Obama on slavery issues

Question

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama opposes offering reparations to the descendants of slaves, putting him at odds with some black groups and leaders.

Obama says an apology would be appropriate but not particularly helpful in improving the lives of black Americans. Reparations could also be a distraction, he said.

This is a portion of an article I found on Yahoo's home page today.

This is the problem with race issues. No one will let them die out. There has been no slavery since 1864. That is 148 years ago. I am of Irish decent, and no one is apologizing to me. The irish and Chinese were treated worse than slaves, while building railroads and such. I struggle to get by, just like people of other races. I have many black friends and they agree with me that they have never been slaves, or know anyone that has been a slave. Likewise, most white people will say that they have never owned a slave, or known someone that owned slaves. Why can we NOT let this issue die. I know that it is part of history but people that are decendants of slaves are NOT the only people that have been wronged in this nation's history. From the time the Mayflower landed, people of every race and color have been affected somehow. Poor whites, Chinese, Irish and many other races came to this country as indentured servants. (Slaves as well.) Can we not go foward as Americans instead of basing every thing off race?

Answer 1

obama already has the black voters, this statement is nothing more than pandering to whites for votes. obama is a very dangerous individual.

Answer 2

Obama; culturaly is not a "Black American".  His family and heritage does not come from slavery.  He was not raised in a home of culturaly Black American passing down the hatreds and predjudices faced by those Blacks whose family came from slavery.  He had all the advantages of life.  He does not have a clue - no way he has ever eaten chitterlings, black eye peas, or greens, growing up.  His father is from Kenya and his mother is white.  Granted he is half black by race and he is an American by birth, but culturaly he is not a "Black American".  When I think of Black America I think of those whose ancestors were on plantations bound in slavery.  The traditions through struggles  learned on these platations still exist among "Black Americans today - that is a cultural issue. Culture, good or bad is handed down through generations.

  Many Americans do not understand the differances between culturaly Black Americans and racialy black Americans.  - they are not always one in the same.   Obama's fathers ancestors  could have been  the ones who were raiding African villages and selling his own people into slavery.  I had a Nigerian freind in the Army and he was a visiting student at one of the military schools I attended.  He was Christian as his name was Ignatious.  The US soldiers  tolerated Islamic students in the same class but Ignatious hated them.  He could hardly stay in the same room wanting to fight them.  One day I asked him about it, why his behavior toward them was so bad.  He told me in his country, the Islamic tribes for centuries had raided his homeland capturing his people and selling them off to slavery. I am not saying Obama is Islamic, but he does have an Islamic middle name - a very infamous one.  I am not black racialy  but I grew up in a very mixed neighborhood through the late 50's through the early- mid 70's. My gradfather was black, but I do not at all claim to be black, for two reasons.  I choose not to be black because well look at my avitar, also I was never treated black so I can not claim the same experiences as those my age that are black.

Bottom line here.  Obama is a poser when he says he represents the black interests of America.  How can he know, he just wants the black votes.  If you like Obama, like him for the changes he could make or the platform he stands on.  To expect him to share that age old culturaly black desire for reperations well - it aint happening with this guy.  With Hilary, you stood a chance, h**l I look at Bill as the first Black president.  He culturaly understood black America.  

Answer 3

you can thank martin luther king for that...he anguished more black by preaching this "i have a dream bull sh..the black party panthers instilled in the black mind that not to forget slavery so as long as the rememberance of martin luther king holiday..slavery will not be shoved aside and this is exactly what martin luther king visioned when he said..the day of slavery would forever haunt...so as long as every year we all think about martin luther king and his vision..the black will never forget the wrong doings of white man in an era of racism thus the white man will be reminded of rascism an unable to shove aside..because of  blacks will always feel the whites owe them..just ask revern jj,he certainly wants to keep rascism alive  

Answer 4

Je suis Francais, et je suis sur que Obama va gagner ces éléctions haut la main          Serge (france)

Answer 5

This is first time I got a bit of respect for Obama. I still wouldn't vote for him, because of his socialist policies. Slavery reparation is wrong. We already have a legalized discrimination against white people in a form of affirmative action, so there is no need for more reverse racism. We don't need to become South Africa, which is a perfect example of what can happen with reverse racism taken to extreme. In South Africa whites are discriminated against and shut out of most good jobs. They are pressured to leave Africa. They are looked at as second class citizens.

Answer 6

amen. this the only thing obamamia has said that i can agree with. many ignore the fact that whites have  been the most enslaved race in history, the apology thing is b.s. too.