My one thread on this "lucky black man" issue. John Lewis: A coward? A fucking Coward? Seriously?

[izzybeans]

What do you make of anyone who considers John Lewis a coward. This is John Lewis. This is who you consider a coward. Fuck you Geraldine. While you are busy playing the victim he remains etched in heroic history.



On edit: I apologize but this is what really pisses me off about the whole uproar. That's it.

[thunder rising]

1. I think that's Geraldine holding that stick.

[Teaser]

2. Word

.

[DURHAM D]

3. What fetid goulash. eom

[izzybeans]

9. What exactly?

[jobycom]

4. I missed something. When did she call him a coward?

John Lewis is a rare true American hero, and one of the very few voices in this nation that can sway my opinion on matters (although usually he just frames what I already believe with an eloquence I could never demonstrate).

If Ferraro called him a coward, I've lost all respect for her. What did she say?

[izzybeans]

7. On right wing radio no less.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqL_sm0J8jc

Tonight was the first I had heard of it. Just got under my skin.

[jobycom]

11. I didn't hear the word "coward," or even "lucky black man" in that clip.

Is there more? Just from that clip, I'm disappointed in her comments on Lewis, who has more than earned the right to be taken at his word on why he switched his vote. Is there more to it, or is that really the extent of what was blown up into such a maelstrom? If that's it, then the media is the race-baiter in this campaign, and we should quit fighting each other and go after the real enemy.

[izzybeans]

13. lucky black man is a paraphrase

and I need to find it because what I heard sparked this thread. If that is not it then sorry. I thought it was on that show.

Or perhaps I'm making the same errors of inference that many Clinton supporters are making on re: the Pastor sermons. Looking for implications. But when I left the audio I swore that's what I heard.

[jobycom]

14. I'm a Clinton supporter who agrees with you on the pastor bit.

Much ado about nothing, although Obama does need to prepare, because the Republicans will use it as part of a bigger attempt to paint Obama as an angry, radical, American-hating black man. That will be their swiftboat tactic this year. Hopefully Obama will be prepared for that.

You'd be proud of me. A friend at work is a big Obama supporter. This guy knows little of politics, he's just in love with Obama. He literally couldn't decide between Fred Thompson and Obama at first. I'm always trying to swing him to Clinton, but he's in love. Anyway, when the story broke, he looked like his best friend had been diagnosed with cancer. He was debating who to vote for after that. I've slowly convinced him that first, the pastor's views aren't necessarily Obama's, second, that you can portray anyone as bad if you pick the right details of their life, even if they aren't bad (I worked in a defense of Clinton with that, pointing out that she's been defined by her opponents), and third, that even though the pastor's rhetoric was inflammatory, really the points he was making weren't that outlandish, and no worse than what most people would agree with in a less inflammatory speech. So he's back to loving Obama again! (It cost me nothing, since Texas has already voted! Just kept him from supporting McCain.)

Just thought I'd share. I try to stay out of all these emotional debates between Clinton and Obama supporters. Both sides have rather passionate but usually uninformed views of both candidates, so there's not much point. I just commented on this one because of my respect for John Lewis. Ferraro's comments were arrogant, dumb, and wrong, and certainly won her no respect from me, but I'm glad to see she didn't use the word "coward," or any other derogatory phrase, about him. Still lowers my opinion of her considerably, though, although I still swear I thought I'd heard that she died years ago.

On the phrase "lucky black man," I've heard that bantered about, but usually from paraphrases of Ferraro's comments, and usually from Obama supporters. That's one reason I stay out of these debates. The rhetoric is getting so extreme on both sides that no one is listening to facts and reason, anyway. Might as well sit back and watch it burn. Fires are fun to watch, and contrary to what many people are saying, this probably all helps us in the long run, like the battle between Clinton and Jerry Brown in 92. People are so focused on our candidates, and our issues, and our views, that McCain will seem like an oddball when he gets some camera time again. Hopefully that's the way it will happen, anyway. :)

[peacetheonlyway]

5. I'm from Georgia... I saw John Lewis stand up for every progressive thing in that state

John Lewis is not only a hero, but his track record makes Geraldine look like the parlor trick person that she is.

I not only think she has damaged hillary in this most aggregious way, but she managed to take her place in history, as a fine first woman candidate for VP and marred it with this slur that is both vicious and divisive in a democratic party that must soon start projecting unity.

John Lewis, and those of us that have met him and shook his hand, can never be flinched by this woman's vile words. he is a true true hero.

*** now when my friend Gloria asked John Lewis why he doesn't support impeachment of bush and he says "Push vindictiveness from your hear" that is an area I can truly criticize about J. Lewis but not the other stuff.. for which he need not even deign a reply the slur so vicious....

[MadMaddie]

6. No apologies necessary....GF is showing jealousy - Obama is

in a postion she could only dream of.

[CitizenLeft]

8. no need to apologize...

I'm with ya.

[Kittycat]

10. Oh FFS. Someone shut her up!

What a complete embarrassment. How can she call herself a democrat?

[angie_love]

12. she lost all credibility when she became a fox news analyst for starters.

[TahitiNut]

15. That photo portrays what NONE OF US have done to rid ourselves of tyrants!!

That's what it means to have courage. That's what it means to assert a right to self-governance in the face of the authoritarian status quo. No amount of blogging can be a substitute.

We are a nation of cowards and criminals unless and until we have shed blood in the streets, hopefully in non-violent protest, to ensure that the Cheney/Bush cabal are prosecuted for the crimes against humanity they have committed in our name. Nothing less will do.

Each and every one of us who seeks refuge in the coward's 'foxhole' of "it's THEIR fault" without taking to the streets is culpable. Unless and until we acknowledge that self-governance INSISTS that it's OUR fault, we don't deserve any better government than we're getting. And worse.

[From The Left]

16. Geraldine is a Racist Heifer