Carter called it correctly

If southern former presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton talk about racism, it shouldn’t be dismissed. After all, they were allowed to speak with children, colleges and Congress without this drama.

Jimmy Carter was the first pro-choice president to receive an honorary degree from Notre Dame, 33 years ago. No outrage. Gerald Ford also received an honorary law degree from Notre Dame, 34 years ago. Not a peep.

Rep. Lynn Jenkins’ decree for a great white hope was racist in 1909 and remains racist in 2009.
Rush Limbaugh calling the president an Oreo is racist. Don’t agree? Tell your children to call an African-American an Oreo and see what happens.

 Some Republicans in Congress and the “birthers” maintain an unyielding belief the president is from Africa, claiming they will never serve under a Muslim. However, they will look for WMDs and Obama’s birth certificate and turn his life into an episode of “Mission: Impossible.”

Posters of the president as a witch doctor, titled “Obama Care,” and words like secession are something I expect from the Klan, not concerned citizens. Hospice care, originally introduced by Republicans, is now called “death panels” and reduced to genocide.

You figure it out.

Courtney A. Phillips
Overland Park

Tim Maupin (9/20, Letters) asks, “Will someone please explain to me why every criticism of the president’s policies is now alleged to be rooted in racism?”

Mr. Maupin, no one is saying that any criticism of President Obama’s policies is rooted in racism. In fact, all reasoned arguments about policy, as well as civil demonstrations, should be welcomed. It’s the American way, a traditional part of dialogue in a democracy.
 
What I do not welcome and what saddens me are hate-spewing demonstrations in which signs threaten the president’s life or caricature the president as an African witch doctor or ape; southern Rep. Joe Wilson’s insult to Obama during an important congressional speech; and the ramped-up tone of violence at health care forums, where bullies do their best to intimidate and crush out civil debate.

Can anyone doubt that these occurrences might not have taken place if our president had been lily white?

Genie Park
Shawnee 

Comments

[Courtney A. Phillips]

First of all Limbaugh had no valid point calling the President an Oreo. Furthermore, I reject any description of what he thinks an African American is supposed to be.

Sammy I reviewed the definitions you put forth and yes some of them hold up. However most dealt with expression. Which is something people today rarely get mad at.

If New Yorker Maddona now speaks with a British accenet, oh well. If Marky Mark, Vanilla Ice, and Eminem talk now as we all imagined they did behind closed doors, oh well.

However, if like I said earlier you appear self loathing, pathetic and weak it evokes strong emotion.

Like any hurtful slang it encompasses several meanings. Most dictionaries, can't get to the hurt, heart, and history of racial pain.

In the movie Three Kings the bad guy calls out America while indicted Michael Jackson for what he did to his face.

I'm not going to call out African American's for Limbaughs racist comment.

He shouldn't have said it and I don't won't Limbaugh or other's getting cumfortable with calling people Oreos.

[Sammy]

Sorry for the sloppy post.

"Nname" should be "Name"

"I wanted to make sure I meant..." should be "I wanted to make it meant..."

[Sammy]

Hi Courtney - Here's the link to the Wiktionary page:

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Oreo

Here's the 2nd defintion from that site: 2. (US, derogatory slang, from the metaphor of being black on the outside and white on the inside, like an Oreo) A black person who has sympathies with white people or who favors white culture over black culture or who acts in mannerisms deemed to be "white" (i.e. Standard English grammar, extended vocabulary, etc)

Nname calling turns me off with many in the media these days on both sides. It detracts from the conversation. Instead of talking about Rush's valid point (there's a slippery slope with people using the government's power to coerce others), we're talking about his use of the word "Oreo".

That being said, if there's racism in the use of the word Oreo, it seems to be directed toward whites, at least given the definition above. That's why I was asking about the definition. I wanted to make sure I meant what I thought it meant.

Thanks for the exchange.

[Courtney A. Phillips]

Sammy, your right you didn't stray from topic.

However, when I read your Wiktionary question, it said oreo meant 1. Breeze 2. Fresh Air. This left me somewhat confused, so I said lets stay on point.

Your first suggestion was correct, I just didn't know how to do it.

As far as my definition it generally goes for what I told Jeanette. Though people have used Oreo to mock bi-racial children and adults with this term.

I don't want it to become a Josiah Henson thing. He was a great man who's name has become devalued. His character in Harriet Beecher Stowe's (Uncle Tom) is now mocked instead of revered.

So a tasty cookie should be compared to a cookie.

The last time we spoke I enjoyed the thought provoking questions as well this time, take care.

[Sammy]

Hi Courtney - Neither of my requests strayed from the topic. Answers to both could help resolve the topic.

My first request was to provide a link to substantiate what you claim Rush said. That would any dispute on whether he said it or not and provide the context. I found the clip very easily. It appears he did say it. It might be worth your time to find it and post it.

My second request was for a clarification on the slang definition of the word. The slang use that I knew lines up with the second definition given on Wiktionary. That's just for my own education.

[Courtney A. Phillips]

Correction I meant Condoleeza Rice, not Anita Hill.

[Courtney A. Phillips]

Sammy, lets not stray away from the issue or what's been said.

First Jeanette repediately said it didn't occur. Then she wanted the context. Her Pretext, was that I disliked Rush and would say anything.

Later she ask me a convoluted question about why am I getting mad about the term Oreo when Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill where called Oreo's, and where was I when it happened. As if to say it should be ok now. So I asked her to clarify. (She didn't)

Sammy, I'm on record 18 years ago in the Arkansas Gazette giving my support for Thomas' nomination. I even bought his book, and no I've never said negative things about fellow Presbyterian Rice.

Arminius said I was not just ignorant, I was "extremely ignorant" He said not one congress man has said what I've said. So I gave him Congressman Bill Posey.

He also said I lied about Rush so I wrote the quote down. Sammy, I know how to cut and paste but I don't know how to capture video links. Just go to YouTube and put Rush Limbaugh Oreos.

Sammy, I have a hard time believing someone who has discussions about the Epicurean has never heard the term Oreo in a negative racist context. Even Jeanette agreed any comparison to an individual such as the President or Clarence Thomas is not just wrong but vile.

[Sammy]

Courtney - I believe they're looking more for a link to an transcript or audio clip, date it was said in order to have a credible source that substantiates your claim.

"Oreo has never been a substitute for bi-racial. African American's have reserved this statement for the weak, self loathing, and pathetic."

I don't understand the link between the name of a cookie and the meaning that you gave.

Is the second definition for the name of the cookie in question on the Wiktionary page accurate or no?

[Courtney A. Phillips]

Limbaugh said groups are going to go after eating meat. Then he went on about other things they will try to stop, then said

"After that they'll have to go after OREOS" then paused, "They'll have to put that off till OBAMAS OUT OF OFFICE, but they will eventually go after OREOS.

SWITCH THAT WITH CHILD MOLESTERS AND IT MEANS SOMETHING ELSE.

To your other comment about congressman what about Bill Posey?

Jeannette I used your example of Condeleeza and Clarence of why you would justify calling someone an OREO

[Arminius]

Courtney flat out lied when she said Limbaugh called Obama an Oreo. It never happened.

[jeanette]

Yes, please forgive me, Courtney. I should have been more clear. Instead of saying Rush wouldn't use the word, I should have said I don't believe he would use the word in the context you said he did.
But then you go on to say that I thought it was okay to call the president that name which I never did. It is a nasty, vile term that should never be used towards the president or Clarence Thomas or anyone else.
Thank you so much for straightening me out. I'll be much more considerate of what I say at my next protest.

[Arminius]

The letter writers are extremely ignorant. Jimmy Carter was a segregationist>
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZTViNzM0ZmUxOTdhMzU3MDYyZmIzNTdlNWFkMWVkOTc=

The first letter writer claims that Republicans in Congress believe that Obama is a Kenyan. There is not a single member of Congress that has said that.

The second letter writer claims that a lily white president would never be likened to an ape. Baloney. George W. Bush was often portrayed as an ape or monkey.

[Courtney A. Phillips]

Your welcome Jeanette. I'm glad I could help, but your original statement is that it didn't happend and he wouldn't do such a thing.

Now you don't believe.

Just because you didn't know where I was for brother Thomas or Sister Rice doesn't mean I wasn't there.

Again the point is, it was racist. CONDOLEEZA and Clarence have nothing to do with defending RUSH LIMBAUGH.

Are you saying that because people called them OREOS It is ok for you and Rush to call the President an Oreo?

[jeanette]

Thanks, Courtney, but I don't need you to give me a definition of the term. I knew what it meant when people said the same thing about Clarence Thomas and Condi Rice. Where were you then?
Unless you can give me the reference and context when Rush used that term, I don't believe you. People love to throw out remarks like you made with no context and no chance to explain.
If you want to believe the problems people have with Obama is because of racism, that's up to you, but it won't go by unchallenged anymore.

[Courtney A. Phillips]

Jeannete, I believe I have a grip. I don't rely on the Huffington Post or Move on.

I heard what he said. It was racist.

Oreo has never been a substitute for bi-racial. African American's have reserved this statement for the weak, self loathing, and pathetic. The term has caused fighting and great pain for some.

To this day Joe Fraizer is still angry and hurt that he was wrongfully demonized by this term.

If you want to defend the Racist remark fine, but that doesn't mean I don't have a grip.

[bluebyrd]

...

[Gary]

Genie, surely you can remember how George Bush was treated. It was not that long ago. If you can't or choose not to recall, do some research. A hint: it was infinitely worse than anybody has treated Obama (so far). Or is your point that GWB was really black?

[jeanette]

Please, Courtney, get a grip. Rush never called Obama an oreo and never would. He was the one who called it correctly when he said six months before the election that if Obama was elected, every complaint would be called racism just to shut people up. And that is exactly what has happened. But this time, conservatives aren't falling for it because they aren't racists. Of course there are some on the fringe just like the crazies on the far left.
Any principled concern has been called racism.
Also, if you want to dislike Rush, that's your right, but at least know the facts before you spew a bunch of garbage that you've heard from Huffington or moveon.

[Kee]

Yawn!! Anybody who cites "Jimma"Carter as authority on anything is beyond help.

Remember the "Misery Index" authored by the Peanut Farmer??

Let's remind our moonbat friends. Double digit unemployment, inflation rate, and interest rates..!

Now listen Genie I don't care if this current moron is green, orange, yellow, blue or black....

this idiot is not in the process of pissing our nation right down the hill of a slit trench...

Shazaam! the Prime Rate at 19%!!!, Unemployment at 12%!!

Inflation @ 14%!!

But Hey "Jimma" was in charge...WTF,YOu know "the One" is just as talented....

God help us if history repeats itself...