Originally Posted by COOPER (Post 686863)

Give us Whites a break man!

Originally Posted by Sam (Post 686865)

Why are you shocked by what this racist said?

Originally Posted by COOPER (Post 686874)

If it were a white praying; that the black will embrace what is right...

He would have been booed off the stage.

Originally Posted by COOPER (Post 686863)

Give us Whites a break man!

Originally Posted by PraiseHymn (Post 686965)

Spare me please, he was just trying to find someting that rhymed.

Brown - Around
Yellow - Mellow
Red - Ahead
White - Right

For those who took the SAT or ACT, you'll notice that the prayer was pretty simple and not meant to be taken as a racist statement but mere rhyming.

Originally Posted by PraiseHymn (Post 686965)

Spare me please, he was just trying to find someting that rhymed.

Brown - Around
Yellow - Mellow
Red - Ahead
White - Right

For those who took the SAT or ACT, you'll notice that the prayer was pretty simple and not meant to be taken as a racist statement but mere rhyming.

Originally Posted by Sam (Post 686865)

Why are you shocked by what this racist said?

Originally Posted by pelathais (Post 686995)

There were many heroes of the civil rights era. Men and women who demonstrated great courage by standing up to injustice without allowing themselves to be tainted by the hate.

Joseph Lowery was not one of those heroes.

And to excuse him because "he's black?" No way. It was a deliberately insensitive and divisive thing to say.

Originally Posted by PraiseHymn (Post 686965)

Spare me please, he was just trying to find someting that rhymed.

Brown - Around
Yellow - Mellow
Red - Ahead
White - Right

For those who took the SAT or ACT, you'll notice that the prayer was pretty simple and not meant to be taken as a racist statement but mere rhyming.

Originally Posted by pelathais (Post 687023)

Why "and when white would embrace what is right..."?

Why not a rap about how he wouldn't even be on that dias if it weren't for millions of whites who "embraced what is right" long before he was ever born? Lowery's perch overlooked Arlington (on a clear day) where thousands of dead white men lay who were killed fighting for his freedom from slavery.

I guess we just have to wait for the day when those "whites" will "embrace what is right.."? Lowery might as well as spit across the river and into Arlington.

Originally Posted by PraiseHymn (Post 686965)

Spare me please, he was just trying to find someting that rhymed.

Brown - Around
Yellow - Mellow
Red - Ahead
White - Right

For those who took the SAT or ACT, you'll notice that the prayer was pretty simple and not meant to be taken as a racist statement but mere rhyming.

Originally Posted by PraiseHymn (Post 687197)

Lets see what Webster's dictionary says a racist would be: 1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
2 : racial prejudice or discrimination
With that said, EVERYONE here on this website knows good and well what happened during slavery times. It was White individuals who sold African's (now called African American's) into slavery here in the United States of America.

We (BLACK PEOPLE) were not able to vote until 1869 "Passed by Congress February 26, 1869. Ratified February 3, 1870.

15th amendment.
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Why??????? Because white people did not want us to vote. Was that right? NO!!!!!!!!!

There was segregation between White people and Black people (such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a rest room, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home) WHY??? Because white people wanted segregation. It was not until the 1960's that this stopped (to an extent) Was that right? NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The two major examples that I just presented are clear that as a whole WHITE people did not do the RIGHT thing by blacks, so with that said no one on this board can point not one finger to say that what Lowery said was racist. Its the truth!

Granted, we now are in 2009 and have a black president and by no means and I trying to pull the "race card" but it is a proven fact that the United Stated of America never intended for black people to achieve anything higher than picking the masters cotton.

Ohhhh, we have all come a mighty long way, but the tables can never, no, WILL NEVER be able to be turned when it comes to what White Americans did to Black Americans in the past. Its a one way street. So in essence, a white person could never say "until blacks do whats right" when we are talking about racial inequality.

For the record, I'm not a racist nor did I see the statement that Lowery made to be a racist remark. Stop trying to rewrite history. It is what it is. White people did black people wrong (in the past) and now FINALLY we have begun to heal from all the pain and hurt that was caused. I thank and praise Jesus Christ (who is God almighty) that finally we are beginning to be as one. AMERICANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by pelathais (Post 686995)

There were many heroes of the civil rights era. Men and women who demonstrated great courage by standing up to injustice without allowing themselves to be tainted by the hate.

Joseph Lowery was not one of those heroes.

And to excuse him because "he's black?" No way. It was a deliberately insensitive and divisive thing to say.

Originally Posted by PraiseHymn (Post 686965)

Spare me please, he was just trying to find someting that rhymed.

Brown - Around
Yellow - Mellow
Red - Ahead
White - Right

For those who took the SAT or ACT, you'll notice that the prayer was pretty simple and not meant to be taken as a racist statement but mere rhyming.

Originally Posted by freeatlast (Post 686985)

I'd agree, just a closing rhyme, to a beuatiful prayer.

I'll welcome a prayer for me to do right anytime.

Originally Posted by jaxfam6 (Post 687162)

These very things, along with the gross waste of tax dollars, is why I refused to watch the circus that went on today.

Originally Posted by PraiseHymn (Post 687197)

Lets see what Webster's dictionary says a racist would be: 1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
2 : racial prejudice or discrimination
With that said, EVERYONE here on this website knows good and well what happened during slavery times. It was White individuals who sold African's (now called African American's) into slavery here in the United States of America.

We (BLACK PEOPLE) were not able to vote until 1869 "Passed by Congress February 26, 1869. Ratified February 3, 1870.

15th amendment.
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Why??????? Because white people did not want us to vote. Was that right? NO!!!!!!!!!

There was segregation between White people and Black people (such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a rest room, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home) WHY??? Because white people wanted segregation. It was not until the 1960's that this stopped (to an extent) Was that right? NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The two major examples that I just presented are clear that as a whole WHITE people did not do the RIGHT thing by blacks, so with that said no one on this board can point not one finger to say that what Lowery said was racist. Its the truth!

Granted, we now are in 2009 and have a black president and by no means and I trying to pull the "race card" but it is a proven fact that the United Stated of America never intended for black people to achieve anything higher than picking the masters cotton.

Ohhhh, we have all come a mighty long way, but the tables can never, no, WILL NEVER be able to be turned when it comes to what White Americans did to Black Americans in the past. Its a one way street. So in essence, a white person could never say "until blacks do whats right" when we are talking about racial inequality.

For the record, I'm not a racist nor did I see the statement that Lowery made to be a racist remark. Stop trying to rewrite history. It is what it is. White people did black people wrong (in the past) and now FINALLY we have begun to heal from all the pain and hurt that was caused. I thank and praise Jesus Christ (who is God almighty) that finally we are beginning to be as one. AMERICANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Praxeas (Post 687217)

If it was not about race...why go through the "white man did this to blacks"?

What you just posted to me is a tacit admission that what he said about whites doing right IS about race and a negative comment about whites....I guess if you are not white I can see why you didn't have an issue with that.

Originally Posted by Praxeas (Post 687219)

BTW my poor white immigrants also helped build this nation and got treated like trash.......that's not me. That was them. I don't live my life based on what happened

Originally Posted by Barb (Post 687226)

PraiseHymn is NOT White, Prax, but I am, and I didn't see a problem with it, either. In hindsight, I can see why some did, but it never occurred to me to take it that way.

Originally Posted by Praxeas (Post 687231)

I gathered he was not white....


Right, another bigoted statement. I am white. I am not around blacks..therefore I see racism behind every tree.

Well what do you know about the rest of us? Im from So Cal...I am a minority numerically speaking. My church is not mostly white. I hung around mostly blacks all my life. Does that qualify me for something?

It was a negative statement aimed at whites. It was the ONLY negative statement in the entire rhyme. Racism? I don't care what you or anyone else wants to call it. But I can read. It was a negative statement.


I can't believe you assumed I was saying they were equal. Have you ever taken a class in inductive reasoning? Critical thinking? I did not equate anything. I simply pointed out there was negative treatment in the past and....it was not my past. That anyone was lynched at any time does not mean ALL blacks are treated bad and all whites need to get right. That is another logical fallacy called a sweeping generalization.


Please answer this: Did I say it was the same? I never even implied it was the same. That was your own doing.


The topic is not history. That is the whole point. Nobody denied that has ever happened. We are discussing the negative generalization of what this man said. I repeat, yes it was a rhyme...it was a rhyme wherein the ONLY race he mentioned in ryhme in a negative way were whites


Did anyone say it was not racially motivated? You are off the topic. That is called a RED HERRING. And it's a tacit admission that what was said was true...in other words you are attempting to justify the racially negative stereo type of whites. Racism? Again I don't care what you call it, but it was a rhyme about races and only ONE of the races was done in a negative light...whites


Again a RED HERRING. And again tacit justification for what was said. Sorry, yes I am white but NO I never lynched anyone, let alone a black person. I never told them to get off the bus. I never did any of that stuff so yes I resent that negative racial generalization of whites. We are not all like that. The rehashing of history or telling of stories does not 1) address whether or not this guy was making a negative statement about whites and 2) does not and can not in any way justify a sweeping generalization.


Could he have NOT made a negative generalization aimed at white people? Can you answer that please?


Insensitive to what? The topic is not "have blacks been mistreated?" Start one and I will be the loudest to say YES.

The topic is this statement and the stuff he said about whites and what appears to be tacit support for it. '

Why should I, as a white person, do my part of a man like this is not? I don't say the "n" word. I don't say "oh blacks need to stop doing ______"

I don't make sweeping remarks about blacks as though they are ALL like that based on the actions of a few. Why can't we ALL work together and stop the racial generalizations and stereotypes?

That you can't see the point...well I don't know what to say. Insensitive? maybe you will have to point it out, but if me pointing out what was wrong with what this guy said is insensitive then I am afraid I will never understand how.

Again, the topic here is not "were blacks mistreated and did did some white people have anything to do with it".

Nobody is denying that. Bringing up that is irrelevant to the discussion of whether or not what this guy said was racially motivated (not racism) and negative.

Originally Posted by deacon blues (Post 687283)

Lowery is an old lion of the civil rights movement. He is a part of a different generation of African-Americans. Obama is not a part of that generation nor did his parents experience the injustices of the racism that existed in Lowery's generation.

People like Lowery, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, et al fought hard to get America and race relations to this point. Not always doing it in the right way, they did represent a vast majority of black folks. Yesterday made all of those black leaders a lot less relevant, if, that is, they want to continue the old rhetoric and attitudes.

With that being said, Lowery's prayer must be taken in context. In a way it shows the distinction between a fading generation (Lowery) and a new generation of black Americans (Obama). The attitudes are different.

Originally Posted by deacon blues (Post 687283)

Lowery is an old lion of the civil rights movement. He is a part of a different generation of African-Americans. Obama is not a part of that generation nor did his parents experience the injustices of the racism that existed in Lowery's generation.

People like Lowery, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, et al fought hard to get America and race relations to this point. Not always doing it in the right way, they did represent a vast majority of black folks. Yesterday made all of those black leaders a lot less relevant, if, that is, they want to continue the old rhetoric and attitudes.

With that being said, Lowery's prayer must be taken in context. In a way it shows the distinction between a fading generation (Lowery) and a new generation of black Americans (Obama). The attitudes are different.

Originally Posted by ILG (Post 687403)

Deleted that last post after rereading the comment. The insinuation is that whites still aren't doing what is right. Rather than it being a historical view, it looks more like a present accusation.

Originally Posted by Bullwinkle (Post 687616)

I immediately thought it was racist. Blacks can be just as racist as whites.
Why does everybody celebrate his Kenyan goatherder father and conveniently forget that his mother who raised him was a white woman from Kansas?

Originally Posted by rgcraig (Post 687623)

The racism sure does go both ways. I listen to a black gospel radio station and on the way in to work today they were talking about Obama got off beat clapping at one of the balls.

The DJ said, he must have got that from his mom's side.

Originally Posted by TRFrance (Post 687198)

Even if we give Lowery the benefit of the doubt, and say his remarks were not intended to be racist, they obviously can easily be taken as being racist.... and Lowery should have been smart enough to have known that ahead of time.

So at the very least, I think he used poor judgment, and his comments showed a lack of sensitivity, and were simply inappropriate, especially for an occasion like this.