Why do people have to always bring up race?

[HamburgerBoy]

There were some political happenings on campus over this week due to early voting, and both Obama tents had prominent "African Americans Decide" and "Latinos for Obama" signs posted. Romney tents made no mention of race that I could perceive. As a white person I felt slightly marginalized by the whole ordeal. I could kind of understand the black angle in the 2008 election since getting a half-black dude in office was without precedent, but how is it relevant to a bunch of young undergraduate kids?

 

[EagleKeeper]

Association with similar concepts. Bandwagon conditioning / comfort zone

 

[nehalem256]

Because the Democratic Party is based on pandering to Women, Blacks, Hispanics, and LGBT?

 

[jackstar7]

Just leaving this here: http://tv.msnbc.com/2012/10/26/billboard-in-georgia-compares-obama-to-hitler/

 

[Theb]

Just leaving this here: http://tv.msnbc.com/2012/10/26/billboard-in-georgia-compares-obama-to-hitler/

I'll just leave this next to it. https://www.google.com/search?q=bus...GIdGxqQGL44HgCQ&ved=0CB8QsAQ&biw=1151&bih=653

One thing the past two administrations have demonstrated is that we need to be more clever. We can't keep comparing every president to Hitler. We need new and better memes!

 

[jackstar7]

I'll just leave this next to it. https://www.google.com/search?q=bus...GIdGxqQGL44HgCQ&ved=0CB8QsAQ&biw=1151&bih=653

One thing the past two administrations have demonstrated is that we need to be more clever. We can't keep comparing every president to Hitler. We need new and better memes!

Did you check the lower pic in the article I posted?


Also, comparing to Hitler AND using communist memes is just absurd.

 

[SheHateMe]

Maybe because these two racial groups have had low voter turnout in the past..

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Just leaving this here: http://tv.msnbc.com/2012/10/26/billboard-in-georgia-compares-obama-to-hitler/

lol, a Communist Hitler? Ridiculous, but it's not even necessarily racially-motivated and I think it's mostly fringe crazies that do that. These were official Obama campaign signs at official Obama tents encouraging people to vote that I witnessed.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

It's in our nature to divide ourselves based along real or imagined lines. These make take the form of religious affiliation, political affiliation, socioeconomic status, etc. The easiest ones are the ones that are immediately apparent with just a cursory glance; sex and skin color. I may not be able to glean much about a person's beliefs based on nothing more than a picture, but I can very quickly ascertain the difference between a black man and an Asian woman give only an image. It's just a basic human need to compartmentalize people into specific groups.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Maybe because these two racial groups have had low voter turnout in the past..

This

 

[jackstar7]

lol, a Communist Hitler? Ridiculous, but it's not even necessarily racially-motivated and I think it's mostly fringe crazies that do that. These were official Obama campaign signs at official Obama tents encouraging people to vote that I witnessed.

Again, check the lower pic in the article.

 

[classy]

There were some political happenings on campus over this week due to early voting, and both Obama tents had prominent "African Americans Decide" and "Latinos for Obama" signs posted. Romney tents made no mention of race that I could perceive. As a white person I felt slightly marginalized by the whole ordeal. I could kind of understand the black angle in the 2008 election since getting a half-black dude in office was without precedent, but how is it relevant to a bunch of young undergraduate kids?

The truth is, while we want to say its not, race today is still very relevant to a lot of people. The tone is different, which now it can in certain instances be discussed rationally. Racism today is not like it was even 20 years ago. The white side has to understand there is still more work to be done and the dark side has realize that in all honesty race should not hold you back, so they have to let go of the excuse. But when true racism happens, people on both sides need to stand up and call a spade a spade.

 

[Theb]

Did you check the lower pic in the article I posted?

I don't have that kind of attention span on a Friday.

Also, comparing to Hitler AND using communist memes is just absurd.

Most things political are absurd. The more import point is that it's boring.

 

[jackstar7]

The lower pic in the article posted:
(I'm not going to post it here)

http://msnbctv.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/spooky.jpg?w=300&h=225

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Maybe because these two racial groups have had low voter turnout in the past..

Hmmm, I guess that makes sense, although I'm not seeing a clear trend indicating that, unless I'm misinterpreting the data here...

http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/p20/2008/tables.html

White non-hispanic

Reported Voted Did Not Vote
Number Percent Number Percent

100,042 66.1 51,279 33.9
8,414 49.4 8,602 50.6
30,201 62.1 18,432 37.9
39,946 71.2 16,123 28.8
11,706 74.7 3,967 25.3
9,776 70.2 4,155 29.8

Black

Reported Voted Did Not Vote
Number Percent Number Percent

16,133 64.7 8,797 35.3
2,161 55.4 1,736 44.6
6,149 64.0 3,462 36.0
5,721 68.7 2,609 31.3
1,291 70.9 528 29.1
812 63.8 461 36.2

Hispanic

Reported Voted Did Not Vote
Number Percent Number Percent

9,745 49.9 9,792 50.1
1,376 38.8 2,169 61.2
4,028 47.7 4,408 52.3
3,141 58.1 2,269 41.9
720 59.6 488 40.4
481 51.3 457 48.7

EDIT: Well, ok, latinos clearly vote a bit less, but blacks seem more or less on par.

Again, check the lower pic in the article.

I did but it's irrelevant to the point I'm making (although maybe it's not clear in my op). I know that racists and racially-minded people exist all over the place, but making up slogans and signs to be used for official campaigning purposes goes beyond.

 

[SheHateMe]

Calling on specific racial groups to vote has nothing to do with marginalizing whites. Whites do not have a history of low voter turnout, minorities do...

For example, what is the ratio of whites who vote to white who do not for the past 2 elections?




I see nothing wrong with targeting blacks or latinos as a group when it comes to voting. Perhaps the Republican party doesn't do it because they know minorities have a long history of voting Democratic. Why push for votes you aren't going to get.

Its not like Romney wants their votes away. He said so himself.

 

[ElFenix]

There were some political happenings on campus over this week due to early voting, and both Obama tents had prominent "African Americans Decide" and "Latinos for Obama" signs posted. Romney tents made no mention of race that I could perceive. As a white person I felt slightly marginalized by the whole ordeal. I could kind of understand the black angle in the 2008 election since getting a half-black dude in office was without precedent, but how is it relevant to a bunch of young undergraduate kids?

Start a whiteys for obama tent

 

[railven]

Start a whiteys for obama tent

I'd bet if he did that then he'd be accused of being a racist, or perhaps a Republican sent to sabotage the Democrats.

 

[nehalem256]

lol, a Communist Hitler? Ridiculous, but it's not even necessarily racially-motivated and I think it's mostly fringe crazies that do that. These were official Obama campaign signs at official Obama tents encouraging people to vote that I witnessed.

I would think a Black Hitler is also ridiculous. Weren't blacks one his "undesirable" groups?

 

[emperus]

As a white person I felt slightly marginalized by the whole ordeal.

smh.. When did this white victimhood movement begin? Out of 44 presidents in this county 1 has been half black. Yes, you are so marginalized.

 

[SheHateMe]

smh.. When did this white victimhood movement begin? Out of 44 presidents in this county 1 has been half black. Yes, you are so marginalized.

He didn't feel marginalized when minorities voted Democratic in other elections either.

Only this one..you know, cause the other guy stands a real chance of losing because of those stupid brownies.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

smh.. When did this white victimhood movement begin? Out of 44 presidents in this county 1 has been half black. Yes, you are so marginalized.

Do black and Hispanic students really feel encouraged by mere mentions of race, though? If I was walking through a poor minority neighborhood where voter turnout is low, I would absolutely understand and be fine with catering to their audience, but that wasn't the case here.

 

[SheHateMe]

Do black and Hispanic students really feel encouraged by mere mentions of race, though? If I was walking through a poor minority neighborhood where voter turnout is low, I would absolutely understand and be fine with catering to their audience, but that wasn't the case here.

How do you know what the case was? Did you go over and ask them what the agenda of their group(s) were? I doubt it,dude.

Instead, you came here talking about how you felt about your whiteness being marginalized.

Never hurts to ask groups what their agendas are. If I saw a "Whites for Romney" tent trying to register White Republicans, I would have no problem going over and asking why they are targeting Whites specifically.

 

[emperus]

Do black and Hispanic students really feel encouraged by mere mentions of race, though? If I was walking through a poor minority neighborhood where voter turnout is low, I would absolutely understand and be fine with catering to their audience, but that wasn't the case here.

I would say yes. I am a moderate to conservative democrat. I disagree with the democratic party on some issues. But the Republican party is a non starter because a huge swath of your party doesn't believe in my equality as a US citizen. I think you would call it the southern strategy. My ability for me and my children to live equally is very important to me.

It is like being gay and republican. How can you be in a party that demonizes who you are?

 

[HamburgerBoy]

How do you know what the case was? Did you go over and ask them what the agenda of their group(s) were? I doubt it,dude.

Instead, you came here talking about how you felt about your whiteness being marginalized.

Never hurts to ask groups what their agendas are. If I saw a "Whites for Romney" tent trying to register White Republicans, I would have no problem going over and asking why they are targeting Whites specifically.

I didn't this week (too many people around), although I have been accosted by political campaigners of both sides over this last month. Generally they ask me if I'm a registered voter, then they ask me if I support Obama, then if I ask for a quick rundown on what they consider to be the best reasons, they'll cite Obamacare and a recovering economy. If I saw an LGBT sign I could give them props since Obama repealed DADT and obviously has a much better record there than Romney. But I don't see why the racial angle factors in. I suppose if I talked to the Latinos For Obama camp they'd mention the DREAM Act or maybe talk about Arizona's profiling law, but are Hispanics really unaware of either? If so, why not just put up a poster stating "Obama supports the DREAM Act, and supports your education"? Says more and doesn't delve to the argument of "Vote for me because you're brown/black".