more concerned about who they are than the color of their skin or the structure of their sexual organs.  Both Clinton and Obama are tightly bound to corporate interests.  If Obama hadn't been pushing the idea of liquid coal as a viable energy source and Clinton hadn't been using the likes of the anti-union Mark Penn and people from Wal-Mart I'd find either a lot more palatable.  But as things stand, those are things that are not anomalies in their campaigns, but commonplace.

      And yes, it does make a difference that I've met Edwards.  I suspect I'd like any of the three I met, but I suspect I'd like Mike Huckabee if I met him too, and that doesn't mean I'd want him for President.  

      Obama, Thursday night, gave one of the best political speeches I've heard in decades, but I find it difficult to tell which part of him is real, and worry that he's a Democratic counterpart to Romney: constantly fine-tuning his message to appeal to the most people possible.  That concerns me because if he's surrounded by people like Axelrod and Jessie Jackson, Jr., it means he's got some fairly horrible human beings very close to his ear.  

      Clinton did an amazing job in New Hampshire the other night.  I was impressed how she managed to turn a major defeat into victory, but I have major concerns about her vested interests in corporations.  Her comments at Yearly Kos about how she takes corporate donations because they have every right to have their voices heard was very telling to me: she equates campaign money with the right to sit at the table.  That's a really big problem.

      When I see Edwards, I see a very different campaign than the one he ran four years ago: I see the campaign of a man who's been liberated from his advisers and from the poison of message-parsing, and I feel like I'm seeing the real person behind the candidate when I hear him speak.

      That gives me a lot more confidence than I have with Clinton or Obama.

      by juliewolf on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 06:48:19 AM PDT

      •  Well, I see Edwards as just saying

        what idealistically  what people want to hear. Same old polished politics. Populist. And I don't relate except that he and I are both geminis and a year apart in age. He just doesn't touch my heart or soul.

        So I guess feelings do matter for what ever reason.

        I gave up on my idealism in the big world but try to keep it going in my personal life.

        And the money is bigger than any of us.

        And if Edwards gets the nomination he'll get my support. That's the best I can do.

        Politics aside, Hope you're well and happy.
        Take care.
        Peace.

        "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

        by roseeriter on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 06:55:59 AM PDT

        •  And Jonathan Prince who works for Edwards

          use to be in the Clinton WH as a speech writer- so there are connections.

          "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

          by roseeriter on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 06:57:23 AM PDT