Dr. Edward Rhymes, linked over there, has come out of hiding due to the recent flap between Clinton and Obama. Like the recent posting by Ishmael Reed, I agree with Rhymes on 90% of his post. I think the points of disagreement are worth pointing out. First there is this:
Hillary's allusion to Dr. King's ability to inspire as compared to LBJ's ability to make the Civil Rights Act a reality smacks of racism at its most pernicious level. The old Blacks "sho can talk" but are short on ability stereotype is very evident in this analogy.
I disagree with this statement. Hillary's statement was nothing of the sort, unless one wants to read something into it. As any preacher or Jihadi can tell you, you can read just about anything out of a statement if you want. Hillary's statement was a clear indication of fact. Dr. King for all his work was not in any position to legislate or approve of legislation. He and others would have to convince those who did have such power to do the right thing (even if they didn't want to). Dr. Rhyme's statement will however be put to the test if Obama finds himself in the oval office. but as it stands I think he made up his mind to see a "perniciously racist" statement where there wasn't one, though he does go on to call out LBJ's statement on Dr. King when the latter made his anti-war position public.
On a lesser level I also have a problem with the following:
This is further accented and buttressed by former President Bill Clinton's reference to the 46 year-old, Harvard-educated, elected-U.S. Senator Obama as a "kid" - coming dangerously close in tone and temperament to the familiar racist designation of "boy." If the Clinton campaign wants to draw a distinction between the record and experience of Barack and Hillary, then that is a conversation that can and should take place. However, that's not what I heard or felt in Bill Clinton's words. I heard the arrogance of a man who believes because of Black America's love affair with him (for reasons I don't understand) he has the right to say to Obama: "know your place boy" or "wait your turn boy."
On the one hand, from personal experience I know all about the 'boy' designation thrown out, particularly by "older" white men. However, I'm not entirely convinced in this case that this is the case here. For example, After Hillary won NH, there was talk of Hillary being the comeback kid. Does that denigrate her? Similarly Bill Clinton when he was running was also called the comeback kid. Similarly John McCain, who pre-empted any talk of "comeback kid" with a lighthearted joke about his age precluding any use of the term "kid" to refer to him, was briefly dubbed a comeback kid. Relatively speaking, Obama is a "kid." I'm absolutely sure that Bill wanted used the term "kid" in order to put FUD into the minds of potential voters in relation to experience. That is fair game as far as I'm concerned. Also I would agree that if Bill Clinton was implying that Obama should "wait his turn" that that too is a fair argument in regards to experience. I would agree that it would be an issue if the statement meant "know your place boy" but that, like supposed voter fraud in New Hampshire will be impossible to prove.
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