People Who self-identify as Black instead of African-American may be "suspect"? Getta outa here BS!

[FrenchieCat]

Last edited Thu Jan 28, 2016, 09:17 PM - Edit history (1)

Conversation that I had today with an alleged African-American BS Supporter on FB.
Posted without further comments -

BS SUPPORTER WHO SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS Here comes the electability argument again. As I pointed out before, it's too early for that.

As the book, "Winning in the White House 2008" pointed out, in a late January 2007 Gallup Poll, Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said Barack Obama only had a 21% chance of beating the Republican nominee.

Barack Obama's perceived electability was low at this point, and guess what? He was elected.

As far as Democrats in Congress aligning with Hillary now, they'll align with Bernie if he wins the primary.
Like · Reply · 14 hrs

FrenchieCat Here you go making that argument comparing Barney to Barack. That would be like saying that, if your White you can run espousing any policies that you want, No matter what the down tickets candidates believe. The only issue with Obama, was precisely that he was black, and possibly inexperienced, but he ran on a platform agreed-upon by the party.

Sanders, on the other hand is not just doing the exact opposite, but he also has other issues, like his age, his faith, Along with calling for a political revolution.

The only thing those two have in common, is that they are both senators, are/ were both running more of a people power campaigns,and they are/were both running against Hillary Clinton.

Sanders is not running against the George Bush administration, a failed financial system, and two ongoing wars, One of which was sold with lies... And that may be the biggest difference of all!

I will add that I don't personally think that Trump will get nomination. Republicans may be a whole Lotta things, but they are not totally out of their mind. They love power and money too much! They stole the 2000 election, and did it boldly, and I believe will do whatever it takes, to get back that White House, especially since it would result in A GOP trifecta.
Like · Reply · 1 · 2 hrs · Edited

FrenchieCat Polls that currently show sanders beating most of the Republicans pre-Iowa, are the same polls that showed Obama losing to the Republicans at the very same time period. There's a reason for that, Because with Obama, Everyone automatically assumed that his race would keep him from winning. In the case of Barney, most people don't know who he is or what baggage he might have.

Obama had already spoken to the national Democratic convention in 2004, so Democratic voters knew exactly who he was and what he stood for. And it is when Oprah Winfrey endorsed him, that he really took off nationally. Barney has not experienced anything close
Like · Reply · 1 · 2 hrs · Edited

BS SUPPORTER WHO SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS With Obama, people automatically assumed that his race would keep him from winning. With Bernie Sanders, people automatically assume his being a democratic socialist would keep him from winning.
That's a fair basis for comparison.
Like · Reply · 2 hrs

BS SUPPORTER WHO SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS Even with his speech at the Democratic Convention, and even with Oprah endorsing him later (she had not endorsed him yet at this point in the process), 79% of Democrats and Democratic leaning voters saw Obama as unelectable at this point in the process, and he was elected.
Like · Reply · 2 hrs

FrenchieCat No it isn't a fair comparison. Being black is not something you choose, while being a socialist is exactly that.

If Bernie's platform was so popular, Ralph Nader would've garnished many more votes when he ran, and the Green party would have more representation in Congress. But that isn't the case.

The fact that Obama is black, and Bernie is Jewish, and Hillary Clinton is a woman, those are similarities, but not what you're talking about.

If Obama have been advocating a socialist platform, and calling for revolution, he would not have gotten anywhere. Even in the running for the Senate, he wouldn't have won that! ...because Illinois, as a state is more representative of America then Vermont or/and Iowa.

So Bernie may has some white privilege, but it is not going to get him where you think.
Like · Reply · 1 hr · Edited

BS SUPPORTER WHO SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS Bernie Sanders faith is a big issue? To you maybe, and to the mainstream media that does not want him to win, but remember, the Republicans nominated a Mormon to run against President Obama last time around.
Like · Reply · 1 hr

FrenchieCat That is not what Bernie Sanders electability issue is, the fact that he is Jewish. It is the fact that he is non-religious at all.
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BS SUPPORTER WHO SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS FrenchieCat, as an African American who was born in the sixties, I say yes, it is a fair comparison.
Like · Reply · 1 hr

FrenchieCat As a black person, born in the 50s, I'm saying that Bernie Sanders has a whole lot more to overcome in order to win an election then even Obama did! And I listed those issues.
Like · Reply · 1 hr · Edited

FrenchieCat In this country walking around while black is absolutely not the same thing as walking around being a socialist. So I will just agree to disagree with your contention that the two are a fair comparison.
Like · Reply · 1 hr · Edited

BS SUPPORTER WHO SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS: Why didn't Ralph Nader get more votes when he ran?
Because he didn't run as a Democrat, and he had to overcome that party loyalty.
Running as an independent, I don't even think he had ballot access in every state.
Plus, he had to overcome people like you throwing out that unelectability line.
As a result, many, many people who wanted to vote for him didn't, so that's why so few people did vote for him. Bernie Sanders won't face the same issue, unless people fall for that unelectability propaganda.
Like · Reply · 1 hr

BS SUPPORTER WHO SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS: Being a black person born in the 50's does not, by itself, make specially qualified to make that assessment.
Like · Reply · 1 hr

BS SUPPORTER WHO SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS By the way, I noticed you said you're a black person, but you didn't say you're African American. Are you an American citizen? Do you live in America?
Like · Reply · 1 hr

FrenchieCat i'm a realist, and so when I look at an election, I handicap it from many different angles, because that's what one does if one wants to win. It's not good enough to simply say will the people that people shouldn't do that, because politics does not work that way. People should not have been questioning Barack Obama's pastor, but they did. People should not have been undermining John Kerry's veteran Bonafide, but they did. Voters should not have made fun of Al Gore because he allegedly said he invented the Internet, but they did. The opposition only needs enough of the people manipulated through an election cycle.
Like · Reply · 1 hr

FrenchieCat Yes I live in California. Yes I have been naturalized because I was born in France. That is why I don't use the label that you do, plus I come from an era where African-American did not even exist. Like Obama I am of A white l mother and a black father! I hope and prays that it makes me black enough, because I'm certainly not white!
Like · Reply · 1 hr

FrenchieCat But why are you questioning me about that? I've been a member of this Forum since 2011! Far as I'm concerned, it's very possible that people who have a black picture on their Facebook page, may not be black. These days anything is possible!
Like · Reply · 1 hr · Edited

BS SUPPORTER WHO SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS Read my post again. I never questioned whether you were black or not. SMH...
Like · Reply · 1 hr

FrenchieCat That response was prompted by your post right before it, since you told me you were an African American born in the 60s
Like · Reply · 1 hr

FrenchieCat no, I was trying to figure out why you were questioning me about where I lived and whether I was eligible to vote. I don't know where you live or if you're eligible to vote. Me not calling myself African-American would not normally prompt those following questions of yours .... Because many people of my era label themselves black, which is exactly what I did. So I didn't say anything unusual.
Like · Reply · 1 hr

FrenchieCat I really don't want to feel like I have to personally prove myself to Sanders supporters. I'm starting to feel a little bit like I'm living in Russia, since it appears that I need to answer questions about myself that are personal. Again I'll agree to disagree. It was a great discussion though
Like · Reply · 1 hr ·

[MADem]

1. Say what? That sounds like someone trying to pick a bullshit fight.

And I'm not accustomed to that kind of intolerance in the black community, so I think your facebook interlocutor was speaking from a rather singular POV...~!

Trying to be as polite as I can manage, but doggone...!

[FrenchieCat]

2. I cannot vouch for this person's race.....

as it is FB, and he doesn't have a pic of himself as his profile, and I'm not one to go snooping around FB to see what I can find out about his race....so I will only "ASSUME" that he is what he says he is. Just weird that because I didn't say African-American, that I became suspect to another line of questioning. I thought that strange and it made me feel uncomfortable. My FB Pic shows someone who could be a number of different races, because I am very light skinned, have green eyes, and am wearing a straighter hairstyle in that particular photo....

[MADem]

3. Hmmm.

If someone is going to play the paper bag game with you on social media, I'd say it's not worth your valuable time to engage with them.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard clueless people (by and large, but not exclusively, white) describe black people from ANY country as "African - American." They say it like it's one word, "Oh, yeah, he's from France, he's Africanamerican and he's here on a scholarship, majoring in art...." Not "African-French" or "Afro-French," it's like they have the idea that we "own" this term and that it is a synonym for black, when it isn't. Ask Theresa Heinz, the African - American wife of the current SECSTATE~!

I don't think that I'm the only one who has heard this kind of thing, either--the misuse of the term, not just in relation to the nation where the black person comes from (A Briton who is black is not an "African American English guy" for example) but also the insistence that it is inexorably tied to color, etc.

[FrenchieCat]

4. That's the only reason I don't identify myself as an African-American....

Cause I wasn't born in America to, nor were my parents.

I also don't identify as "bi-racial"...

So neither description (AA or Bi) were even in existence during my formative years....

I certainly wasn't going to identify as "Mulatto" or "Mixed", as I don't consider either one a race...
Plus, I always thought that "Black is Beautiful"....
cause that is the era that I remember.

[MADem]

5. +1,000! nt

[JustAnotherGen]

6. I'm with you

My mothers heritage and a part of my dad's is an after thought. I experience the world as a black woman.

[FrenchieCat]

7. Yes, and I have Black Children......

What would it teach them for me to claim to be something else?

[Blue_Tires]

8. +1

[Tanuki]

13. I have friends who are Russian emigres, and they were amused when their young daughter

asked them if Pushkin was "a Russian African American".

[MADem]

16. Like A. Dumas, the ''African - American'' French author! LOL!!

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/the-role-of-race-in-the-life-and-literature-of-alexandre-dumas-the-episode-that-inspired-the-man-9065506.html

[Coolest Ranger]

9. How I have missed your voice

God bless you

[FrenchieCat]

11. Thank you!

and Hi there!

[mcar]

10. Talk about cherry picking your comments

[Coolest Ranger]

12. You are in the African American group

kindly delete your comment and leave please. You have all of General Discussion to post your hate

[mcar]

14. I mean no disrespect

I was speaking of Frenchie Cat's detractors doing the cherry picking, not her.

My post was poorly worded; I love this group and am delighted that Frenchie Cat is back.

[Coolest Ranger]

15. Okay thanks for clarfying

It's difficult to tell these days who are friend and foe

[mcar]

17. I understand completely Coolest Ranger