In an interview published Wednesday in the New York Observer, the same day he officially entered the presidential race, Sen. Joseph Biden described Sen. Barack Obama as "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy." Why would anyone be offended by this wording?
2007-02-01 03:51:21 · 39 answers · asked by doulivinurworld 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Elections
The above mentioned statement was copied directly off the posted newswire with the exception of both Sen. and first names.
2007-02-01 04:07:44 · update #1
No. Bill Cosby had said something similar at one point in history. No one really berated him. A lot of people are on the defensive about anything a political figure says, and try to take it way out of context.
Welcome to the United States of the Offended.
Edit: Just check the thumbs down I'm getting. Exactly my point, see very last statement.
2007-02-01 03:55:52 · answer #1 · answered by Karma 6 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Yep..white folks never seem to realize their words may be racist unless they slip up and say the word ******...(but then they apologize and think that makes it all better i.e. Michael Richards). I think Joe Biden and other prejudice white folks don't realize they are saying prejudice speech and think they are giving a compliment to us poor negroes because we only have a FEW of us that are "articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy". He might as well have said "why aren't there more black like Obama" or the ever so popular "your're not like other black people" and "why can't more blacks be like you".
2007-02-01 12:41:58 · answer #2 · answered by manifest_my_destiny 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think Biden meant it as a compliment. However, we have gotten to the point in our nation that someone is offended by everything we say. I'm not a Biden fan, and I think he could have chosen his words a little more carefully, but with the war in Iraq, major drug problems in our country, the lack of healh insurance for millions and other problems we face on a daily basis... I don't think I would get upset by his statement.
2007-02-01 03:57:53 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
I think that Sen. Biden was simply paying Sen. Obama a 'compliment' and that people are saying it was a 'racist statement' that 'puts down other blacks' are simply INSANE. Unfortunately, this is why 'racism' still exists in this country.
2007-02-01 04:03:04 · answer #4 · answered by Kris L 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
There wasn't alot of outrage, so I don't know how many it offended, but it speaks of his deep-down beliefs that African-Americans are generally not described this way. The last thing a presidential candidate needs is the label of 'racist'.
2007-02-01 03:55:32 · answer #5 · answered by scruffy 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Because the race pimps like Jackson and Sharpton make thier living off of making moutnians out of mole hills. It wasn't offensive, we just live in an overly sensitive society, check out www.thefire.org and check some of the campus speech codes if you don't belive me
Whats amazing to me is that Biden is a Democrat they usually get a free pass on issues like this .
2007-02-01 03:55:45 · answer #6 · answered by Graham S 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't be offended by it but I can see why. Calling him a bright nice looking clean guy creates the assumption and generalization that all other african americans are not.
2007-02-01 03:59:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It implies that many African Americans aren't articulate, bright and clean. It also discredits other African Americans who have been mainstream.
2007-02-01 03:58:40 · answer #8 · answered by Take it from Toby 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If I was an African-American I would have been offended. He should not have said the first.
2007-02-01 04:50:47 · answer #9 · answered by hot rod 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think there are two points that offend:
- "the first mainstream..."
and
- "clean".
If taken literally, this means that Biden is saying that Obama is the first well-known African-American that is smart, articulate, attractive, and clean.
Conversely it implies that all that have come before are ignorant, inarticulate, ugly and filthy.
Would you be offended?
Words have meaning...they should be used carefully.
.
2007-02-01 03:56:12 · answer #10 · answered by non_apologetic_american 4 · 2⤊ 3⤋