The Politics Thread

[Wales2004]

This may seem an odd question but I am curious about what is meant by the term "African-American" to those who use it. At first I thought it was one of those politically correct (but highly inaccurate) terms people used instead of saying "black," but I've since read online disputes about it being used to refer to black Americans who are descendants of the African slave trade.

I personally don't use the term because I think it leads to a great deal of unnecessary confusion in a nation that already has more than enough confusion over racial issues. People tend to use it interchangeably with black which would imply that all black people are American, which is of course not true. I've even heard someone use the term "American African-Americans" as a way of make a distinction between black Americans and non-American black people.

"African-American" is not a nationality since there is no such nation as Africa-America. It's not a race and mankind did not originate in America. It's not an ethnicity because those brought over in the slave trade were not all from the same place in Africa and Rwanda is an example of an African nation where the nationals are not seen as one people so it's highly unlikely that those who were sold into slavery from various locations all came from the same ethnic group. The slaves may have all come from the same continent but they didn't all speak the same language and weren't one people.

African is used here as if it's synonymous with black and it's not because not all Africans are black--regardless of whether people want to debate over what constitutes a true African. Any person who was born in an African nation and lived his or her life in that nation is more of an African than any American whose only connection to Africa is being or believing (without complete certainty) that he or she is a descendant of Africans.

Anyway, I am no fan of that term nor Asian-American or any hyphenated American term unless it is being used to refer to a naturalized citizen.

[Roman]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/17/mitt-romney-video_n_1829455.html

I didn't think it was possible for a man to shove his foot up his own backside. But Mitt....you've proven me wrong!!!

[Ann_SS]

I don't even know where to begin with that Romney's deceptive, disdainful, and contemptous statements about the people who voted for President Obama.

[Money]

Stick a fork in Romney, he's done.

[ReddFoxx]

Why does he think that if he was Mexican he'd have a better chance at winning? He's losing because he's a political hack and has a poor personality, not because he's not a minority.

[GoldenDogs]

What did he say that wasn't true?

[GoldenDogs]

The policy of abandonment... turning his back on securing the middle east. Turning his back on Israel. Bowing, literally, before the Saudi king and allowing America to remain subserviant to their oil, rather than pushing for American energy independence - and I'm not talking his impractical electric cars or scandalous Solyndra crap...

You can't be friends with people who want you dead, no matter what. Wales, if it was reported that murderer was lurking about your neighborhood at night, would you leave your door unlocked and leave your windows wide open? As well-intentioned as Obama might be, he's got it wrong on how to deal with Middle Eastern foes. It's obvious. It's clear. His foreign policy is a major failure.

[ReddFoxx]

It's very doubtful that the majority of those who voted for Obama don't pay taxes. This issue with the truth is a big problem that conservatives have. You can't have your own version of the truth.

Large portions of Obama's base are middle class, just take a look at any map and you'll see that he won plenty of middle class and even working class counties across the nation.

Edited September 18, 2012 by ReddFoxx

[Wales2004]

I don't see where Barack Obama is trying to be friends with terrorists, but we apparently see things a lot differently. I also don't see where he's turned his back on Israel and how bowing to Benjamin Netanyanhu would have changed any of what is currently going on. And now Barack Obama is the one who is responsible for making America dependent on foreign oil. So in under four years he was supposed to take office and change America's energy habits???

We obviously see things differently and I will just leave it at that. Thanks for your response.

I don't know that this is true because there seem to be a fair share of delusional people in society.

Mitt Romney's statements are in line with his position that black people want free stuff thus the dependency on the government. The problem is with his math because black voters don't make up that percentage of the population and he's not going to open his mouth and claim that any of these dependent people he's talking about are white because a percentage of the welfare recipients are probably some of those extreme patriots wedged into the Republican party.

Then he tops it off by suggesting that Hispanic/Lationo voters would be squarely in his corner if his father had actually been a Mexican. America seriously needs a president who looks down on more than half the population. It's so truly American.

[Vee]

Mitt Romney is actually running out of ways to self destruct. I thought the McCain campaign was the apex of failure. I was wrong.

[quartermainefan]

If you really think that every democrat does not pay taxes, thinks they are a victim and wants the government to give them food, then in what way are you different than your garden variety, typical, insane, tea party imbecile?

[DRW50]

Just look at a lot of the media reaction to Romney's awful comments today. Oh, Obama did the same in 2008, it's a wash.

The media loves "strong father" types. They love the idea of Obama as Jimmy Carter. Romney hasn't been able to seal the deal but that's in spite of the "both sides are bad but Democrats are worse" Beltway mindset.

[Eric83]

I can't stand this elitist, dumb ass, flip flopping jerk. I hope Obama whoops his ass in the election.

[DRW50]

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/09/real-romney-is-a-sneering-plutocrat.html

[DRW50]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/18/opinion/brooks-thurston-howell-romney.html?_r=1