U.S. Senate See Full Big Line

(D) J. Hickenlooper*

(R) Somebody

80%

20%

Governor See Full Big Line
(D) Michael Bennet

(D) Phil Weiser

60%↑

50%↓

Att. General See Full Big Line

(D) M. Dougherty

(D) Jena Griswold

(D) David Seligman

40%

40%

30%

Sec. of State See Full Big Line
(D) A. Gonzalez

(D) J. Danielson

(R) Sheri Davis
50%

40%

30%
State Treasurer See Full Big Line

(D) Brianna Titone

(D) Jeff Bridges

(R) Kevin Grantham

40%

40%

30%

CO-01 (Denver) See Full Big Line

(D) Diana DeGette*

(R) Somebody

90%

2%

CO-02 (Boulder-ish) See Full Big Line

(D) Joe Neguse*

(R) Somebody

90%

2%

CO-03 (West & Southern CO) See Full Big Line

(R) Jeff Hurd*

(D) Somebody

80%

40%

CO-04 (Northeast-ish Colorado) See Full Big Line

(R) Lauren Boebert*

(D) Trisha Calvarese

(D) Eileen Laubacher

90%

20%

20%

CO-05 (Colorado Springs) See Full Big Line

(R) Jeff Crank*

(D) Somebody

80%

20%

CO-06 (Aurora) See Full Big Line

(D) Jason Crow*

(R) Somebody

90%

10%

CO-07 (Jefferson County) See Full Big Line

(D) B. Pettersen*

(R) Somebody

90%

10%

CO-08 (Northern Colo.) See Full Big Line

(R) Gabe Evans*

(D) Manny Rutinel

(D) Shannon Bird

45%↓

40%

30%

State Senate Majority See Full Big Line

DEMOCRATS

REPUBLICANS

80%

20%

State House Majority See Full Big Line

DEMOCRATS

REPUBLICANS

95%

5%

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
September 22, 2008 03:20 AM UTC

Race....what role does it play in this election?

  • 2 Comments
  • by: Sir Robin

This is Your Nation on white priviledge

By Tim Wise

9/13/08

For those who still can’t grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are constantly looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it,

perhaps this list will help.

White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your

family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because “every family has challenges,” even as black and Latino families with similar “challenges” are regularly typified

as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.

White privilege is when you can call yourself a “f…….  redneck,”like Bristol Palin’s boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone

messes with you, you’ll “kick their f…… ass,” and talk about how you like to “shoot shit” for fun, and still be viewed as a

responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.

White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of,

then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.

White privilege is when you can claim that being mayor of a town smaller than most medium-sized colleges, and then Governor of a state

with about the same number of people as the lower fifth of the island of Manhattan, makes you ready to potentially be president, and people don’t all piss on themselves with laughter, while being a black U.S.Senator, two-term state Senator, and constitutional law scholar, means you’re “untested.”

White privilege is being able to say that you support the words “under God” in the pledge of allegiance because “if it was good enough for

the founding fathers, it’s good enough for me,” and not be immediately disqualified from holding office–since, after all, the pledge was

written in the late 1800s and the “under God” part wasn’t added until the 1950s–while believing that reading accused criminals and

terrorists their rights (because, ya know, the Constitution, which you used to teach at a prestigious law school requires it), is a dangerous and silly idea only supported by mushy liberals.

White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you.

White privilege is being able to have a husband who was a member of an extremist political party that wants your state to secede from the

Union, and whose motto was “Alaska first,” and no one questions your patriotism or that of your family, while if you’re black and your spouse merely fails to come to a 9/11 memorial so she can be home with her kids on the first day of school, people immediately think she’s being disrespectful.

White privilege is being able to make fun of community organizers and the work they do–like, among other things, fight for the right of

women to vote, or for civil rights, or the 8-hour workday, or an end to child labor–and people think you’re being pithy and tough, but if you merely question the experience of a small town mayor and 18-month governor with no foreign policy expertise beyond a class she took in

college–you’re somehow being mean, or even s exist.

White privilege is being able to convince white women who don’t even agree with you on any substantive issue to vote for you and your

running mate anyway, because all of a sudden your presence on the ticket has inspired confidence in these same white women, and made

them give your party a “second look.”

White privilege is being able to fire people who didn’t support your political campaigns and not be accused of abusing your power or being

a typical politician who engages in favoritism, while being black and merely knowing some folks from the old-line political machines in Chicago means you must be corrupt.

White privilege is being able to attend churches over the years whose pastors say that people who voted for John Kerry or merely criticize George W. Bush are going to hell, and that the U.S. is an explicitly Christian nation and the job of Christians is to bring Christian theological principles into government, and who bring in speakers who say the conflict in the Middle East is God’s punishment on Jews for rejecting Jesus, and everyone can still think you’re just a good

church-going Christian, but if you’re black and friends with a black pastor who has noted (as have Colin Powell and the U.S. Department of

Defense) that terrorist attacks are often the result of U.S. foreign policy and who talks about the history of racism and its effect on

black people, you’re an extremist who probably hates America.

White privilege is not knowing what the Bush Doctrine is when asked by a reporter, and then people get angry at the reporter for asking you

such a “trick question,” while being black and merely refusing to give one-word answers to the queries of Bill O’Reilly means you’re dodging

the question, or trying to seem overly intellectual and nuanced.

White privilege is being able to claim your experience as a POW has anything at all to do with your fitness for president, while being

black and experiencing racism is, as Sarah Palin has referred to it a “light” burden.

And finally, white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with George W.

Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is

increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because white voters aren’t sure about that whole “change” thing. Ya know, it’s just too

vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain.

White privilege is, in short, the problem.

*******

Ask six of your non-rascist friends to register and vote. We’re a long way from an enlightened society folks.

Tweet
Share

Comments

2 thoughts on “Race….what role does it play in this election?”

  1. Then I got an email about the poll on race from one of my bartenders, Matt, who happens to be White. Below are his words…

    Wanda,

       This makes me very sad as well. All of my life, I had friends of many different religions, origins, ethnicities, and creeds. I was raised to look for the good in people, rather than imagine the bad. Over the years I have lost many friends due to racism. Many people would find it curious to know that it has never been my Indian, Native American, Pakistani, Somalian, Ethiopian, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Lebanese, Bengalese, Israeli, Egyptian, Brazilian, or African American friends with whom friendships have been shattered due to differences in culture or skin color, but rather my white friends, the ones who got more comfortable re-living the bigotry of their parents, aunts, uncles, or grandparents with each year away from high school, college, and ultimately, diversity, and who’s views I could not tolerate listening to around the poker table on Sunday nights, where “no one of consequence” was there to hear or be offended. So many times I have been asked, “Why do you care?” I can only respond with, “How can you not?”

       Sure, on the surface, things do indeed seem to be changing in regard to racial views, especially within the younger generations, but behind the scenes, at the poker table, I’m sure it’s much the same as it was 50 years past. In those days, much of America’s youth held hidden prejudices, while some wore them proudly on their sleeve. But there was also a movement by a different youth, an outcry of, “This ignorance and oppression must stop. Enough is enough. A change is gonna come, and if time won’t bring change on it’s own, then we will bring it!” There was hope. This is why I feel like a misplaced soul living in the wrong era – not because of all the great concerts and drugs, but because of the hope that the youth of the 60’s had, and the drive, and passion for making a change and doing what is right. There was a cause, and young people, black and white, recognized it. Many in fact embraced it, and fought for it. There was a movement – One spawned by political turbulence, unnecessary war, and racial strife, and though some would argue that drugs and music were the driving factors in the hope of these youths, ultimately this powerful cause was pushed on by pure ideals, sheer courage, and inherent goodness.

       This goodness I speak of is worthy of song; it is why the music of that time is so revered. Bob Dylan, Sam Cooke, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, Sly Stone, John Lennon, Curtis Mayfield, Bob Marley… they all had one message – Question, lest ye never change. These songs of freedom that we love are more than just catchy ditties – They were songs of freedom, demanding, pleading, and prophetic in many cases. I thunk that, as kids now listen to the “oldies” of their parents’ generation, they miss that completely, for they not what to listen for, as they have never been told. It breaks my heart to say it, but upon reflection, I’d wager that Bob Dylan now feels foolish to have made a declaration of imminent change so soon, and Sam Cooke’s unanswered hopeful pleas must leave him rolling in his grave. The tragedy lies in the fact that it was all forgotten so easily.

       Now is not a time for my generation – for any generation – to sit on our hands and hope for the best. I think that is what happened coming out of the 60’s revolution; That many, having “done their part,” moved on to raise families, stockpile money, and plan for the future, as if the general consensus was, “Racism? Oh, we took care of that.” The truth is it will never be completely “taken care of.” There will always be bigots, and there will always be hatred. This hatred might go unspoken around the water cooler, and in times of comfort it may even be collectively re-directed towards people on other shores, but much like a cancer, it will not die. That is why those who truly consider equality a value of theirs must reassess things, and ultimately realize that the good fight must always be fought, not just when it’s convenient.

       I refuse to put down the gloves. I just think the best fight fought is one in which you truly know your opponent, and the bad man in the other corner is much bigger, stronger, and meaner that most would like to admit. You can’t beat him in a fair fight – He fights dirty. He has no conscience, and therefore no weaknesses. He plays possum, and then just as you think you’ve got him down, he hits you with a devastating haymaker. He’ll never throw in the towel – America’s his cornerman.

       I don’t wish to sound defeated. I am, in fact, far from it, but there was a time in my life, drenched in naivetГ©, where I was proud to be an American. Though I will continue to fight furiously for what I know in my head and heart is right until the very day I breathe my last breath that time of blind patriotism has sadly passed for me. – MD

    Feel free to pass this on if you see fit – I’m sending it to everyone I have an e-mail address for. I just wanted to send it to you personally because I started writing it just as a response to you (after further consideration, I have decided I must send it to all), and because, sadly, you and my mother are the only ones who responded to me in reference to that article.

    —– Original Message —-

    From: Wanda James

    To: Matt

    Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2008 8:03:59 AM

    Subject: RE:

    I was just doing a blog post on this. It makes me sad.  I never thought I was lazy and violent.  Thanks for putting this out there.  Racial views are changing, and your generation is changing it the most!

    Wanda@8RiversLoDo.com

    Also, today on Meet The Press, Donna Brazil said something that I thought was great.  Yes, 1/3 of White Democrats seem to have an issue with race and with Obama because he is Black.  However, 2/3 of White Democrats do not.

    We are only 48 years from 1960. A time when I could not ride in the front of the bus, go to school with all of you and my parents where not legally married in many states.  48 years later, WE are about to elect America’s first Black President with more than 2/3 of Americans supporting it.

    That is an accomplishment.  Let’s keep focused on moving forward and leaving the ugly behind!

    Poll on Race

    http://news.yahoo.com/page/ele…

Leave a Comment

Recent Comments


Posts about

Donald Trump
SEE MORE

Posts about

Rep. Lauren Boebert
SEE MORE

Posts about

Rep. Gabe Evans
SEE MORE

Posts about

Colorado House
SEE MORE

Posts about

Colorado Senate
SEE MORE

93 readers online now

Newsletter

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay in the loop with regular updates!

Colorado Pols