"Don't say 'black' or 'african american' too loudly or too many times" is archaic institutionalized white guilt at it's disgraceful and disgusting superlative.
I wouldn't say it's institutionalized white guilt that offends me, it's the context in which the overuse of "black man" was used. I too agree that we will be free of racism, not when we don't say terms such as black, but when we can say them freely without a negative intent or guilt. But the fact is, we're not there yet, and that guy was far from the promise land when he was spouting off at the gum's.
To me, he was stating this guys race as a means to single him out, and gain political leverage against the liberal MSNBC. The guys race should have had no bearing on the discussion, yet to Fox and MSNBC it did, and that is where the problem lye's.
Same thing with the school bus incident. The first thing that was brought up is race, so who am I to ignore it. Then Limbaugh was dumb enough to try to blame that on Obama too... oh well though, it just makes him a more obviously incompetent jerk.
I completely agree with you Eric, and you do a great job being passive, non-judgmental, etc... But to me, I feel like we aren't as far removed from racism that we can be so free of the guilt as a whole, and for that reason it becomes a scape goat for the Bill O'Reilly's and Rush Limbaugh's of the world.
Having voted for Obama, I have been told personally, and through bias media, that it was based on the color of his skin. My thought process was so different that liking him based on race, and I was innocently free of the burden of caring for a while. After hearing the basis of his presidency, lifestyle, etc... being about race, I have gotten much more vocal. In ways, it subliminally affects me to hear so much conversation about black and white, to the point where it has changed my once free way of thinking. I see race, and racism a lot more prevalent in the wake of Obama's inauguration, when he himself has never mentioned it, or used it in any way, to his political advantage. Now every things being painted black and white again. You're racist to say black, and you're a liberal nut job to speak out.
I would consider myself fair minded, and I don't judge anyone based on race, religion, sexual preference, etc... But it is a burden to have to see and hear so much rhetoric based on race, and not try to speak out about it.
