The elephant in the room... AKA... the American Election

[Rod in Japan]

The racial question is interesting.

Nearly every mainstream news report I've read for the last 2 years has included the line "Obama is bidding to become the first black President". Funny, because he wasn't bidding to become a black President at all, he was bidding to become President. Funny also because there's no apparently acceptable term for what he is, a half caste, if indeed his race is worthy of mention. Funny also because he is at pains to stress how half-white he is. Funny because the 'one drop of black blood makes you black' rule is still being enforced by one and all.

I don't think his colour is going to make one jot of difference, politically. If anyone wants a black leader who would make a difference, they should choose Cynthia McKinney. She won't be getting any endorsement from Colin Powell...

[red]

I think its a bit of shame that everyone goes on about his race... surely his politics are more relevant? is it a good day for democracy if race makes people vote, rather than policy?

not sure why everyone so excited.. still a politcian at the end of the day, and they should be the last people to put in charge!
of course its great - anyone that is not George W would be great...

[Bluemoon]

Personally I think that any US president who has an IQ above imbecile will be an improvement. I was quite shocked that last night's news coverage concentrated so much on the race angle, my own impression was that he would be a fantastic president regardless of his skin colour. The fact that the US electorate have not just voted FOR Obama, but AGAINST the politics of self interest and hate that the country (and thus the whole world) has endured for the last 8 years is a massive step forward. I still don't see how anyone can vote for a rabid creationist and then expect any form of rational thought to be put into policy.

[Millymollymandy]

Oh you have been talking about it. I have just bemoaned the fact that nobody on this forum WAS talking about it which I found incredibly wierd.

What does the title of this thread mean though, Annpan?????

[JulieSherris]

Oh you have been talking about it. I have just bemoaned the fact that nobody on this forum WAS talking about it which I found incredibly wierd.

What does the title of this thread mean though, Annpan?????

MMM.... copied fresh from Wikipedia, who explain a lot clearer than I would!

The elephant in the room (also elephant in the living room, elephant in the parlor, elephant in the corner, elephant on the dinner table, elephant in the kitchen, elephant on the coffee table and horse in the corner) is an English idiom for an obvious truth that is being ignored or goes unaddressed. It is based on the idea that an elephant in a room would be impossible to overlook; thus, people in the room who pretend the elephant is not there might be concerning themselves with relatively small and even irrelevant matters, compared to the looming big one.

See... easy!
Julie

[Millymollymandy]

Ah! Er, um, not quite sure that I understand! Does that mean in this context Annpan said that because nobody was talking about it when they should have been because it such as huge thing in the world at the moment?

I've never heard the phrase myself.

[Loobyloo]

Thats exactly it M's

[Millymollymandy]

Thanks! But because of that title I didn't read the thread and then wondered exactly the same thing, why is nobody discussing it! Oh well we (you) are now!

[Annpan]

That was precisely it... I quite enjoy politics, and I was really looking forward to the election.

I know we don't always talk about 'off topic' news stories on is, but I thought it was strange that no-one had mentioned it. Despite the fact that it was being covered by (probably) every media outlet in the world.

'The elephant in the room' is a popular phrase, I am surprised you have never heard it. Yes, I just meant the whole world is talking about it and we are strangely silent... I didn't expect it to be the only thread on the subject TBH.... I'll change the title, so others understand

[invisiblepiper]

Oh heck - I thought the elephant referred to the republicans - so I read the right thread for totally the wrong reasons

[evelyn]

I think maybe we wernt talking about it because this is ish and in the welcome page we are politly asked to stay on topic.

Or atleast that is why i didn't mention it.

Eve

[Miffy]

I have a thought about the whole Obama is black thing...

Now...i dont normally say my opinions out loud, cos i am shy and dont like being shouted at, so be kind...

I think we will all agree that the colour of someones skin doesnt mean they are more or less likely to make a good president. The fact that an issue is made of it just highlights how comparatively recently it was that open racism was a fact of life. Give it time and eventually colour wont be mentioned, gradually it wont be considered an issue at all. But these things do take time.

Just my thought anyway.

Miffy

[hamster]

I agree with you, Miffy. I think it's naive to pretend that everyone is competing on a level playing field and the sad fact is that if you are black, poor, a woman, disabled you do face obstacles and you are less likely to become president (or whatever... and not that being president is necessarily the be all and end all of social progress... but I'm rambling...), so while it certainly shouldn't be a reason for voting for or against someone and won't make him necessarily a better or worse president, it is important for other reasons. (If that makes sense.)


... Then, of course, there's The Onion's take on it:

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/na ... _enough_to

[Ellendra]

The first thing OH said when i told him the good news...."I wonder if they'll kill him". I hope we've come a little further than MLK's era but given what the Russians are up to these days, you have to wonder.

Yeah, the day after the election, I saw several headlines saying that Russia is planning new missile deployments. Timing is everything!

Personally, I'm NOT excited to see dems in charge of both the white house and congress. Any party that has the balance of power tipped so far to their side, becomes dangerous. I'd rather the ballots had a "None of the Above" option.

An author whose articles I often read has a saying. "America is at that awkward stage. Its too late to work within the system, and too early to shoot the b@$tards."

She started saying that during the Clinton administration.

Ok, I'm rambling. I should add a disclaimer saying that any opinions expressed are subject to change in the event that I need brain surgery. MRI is in 4 hours, and my head keeps getting foggier. Wheeeee!

[jim]

Dear Ellendra

I'd rather the ballots had a "None of the Above" option.

Me too! Alas, sanity is not in plentiful supply.

Love and Peace
Jim