"I just don't think that a crude drawing of Obama on that sign is racism."
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You are either a fool or a liar, Jeff. That "crude drawing" has been used to make black people look like they are just "buffoonish animals" for decades. Since you speak that racism can only be cured with education and time, maybe you need to spend sometime educating yourself to the subject.

"But let me tell you this, the more people scream "RACIST" at every little thing imaginable, the word itself becomes less powerful.  It's getting close to "the boy who cried wolf" syndrome already now."
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Another thing, don't you ever think you have the authority to tell me where or when I can call racism. It is a topic I am in touch with and have experienced first hand. I will not sit idly by and allow such a topic to go unchallenged. You can live your life with blinders on, but I refuse to do so.

Gee Paul, tough choices there.  One extreme or the other.  It couldn't possibly be something as simple as not agreeing with your assumption could it?

Did I tell say to you that you couldn't do, think or say anything?  No.  I stated MY beliefs.  You can do whatever you want to do.  Unfortunately it appears that you do feel you have the authority to tell someone what they should think or feel.

You know zero about me or my life outside the 1726 posts I've made here on the JBF.  Let me ask you, Have you ever stood up to a co-worker when they have used deragatory language against a person of a different race or ethnic background or even physical disability?  I have, on all three counts.  Have you ever done the same to a family member for the same reason?  I have.  Have you ever voted for someone of a different race before the last Presidential election?  I have.  Have you dated someone different than your race, ethnic background or physical disability?  I have.  So you calling me a racist is just laughable.

Ah finally, the inevitable "what about this, or this, or this" question.  Honestly, I expected someone else to bring it up first Brad.

When the congressman sent out the postcard of the White House with the watermellon patch in front of it, I was deeply disappointed and offended and said so at the time.

I feel kind of lame speaking for Paul, nor do I expect you to have an
encylopedic knowledge of everyone on here, but I wanted to kind of
put some water on this before it got too out of hand.

Suffice it to say, I thinl Paul has a pretty good grasp on these issues.

As far as I'm concerned, i'd say you don"t need to appologise or back
down, but i'd certainly stop defending you point, if I were you.

Well. If I were you I would appologise and back down, but at the
minimu, i'd know when to cut and run.

Sadly some people take that too far too fast and wipe out all
memory of the hate before the wounds have healed,
perhaps thinking that they can wish away the injuries of
racial oppression past... just in time to call Obama a
watermellon eating monkey.

These people, by the way, are assholes.