The article on Michelle Obama's college roommate moving 'cause she was Black pisses me off to no end

[wndycty]

And its not because it happened, its because folks like to make Michelle an issue, they like to pretend that she is some ungrateful uppity Black woman who need to shut her mouth and watch her words. They can all kiss my ENTIRE UNRULY LIGHT SKINNED BLACK ASS!

Race and class are complicated issues in this country and they impact so many other issues in ways most of us can't imagine, yet whenever folks bring up these issues, especially in this election year, they are often simplified or dumbed down so that they can be viewed in a political context.

Hat tip to Pirate Smile for initially posting this. Also, kudos to Brown and Donnelly for coming forward with this story that they could have kept to themselves. This article needs to be read by everyone.

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/04/12/roommate_0413.html

-snip-
She walked into the historic Nassau Inn that evening and delivered the news to her mother, Alice Brown. "I was horrified," recalled Brown, who had driven her daughter up from New Orleans. Brown stormed down to the campus housing office and demanded Donnelly be moved to another room.

The reason: One of her roommates was black.

"I told them we weren't used to living with black people — Catherine is from the South," Brown said. "They probably thought I was crazy."

Today both Donnelly, an Atlanta attorney, and Brown, a retired schoolteacher living in the North Carolina mountains, look back at that time with regret. Like many Americans, they've built new perceptions of race on top of a foundation cracked by prejudices past — and present. Yet they rarely speak of the subject.

-snip-

[mac2]

1. What?

"Yet they rarely speak of the subject." Seems to me this is not an ignored subject. How many years ago was that?

Reverse discrimination happens too. That's an ignored subject. I've had it happen to me more than once.

I won't kiss anyone's ass no matter what color.

[wndycty]

4. You can bring up "reverse discrimination" all you want and act like its a plague. . .

. . .on this country, that is up to you that is your right. But its also an attempt to trivialize any real discussion of race. At its worst "reverse discrimination" complicates the issue and makes it tougher to address the real issues, but its not really standing in the way of true progress.

[Mezzo]

7. that's bullshit, and you know it.

There is no such thing as reverse discrimination. There is just discrimination. Trying to describe it as anything in reverse is bullshit.

That being said, Michelle Obama's racist roomate IS a fucking outrage. I agree with you one hundred per cent there.

[mac2]

41. Where have you been?

[mamalone]

8. Reverse discrimmination?

Puh-lease! I'm sorry, but no white person in this country has a clue about the true impact discrimination has on a person of color. A few years ago I thought I had a clue, but then I became the mother of some beautiful precious little brown folk, and believe me I woke up quick. The effects of racism are so pervasive that people... many of whom see themselves as enlightened and progressive.. act in a racist manner without even realizing it. Your citing of discrimination that has occurred "more than once" is a perfect example. Maybe you have had to endure that pain a time or two, but my son has to endure it every day. Right now he is struggling mightily with dissatisfaction with his hair, originating with some oafish clods telling him he is a "fuzzy-headed baby." It is often automatically assumed that he is a "trouble maker" even though he has an extremely gentle nature and honorable sensibility... I could go on and on, but methinks that wouldn't be wise just now.

[jbnow]

76. The hurt our kids go through has to be the hardest thing

to deal with. My heart hurt a bit as I read your post. Laws can have an impact on the most overt discrimination in some areas but laws can't erase the bias that resides within some people.

It doesn't stop the more silent prejudiced, the different perceptions you note and so many others. It doesn't stop the insults or the stores watching closer or the police finding them more "suspicious" or jobs harder to come by and on and on.

One of the saddest things is that doll test that was first done decades ago and was done again very recently where the young dark children pick the white doll as good and the dark doll as bad and yet pick out the dark doll is the one who looks like them and when asked why the doll is good or bad it is because it is white or dark. It's worse when you see the test and see these darling little kids doing this.
I would like to see it done with 4 and 5 year old kids who haven't been out in society much, hasn't been in school instead of kids a few years older because I don't think that's natural either, it's picked up. It's horrible to consider that the issues of others can affect how they see themselves. It's just hard to believe. Many of the parents say they always let their kids know how beautiful and wonderful they are.

Kids do call each other names and that can always hurt but if your son wasn't called a "fuzzy-headed baby" he might have still been called some other kind of baby. I'm not disputing at all that your son faces bias and maybe you know the kids and they are prejudiced, just hoping it wasn't a racial name calling and was just a name calling.

Some kids are prejudiced or at least mocking of anyone different from them and that is saddest because they learned that in some way. Either biased parents or stronger biased peers or some inner problem which makes them feel better by making someone else look somehow less than them.

Two songs pop into mind as simple truth on this issue. The one from South Pacific, YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFULLY TAUGHT

You've got to be taught
To hate and fear
You've got to be taught
From year to Year
It's got to be drummed
in your dear little ear
You've got to be carefully taught

You've got to be taught
To be Afraid
Of people whose eyes
are oddly made
And people whose skin
Is a different shade
You've got to be carefully taught

You've got to be taught
Before it's too late
Before you are 6 or 7 or 8
To hate all the people
your relatives hate
You've got to be carefully taught

Then part of an old song from Kristofferson Jesus Was A Capricorn

Egg Heads cussing Red Necks cussing hippies for their hair.
Others laugh at straights who laugh at freaks who laugh at squares.
Some folks hate the whites who hate the blacks who hate the clan.
Most of us hate anything that we don't understand.

'Cos everybody's got to have somebody to look down on.
Who they can feel better than at anytime they please.
Someone doin' somethin' dirty, decent folks can frown on.
If you can't find nobody else, then help yourself to me.

I think that just covers most of it, if imperfectly. We have to be taught this and the pay off for bias is having someone to feel better than.

As a teen my son worked at an Indian reservation one spring break and when he came home he talked about sometimes he feels like it would be good to be part of some minority so he could be part of a movement from the inside to uplift them. I hesitated because at that time he'd get irritated when I'd say something that sounded what he called "metaphysical". But I went ahead and told him he was part of a race that needed that, the human race.
He actually hugged and thanked me and said "Of course"! As he talked about it he even realized that the Caucasian race needed it as much as any other race...not in being kept down, not in outer things but in the inner things and the way they entwined with all the things that created the divisions.

Well this got long, sorry. Give your son a hug from this stranger.

[cali]

11. oh, please. "reverse discrimination"

may happen, but it's hardly the deeply ingrained and institutional problem that plain old racism is. People don't get stopped by the cops for driving "while black".

[mac2]

23. Hate is hate no matter what color you are.

Yes...that's the word "old racism". Cops do stop Yankee cars in the South even when occupied by whites. Discrimination can be seen by anyone who is not the same.

[cali]

29. that's just stupid and offensive

hate comes in different strengths and institutional racism is something white people have not experienced on any comparable level.

[mamalone]

31. You're the one!

I think I have a case of sig-line-envy;) The first time I read yours I laughed so hard I snorted coffee on my keyboard! I was just trying to remember who's line it was...

[mac2]

43. You call everyone stupid who you "think" doesn't agree

with you?

Who said it was comparable? I said it exists and is never talked about. If some people of any race/religion, etc. had the power it would be.

I lost a good job over it and was harrassed to leave. It wasn't just a roommate who refused to live with me.

[wndycty]

51. The tragedy is you just try to trivialize racism. . .

. . .its very telling.

[mac2]

53. Bull crap

Rascism can only be by a certain group? Only you can define the victims? Who said anyone approved of it? "I feel your pain." Who said anyone was making light of racism?

When they talk about racism why don't you say...Afro-Amercan or Hispanic racism only. Apparently there is no other and when you speak of it you are silenced in outrage.

Judging by the posts I'm not even allowed to discuss it without outrage by DUers and I approve of it.

[wndycty]

55. People of all races can be prejudiced, however you are IGNORANT and NAIVE if you think. . .

. . .that Black prejudice against whites is as damaging to society as white racism against Blacks. Have Black folks in America held whites in slavery? Have whites been the victims of Jim Crow?

You are trivializing race and you know it.

[mac2]

61. Who says it is.

I said they aren't the only ones to have it done to them. If a college roommate of years ago is the only discrimination she has suffered than that is lucky for her. Lossing a good job is much more damaging.

[wndycty]

63. Judging by your IGNORANT behavior on DU whoever FIRED YOU did the right thing

:hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi:

[mac2]

65. I wasn't fired.

I've always had good performance reviews. You judge me when you have no idea what happened. I could not have won in the courts because people don't believe this type of rascism occurs. I found another good job but it wasn't easy.

[wndycty]

67. OK forced out, whatever the reason you are the one who implies you were fired. . .

. . .not me. LOL Again, given you inability to make a reasonable argument suggest you were not smart enough to hold a job and were justifiably fired, laid off, forced out, etc. LOL

[mac2]

77. I told you I left from being discriminated against.

I did my job perfectly well. My co-worker of another race wanted my higher ranking Civil Service job. The boss who was of the same race helped her do it. I could not sue for it. Only certain groups in this country can do that.

When I told the head of the Department why I was leaving he begged me to stay and said, he had no control over my boss.

[mac2]

24. Hate is hate no matter what color you are.

Yes...that's the word "old racism". Cops do stop Yankee cars in the South even when occupied by whites. Discrimination can be seen by anyone who is not the same.

[DefenseLawyer]

28. Yeah reverse discrimination is a huge problem in this country

I can't tell you what a crushing burden being a middle class white anglo-saxon male has been to me. Always having to prove myself, always being doubted, never having access... It's been tough, but I have endeavored to persevere!

[wndycty]

30. Yeah, just think about how the jails are over run with white men

:kick:

[mac2]

42. Did I say I approve of the poor being in jail?

[EffieBlack]

44. "Reverse discrimination" is an "ignored subject?" Give me a break!

[AP]

2. Side note: I wonder if the fact that the white roommate was poor influenced Princeton's decision to

pair her with a black roommate?

Like, they assumed that a rich white kid would have a bigger problem with a black roommate, or if they thought that they didn't want to piss off a the child of a major gift prospect.

[JoFerret]

6. A possibility

two "write-off" "common" people.

I wonder what more there is to this story. If anything.

[AspenRose]

3. Oh, boy.

:popcorn: You're going to have your work cut out for you, OP. I can see that right now. ("But, but, blacks do it too!") :eyes:


By the way, what happened to Michelle happened to me too. 20 years ago.

[wndycty]

5. Bring it on, have you ever known me to shy away from controversy. . .

LOL

[AspenRose]

9. Heh. Just remember your place, o uppity one.

You know blacks can't get angry about anything unless white people give you their blessing to do so. :sarcasm:

:hi:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

12. Did you miss the "why can't I say n***** when black folk say n***** all the time" posts this AM?

*edited to say posts instead of threads*

[wndycty]

13. Oh please send me those links. . .

. . .I assume the posters of these threads are DUers of good standing and have not been suspended or tombstoned.

[AspenRose]

14. Did anyone ask them why they'd WANT to?

;-)

[mamalone]

15. LOL... nt

[wndycty]

16. Well obviously they need to be able to use those words to feel better about themselves. . .

. . .they are incomplete without them.

[EffieBlack]

47. Maybe they're pissed at the idea that there's SOMETHING that "black people can do, that we can't!"

[Kber]

27. LOL

I heard a white comedian address this once - his take "The last time we could use the "N" word, we kinda fucked it up and so we've had our "N" word privileges revoked."

[EffieBlack]

48. That is HILARIOUS!

[mac2]

45. I lost a good job over it.

[msongs]

10. sounds like it was obama's lucky day to be rid of that roomate nt

[Catherine Vincent]

17. It figures that they are republican now. nt

[wndycty]

18. I'm not too interested in beating up Brown and Donnelly. . .

. . .they should be applauded for coming forward. Part of the problem with race is people are afraid to own up to their own prejudices and biases. These folks came forward and acknowledged their mistakes, racism is real and we need to create an environment where people can confront their own feelings.

[ellacott]

19. Shw was on Tom Joyner's show this morning

Jackie Reeves interviewed her. It was a fascinating interview. She said she was speaking up now because she didn't want people to let Barack slip through our fingers(the way she let Michelle slip through her fingers) because of his color.

Tom should have the audio of that interview on his site tomorrow.

[wndycty]

20. Wow, Michelle's roommate was on TJMS?

Impressive.

[ellacott]

21. Yes, It was a very good interview

She joked with them. She kept repeating her mistake of not speaking up when her mother wanted to change her room. It's ironic that now both she and her mother are voting for Obama.

[wndycty]

35. Good, I will have to look for it

:kick:

[mac2]

57. What about talking about the issues and what the

candidates are going to do for our failing democracy? All this roommate and clergy crab distracts for the real issues of impeachment, jobs, debt, illegal wars, etc.

[wndycty]

59. You are a pure and simple idiot

The roommate volunteered this information because of her regret, her regret as it relates to racism. She is on the TJMS to talk about the article.

Why would she talk about anything else?

Obama, would love for the clergy issue to go away, unfortunately Hillary has been one of the folks making it an issue. So if you are upset about the discussion of clergy maybe you should talk to the Clinton campaign.

You are a pure and simple idiot.

[mac2]

69. Just another dog and pony show to stop discussing the

real issues.

[lumberjack_jeff]

22. It's not an article to be pissed off about.

It's an article to take hope from, and as a gauge of our progress.

Both Brown and Donnelly say they are voting for Obama, and are telling their stories as a way to support him.

Should we be pissed off about our attitudes from 20 years ago, or should we be proud of the progress we've made since then?

[wndycty]

26. If you read the OP, I'm not pissed off about the article, I'm pissed about the fact that Michelle

. . .is vilified for no reason at all.

[lumberjack_jeff]

32. "Is"? Perhaps I'm not understanding your point.

I did read the article and I see no vilification of Michelle at all.

Certainly attitudes are different today than they were 20 years ago.

[wndycty]

33. Michelle is not vilified in the article. . .

. . .she is vilified for being an opinionated woman, on here in the media, et al.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

34. This is what has me pissed off:

Brown says she wouldn't mind if her child or grandchild roomed with a black person today. But she's far from colorblind. "Where I draw the line is interracial marriage," Brown says. "That I can't quite deal with."

She holds firm to the belief that African-Americans don't take enough responsibility. "Bill Cosby says the same thing," she says. "Get off your rear end and work hard and improve yourself."

i.e. Them n****ers are fine, just as long as they don't try to marry white folk. And I wish they weren't so damn lazy!

And is was what Brown is saying today. I wonder if she even realizes Obama is mixed race?

[rockymountaindem]

25. She shoulda seen all my roommates

When I was in college, I lived in a double room my first year and three/four person apartment style dorms afterwards. For roommates I had:

A Latin-American Jew, a Japanese woman, four guys from China, a Pakistani, a Japanese man of Indian origin and a black man from Barbados, in addition to three Canadians of European descent. Quite the mix over the years...

[ShortnFiery]

36. What angers me is a decade plus earlier (1968), HRC, a Goldwater girl, President College Republicans

heard this news. How did she react? IF HRC is to be believed (and that's a big IF) she "tossed her book bag" and "fell despondent" at Martin Luther King, Jr's assassination.

The above is what HRC CLAIMS. I don't believe it for a moment. First, Lee Atwater was a true racist. And although Barry Goldwater was not, in deed, a racist, his "Southern Strategy" of "States Rights" PROMOTED SEGREGATION AND RACISM.

In fact, MLK, although rarely speaking out about political candidates, made a specific effort to discourage people from voting for Goldwater.

http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/publications/autobiography/chp_23.htm

JULY 16, 1964: King asserts that nomination of Senator Barry Goldwater by Republicans will aid racists.

In 1964 the meaning of so-called Negro revolution became clear for all to see and was given legislative recognition in the civil rights law. Yet, immediately following the passage of this law, a series of events shook the nation, compelling the grim realization that the revolution would continue inexorably until total slavery had been replaced by total freedom.


The new events to which I refer were: the Republican Convention held in San Francisco; the hideous triple lynchings in Mississippi; and the outbreak of riots in several Northern cities.


The Republican Party geared its appeal and program to racism, reaction, and extremism. All people of goodwill viewed with alarm and concern the frenzied wedding at the Cow Palace of the KKK with the radical right. The "best man" at this ceremony was a senator whose voting record, philosophy, and program were anathema to all the hard-won achievements of the past decade.


It was both unfortunate and disastrous that the Republican Party nominated Barry Goldwater as its candidate for President of the United States. In foreign policy Mr. Goldwater advocated a narrow nationalism, a crippling isolationism, and a trigger-happy attitude that could plunge the whole world into the dark abyss of annihilation. On social and economic issues, Mr. Goldwater represented an unrealistic conservatism that was totally out of touch with the realities of the twentieth century. The issue of poverty compelled the attention of all citizens of our country. Senator Goldwater had neither the concern nor the comprehension necessary to grapple with this problem of poverty in the fashion that the historical moment dictated. On the urgent issue of civil rights, Senator Goldwater represented a philosophy that was morally indefensible and socially suicidal. While not himself a racist, Mr. Goldwater articulated a philosophy which gave aid and comfort to the racist. His candidacy and philosophy would serve as an umbrella under which extremists of all stripes would stand. In the light of these facts and because of my love for America, I had no alternative but to urge every Negro and white person of goodwill to vote against Mr. Goldwater and to withdraw support from any Republican candidate that did not publicly disassociate himself from Senator Goldwater and his philosophy.

---------

Now ask yourself, would someone who IS "a Goldwater Girl" and "The President of the College Republicans" really ... truly *break down and sob at MLK's assassination.

I sincerely doubt that HRC truly gave a damn especially given the HARD authoritarian right wing upbringing she embraced until she met Bill Clinton. :shrug:

[juajen]

37. Trying to start a race war to change the subject is not productive.

NT

[wndycty]

38. Who is starting a race war. . .

. . .explain your accusation, explain your fucking accusation.

[Adelante]

39. What kind of a stupid thing is that to say?

Good grief.

[wndycty]

40. I'm thinking people want to start shit, where there is no shit to start. . .

. . .LOL

[MethuenProgressive]

49. So you post your shit to start shit?

I pity you.

[Zodiak]

50. This is how they do it

Hillary supporters: Obama is an elitist

Obama supporters: How can he be elitist when he grew up poor, and lived in Kenya, and had to put up with all of the documented racism during his life?

Hillary supporters: Why are you playing the race card? Trying to start a race war?

Do not play their game.

(on edit: if I do not respond to you, you are ignored....tough break, but I do not engage with those that act like children and have nothing to say but insults)

[wndycty]

52. LOL

:kick:

[mac2]

54. Race war?

Hillary is a women and had to put up with her marriage and sex life discussed by the media. She's been called a witch, etc. by people in this dicussion group. That is hateful.

Racism, sexism, etc. exists in our society and we should and are discussing it.

I'm not sure about voting for either candidate since I call them globalists. As a anti-globalism and privitization activist neither seem to be my candidate. They've both been in power and did little to stop the problems we have today. Impeachment isn't a word which crosses their lips.

See you are blaming Hillary for a race card. Dig deeper and think about the issues and our problem to get a "representative" who will listen to the people.

[Zodiak]

56. Read the thread (post #37)

A Hlllary supporter JUST asked the OP if they were trying to start a race war.

Yesterday, a DUer posted some paragraphs from "Dreams of my Father" in defense of Barack being called "elitist" and was accused of playing the race card.

There is evidence for my assertions. And I blame these Hillary supporters for these statements.

As far as Hillary is concerned, her husband has opened the race can of worms a few times, has he not? But this has nothing to do with my statements, which are entirely focused on the Hillary suporters on this board....and more specifically, this thread.

[mac2]

58. "They will do it"?

Is everything regarding Obama to be blamed on Hillary as "they"? Again...I'm not a Hillary supporter.

[wndycty]

60. Not at all but when Clinton and her supporters start shit they will be called on it. . .

. . .you my friend have a fucked up sense of values.

[mac2]

62. Called for it by adding more hate?

Again why do you blame Clinton for it? No one can disagree or question Obama or his wife without being "a Clinton behind it all"?

[wndycty]

66. I started this thread yesterday, what again are you accusing me of blaming Clinton for?

Clinton is not responsible for Michelle's roommate being a racist. If you think I or anyone are implying this you are showing a pure stupidity that probably explains why you were fired from your job.

Now there has been some race baiting during this campaign that Clinton campaign can surely be blamed for.

[Zodiak]

70. He is accusing you of "hate"

...even though there has been no such assertion on your part.

I am being accused of the blame game just because I pointed out the rhetorical dance that is being played concerning Obama and race. Never once did I say "Hillary did this!", but I am being accused of it.

I believe this poster on sees what he wants to see. A clear bias.

Considering he went out of his way to say he doesn't support Hillary twice, I would say that he is beginning to protest too much.

[Zodiak]

64. No....just when the evidence is right on this thread

did you not read post #37?

And I do not care whom you claim to support. It is not germaine as to whether Hillary's supporters have or have not accused Obama of playing the race card, which is my original assertion. Your attempt to parse my words is not working.

For the second time: I blame some of Hillary's supporters on this board for this kind of gutter politics because they are the ones doing it, and the evidence is apparent.

But I do blame Hillary, in part, for:

The Iraq war
The Patriot Act
Running a destructive campaign that could damage the party
For the prevalence of the DLC in Democratic politics
For helping defeat Ned Lamont
Free trade deals that are eating our society from the inside-out
The spike of H1B visas that are pricing our middle class out of existence

So if you are going to complain that I am blaming Hillary, please make it something I actually blame Hilary for. Thank you.

[mac2]

68. I don't blame Hillary but do blame you for having a one

track mind. I'm out of this hateful discussion.

I agree with your list but Obama is part of it too. I blame them both.

[wndycty]

71. Don't let the door hit you where the good Lord split ya!

By the way you say you are "out of this hateful discussion" I expect you will be checking back fighting the urge to respond. Additionally, this thread was not created for hateful purposes.

:hi::hi::hi::hi::hi::hi::hi::hi::hi:

[mac2]

72. Nasty whoever you support.

[wndycty]

74. Wait in post # 68 you said you were gone, but you are back for a post #72

I knew you lied. . .LOL

[mac2]

78. You are gone to me not the others.

[Zodiak]

73. You blame Obama for what?

Oh wait....you are talking about my policy list. Did Obama vote us into this war? Did he refuse to campaign for Lamont? Is he a member of the DLC? Is he responsible for promoting more H1B visas?

The answer to all of these questions is "no"....so what are you blaming Obama for?

You are either uninformed or you think I do not know there are policy and political differences between the two.

Heres a hint: Just because I have death metal pictures and Zach de la Rocha as my avatar does not mean that I am stupid.

[MethuenProgressive]

75. Race baiting, flame baiting, inventing chit to be outraged over baiting...

[MethuenProgressive]

46. Nice story about overcoming racism - and you use it as race baiting flame bait?

Shame on you.