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Al Green: Unamerican?

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Elections 2012
Posted on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 12:43:47 PM EST
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Via Krugman:

Suzy Welch, former editor in chief of the Harvard Business Review, and wife of Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric...suggested that Mr Obama’s personal style and choice of musical material define him as a member of a “different America”....“It’s the difference between the songs that they’re singing,” Mrs Welch said. “Mitt Romney didn’t exactly do a beautiful job on that song, but think about what he’s singing, OK? I mean it’s that patriotic song and he goes all the way through it. Then you’ve got the very cool Barack Obama singing Al Green. That is the two different Americas. Isn’t it?”

If Al Green is unAmerican, then count me out of America.

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    Al Green: Unamerican? | 126 comments (126 topical)

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    That is outrageous (5.00 / 7) (#1)
    by DFLer on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 12:47:52 PM EST
    What she means, of course is all black music: R&B, the blues...like those folks the President has invited to the White House. Not quite American enough for her.

    Ms Welch speaks for white privilege.

    two different Americas.. (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by jondee on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:01:04 PM EST
    like Rush saying the NFL looks more-and-more these days like the Bloods and the Crips are out there on the field..

    The question is, after their Free Market Fundamentalist approach was deifinitively proven to be both strategically and morally bankrupt for the country, what does the Right really have left but these kind of stir-up-the-base, culture war-southern strategy dogwhistles..?  

    Parent

    The (5.00 / 1) (#33)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 02:49:46 PM EST
    last sentence you said pretty much says it all. Their economic plan has been shown to be a failure so it's some kind of culture war insanity is all they have to offer.

    Parent
    she speaks for, or more likely, to (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by jondee on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:04:17 PM EST
    the Great White Brotherhood of the Sacred Teabag.

    Parent
    Geee (1.00 / 1) (#45)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:20:37 PM EST
    I thought we were supposed to celebrate diversity...

    That must be true ONLY if you disagree with a Repub.

    Really, BTD. Is this all you could find?

    Parent

    Ya might want to pass that on to (5.00 / 1) (#53)
    by nycstray on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:29:17 PM EST
    Suzy in her "America".

    Just sayin' . . .

    Parent

    Did she say anything bad about Obama?? (1.50 / 2) (#66)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 05:02:44 PM EST
    I mean is being "cool" bad??

    Maybe now but it use to be good to be called cool.

    But I confess to just not being able to pass up pointing out the uncoolness of taking umbrage at someone calling Obama cool.

    Parent

    Yes, perhaps she meant that it's good (5.00 / 3) (#97)
    by observed on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 04:50:22 AM EST
    for a man like Obama to stay cool, when he is out in the tall cotton.

    Parent
    I think we all detect a note of sarcasm (none / 0) (#82)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 09:00:11 PM EST
    in her use of the word 'cool'. I doubt she meant it as a compliment.

    Parent
    Sarcasm? (none / 0) (#84)
    by Peter G on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 09:34:03 PM EST
    Or sneering?

    Parent
    I'll take "sneering" for $200, Alex n/t (5.00 / 3) (#90)
    by nycstray on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 10:32:18 PM EST


    Parent
    And you base your claim on (1.00 / 1) (#99)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 09:30:37 AM EST
    what? Video? Audio?

    Parent
    Reading comprehension 99 th percentile (5.00 / 4) (#109)
    by ruffian on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 11:51:14 AM EST


    Parent
    Huh?? (1.00 / 1) (#113)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 02:13:02 PM EST
    "It's the difference between the songs that they're singing," Mrs Welch said. "Mitt Romney didn't exactly do a beautiful job on that song, but think about what he's singing, OK? I mean it's that patriotic song and he goes all the way through it. Then you've got the very cool Barack Obama singing Al Green. That is the two different Americas. Isn't it?"

    You have a vivid and over worked imagination.

    Parent

    Thats exactly what she was doing: (none / 0) (#95)
    by jondee on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 02:43:43 AM EST
    "celebrating diversity". Any teabag-addled fool could see that..

    Parent
    Suzy can have her "America" (5.00 / 4) (#2)
    by nycstray on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 12:55:37 PM EST
    I'll take Al Green, TYVM.

    Maybe (none / 0) (#73)
    by lousy1 on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 07:46:54 PM EST
    she was thinking of Al Green Day.

     

    Parent

    I would never suggest the Pres., or (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by oculus on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 12:56:01 PM EST
    kdog's, for that matter, musical choices are unAmerican.  I sure hops Ms. Welch doesn't like classical music composed by dead European Caucasian males.  

    Hey now... (none / 0) (#36)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:03:59 PM EST
    Mrs. Welch probably does like that unamerican old world stuff you listen to...j/k pal:)

    Parent
    New cabinet position for Al Green (5.00 / 4) (#4)
    by Dadler on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 12:56:22 PM EST
    Secretary of Soul.  Department of Making Life Worth Living.

    If Suzy Welch has an actual heartbeat, I'll flog myself with a sock full of chalk AND give you half and hour to draw a crowd.

    Al could replace Van Jones at the White House (5.00 / 2) (#40)
    by Peter G on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:14:38 PM EST
    in promoting the Green economy.

    Parent
    Al Green is a shining example... (5.00 / 3) (#7)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:18:29 PM EST
    of America's greatest gift to the world (imo), our music.  

    Blues, Jazz, R&B, Soul, Country, Rock-n-Roll, Punk, Rap...all Born in the USA.  It's my greatest source of pride in our country...anyplace that can birth all that beauty has gotta be doing something right.

    Sh*t the best version of the song Mitt butchered, "America the Beautiful", is by Ray Charles, another citizen of this mysterious  different America.  Wait, I think there is a name for it already..."we are the 99%"!

    According to recent NPR piece on (none / 0) (#9)
    by oculus on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:24:22 PM EST
    Woody Guthrie, the reason he wrote "This Land Is Your Land" (including some radical verses seldom performed) is his adverse reaction to Kate Smith singing "God Bless America."  

    Parent
    "God Bless America"... (none / 0) (#11)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:28:37 PM EST
    is a lame song as far as patriotic songs go, you said it Woody.

    If we were voting on a new national anthem, I'd prefer Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land", or "America the Beautiful" Ray Charles style.

    Parent

    This Land Is Your Land (5.00 / 2) (#16)
    by Peter G on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:40:08 PM EST
    was originally titled, "God Blessed America for You and Me." The final title is better.  Here's a heck of a version for you:  Sharon Jones and the Dap-Tones.  

    Parent
    Love the Sharon Jones! (5.00 / 1) (#18)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:47:52 PM EST
    You're on fire with the music linkage Peter, you unamerican s.o.b. you;)

    Parent
    But her band is the... (none / 0) (#60)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:52:52 PM EST
    Dap-Kings!  Sharon got the pipes, the Dap-Kings got the groove.

    Parent
    thanks for the correction (none / 0) (#68)
    by Peter G on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 05:20:22 PM EST
    KDog.  My boo boo.

    Parent
    wow me too..love it (none / 0) (#34)
    by DFLer on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 02:50:38 PM EST
    tanks

    Parent
    agree w/ y'all - thanks (none / 0) (#47)
    by Georgie Girl on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:22:25 PM EST
    for turning me on to Sharon Jones and the Dap-Tones

    Parent
    Thank you, Peter. (none / 0) (#59)
    by caseyOR on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:47:44 PM EST
    Great link to a great rendition of a great song.

    Parent
    Two more recordings (one live) (none / 0) (#69)
    by Peter G on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 05:27:44 PM EST
    of her rendition.  With full band, in studio.  And live.

    Parent
    Back in some scary days in WWII, (5.00 / 2) (#63)
    by the capstan on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 04:16:02 PM EST
    that song, and Kate Smith, did a pretty good job of rousing an audience.  I realize it was a 'whitebread' world then--but for awhile we had a nation fairly united in fighting the Axis powers.  And, somehow or other, we did get on the road toward equality.  Don't judge us old folk for our failures, but for how much we have have managed to change.

    Parent
    Welch's remarks (5.00 / 2) (#8)
    by cal1942 on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:20:53 PM EST
    are certainly a candidate for the most racially divisive we've heard so far this year.  That's saying something in a year of overt racist assaults.

    There was a time when uber country club types wouldn't be caught dead letting remarks like that become public.  They thought the thoughts, but at least, in my neck of the woods, would guard against letting such remarks become public.

    Now it's just wide open racist, but what should we expect from a southern based party.

    And Obama hates white people, (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by jondee on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:32:21 PM EST
    or was it white culture, I don't remember..

    Next up: a 3D remake of Birth of a Nation, with screenplay by David Mamet..

    Parent

    Two Americas (5.00 / 5) (#12)
    by Georgie Girl on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:32:19 PM EST
    One with soul and one without.

    Jeez, yes (none / 0) (#58)
    by gyrfalcon on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:47:06 PM EST


    Parent
    effing hell (5.00 / 3) (#19)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:49:58 PM EST
    I really don't know how Obama keeps his cool with this crap. He will always have my admiration for that, no matter what.

    Maybe he keeps it too cool... (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 02:01:08 PM EST
    who better to call out this crap than the POTUS?

    Granted, he's in a tough spot, militant black man stereotype scaring white folks and all that garbage.

    Be nice if he sticks up for Al Green, if not himself.

    Parent

    Good point (5.00 / 1) (#42)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:17:02 PM EST
    I hope he does address it. No doubt he will do it in a better way than I would, which would involve a lot of profanity and name calling.

    Parent
    I think he just might... (none / 0) (#48)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:23:43 PM EST
    Elvira Gulch...err, Welch...just threw him a meatball right over the plate!  

    If he does it will surely be cooler, calmer, and more collected than you, or I, or most of the TL community would.  

    Just look at this thread, we tore Welch several new arseholes;)

    Parent

    It really does take a special kind of person (5.00 / 1) (#94)
    by lilburro on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 12:32:06 AM EST
    to deal with this kind of stuff.  As a gay lady I still tend to go off whenever I hear homophobic stuff, directed at me or others.  It's not so much that I'm hurt personally but that it's just completely ignorant and below everyone involved (see, here I go).  Maybe in politics it becomes a little easier because you have a goal and you're trying to marshal opinion (and of course, you're a celebrity) as opposed to sitting in your office or at a bar.  But it certainly says a lot about your leadership ability if you can bear demeaning insults about how you are "different" with as much grace as Obama seems to (or Hillary, or Pelosi, or other politicians in leadership roles.  I was going to say Keith Ellison because he gets a lot of flack but in his position there is more push and pull, he can "demand apologies" whereas a Prez or SoS cannot).

    Parent
    I don't think Al was the target of Suzy (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by Anne on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 02:04:44 PM EST
    Welch's who's-the-real-American comments; I'm pretty sure she's fine with Al, as long as he knows his place is in entertainment, not government.

    And I'm sure she'd be fine with Obama, too, if only he knew his place [golly gee, I'd love to see Michelle Obama have at Suzy Welch - I think she could reduce her to the puddle of jingoistic vapidity she is without ever breaking a sweat].

    Now, we just have to hope that Obama doesn't blow this off because he doesn't want to anger Mr. Welch and his corporate cronies; if Obama comes out doing James Brown's "I Feel Good," that will be as big a F**k You to the Welches as any he's delivered to their ilk in four years.

    You're probably right... (none / 0) (#28)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 02:11:02 PM EST
    Al Green was just the mud to sling at Obama.

    For a Harvard lady she sure is dim...even the casualest of music fans dig "Lets Stay Togther".  A poorer choice of mud to sling would be hard to find.

    Parent

    Exactly (5.00 / 2) (#43)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:18:44 PM EST
    If Al Green is not our highest common denominator, I don't know what is.

    Parent
    Or otoh... (none / 0) (#30)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 02:28:24 PM EST
    maybe its an ingenius strategy from Team Romney, to say the most outlandish stupid sh*t they can think of, offending American icons in the process, to make us forget about the tax returns Mitt's petrified to show us.

    Parent
    The Republican party is imploding (none / 0) (#31)
    by shoephone on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 02:42:50 PM EST
    Entertaining, to say the least.

    Parent
    Oh baby... (5.00 / 2) (#32)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 02:48:16 PM EST
    the absolute cherry on top would be a civil war at the GOP convention, and Ron Paul ends up with the nomination.

    That would just make my year, politically speaking.

    Parent

    You got me laughing with that one! (none / 0) (#38)
    by shoephone on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:11:59 PM EST


    Parent
    That might be worth the premium brand (5.00 / 1) (#51)
    by Anne on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:27:59 PM EST
    of popcorn!

    Just think, we could go from watching athletes break Olympic records to watching an Olympic-level political pie fight.

    Parent

    Screw the pie fight! (none / 0) (#88)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 10:14:03 PM EST
    I want to see something like THIS!

    Parent
    that was great but... (none / 0) (#98)
    by fishcamp on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 08:23:56 AM EST
    none of them knows how to throw a punch :-)

    Parent
    I would happily make a campaign donation (none / 0) (#44)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:20:10 PM EST
    to see this:

    And I'm sure she'd be fine with Obama, too, if only he knew his place [golly gee, I'd love to see Michelle Obama have at Suzy Welch - I think she could reduce her to the puddle of jingoistic vapidity she is without ever breaking a sweat].


    Parent
    Mrs. Welch is one "Strange Fruit" (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by observed on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:13:49 PM EST


    More music from the other America (none / 0) (#75)
    by Peter G on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 08:08:11 PM EST
    Here's Billie herself, telling it.

    Parent
    Read (5.00 / 2) (#52)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:28:58 PM EST
    the bio of Suzy at Wiki. Definitely a 1%er if there ever was one. At least this made me go look at her background. Apparently she was removed from the Harvard Business Review for having an affair with Jack Welch. Apparently Welch's second wife notified the Review of this. What a scene I can't even imagine.

    Hmmmm....maybe Obama should sing her (5.00 / 1) (#55)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:33:35 PM EST
    a chorus of 'You Ought to be With Me'

    Parent
    Ladies and Gentleman... (none / 0) (#62)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:57:53 PM EST
    the sanctity of marriage party! lol

    Parent
    She attended Phillips Exeter Academy, (none / 0) (#71)
    by oculus on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 05:38:23 PM EST
    which, unbeknownst to me, went co-ed in 1970.  

    Parent
    Ah! A trophy wife! (none / 0) (#72)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 07:39:34 PM EST
    Our Suzy got her money the old-fashioned way -- she was born into it, and then she married into even more of it. Atta girl!

    Parent
    If you knew Suzy (none / 0) (#79)
    by KeysDan on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 08:18:23 PM EST
    like I have been learning about Suzy, oh, oh, oh... The racially offish Suzy is not the kind of person most of us could stomach having a beer with, or, her more likely preference, champagne and caviar.   Her membership in the Romney fan club may have originated with the several years she worked for Bain &Co.

    And, since the second wife did not warm to the idea of Suzy as her husband's mistress, divorce records revealed that Suzy"s   paramour and future husband, Jack Welch, likely introduced her to music other than America the Beautiful. A part of Welch's retirement package  was  VIP tickets to the Metropolitan Opera.  In addition, that package included VIP tickets to the Knicks, Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Red Sox. Not to mention, his $8 million/year, $80,000/month apartment in Trump Tower, free food and wine, access to the GE corporate jet,a limo and driver, and an office and a secretary in the GE building.

    After the retirement package became known and criticized, Welch decided to limp along without the package, saying that he would pay for the amenities himself.  Although, there may have been a residual grudge about questioning mogul remuneration.  

    Parent

    See KDog's comment (none / 0) (#85)
    by Peter G on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 09:40:08 PM EST
    at #62 above.

    Parent
    For a fleeting moment I was afraid (none / 0) (#89)
    by oculus on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 10:14:47 PM EST
    Suzy's perhaps pressure from Jack to go w/him to the opera is the reason for her stupid observation

    Parent
    welch's comment (5.00 / 2) (#81)
    by Lil on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 08:59:13 PM EST
    is one of the most ridicuous things I've ever heard and that in itself says a lot.

    The dog whistle is strong in that one... (5.00 / 1) (#83)
    by rhbrandon on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 09:01:50 PM EST
    Sheesh.

    BTD is not "Jeralyn" (5.00 / 2) (#107)
    by Peter G on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 11:08:35 AM EST
    nor vice versa.

    Sorry, my posting error (none / 0) (#121)
    by Peter G on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 09:53:54 PM EST
    This was intended as a reply to Luke Lea @ #105.

    Parent
    Obama does have a problem connecting . . . (1.33 / 6) (#22)
    by Luke Lea on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 02:00:46 PM EST
    . . . with the white, working-class, Kansas side of his ancestry.  I am thinking of the Skip Gates and Trayvon Martin episodes, when he missed golden opportunities to show his even-handedness.  This will cost him at the polls no doubt.

    Haven't they heard? (5.00 / 1) (#25)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 02:05:12 PM EST
    The white working class are n*ggers now too, some of us just don't know it yet....but they will, and they'll learn it a little faster if Romney wins.

    Parent
    Hooey, kdog (none / 0) (#46)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:22:08 PM EST
    Ya gotta know better than that!

    Parent
    Oy (5.00 / 5) (#26)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 02:06:15 PM EST


    Parent
    You took the word (5.00 / 2) (#27)
    by sj on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 02:08:32 PM EST
    right out of my mouth.

    Parent
    I was debating between that and (5.00 / 2) (#29)
    by nycstray on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 02:19:59 PM EST
    {head desk}  . . . .

    Parent
    Silly me (none / 0) (#70)
    by Peter G on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 05:29:35 PM EST
    I thought Luke was being ironic.

    Parent
    No, I was not being ironic. (1.00 / 1) (#104)
    by Luke Lea on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 10:23:12 AM EST
    I was being realistic.  Don't know why TalkLeft's readers can't appreciate the point.  My musical tastes are no different from theirs.  (That's not ironic either.)

    Parent
    If lots of people in an intelligent audience (5.00 / 4) (#106)
    by Peter G on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 11:07:05 AM EST
    don't "appreciate [your] point," then you might consider the possibility that you have not expressed yourself effectively.

    Parent
    BTD (none / 0) (#10)
    by bmaz on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:24:40 PM EST
    I join your statement fully. I am not going to ascribe racial animus to it necessarily, but it is simply one of the more ignorant and idiotic things I have heard in a long time.

    Jeebus.

    It's NOT racist? (5.00 / 2) (#15)
    by shoephone on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:37:56 PM EST
    Really? How so?

    Parent
    Uh, just no. (none / 0) (#35)
    by bmaz on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:00:25 PM EST
    He!! No, not going to go there without better signs of racial animus than that Al Green is black.  Could that be what was being inferred? Coming from Suzy, wife of Jack, Welch, yes it is possible it was an tended, or even sub-conscious, dogwhistle to racial animus.

    But there is no overt indication of that whatsoever that I have seen yet.  And I find it repulsive to simply make that leap without overt evidence, or at least reasonable inference.

    Do you think the instinctive political jabbing result from a tight ass like Suzy Welch would have been any different if Obama was singing Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin or Alice Cooper?  I am not sure I do. And before I go running around willy nilly charging racism, I would like a better evidence set from which to do it.

    Parent

    Apparently, you haven't been paying attention (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by shoephone on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:10:43 PM EST
    to the "other America" b.s. being spouted from Romney mouthpieces of late. And yeah, I'm pretty sure there would have been a different criticism (or maybe no criticism at all) if Obama had been singing Janis Joplin. But if you want to play Mr. I-need-more-proof-cause-these-aren't-racist-dogwhistles, then be my guest. I think you are either intellectually dishonest or just a coward.

    Parent
    Yeah, nice of you (none / 0) (#41)
    by bmaz on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:15:18 PM EST
    will endeavor not to waste my time engaging your BS again.

    Parent
    Not interested in being nice (none / 0) (#92)
    by shoephone on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 12:14:04 AM EST
    Merely honest.  The b.s is all in your corner, and I can smell it from here.

    Parent
    So, she's not racist . . . (5.00 / 3) (#49)
    by nycstray on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:26:51 PM EST
    just ignorant?

    I have a feeling if O was singing from one of the others you list, we may have gotten the "smoking something in his early years" while living in that other country, Hawaii . . . . before moving to that OTHER country. "Different America" would still apply and be just as ugly.

    Parent

    So then what are the 'two different Americas' (5.00 / 2) (#50)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:26:57 PM EST
    she is referring to, even overtly?

    Parent
    It might be her kind, the Haves, (5.00 / 2) (#56)
    by sj on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:38:38 PM EST
    ... and everybody else.  You know, the ones who give up everything so the Haves can continue to become the Have Mores.

    So in retrospect, bmaz might be right.  It may very well be classism.  Of course, it might be classism in addition to racism.

    Parent

    I'm sorry, but what possible (none / 0) (#57)
    by gyrfalcon on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:45:51 PM EST
    other explanation can there be for her saying that African-American music isn't really very American?

    Parent
    I'm tired and my eyes are crossed, (none / 0) (#61)
    by sj on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 03:53:54 PM EST
    but I don't see where she talks abaout African-American music.

    Parent
    No, Welch does not (none / 0) (#64)
    by bmaz on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 04:34:47 PM EST
    Not at all.  She is obviously terminally lame. Ascribing racist undertones to that because it is convenient is asinine.

    Such may be the case, but there should be a better case and record of it before you go there.

    Parent

    What is your take on what she means then? (5.00 / 2) (#65)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 04:44:45 PM EST
    What are the two different Americas?

    Parent
    Notice that bmaz didn' t answer your question (5.00 / 1) (#93)
    by shoephone on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 12:16:09 AM EST


    Parent
    Well, we know (none / 0) (#67)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 05:07:03 PM EST
    there is a 1% and all of us in the 99%.

    But that doesn't work because Obama is in the 1%..

    I suspect she was referring to Democrats vs Repubs but that's just a guess.

    Parent

    Because Republicans (5.00 / 1) (#76)
    by lilburro on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 08:12:10 PM EST
    exclusively have patriotic music on their iPods?  Because they're incapable of relating to a love song sung by an African-American?

    Parent
    No, because Obama is a Demo and (1.00 / 1) (#78)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 08:16:06 PM EST
    Romney is a Repub.


    Parent
    Nice try (none / 0) (#80)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 08:58:01 PM EST


    Parent
    She might not have ... (none / 0) (#74)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 08:03:46 PM EST
    ... done it intentionally, but innate prejudice can also be expressed unconsciously by us, and we can say something offensive without even realizing it.

    So, Suzy Welsh is right in her comparison. There are two Americas being represented here.

    Unfortunately for Our Suzy, hers is the homogeneous America that gave us D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation, in which African Americans were portrayed either as servile morons or sexually predacious halfwits, while Barack Obama's multicultural America gave us rock'n'roll and Motown.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Birth of a Nation??? (none / 0) (#77)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 08:14:31 PM EST
    Well, there's nothing like being current.

    Parent
    Even 97 years later, Jim, ... (5.00 / 2) (#86)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 09:54:32 PM EST
    ... a lot of attitudes have really not changed when it comes to race. We just don't hear "those people" being called "ni&&ers" and "c00ns" and "$pics" in public all that much any more.

    Instead, people of color are now regularly referred to as "welfare queens" and "gangsta thugs," and "illegals" (even when they're U.S. citizens). But it's still the same belittling and dehumanizing white racist attitude, implying some sense of ethnocentric superiority that just ain't there.

    Parent

    What's Rush's Bloods (none / 0) (#96)
    by jondee on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 02:54:51 AM EST
    and Crips out there on the field but a moronic attempt to feed into a Birth of a Nation mindset?

    Of course, Jim would say Rush was just compassionately addressing the players difficult socioeconomic backgrounds.

    Parent

    And white people (none / 0) (#100)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 09:35:35 AM EST
    are called welfare queens, etc...  

    There is still some racism. But to equate today with the America that made Birth of a Nation is a huge overstatement.

    Parent

    Maybe the updated version'll (none / 0) (#102)
    by jondee on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 09:45:10 AM EST
    be called Re-Birth of a Nation: featuring Birthers, and Tea Partiers who cling to their guns hidden in hollowed-out Bibles..

    ;-)

    Parent

    Well, if you want to claim (1.00 / 1) (#112)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 02:10:24 PM EST
    that people who want to keep their Bibles and guns and don't think Obama was born here are racists...

    That's okay with me.

    No more or less outrageous with no proof than many of your other claims.

    Parent

    Still current as ever ... the clown circus of 2012 (none / 0) (#91)
    by Erehwon on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 11:04:31 PM EST

    • Santorum said: "I don't want to make black people's lives better by giving them somebody else's money; I want to give them the opportunity to go out and earn the money."


    • Fellow Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, who is now neck and neck with Perry, according to a recent Fox News poll, took the opportunity on Sunday to call Perry "insensitive" for his handling of the situation.

      "There isn't a more vile, negative word than the 'n word,' and for him to leave it there as long as they did is just plain insensitive to a lot of black people in this country," he said during an interview on "Fox News Sunday."

    • "By the way, I had the privilege of speaking today at the NAACP convention in Houston and I gave them the same speech I am giving you. I don't give different speeches to different audiences alright. I gave them the same speech. When I mentioned I am going to get rid of Obamacare they weren't happy, I didn't get the same response. That's ok, I want people to know what I stand for and if I don't stand for what they want, go vote for someone else, that's just fine. But I hope people understand this, your friends who like Obamacare, you remind them of this, if they want more stuff from government tell them to go vote for the other guy-more free stuff. But don't forget nothing is really free."

    Of course, the "free stuff" that the SLC Olympics got out of the feds doesn't count ... what's a few billion to the "right kind" of people ...

    Parent

    Well, so Santorum wants jobs (none / 0) (#101)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 09:44:30 AM EST
    instead of welfare. I bet that given a choice 99.9% would agree.

    If I remember, the rock was turned over face down and Perry didn't know what was on the other side. Cain was just trying to use something to attack Perry. It was, after all, a primary.

    Romney was saying, I'm me. Don't vote for me if you don't like it.

    And yes, the Olympics got a lot of federal dollars. So thousands of non-profits and other government projects.

    So, you want all federal dollars stopped from these, or just the ones that a Repub has something to do with?

    Parent

    It's the sheer hypocrisy ... (5.00 / 3) (#108)
    by Erehwon on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 11:38:53 AM EST
    Well, Romney and Santorum were more than implying that "black people" (i.e.,  the audience that each referred to) simply stick their hands out for free money unlike themselves. When Romney sticks his hand out (and more) to grab federal funds for the SLC Olympics, that was okay! When Santorum ripped off the Penn Hills schools by claiming to be a resident when he wasn't, that was okay. As for Perry, the Washington Post article discussed folks whose recollections differ from your innocuous interpretation. But then you take Republicans at their word, and I take BTD at his word: "pols are pols."

    Parent
    As in the case of GA (above) (2.00 / 1) (#111)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 02:07:24 PM EST
    that is your PERCEPTION. I standby mine that 99.9% of the people would prefer jobs.

    And, of course you don't agree with Perry.

    And Romney was evileeeeee for asking for Federal funds for the Olympics.

    Okay.

    BTW - Am I right in assuming you are a Democrat and a Progressive??

    Parent

    As usual, you read words very selectively ... (none / 0) (#114)
    by Erehwon on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 02:25:41 PM EST
    To repeat, it's the sheer hypocrisy that I was complaining about! That's not a matter of perception but of reality. Romney doesn't mind grabbing federal funds when it suits him, and then implies it's only the "blacks" that want things without working for it.

    Parent
    Really??? (none / 0) (#117)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 06:34:02 PM EST
    Selective?? How so? Do you actually claim that ANY one asked to run the Olympics would not expect to receive government money?? It's a non-profit for heaven's sake. Why should they invest their money?? So yes, he got the money, but getting government money and success is two different things....as Solyndra and other "green companies" getting government money are showing.

    And Santorum used the words, "black people."

    Romney did not. He said:


    "......But I hope people understand this, your friends who like Obamacare, you remind them of this, if they want more stuff from government tell them to go vote for the other guy-more free stuff. But don't forget nothing is really free."

    I trust you aren't saying that it is only black people who want more free stuff from the government because we all know that is not correct. And I also hope you aren't going to claim that black people don't have any non-black friends.


    Parent

    I sure wish (5.00 / 2) (#126)
    by NYShooter on Sun Jul 22, 2012 at 10:31:53 PM EST
    my car got the mileage you're getting out of this one poor investment.

    "...but getting government money and success is two different things....as Solyndra and other "green companies" getting government money are showing."
    *************

    But, don't stop there; you forgot other failures like, The Interstate Highway System, The U.S. Military, satellites, and 99% of medical advancements.

    Now, if we only had "Private Companies," like Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan/Chase, and UBC making "successful" investment decisions for us..........

    oops

    Parent

    I think (none / 0) (#103)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 10:06:54 AM EST
    the problem is not that the Olympics got the money but that Romney acts like he "saved" them all by himself which is not true. He got money from Bill Clinton and congress to financially "save" the Olympics.

    Parent
    Hmmm, I see you agree with Obama (2.00 / 1) (#110)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 01:56:34 PM EST
    that no one actually does anything....

    OK.

    I'm not gonna argue with your perception.

    Parent

    So Romney (5.00 / 1) (#115)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 04:52:28 PM EST
    got that money all by himself then? He just waved a magic wand and magically the money came from congress to "save" the Olympics. You might have a point if he had poured 1.3 billion of his own money into it but he didn't. Right?

    There are no "success fairies" who run around sprinkling dust on people and making money fall out of trees.

    Parent

    Why should he invest his own money?? (1.00 / 1) (#116)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 06:21:08 PM EST
    The Olympics are not a for profit organization. He didn't own it...

    Look, I know you dislike him very much. But your criticism should have some basis in fact and logic.

    Parent

    What? (5.00 / 1) (#119)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 08:17:35 PM EST
    He didn't get a bailout from congress? That's what you seem to be saying. The fact of the matter is you want to say he did it all by himself and the facts do no support that.

    You implying that he "did it all by himself" implies that someone 1.3 billion dollars just fell of a tree somewhere and Romney just gathered it up. He's a Magic Man who sprinkles fairy dust and things magically just happen according to you.

    Parent

    What I am saying is that the Olympics is not (2.00 / 1) (#120)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 09:49:41 PM EST
    the same as a private company. You can't compare it to a private company. It is not profit driven nor does it provide profits to the owners.

    The question is, what happened after the Olympics got the money.

    Parent

    No (5.00 / 3) (#122)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Jul 22, 2012 at 06:44:38 AM EST
    that's what you WANT the question to be. The fact is he could have not done what he did without the bailout. You want to ignore the fact that he got money from the government. Face it, the facts do not support "he did it all by himself" theory.

    Parent
    Uh, GA (1.50 / 2) (#123)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Jul 22, 2012 at 12:28:39 PM EST
    Your point would be well taken IF THE OLYMPICS was a PRIVATE FOR PROFIT company.

    You are comparing apples and oranges.

    You are also ignoring the fact that Romney was successful using the money... which is an important point when you consider the results of Soylandra, etc.

    THE ISSUE IS THE ABILITY TO TAKE OVER A FAILING ORGANIZATION AND SUCCESSFULLY MANAGE IT.

    No one is claiming Romney could have succeeded if the feds hadn't provided the money.

    Parent

    It doesn't (5.00 / 2) (#124)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Jul 22, 2012 at 07:33:59 PM EST
    matter if it's nonprofit or for profit. It's the same principle. If he was a private business and needed money, he would go to a bank. He could not get the money off of trees there either. He would need the help of a bank if he was a business no different than using government money for the Olympics.

    Parent
    Okay (5.00 / 1) (#125)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Jul 22, 2012 at 07:35:01 PM EST
    So you're conceding that he did not do it all by himself.

    Parent
    Hmmmm, I see you can't tell the truth ... (5.00 / 2) (#118)
    by Yman on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 07:28:19 PM EST
    Hmmm, I see you agree with Obama that no one actually does anything...

    ... about anything Obama says.

    Parent

    Hmmm, (none / 0) (#127)
    by jondee on Mon Jul 23, 2012 at 11:34:39 AM EST
    all Obama was saying is that no one does anything completely by themselves..

    Examples: Romney needed those outsourced workers, and you need Pam Geller and The Heritage Foundation to do your thinking for you..

    Even your own 'base' talks about not being able to anything without the Good Lord, so one would think this wouldn't be that novel a concept for you.

    Parent

    Suzy (none / 0) (#14)
    by jbindc on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:33:44 PM EST
    Might want to have editorial approval over Mittens' playlist then.  There are (gasp!) two African American acts (Nat King Cole and The Commodores) on his iPad. Romney even likes The Killers.

    Suzy might feel a case of the vapors coming on about now, bless her heart.

    Not sure if I buy the playlist.... (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:42:44 PM EST
    The Killers???

    But if legit, lots of people on his list he would like to see (or have seen) locked up...Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, The Beach Boys.

    Parent

    The lead singer (none / 0) (#20)
    by jbindc on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:51:17 PM EST
    is a Mormon.

    Don't know if that's reason enough to like a band, but whatever.  :)

    Parent

    For one of LDS's Sugar Daddies... (none / 0) (#21)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 01:55:15 PM EST
    it just might be! ;)

    Parent
    Jack Welch is still alive? (none / 0) (#87)
    by desertswine on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 10:11:03 PM EST


    Neither side was "un" - American (none / 0) (#105)
    by Luke Lea on Sat Jul 21, 2012 at 10:26:01 AM EST
    So Jeralyn got that part wrong.  And stirred up a hornet's nest.

    Al Green: Unamerican? | 126 comments (126 topical)

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