Huck on Race
Posted by Adam Graham in : Politics[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTFLOu8fjxU[/youtube]
Mike Huckabee’s appearance on Morning Joe has been making its way around the blogosphere. I think it was a very interesting appearance (Transcription via Kos.)
Obama made the point, and I think it’s a valid one, that you can’t hold the candidate responsible for everything that people around him may say or do. You just can’t. Whether it’s me, whether it’s Obama…anybody else. But he did distance himself from the very vitriolic statements.
This, I think may reflect much of Huckabee’s experience in the recent campaign as much as anything else. There were certain people ready to hold Huckabee responsible for push polls placed by outside groups, things send by the pastors of churches he visited. The Brownback Campaign got upset because of what an out of town minister who was supporting the campaign said about Catholicism and an apology was demanded from Huckabee himself.
Now, the second story. It’s interesting to me that there are some people on the left who are having to be very uncomfortable with what Louis Wright said, when they all were all over a Jerry Falwell, or anyone on the right who said things that they found very awkward and uncomfortable years ago. Many times those were statements lifted out of the context of a larger sermon. Sermons, after all, are rarely written word for word by pastors like Reverend Wright, who are delivering them extemporaneously, and caught up in the emotion of the moment. There are things that sometimes get said, that if you put them on paper and looked at them in print, you’d say “Well, I didn’t mean to say it quite like that.”
Huckabee is not so much defending Reverend Wright as he is pointing out the left is getting done in with similar tactics that they’ve used to define the lives and ministry of men such as Falwell, and suggest that the tactic itself is problematic. Huckabee doesn’t defend Wright’s statements. On follow-up, he made it clear that the statements were “outrageous” and not defensible, but his point is that the tactic is “coming home to roost.”
Huckabee’s statement on race is key:
And one other thing I think we’ve gotta remember. As easy as it is for those of us who are white, to look back and say “That’s a terrible statement!”…I grew up in a very segregated south. And I think that you have to cut some slack — and I’m gonna be probably the only Conservative in America who’s gonna say something like this, but I’m just tellin’ you — we’ve gotta cut some slack to people who grew up being called names, being told “you have to sit in the balcony when you go to the movie. You have to go to the back door to go into the restaurant. And you can’t sit out there with everyone else. There’s a separate waiting room in the doctor’s office. Here’s where you sit on the bus…” And you know what? Sometimes people do have a chip on their shoulder and resentment. And you have to just say, I probably would too. I probably would too. In fact, I may have had more of a chip on my shoulder had it been me.
It’s an honest statement, but it’s not about Reverend Wright (or at least mostly not about Reverend Wright.) Over the past week, most political pundits on the right have rightfully shined a light on the outrageous statements of Reverend Jeremiah Wright. However, Huckabee hits on something most of us have neglected. African American people suffered severe injustices for nearly 300 years. While much has been done in terms of a rising standard of living and improving opportunity, there’s still much work to be done in bringing about true racial healing in America.
There are, of course, many impediments to this and they’re on both sides of the racial divide. Among Black leaders, there are many for whom continued racial divisiveness is big business and for whom true racial reconciliation would be a death knell. There are others who wink at or ignore Black racism, figuring its justified to treat people like dirt because of something that happened to your ancestors.
Among Whites, a happy apathy pervades. Most of us would rather stay away from this whole topic altogether. Honestly discussing race for White Americans is a tight rope that will land them in the racist category.
In his statement, Huckabee acknowledged the pain of African Americans who suffered through segregatio. The danger many conservatives can stumble into is going after the extreme statements with no understanding of what’s behind them. Politically, the short-term cost is small. The people most likely to get offended are least likely to vote Republican anyway. If you want to begin to end the culture of racial resentment than you have to deal with the greater anger that’s out there in American society.
Huckabee has seemed to settle into a part-time temporary role as roving political pundit for the rest of the campaign process. In that role, he’ll annoy conservatives from time to time for a couple reasons.
First, Huckabee isn’t using talking points. The big one right now is that Jeremiah Wright will destroy Obama’s campaign. Not so, says Huckabee. This is March, not October. When we vote in November, this won’t be on people’s minds. And on this, Huckabee is right.
The second is that Huckabee actually cares about the long-term consequences of what he says. At this point, most Americans see him as a once and future candidate. The things he says now could actually hinder him not only in a second campaign, but also in things he wants to accomplish. Showing that he had no clue at all what makes many Blacks angry could make racial reconiliation far more difficult.
Of course, liberals have taken notice. In the midst of crazy conspiracy theories about AIDS on Kos, one commenter remarked, “This is why Huckabee scared me so much as a general election candidate.” Another added, “I don’t think we’ve seen the last him of either.”
Comment by Timothy D Lynch
Your comment about being the only conservative that got me thinking.
I’m very conservative and yet I have done two things. Which may confuse both blacks and whites.
I have demanded that it was my right not to have them call each other racial slurs. That it was my civil right not to have to listen to that kind of crap. I have done this 2 times in the Navy, 3 times at a place of employment and one time in my band.
I have also confronted the KKK twice receiving death threats both times. Once in 1973 after the Camp Pendleton race riots and once after a cross burning (in California no less) I had a person try to get me to join them. I said I’m not about to join a bunch of cowards in sheets and demanded they get away from me.
Which is why I say today. We will never become one country until we become color blind.
Saying that will never happen or we need to keep our racial traditions or other such crap is just a cop out.
We are the same people and the concept of race is a device the devil uses to separate ourselves.
Huckabee has come closer to any other presidential candidate in years to understanding this.
I remember getting it from both sides in an early discussion back in 1995. The bigots were calling me names. The blacks were calling me names. Then an interesting thing happened.
A black college professor that had been a victum of Oakland police brutality said I was correct. Color blindness was the only way to achieve true equality. He convinced the other blacks.
As for the bigots. I could care less what they thought of me. They have to live with their own stupidity. I did mention that I was not a liberal like they though I was. In fact I was very conservative but just didn’t go around hating people who did nothing to me.
Comment by Lynn
Re: Barack Obama and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s sermons….
I listened to Barack Obama’s speech on race in its entirety. It was a masterful job. He really tried to thread the needle of condemning the hateful speeches from Rev. Wright, but stopped short of “disowning” a longtime friend. If he had done that, everyone would have accused him of throwing Wright under the bus just for the sake of political expediency.
I was pleasantly surprised to hear Sen. Obama accurately articulate the grievances, perceptions, and misperceptions on BOTH sides of the issue.
In spite of the beautifully worded and perfectly delivered speech, however, the fact remains that Senator Obama remained in this church and chose to sit under this kind of “blame-America-first” teaching for 20 long years. Obama says that he condemns the “distorted” worldview that produces such hateful and divisive messages… but was perfectly content to let his two little girls grow up influenced by it. In fact, the title of his book, “The Audacity of Hope,” is a phrase from Rev. Wright.
I understand something of the black anger. We lived (with our small children) for three years in the midst of a very poor urban setting. The neighborhood was a seething hotbed of racial tensions, rage, deep distrust, and bitterness. We asked countless, searching questions of many different people; we listened long, read many books and articles, searched the Scriptures, and prayed earnestly, in our sincere and open-hearted attempt to understand the roots of the conflict. We were blessed with precious, life-long friends and challenged by a few enemies. We and our children were insulted, threatened, assaulted, and our home was vandalized, because of our race. We had a hard time finding qualified medical care within the locality, and had to drive far outside the neighborhood to find doctors’ offices with reasonable standards of care and cleanliness.
We attended a very diverse church right in that neighborhood where the pastor’s sermons were wonderful at first. Then, over time, they became a showcase for the divisive policies that Rev. Wright espouses, including an angry demand for billions of dollars in financial reparations for slavery. All who disagreed with any part of it were labeled “racist” and were told that they needed to get right with God.
We did not agree with the content of the messages, nor the spirit in which they were delivered. After trying to respectfully work things out with the pastor and the elders, while submitting to the leadership of our small group leaders, we LEFT the church. Many others did so, as well (not at our instigation).
Sen. Obama could have made that same choice many years ago, but chose to stay. Obama’s presence there, especially with him carrying the status of a United States Senator, was an affirmation of his belief in the principles and worldview being promoted and propagated there.
Luke 6:39 “He also told them this parable: ‘Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.’ ”
As one commentator put it, the speech was a tremendous effort, but the horse already left the barn a long, long time ago.
Comment by Mr S.
Granted you cannot, for the most part, hold one responsible for what others around you say. But, you (Barak Obama)certainly can and should be held responsible of what Jeremiah Wright said, especially because he had been spewing racism and hate for sucha prolooooong period (20+ years !!!). Tuesday’s speach was the first time he found time to confront this issue? Shows total lack of initiative and LEADERSHIP, and also a lack of JUDGEMENT I believe.
I didnt mean to say that is a weak excuse, especially when the hatred is spewed on a regular basis, and may even be the very foundation of Trinity church. That still doesnt mean Barak should not have confronted Wright much much earlier and asked him why he preached such hate? And what he should ask himself is why he subjected his two very impressionable children to such hatred? They will just grow up being two more Michelle’s growing up. Again, No JUDGEMENT and NO LEADERSHIP
Verdict – Barak is CONVICTED of the crime of tolerating and through financial contributions actually supporting a racist institution. Barak is also CONVICTED of showing an utter lack of JUDGEMENT in who he surrounds himself with, and lastly for showing NO LEADERSHIP on the subject of race (eloquent speeches dont amount to a hill of beans).
Sentence – the candidate is hereby sentenced to TERMINATION of his candidacy for President of the USA (though he can still run for the US of KKK A !!!). Barak is also sentenced to cleaning, with heavy duty soap, the filthy mouths of all who preach at any hate spewing institution, starting with the Jeremiah WRIGHT and Louis FARRAKHAN. No leniancy and no reduction fo sentence.
Dismissed.
Comment by Marshall Gill
Adam, I almost resisted but I think that there may still be hope for you.
Of course, if electing a “Christian” is more important than electing a “conservative” Obama was brought to the Lord in a “church” where the Pastor says “G*ddamn” straight from the pulpit.
The fact that the Kos Kids think he might be a good candidate in a general election puts Huckabee as a fence sitter, the king of panderers, not a conservative. Will you next quote Marx as an attempt to show Huck as a “real conservative”?
Huckabee’s triangulation of this issue sounded like something straight from Bill Clinton’s playbook. Oh, it was. Can you imagine Thomas Sowell or Walter Williams saying such things? I doubt it. Why? Because, as conservatives, they believe in personal responsibility.
What could be more racist than “yeah, they act horribly but look how poorly their “group” has been treated”? That is the pure racism of lowered expectations, which the Democrats perpetrate and apparently Huck will also, if he thinks it will get him some votes.
The first civil rights act was placed into law OVER 40 YEARS AGO, but Huck thinks “Sometimes people do have a chip on their shoulder and resentment. And you have to just say, I probably would too. I probably would too. In fact, I may have had more of a chip on my shoulder had it been me.”?? This is the voice of a “conservative”? NOT EVEN CLOSE.
Comment by Adam Graham
First of all, the people at Kos, think he would be a formidable opponent in the general.
Secondly, Huckabee if he wanted to pander would have just played to the base, particularly on a talk show. The people that’s he really impressed are not mostly people who will not vote for him.
Third, one of his goals is racial reconciliation. The Democrats have kept us at each other’s throats for decades and a lot of people have suffered, and he’s not going to get anywhere if he doesn’t at least acknowledge the reason for the anger.
Comment by Marshall Gill
Racial reconciliation?!??!! Saying black people in America should be expected to have a chip on their shoulder is a way toward it?!!! Black racism is understandable because of what happened decades ago, BEFORE I WAS EVEN F’ING BORN?!!!!
NO SIR, YOU KEEP YOUR LIBERAL GUILT, AND SHOVE IT. NO PERSON, NO PERSON ON THIS EARTH HAS A REASON TO HAVE A CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDER TOWARD ME, BECAUSE OF THE HUE OF MY SKIN.
HUCKABEE USED THE EXACT WORDS OF THE DEMOCRATS and the fact that “they have kept us at each other’s throats” is correct. But Huckabee won’t “get anywhere if he doesn’t at least acknowledge the reason for the anger.”???!!!
NOT ONE BLACK PERSON UNDER 40 YEARS OF AGE HAS EVER SUFFERED LEGAL RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN THE US. NOT ONE.
Comment by Adam Graham
He was very specific that he was talking about Black folks who experienced segregation. He didn’t say, “Black people born in 1970 should be expected to have a chip on their shoulder.” In fact, Huckabee has been clear he’s not in favor of affirmative action.