A few weeks ago I was one of the people who defended Harry Reid when he said Obama was "light-skinned" and with "very little negro dialect." I have a pretty high tolerance for mistaken utterances and bad words. As I often say, I've called my wife some pretty vile things, and I love her.
But now I have to call Chris Matthews out and I have to wonder why no one else seems to notice what Chris Matthews said. Matthews said that he forget Obama was black.
This slip of the tongue provides some real insight into the mind of Chris Matthews. Let's be honest, you never forget that Obama is black---half-black anyway---ever. He's African American. What Chris Matthews really meant was there is something wrong with being black, but Obama was able to make us forget why it's wrong to be black. When Chris Matthews reminded us that we forgot Obama was black, what he really meant was that we forgot that black meant something bad. This is one of the vilest racial comments I've heard on TV that I can remember.
Chris Matthews might have meant well and Chris might not be a bad guy, but this statement calls him out to me as a quiet racist. For my part I always prefer a blatant racist to a quiet racist. I like to know where you are coming from. I hate to have to find it out through careful study.
So, I have a little breaking news for Chris Matthews, most all of us---black or white, friend or critic---did not for one second forget that Obama is black---half-black anyway. Furthermore, supporters and critics alike don't think there is anything the matter with being black.
Obama is half-black. Get over it.
For me personally, the Matthews comment was one of the most offensive racial statements I've heard in some time. It was worse that Imus' "knappyhead" comments. It was worse that Trent Lott telling Strom Thurmond he would have made a good President. It was worse than when Biden said that Obama was "articulate". It was worse than anything Harry Ried said.
I'm not asking for Chris Matthews to resign. But I do think he should be called out, because I think he needs to know why that was a pretty rotten thing to say. He thought he was complimenting Obama. But Matthews was way off base.
Is my outrage misplaced?
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