Jimmy Carter

[ellen]

"You're out of the spotlight Jimmy - go home to your peanut farm!!!!!" ... Scooter

Your statement, Scooter, doesn?t hold water considering what Jimmy Carter has done for human rights, peace, agriculture, diseases, election monitoring, Habitat For Humanity. ....

If you want to talk about his comments regarding Joe Wilson, then do that but don?t assume all republicans, or even very many, cannot see the value of many of Carter?s achievements.

One former Carter White House aide, Jack Watson, offered this thought:
"Someone once said, and I agree with them, that he is the only man in American history ... who used the United States presidency ... as a stepping stone to greatness."




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I love Jimmy Carter . Got that from my late grandmother, a conservative southern Democrat.

Rita said it best above - he is a genuinely wonderful man who has used his fame and status for the greater good.

In addition, our country should have implemented the energy policies of his presidency. Then we wouldn't be in such a mess today with our dependency on foreign oil.

 

[30ashopper]

I gave my thoughts and examples of this animosity in post #15. I really don't see what's so difficult to understand. It's plain as day. I see no attempt on Carter's part to lump every critic in with the ignorant douchebag racists.

I still think you are playing the race card in cases where it isn't relevant. I'm not saying there aren't racists but to lump a group of people into this group simply because they question something is wrong. The kind of criticism you give examples of isn't anything new either, you're just injecting race into it in a hurtful way - compare the birther thing with the Killian documents and you get an idea of just how easily something like this can manifest and be blown out of proportion, sans race.

 

[Miss Kitty]

I wouldn't assume that either- not every Republican believes the same way you do, just like every Democrat does not believe like me. My Republican friends don't like to be lumped in with the ranters and haters and neo-conservative types. And while they may not liked Jimmy Carter's choice of words, they understand his thoughts behind them.

When one is going to rant, they need to speak for themselves.

I really do regret the fact that Carter is correct in his statement. but I think it needs more explanation. it is my experience that racist people rarely recognize that they ARE racist. so, they just can't understand what Carter, or anyone else, is talking about. so, if Carter, or anyone else is going to come out and make this statement, I think they had better be ready to explain fully what they mean.

I can't really voice it, but I know racism is at least part of what we are seeing/hearing from some. and I deeply regret it on behalf of my country.

I really was going to stay out of this fray, but I have this problem with staying put on my hands at all times.

First off, our friend Bob, can take care of himself....and does, quite frequently. ;-)

Good point there, jdarg, about lumping people into "neat" little categories. I feel it happening all the time in the political forum and my thought it is laziness on the part of the poster doing the lumpings. The back and forth rhetoric is sometimes akin to a playground, but there is no changing the style of some posters. So much of it is to get a rise out of someone. :roll:

I would like to say that I am not a racist. I don't think of myself as one and neither would my friends or family, but this thought came to me while in the mall the other day. I am guilty of racial profiling. It is not a blatant thing and I take no action because of it, but it is there, just the same. Disclaimer: I have been in a store when it was robbed in the past. I was in a jewelry store and two young back men walked in...I took note of their style of dress and became uncomfortable....I was afraid they were there to rob the place!!!! It was not a feeling that I was capable of suppressing and in a few minutes when I saw what they were doing with the salesperson, the feeling passed. I was so not proud of that feeling, but it made me think.

My point of all this is that to say you do not have a racist bone in your body may not quite be true. On the other hand, acknowledging and how you deal with those feelings is what is important. I can't say why Mr. Wilson blurted out what he did (although I suspect it was frustration as 30a shopper said). I call his action rude, disrespectful, and shameful, but not racist. I do think the more race and racism is discussed, the better chance there is to deal with it, but I so dislike this convenient card being played at every difficult pass in DC.

To the OP...you lost me when you said you had NO respect for our President. For me, the POTUS will always demand a degree of respect even when I do not agree with him/her. I have to hope for the best, or I might as well give it up.

Thanks for listening. I got up too early, again.

 

[GoodWitch58]

thanks for your post, Miss Kitty. I am up too early as well.
I agree that the more we talk about the issue of race, rather than pretend it does not exist, the closer we will come as a country to getting beyond the negative racial attitudes.

It is sad that so many people do not think -- really think--about why we feel the way we do. I am sure that most of us (at least the ones who have lived for a good many years) have been in a similar situation as what you described. The important thing is that we are aware of the feelings; and then make a choice about how we act upon them.

As a parent, grandparent and a educator, I worry about the example so many adults today are setting for the younger generation.

I wish more people in this country were open to differences; had traveled and experienced different cultures--just in this country--and found wonder in the differences, instead of fear.

I continue to hope for greater enlightenment for all.

 

[fisher]

I
I would like to say that I am not a racist. I don't think of myself as one and neither would my friends or family, but this thought came to me while in the mall the other day. I am guilty of racial profiling. It is not a blatant thing and I take no action because of it, but it is there, just the same. Disclaimer: I have been in a store when it was robbed in the past. I was in a jewelry store and two young back men walked in...I took note of their style of dress and became uncomfortable....I was afraid they were there to rob the place!!!! It was not a feeling that I was capable of suppressing and in a few minutes when I saw what they were doing with the salesperson, the feeling passed. I was so not proud of that feeling, but it made me think.

If two very rough looking white guys with tattoos all over their bodies that looked like they just got out of jail had walked in instead of the two black guys, would you have felt the same way?

If the answer is yes, then you weren't racial profiling. You were simply keeping your antenna up. You know what thugs tend to look like be they white, black, red, yellow, green, purple, pink, etc. If someone dresses like a thug, then they should not be shocked when people get a bit uncomfortable in their presence. I know some tough looking white bikers that look like thugs (they used to be but aren't anymore). They get the same kind of reaction from folks.

I think some people are way to sensitive about calling it like they see just because someone is a racial minority.

 

[poppy]

If two very rough looking white guys with tattoos all over their bodies that looked like they just got out of jail had walked in instead of the two black guys, would you have felt the same way?

If the answer is yes, then you weren't racial profiling. You were simply keeping your antenna up. You know what thugs tend to look like be they white, black, red, yellow, green, purple, pink, etc. If someone dresses like a thug, then they should not be shocked when people get a bit uncomfortable in their presence. I know some tough looking white bikers that look like thugs (they used to be but aren't anymore). They get the same kind of reaction from folks.

I think some people are way to sensitive about calling it like they see just because someone is a racial minority.

Good point, when I was living in Memphis and working in the rougher areas (Blair your town is A+) I was always on edge, it wasn't fear just awareness of my surroundings. Since moving here I have found I no longer need that "street sense".
Are we not some of the most fortunate people in this country to reside in a paradise such as this?

 

[Rita]

If two very rough looking white guys with tattoos all over their bodies that looked like they just got out of jail had walked in instead of the two black guys, would you have felt the same way?

If the answer is yes, then you weren't racial profiling. You were simply keeping your antenna up. You know what thugs tend to look like be they white, black, red, yellow, green, purple, pink, etc. If someone dresses like a thug, then they should not be shocked when people get a bit uncomfortable in their presence. I know some tough looking white bikers that look like thugs (they used to be but aren't anymore). They get the same kind of reaction from folks.

I think some people are way to sensitive about calling it like they see just because someone is a racial minority.

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I'm going to take a guess that the 2 black fellows that Miss K referenced were not likely adorned with tatoos. I think you're talking apples and oranges here.

I have experienced and had similar inner feelings as Miss Kitty describes. All else being equal, I would have a stronger likelihood of being nervous in a situation if the two men were black instead of white. Even Obama's grandmother tells of her own sort of racial profiling.

Like others have said, we need to recognize it in ourselves and not act on it and grow to improve. Let's take steps forward instead of what appears to be some giant steps backward by some.

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[Mango]

First off, I think Jimmy Carter would know a thing or two about racism coming up in the deep South and his lifes experiences, but I do not think that he should have singled out Joe Wilson.

I live in a Blue State, but my County's majority is Conservative. I have encountered more hate and vitriol here whenever Obama's name has come up in conversation. The day after his Healthcare speech, I was in the doctors office and the topic came up. What spewed out of the medical Billers mouth made my jaw drop. She didn't even let her daughter watch the address to school children. She was upset that Medicare patients would be paying a few dollars more a month and she believed some of that money was going to the welfare children, who received $200 this year for school clothes.

I left there wondering what was causing this so early in Obama's Presidency and have really thought quite a bit about it. My opinion was it is a combination of fear and panic since we are in the Great Recession, a situation that many of have never experienced to this degree. Or, is it simply just his policies or is there a more primitive psychological thing going on; that a Black man is not capable of doing the job as well as a white man; a psychology that dates back to before this Country even had slaves.

Isn't the Right fueling this fire with the references to Hitler? Does that not have a racial discriminatory tone to it? Hitler, who rose to power out of nowhere during a time of great economic depression, did not have a relationship with his Father,raised by his Mother,was a charismatic speaker, then went on to try and create a perfect Arian race.

 

[fisher]

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I'm going to take a guess that the 2 black fellows that Miss K referenced were not likely adorned with tatoos. I think you're talking apples and oranges here.

I have experienced and had similar inner feelings as Miss Kitty describes. All else being equal, I would have a stronger likelihood of being nervous in a situation if the two men were black instead of white. Even Obama's grandmother tells of her own sort of racial profiling.

Like others have said, we need to recognize it in ourselves and not act on it and grow to improve. Let's take steps forward instead of what appears to be some giant steps backward by some.

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Her quote--"I took note of their style of dress and became uncomfortable".

Seems to me it had to do with the way they were dressed (or tatooed in my example), not with the fact that they were black. I bet she wouldn't have batted an eye if the two black guys, or two white guys, or two asians, or ... had been dressed in casual business attire or shorts and tshirts with flip flops or suits or other "normal looking" attire.

What I am talking about (and it appears that Kitty was feeling this too) is the fact that it has nothing to do with racism when your antennae goes up when someone that dresses like a badass makes you uncomfortable be they black, white, red, yellow or brown.

If you dress the part (or tattoo the part or groom the part or all of the above), you should expect some people to be uncomfortable. Doesn't have a thing to do with being racist.

We need to stop stepping on eggshells and be honest regardless of the color of someones skin.

 

[Just Curious]

I am probably younger than most of you on this thread, so no disrespect intended. I will also say that most of you are also smarter than I am; that can probably be disputed, but I will save that for another time. I am 25, and have only had the priveledge to vote in 2 elections. I have noticed over my few years that when it comes to politics, no matter which party is sitting in the WH, all that happens is a bunch of finger pointing from the other side.

I remember the right ripping into President Clinton, and remember what happened to President Bush, but I have to say that none of that produced anything. When are we, as Americans(hope that isn't painting with too broad a brush), actually going to start doing something to fix what we see as wrong with Government.

I read an earlier post about someone's family being racist, I'm not picking on you, but doesn't that fall on you to help remedy. Who else better to address your/my family's racism than you/me. It starts with the decisions that we make everyday. It's a lot easier to come here with our secret identities and mouth off about what we "believe", but when it comes to real life situations we tend to shut up and look the other way.

Again, I hope noone is upset about this rant, but lets become proactive, and start doing things instead of just talking about them.