Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Congratulations to our presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden!
Democratic Primaries
In reply to the discussion: Biden's answer on 'repairing the legacy of slavery' and 'inequality in schools and race' [View all]StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)33. Obama selecting him as his vice president doesn't absolve Biden of any responsibility for addressing
his approach on race. Like every other candidate, Biden must stand on his own and speak for himself and people can't just say, "Obama picked him and that's good enough for me" and expect him to get a pass.
Barack Obama isnt Joe Bidens Magical Negro
When I first read Dreams From my Father, I was deeply moved by Barack Obamas depiction of his shock and hurt he felt when his beloved grandmother revealed an ingrained prejudice toward young black men, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she was talking about young men not much different than her own grandson. He touched on this again in his landmark 2008 speech on race: I can no more disown him [Jeremiah Wright] than I can my white grandmother a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe.
This struck me because it so eloquently captured an experience of most black Americans, the duality of our existence and how we, perhaps more than any other group, must view everyone not in bold, stark lines, but as humans navigating a long, complex, racial prism. We are constantly confronted sometimes in painful ways with the fact that our white brethren (and in some cases, our own family members) have a long way to go to reach full racial understanding (as we all do) and that even the best intentioned of them are struggling and often fall short. This doesnt make them bad people and it certainly doesnt mean theyre racists. It means theyre human.
...
But even more troubling is the propensity of some to inject former President Obama into the conversation, claiming Obamas choice of Biden as his vice president somehow translates into no one having the right to question Bidens civil rights record. However, being tapped as Obamas vice president in no way releases Biden from an obligation to explain his civil rights record any more than it erases any other part of his history with which Obama may not have agreed (such as his Iraq war vote). Obama picked him DESPITE his record on civil rights, not because of it. Or possibly it was a combination of the two, since Obama no doubt considered that Bidens anti-busing views and attempts to undermine desegregation efforts in Delaware and across the country (including the voluntary busing plans he now says he supported, even though he didnt at the time) may have been a factor in his selection. After all, how better to show skeptical moderate and conservative white Democrats that Obama wasnt some kind of a black radical than to bring in Scranton Joe into the fold?
...
But Obamas selection of Biden should not be seen as an absolution of his civil rights history. Treating it as such is insulting not only to those two decent men, but to the millions of voters who understand how complicated race is in America is and know that working with all types of people, even those who may not be as evolved on race as we might be, is key to getting anything done and to making any progress on race and every other difficult issue confronting us. Just as having a problematic history on civil rights doesnt make Biden a racist, being Obamas vice president doesnt release Biden from the obligation to explain his own views and record on civil rights.
Biden is running to be President of the United States and, if he wants that job, he must address his entire record, not just the parts hes proud of. And that means he has some explaining to do about his positions and actions on civil rights ... If hes the man I think he is, hell be willing and able to do that, openly, honestly and undefensively. But he must do it in his own voice and from his own heart, and not hide behind Barack Obama, who may be one of Bidens best friends, but is not his Magical Negro.
http://www.stephaniejones.com/barack-obama-isnt-joe-bidens-magical-negro/
When I first read Dreams From my Father, I was deeply moved by Barack Obamas depiction of his shock and hurt he felt when his beloved grandmother revealed an ingrained prejudice toward young black men, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she was talking about young men not much different than her own grandson. He touched on this again in his landmark 2008 speech on race: I can no more disown him [Jeremiah Wright] than I can my white grandmother a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe.
This struck me because it so eloquently captured an experience of most black Americans, the duality of our existence and how we, perhaps more than any other group, must view everyone not in bold, stark lines, but as humans navigating a long, complex, racial prism. We are constantly confronted sometimes in painful ways with the fact that our white brethren (and in some cases, our own family members) have a long way to go to reach full racial understanding (as we all do) and that even the best intentioned of them are struggling and often fall short. This doesnt make them bad people and it certainly doesnt mean theyre racists. It means theyre human.
...
But even more troubling is the propensity of some to inject former President Obama into the conversation, claiming Obamas choice of Biden as his vice president somehow translates into no one having the right to question Bidens civil rights record. However, being tapped as Obamas vice president in no way releases Biden from an obligation to explain his civil rights record any more than it erases any other part of his history with which Obama may not have agreed (such as his Iraq war vote). Obama picked him DESPITE his record on civil rights, not because of it. Or possibly it was a combination of the two, since Obama no doubt considered that Bidens anti-busing views and attempts to undermine desegregation efforts in Delaware and across the country (including the voluntary busing plans he now says he supported, even though he didnt at the time) may have been a factor in his selection. After all, how better to show skeptical moderate and conservative white Democrats that Obama wasnt some kind of a black radical than to bring in Scranton Joe into the fold?
...
But Obamas selection of Biden should not be seen as an absolution of his civil rights history. Treating it as such is insulting not only to those two decent men, but to the millions of voters who understand how complicated race is in America is and know that working with all types of people, even those who may not be as evolved on race as we might be, is key to getting anything done and to making any progress on race and every other difficult issue confronting us. Just as having a problematic history on civil rights doesnt make Biden a racist, being Obamas vice president doesnt release Biden from the obligation to explain his own views and record on civil rights.
Biden is running to be President of the United States and, if he wants that job, he must address his entire record, not just the parts hes proud of. And that means he has some explaining to do about his positions and actions on civil rights ... If hes the man I think he is, hell be willing and able to do that, openly, honestly and undefensively. But he must do it in his own voice and from his own heart, and not hide behind Barack Obama, who may be one of Bidens best friends, but is not his Magical Negro.
http://www.stephaniejones.com/barack-obama-isnt-joe-bidens-magical-negro/
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
115 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
Biden's answer on 'repairing the legacy of slavery' and 'inequality in schools and race' [View all]
bigtree
Sep 2019
OP
That might be the worst answer I've heard from Joe... indeed, out of any candidate in the 3 debates.
InAbLuEsTaTe
Sep 2019
#76
That Rolling Stone piece provides a perspective that is unfortunate, but based in fact.
thesquanderer
Sep 2019
#5
FYI: The rollingstone article referenced was posted this morning and admin immediately took it down
Thekaspervote
Sep 2019
#6
Wait people post here they will never vote for Bernie or Castro needs to go but a mainstream media
lunasun
Sep 2019
#32
He needs to learn to say "disadvantaged families" as all AAs aren't poor. It's a small thing...
brush
Sep 2019
#51
Yes, it's not that hard. Symone Sanders is on his staff. This should be done ASAP as his lexicon...
brush
Sep 2019
#63
Joe can survive this, but only if he holds a press conference ASAP & apologizes for these remarks.
InAbLuEsTaTe
Sep 2019
#82
Hate only hides, it doesn't go away. We have not relegated white supremacy and racism to the pages o
Gothmog
Sep 2019
#103
the problem is biden has no clue how poor you have to be to qualify for medicaid
questionseverything
Sep 2019
#30
No doubt Joe's advisors are working overtime tonight!! I think Joe's campaign can survive...
InAbLuEsTaTe
Sep 2019
#83
I'm sorry but her reading and purposefully weaving that 40yr old quote into the 'question' gave it
UniteFightBack
Sep 2019
#10
Yeah, god forbid he actually explain how his current views are different than his old views.
Cuthbert Allgood
Sep 2019
#95
well, you were on to it when you said Biden was 'relying on past decades of popular thinking'
bigtree
Sep 2019
#19
Sad is the right word... and shocking. Couldn't believe that rambling answer.
InAbLuEsTaTe
Sep 2019
#109
A LOT worse... that's why Joe needs to immediately hold a press conference and apologize
InAbLuEsTaTe
Sep 2019
#90
Joe butchered it alright... so why not just come out with an apology and statement
InAbLuEsTaTe
Sep 2019
#84
You mean that Cornguy story? The Obit for the guy has what Biden called him and
Blue_true
Sep 2019
#99
Biden's answer, besides being incoherent, was tone deaf paternalistic racism
Fiendish Thingy
Sep 2019
#23
Obama selecting him as his vice president doesn't absolve Biden of any responsibility for addressing
StarfishSaver
Sep 2019
#33
I have several close friends who are white who have a long way to go on race
StarfishSaver
Sep 2019
#38
Insisting that questioning someone's record on race is an "attack" is a big part of the problem
StarfishSaver
Sep 2019
#43
Biden as running mate was a strategic choice. Obama didn't want Biden to run for president.
Garrett78
Sep 2019
#37
Thankfully, no one argued it ab absolved Biden of responsibility. Only you mentioned it as such.
LanternWaste
Sep 2019
#97
We can't afford to make any missteps in 2020... this election is WAY too important!!
InAbLuEsTaTe
Sep 2019
#86
Anyone who objects to affirmative actions because "I ain't my fault" is wallowing in their privilege
McCamy Taylor
Sep 2019
#35
Interesting take... clearly Joe's time has come and gone. That third debate pretty much sealed it.
InAbLuEsTaTe
Sep 2019
#88
The question is a complex one, not ideal for a debate format, and it does involve one's environment
still_one
Sep 2019
#54
Hillary led with black voters at this point, against Obama, something Biden acknowledged
bigtree
Sep 2019
#64
your new thing is to accuse posters of holding/expressing an opinion or other to 'advance Harris'
bigtree
Sep 2019
#72
Not being part of the black community it's clear you're not aware of recent developments. There is..
brush
Sep 2019
#80
Most polls don't separate age groups among demographic segments but if they did they'd find...
brush
Sep 2019
#94
FYI: He leads with older black voters. Many GenXers and Millenials have issues with many stances...
brush
Sep 2019
#85
It's more than a bit concerning. It's not 1950 and this isn't a Republican Primary.
Garrett78
Sep 2019
#74
A BIT concerning?! Now there's an understatement!! Joe needs to call a press conference tomorrow
InAbLuEsTaTe
Sep 2019
#81
Just wow!! Joe's debate answer was shocking...didn't realize tho just how offensive it really was
InAbLuEsTaTe
Sep 2019
#79
Today, we honor Addie Mae, Cynthia, Carole, Denise, and recommit to defeating the poisonous ideology
Gothmog
Sep 2019
#106
I am shocked that more Dems just dismiss his answer and are fine with it.
Cuthbert Allgood
Sep 2019
#96
Or they point to a scripted speech to suggest his unscripted moments don't matter.
Garrett78
Sep 2019
#114