I LIKE BARACK OBAMA!!

Ngwazi · Guru

I LIKE BARACK OBAMA!!

abre les ojos · Guru

Obama might be high on the likeability factor but let's be honest, like Chris Rock once said - a black man would never be president of America. Not in our lifetime. Unless Edward wins (which he would) and Obama agrees to be his deputy and by some stroke of bad-luck dies. With the unlikelyhood of that happening. Obama should just enjoys his numbered days in the spotlight before he descends to obscurity.

Ngwazi · Guru

I should have said why I like him,actually its the way he replied to the Australian Premiers attacks on bringing back the soldiers in March 2008especially where he said if the Australian guys cared so much about Iraq then they should send an extra 20000 soldiers.

To be honest with you and I hate to say this,America is not ready for a black President and on that one I agree with what you said that he should enjoy it while it lasts.However positive we want to be about a fellow black person running for nomination for Presidential candidate of his party,the truth is that he will bring much needed publicity to the Democrats but thats all,he wont go far as winning the nomination.

But to say he should enjoy it before dissapearing into obscurity is a bit too far,I believe he will lose the nominations but he will be there for a long time and whoever will win the Democratic nomination will surely try to get him on board more likely as a Vice Presidential candidate and with Obama by the side,Hillary Clinton or Al Gore(as it is rumoured he might come back)will surely carry the day,good luck Barack,Good luck!

fulii · Newbie

Obama wont win if it wiil be politics of color.

awmygawd · Guru

A black US president would make for a nice cosmetic change to the white house although I find competence more important. Especially for a country as powerful as the State's.

abre les ojos · Guru

awmygawd wrote:

A black US president would make for a nice cosmetic change to the white house although I find competence more important. Especially for a country as powerful as the State's.

He would never get his own party's nomination. Truth is America is still a divided country, and quite a racial one too. He could never get a majority in the south. Never.

eetchef · Senior Member

They told William Wilberforce "slavery" would never be abolished. But here we are , slavery is history.
They told Nelson Mandela "apartheid" would never be overturned. But apartheid is history.
They told Vaclav Havel the "Berlin Wall" would never fall. But the Berlin Wall is history.

Therefore, I find it unjust to format such kind of conclusive conclusions about Obamas White House realities at the moment . Its rather too horny and amateurish to dismiss him in that order now. You are being too negative and closed-up in your imaginations about the America of tomorrow.I mean we are yet to witness how he disciplines the electorate and wins the vote. With dreams and determination impossible is nothing. Cynism is only the most common form of naivety.

Chris Rock is not a politician to make classical political quotes .

abre les ojos · Guru

It is called reality. Slavery was eventually abolished. In its time. So was apartheid. But these are not the same as being president of the US. It is about numbers. There are just not enough black folk (even if they all vote for him which is highly unlikely as a great deal of blacks are incarcerated or convicted felons or just not interested) to vote for him. It that simple. American prides itself as being a free for all society but the truth is the presidency is for blue-blooded people. White people. They haven't even had a white female yet.

At least Chris Rock has the advantage of actually living in America, and as a rich and famous American knows what the glass ceiling looks like from personal experience.

Dada Ngwazi · Senior Member

abre les ojos wrote:

It is called reality. Slavery was eventually abolished. In its time. So was apartheid. But these are not the same as being president of the US. It is about numbers. There are just not enough black folk (even if they all vote for him which is highly unlikely as a great deal of blacks are incarcerated or convicted felons or just not interested) to vote for him. It that simple. American prides itself as being a free for all society but the truth is the presidency is for blue-blooded people. White people. They haven't even had a white female yet.

At least Chris Rock has the advantage of actually living in America, and as a rich and famous American knows what the glass ceiling looks like from personal experience.

Abre, politics and diapers have one thing in common; they are disposable and for the same use! S***!

abre les ojos · Guru

I wasn't referring to you and I would of course ask you to refrain from abusing me or I would of course have to ask for your IP to be blocked.

skillzmanifest · Senior Member

Its just the beginning. I've followed Obama politics since he became president of the Harvard review, and I know enough to say that he has a reason to be optimistic, or as he would put it, 'audacious'. Sure, there are enormous odds against old barry, but he's been in such situations before, winning very marginal victories. It's only been recently that he announced his candidacy, so whatever brand of politics he unviels will just have to be determined these coming months. Of course, national politics is a different terrain altogether, but lets not forget about what a successful year the democrats are having. If Obama can jump the first hurdle, then we can start asking ourselves if America is ready for a black president.

Dada Ngwazi · Senior Member

Abre, you got a personal grudge but won't succeed cos you are doomed. Its a mistake you live among breathing creatures.

-- Edited by Dada Ngwazi at 07:00, 2007-02-13

-- Edited by Dada Ngwazi at 07:03, 2007-02-13

abre les ojos · Guru

skillzmanifest wrote:

Its just the beginning. I've followed Obama politics since he became president of the Harvard review, and I know enough to say that he has a reason to be optimistic, or as he would put it, 'audacious'. Sure, there are enormous odds against old barry, but he's been in such situations before, winning very marginal victories. It's only been recently that he announced his candidacy, so whatever brand of politics he unviels will just have to be determined these coming months. Of course, national politics is a different terrain altogether, but lets not forget about what a successful year the democrats are having. If Obama can jump the first hurdle, then we can start asking ourselves if America is ready for a black president.

Good point but I still don't feel America is ready for a black president. I don't even feel it is ready for a woman president for that matter. It is quite east to get swept up in this new Democrat popularity. Plus American loves the idea of looking inclusive to its minority population - which is certainly just good PR. But when it boils down to the truth, he won't even get be the nominee in his own party. Sounds borderline cynical - but I'll say it is more realistic. I mean, none of those hicks in Utah or Montana or yes, Texas are going to vote for a black man.

eetchef · Senior Member

How fanciful is this posting. On one hand it exposes members own weaknesses to understand what it is they believe, and fail to understand the reasons they believe in what they think. In simple terms failure to argue a position.

I am actually amazed at the users presentation of this local news from Yahoo website that simply highlights reactions from both Australian PM Howard and Democratic Sen. Obama. It follows no direct personal comment or opinion over it other than the beautiful topic itself to open up a rational discussion .
Quite outstanding.
But what is most appalling is the way some members have decided to pass off the main discussion point, Ngwazis opinion; “I like Barak Obama!!”(based on this particular news headlines), and then sought to give us their own irrelevant opinions on a sub-topic of which none of us is interested to know about at the moment. We are not yet discussing about whether America is ready for black presidency or woman or homosexual presidency. We are building up a tendency of exhausting topics with a lot of useless stuff from without. Lets give reasons supporting our positions rather than a one-line reply full of bollocks and then start slashing each others throats.

I often question about the meaning of some members beliefs and about the justification (or rationality) of their beliefs on most postings on this forum. I sense a lack of these things shows a lack of understanding, and some dislike not having this understanding.

abre les ojos · Guru

You spen all your time and energy complaining about other people's opinions instead of just simply giving yours.

What is your opinion on this matter? Oh sorry I forgot, you don't have one. You're just good at moaning about other people's.

eetchef · Senior Member

Actually, I have a big problem with your assessment of both the Democrats preliminary elections and the 2008 presidential race . If you are basing it solely on race and minority, Obama of course represent a mere 12.8%[edit] actually above 15.2 according to the 2006 census[/edit] of Americans. This is such backwards logic for sure, it's astounding . Given that you have lived in the UK for over a decade you must have known better altleast about such kind of politics because you seem to underestimate the willingness of the American people to forget/ignore. Its more same as to conclude that we shall never have a Northerner as Malawis president because they are in minority. Thats absurd. Of course I have nothing against your slant though because in the end what matters shall be their views. If its about history then let me tell you that the reason Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson did not have a chance is that their entire platform was "I'm Black, vote for me!" And this is Obama mind you.
Generally, what I'm worried about is not your portrayed American prejudice , which I think is not such a big problem in the US as compared to your native Britain , but the opposite; this feeling that many people would vote for a minority, because "if they didn't, that would make them a racist."
You really have problem with races issue, don't you Abres? Why mention the black president in your reference to the Americas attitudes towards the minorities? Because we have never have them before? Once the U.S has an African-American president, which they will of course (not perhaps by 2008 or 2018 or beyond like Chris Rock hope), then you can ask, "is there going to be a Chinese American President?".... It's not a racist thing as yo imagine it to be. It’s a probability! Read me right. Why have we always mentioned African-American before Chinese-American or Latinos?
Well for one Abres, it is more likely that we'll have African-American being the president than a Chinese-American being a president. We have black people running for president before and we have more African-American more than Chinese-American. Should I use the term Asian-American instead of Chinese American? I don’t want to. This Fulii dude is from Singapore so he is likely to be Chinese.
But as a matter of fact I don't think that having just one person of a certain race is a very good way to symbolize equality in America . The BEST symbol of equality could be the capability and willingness for the group of human-kind to work together in peace and unity without these little squabbles over race or gender. If these high-minded ideals were put into practice across the world,including your Bristish "having a black president" just wouldn't be an issue, it would be common place. I do agree however, that all of this requires a change of thinking and heart. Anyone refusing to change their mindset to this standard should be ashamed of allowing themselves to be ignorant and stubborn.

I never thought I'd describe a politician as "refreshing" - and indeed, he is a politician - but he appears to be principled, have a heart, a soul, and a brain. How rare! No wonder Ngwazi likes him.

A couple of years ago, I came across his autobiography, "Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance." It was very candid. He mentioned his mistakes and the lessons he learned from them. (He beat the tabloids!) .I would like to buy a copy now .

And only yesterday I found one of the books , "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" - I, for one, had forgotten all about an American Dream. I am glad there is a politician who is hopeful. I am glad it is Obama.
The upcoming U.S. Presidential election could be an acid test. For years we've been arguing, dreaming,and questioning the viability of a minority (Black) president. That may be tested in the upcoming election. Mr. Obama is "Everyman" and "Everywoman" - his is the face of America.

Barack Obama/Hillary Clinton in 2008?
Hillary Clinton/Barack Obama in 2008?

Will that choice have to be made?

I can't wait for the campaign.

-- Edited by eetchef at 15:27, 2007-02-13

abre les ojos · Guru

Finally some coherent assessment from you. I knew I had to say something slightly derogatory to drag it from you, albeit kicking and screaming.

But I still disagree with you.

It is obvious that Obama is trying his level best not to play the black card. He is of course being backed by a lot of Hollywood and playing the race card would damage his prospects this early in the campaign. But sooner or later the issue of it would have to expose it ugly head. The US is only 4 decaded away from the civil rights movements and whether you are fooled by the rhetoric or not - is still a racially divided country. Katrina should have told you that.

You have fancy words to say about the capacity to work together and all that malarkey but it still boils down to the fact that the US would give a black man the majority - maybe if Oprah ran - but that's a long shot!

I have no problem with race issues. But I am realistic. All that rhetorical flourish about the American dream doesn't wash with the southern blue-bloods from places like Texas or Arkansas.

Wait till it all gathers momentum, you'll see how easy it would be for the white folk in control to brush him aside in favour of Edwards or some other hot-shot with money who'll appear sooner or later. Hillary doesn't even stand a chance either. Mark my words.

bingiza · Guru

Simply put, if i was a gambler i wouldnt put my money on a black man aspiring to be a president of America.

eetchef · Senior Member

It seems some of us lack black consciousness and we need to evolve our understanding of the American politics in particular and seek organic wisdom. Sorry to have said that but skip such a type of stigma. I think Osama Barracka should announce that he's running for the VP slot on the ticket. That would throw a wrench in the works perhaps.Does that make you a gambler now?

abre les ojos · Guru

eetchef wrote:

It seems some of us lack black consciousness and we need to evolve our understanding of the American politics in particular and seek organic wisdom. Sorry to have said that but skip such a type of stigma. I think Osama Barracka should announce that he's running for the VP slot on the ticket. That would throw a wrench in the works perhaps.Does that make you a gambler now?

Oh we know about American politics - and black consciousness has absolutely nothing to do with it. "Organic wisdom"? What are you talking about? Obama would not be president, or even a vice president. That's America dude.

If the last 6 years have taught us something its that Americans would easily vote for a dumb white man than a smart black one....

eetchef · Senior Member

"What are you talking about?" Hallow Mr Abres! You forget too soon.

abre les ojos · Guru

eetchef wrote:

"What are you talking about?" Hallow Mr Abres! You forget too soon.

Sorry, what I meant was I don't understand the term "organic wisdom". And it just seems like something irrelevant to this particular topic. Unless you can clarify what it is you meant.

eetchef · Senior Member

Who do you think you are Abres?
Who are you ?
I dont have to waste my everything trying to explain anything to you. You are aretard and thats what you are. Accept the fact that you are not Mr Academic. Yes you have lived in England , London for more than a decade but that doesnt make you somebody. Something you dont know you dont understand , and you dont know everything , do you?
You dont understand the term "organic wisdom " fine . But how do you know then that it is irrelevant to what I was saying ???? Intellectual marasmus .

abre les ojos · Guru

I don't think I am anything. I know who I am. The question is, do you?

This has nothing to do with living in England or trying to be "Mr Academic". You came out with a term "organic wisdom" that I thought sounded interesting but didn't have any idea what it meant or how it had anything to do with Obama's presidential chances. Obviously you just made it up since you failed to explain yourself and resorted to (like you and other members of this forum do) insulting me personally instead.

"Intellectual marasmus"? Where do you get these terms from? That was one was quite funny though I must admit. Although it had a slight contradiction of terms from my perspective.

I'll quote that again.

we need to evolve our understanding of the American politics in particular and seek organic wisdom.

That doesn't make any sense! How can I "evolve" my understanding of US politics" What's this organic wisdom about? How is it relevant? You see what I mean by the negative effects of dropping out of college. At least you attended for a spell - which is more than you can say about your other attack dogs.

I can almost anticipate the retort and it excites me!!!!

-- Edited by abre les ojos at 06:55, 2007-02-15