Harry Reid 'Negro' Comment: Reid Apologizes

[__Kratos__]

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says he's accepted an apology from the Senate's top Democrat for calling him a "light skinned" African-American "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."

Obama, the first black president, said in a statement on Saturday that he accepted the apology for the "unfortunate comment.Obama said he knows what's in Sen. Harry Reid's heart and says the Nevada Democrat has shown "passionate leadership" on issues of social justice.

A book set to be released on Monday quotes Reid as saying in private discussions that the country was ready to put a black in the White House, especially one like Obama.

Read more...

Where are the calls of him being racist and to resign from his party?

[acidhead]

Racism.... hmmmm.........

Obama's mother has whiter skin than my own.

Its a non-issue.

[Kimi81]

Reid's political career is pretty much over anyway, so I'm sure no ones really concerned about it. As far as the comment he made.. there is a lot of truth to it, and I'm sure Obama is fully aware of that as well. So I agree with the poster above that said it's a non-issue

[Pseudo Intellectual]

Reid's political career is pretty much over anyway, so I'm sure no ones really concerned about it. As far as the comment he made.. there is a lot of truth to it, and I'm sure Obama is fully aware of that as well. So I agree with the poster above that said it's a non-issue

Hahahahaha!

Come on, Kratos. You know only evil conservative Rethuglicans can be racist.

[aquatus1]

Is "negro" considered insulting now?

I may be a bit out of touch...

[Caesar]

Where are the calls of him being racist and to resign from his party?

He's not a Republican, they can do and say what they want. if Rush Limbaugh would even quote Read, the media would be all over him. kinda like the LA Times and 0bama the magic negro comment.

[Caesar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-Bao4VUQmI

Heres a good example

[Kimi81]

Is "negro" considered insulting now?

Yes, ever since the Civil Rights Movement ended......

Edited January 10, 2010 by Kim81

[Pseudo Intellectual]

"African negro" is the name of the race...

[Kimi81]

"African negro" is the name of the race...

Actually, it's African-American. Negro is a term coined and used during slavery and that's why Black people find it offensive.

[Pseudo Intellectual]

African-American is the name of the race? Hmmm... what about all the black people in the world who aren't American?

And negro is Portuguese for "black." It wasn't coined during slavery. I didn't know a color could be racist.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Pseudo Intellectual

[__Kratos__]

Reid's political career is pretty much over anyway, so I'm sure no ones really concerned about it. As far as the comment he made.. there is a lot of truth to it, and I'm sure Obama is fully aware of that as well. So I agree with the poster above that said it's a non-issue

Non-issue-

Yes, ever since the Civil Rights Movement ended......

Actually, it's African-American. Negro is a term coined and used during slavery and that's why Black people find it offensive.

Seems it isn't...

Hahahahaha!

Come on, Kratos. You know only evil conservative Rethuglicans can be racist.

Would appear that way. Could you imagine if McCain had called Obama a negro tomorrow? The crap would coat the fan to the point it would collapse the ceiling.

[Kimi81]

African-American is the name of the race? Hmmm... what about all the black people in the world who aren't American?

And negro is Portuguese for "black." It wasn't coined during slavery. I didn't know a color could be racist.

When I say the word was coined in slavery I meant that due to it being used to describe blacks during a time when the Constitution only considered them 3/4 of a person is why it's so offensive for black people in this day and age. So even though it's just a simple word it's associated with a time when black people were not seen as equals. It's not as offensive to blacks in other Countries because American Blacks are the ones that have the history with enslavement. Simple as that.

Edited to also note that the term ni**er was derived from the word Negro as well.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Kim81

[Pseudo Intellectual]

When I say the word was coined in slavery I meant that due to it being used to describe blacks during a time when the Constitution only considered them 3/4 of a person is why it's so offensive for black people in this day and age. So even though it's just a simple word it's associated with a time when black people were not seen as equals. It's not as offensive to blacks in other Countries because American Blacks are the ones that have the history with enslavement. Simple as that.

Edited to also note that the term ni**er was derived from the word Negro as well.

The Constitution? No, the Constitution guarantees the same rights to every human. It was the Supreme Court, not the Constitution, that declared blacks subhuman.

And you ignored my question.

[Startraveler]

No, the Constitution guarantees the same rights to every human.

It certainly didn't always. Which I believe is her point.

[el midgetron]

I knew "negro" was kind of out dated but didn't know it was offensive to some.

found this tid-bit at wiki -

"The United States Census Bureau announced that Negro would be included on the 2010 United States Census, alongside "Black" and "African-American," because some older Americans still self-identify with the term."

Who says Obama isn't doing enough for black people? They've got three choices of how to describe themselves on the census form!

[UltraThunderMan]

I am always amazed by the capacity of politicians to say the stupidest thing possible. Jesus, Harry Reid, get it together man.

[Pseudo Intellectual]

Well, technically, it did. The definition of "human" was up to the Supreme Court, which, as you know, is not the Constitution, but its interpreter.

EDIT: This was directed at Startraveler.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Pseudo Intellectual

[Startraveler]

Well, technically, it did. The definition of "human" was up to the Supreme Court, which, as you know, is not the Constitution, but its interpreter.

No, it didn't. It specifically said "Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons." Emphasis mine.

It specifically distinguished between free persons and non-free persons. It doesn't use the word human, it uses the word person. And not all persons are treated equally under the Constitution as originally written.

[Kimi81]

It certainly didn't always. Which I believe is her point.

That was my exactly my point . and it doesn't really matter if it was the Constitution or the Supreme Court that declared Blacks as 3/4 of a person. The point is that it was done and the word negro is a reminder of that for Blacks.....

[Kimi81]

I knew "negro" was kind of out dated but didn't know it was offensive to some.

found this tid-bit at wiki -

"The United States Census Bureau announced that Negro would be included on the 2010 United States Census, alongside "Black" and "African-American," because some older Americans still self-identify with the term."

Who says Obama isn't doing enough for black people? They've got three choices of how to describe themselves on the census form!

I think this issue was blown out of proportion by Black people . It is a true statement that a lot of elderly Black people still identify themselves as Negros. It's unfortunate,.... but it's a fact, so I can see why the census would still use the term.

[aquatus1]

I asked a couple of the older African-American...seriously, that term just does not flow off the tongue...at work what they felt about the term "Negro". They felt that it was a somewhat quaint term, not really offensive, just not used these days. I didn't get to ask any of the younger deputies their opinion.

It sort of reminds me a few years back when some group was complaining about their senator (and, if I recall correctly, he left office) for using the term "niggardly".

Sometimes I think people go out of their way to find an insult.

[The Silver Thong]

Is "negro" considered insulting now?

I may be a bit out of touch...

Lets just say most people don't use that term. I would never use it, unless making a totaly tasteless joke or something. Then again I can laugh when called a cracker

[IronGhost]

He's not a Republican, they can do and say what they want. if Rush Limbaugh would even quote Read, the media would be all over him. kinda like the LA Times and 0bama the magic negro comment.

Here are just a few examples of wat Rush has said on his radio program:

Limbaugh once told a black caller: "Take that bone out of your nose and call me back." A decade ago, after becoming nationally syndicated, he mused on the air: "Have you ever noticed how all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson?"

Here is Limbaugh's mocking take on the NAACP, a group with a ninety-year commitment to nonviolence: "The NAACP should have riot rehearsal. They should get a liquor store and practice robberies."

When Carol Moseley-Braun (D-IL) was in the U.S. Senate, the first black woman ever elected to that body, Limbaugh would play the "Movin' On Up" theme song from TV's "Jeffersons" when he mentioned her. Limbaugh sometimes still uses mock dialect -- substituting "ax" for "ask"-- when discussing black leaders.

And, of course, we remember why ESPN fired him over the McNabb statements; Rush said the NFL wated to promote people "just because they were black."

[Caesar]

Here are just a few examples of wat Rush has said on his radio program:

Limbaugh once told a black caller: "Take that bone out of your nose and call me back." A decade ago, after becoming nationally syndicated, he mused on the air: "Have you ever noticed how all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson?"

Here is Limbaugh's mocking take on the NAACP, a group with a ninety-year commitment to nonviolence: "The NAACP should have riot rehearsal. They should get a liquor store and practice robberies."

When Carol Moseley-Braun (D-IL) was in the U.S. Senate, the first black woman ever elected to that body, Limbaugh would play the "Movin' On Up" theme song from TV's "Jeffersons" when he mentioned her. Limbaugh sometimes still uses mock dialect -- substituting "ax" for "ask"-- when discussing black leaders.

And, of course, we remember why ESPN fired him over the McNabb statements; Rush said the NFL wated to promote people "just because they were black."

And if someone on NBC said this, what it even be an issue?