obama nation

[Shawnee123]

I've heard Maya Angelou speak in person...twice. What an amazing woman. Thanks for sharing that; I forwarded the link to my mom who I was with when I saw Maya the second time.

[Cicero]

I saw her speak once too. She's awesome. She also gave me a compliment. So needless to say, the compliment has never, ever been topped by anyone.

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by Cicero

I saw her speak once too. She's awesome. She also gave me a compliment. So needless to say, the compliment has never, ever been topped by anyone.

I think we were separated at birth, except you look nothing like me and are a different age. Still...

[DanaC]

Meanwhile, if genetics is so important to who we are, then implied is a racist environment - based heavily in judgments based in first impressions.

This has nothing to do with what other people think of you. I am suggesting that there is nothing abnormal, or negative in wanting to know what your genetic ancestry is. Its got nothing to do with racism and first impressions. Its to do with history and one's own role in it.

I have Indian blood. You would not know it to look at me, I look very, very English. People's first impressions of me are the same, whether I am aware of my indian heritage or not. It would fascinate me, personally, to know exactly what my genetic heritage is, because that in itself tells a long historic tale, beginning waaaaay back in the mists of time and running all the way up to my own birth. I know, because my grandparents warned my mother that there was a possibility her children may be born with indian colouring and features: the details of that acestry are lost to family myths and family shames.

My Gran was born in South Africa, and though white, she had a hint of african about her features. I would love to know if that was so, and how far back it goes. Why? Because that in tself tells a story and raises questions. Was there a love affair? A pressured servant? An illicit lover? An English crime?

Genetics shape you because they are the physical building blocks that make us up. Contained within them are the echoes of past movement, wars and empires, love across the lines, trade routes and difficult journeys. I look back with affection at those who added to that story, victims and criminals alike. Slaves and slave owners in the case of the woman Wolf mentioned.

[tw]

Originally Posted by DanaC

This has nothing to do with what other people think of you. I am suggesting that there is nothing abnormal, or negative in wanting to know what your genetic ancestry is. Its got nothing to do with racism and first impressions. Its to do with history and one's own role in it. ...

That reasoning I can both understand and appreciate.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by DanaC

My Gran was born in South Africa, and though white, she had a hint of african about her features. I would love to know if that was so, and how far black it goes.

Racialist!

[Clodfobble]

I like how they've created a "lowest" grade for hotels, Tourist, but none of the hotels are actually rated that. It's like Large, Larger, and Largest soda sizes at the movies...

[classicman]

Al-Qaida Insults Obama in Audio Tape

CAIRO,Egypt (Nov. 19) - Al-Qaida's No. 2 leader used a racial epithet to insult Barack Obama describing the president-elect in demeaning terms that imply he does the bidding of whites.
The message appeared chiefly aimed at persuading Muslims and Arabs that Obama does not represent a change in U.S. policies. Ayman al-Zawahri said in the message, which appeared on militant Web sites, that Obama is "the direct opposite of honorable black Americans" like Malcolm X.
In al-Qaida's first response to Obama's victory, al-Zawahri also called the president-elect — along with secretaries of state Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice — "house negroes."
Speaking in Arabic, al-Zawahri uses the term "abeed al-beit," which literally translates as "house slaves." But al-Qaida supplied English subtitles of his speech that included the translation as "house negroes."
The message also includes old footage of speeches by Malcolm X in which he explains the term, saying black slaves who worked in their white masters' house were more servile than those who worked in the fields. Malcolm X used the term to criticize black leaders he accused of not standing up to whites.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the latest message was just "more despicable comments from a terrorist."
The 11-minute 23-second video features the audio message by al-Zawahri, who appears only in a still image, along with other images, including one of Obama wearing a Jewish skullcap as he meets with Jewish leaders. In his speech, al-Zawahri refers to a Nov. 5 U.S. airstrike attack in Afghanistan, meaning the video was made after that date.
Al-Zawahri said Obama's election has not changed American policies he said are aimed at oppressing Muslims and others.
"America has put on a new face, but its heart full of hate, mind drowning in greed, and spirit which spreads evil, murder, repression and despotism continue to be the same as always," the deputy of al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden said.
He said Obama's plan to shift troops to Afghanistan is doomed to failure, because Afghans will resist.
"Be aware that the dogs of Afghanistan have found the flesh of your soldiers to be delicious, so send thousands after thousands to them," he said.
Al-Zawahri did not threaten specific attacks, but warned Obama that he was "facing a Jihadi (holy war) awakening and renaissance which is shaking the pillars of the entire Islamic world; and this is the fact which you and your government and country refuse to recognize and pretend not to see."
He said Obama's victory showed Americans acknowledged that President George W. Bush's policies were a failure and that the result was an "admission of defeat in Iraq."
But Obama's professions of support for Israel during the election campaign "confirmed to the Ummah (Islamic world) that you have chosen a stance of hostility to Islam and Muslims," al-Zawahri said.

*Bold mine* I can't wait till conversation between these two.