# Racism increased a lot after Obamas victory ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 16, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-increased-a-lot-after-obamas-victory/473036 "2008-11-16T21:12:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-increased-a-lot-after-obamas-victory/473036/21 "2008-11-17T15:33:04Z")
I doubt that racsim has increased. I go along with others who suggest that the expression is currently up a bit. I have heard a LOT more racist remarks in the last year, increasing in the last few weeks, particularly since November 5, than I have heard in a long time. However, the people making the remarks tend to be persons who have always expressed racist sentiments, but were previously more likely to use euphemisms or code words to disguise their expressions until the Obama candidacy (that has probably scared a number of them). ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-increased-a-lot-after-obamas-victory/473036/22 "2008-11-17T15:47:55Z")
It has to be a rough time for bigots. They spent a lifetime hating a race and now have a black president. If he succeeds they will have all their bigotry blow up in their faces. Can’t we have a little sympathy for the close minded. There is a new reality. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-increased-a-lot-after-obamas-victory/473036/23 "2008-11-17T16:40:06Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > It has to be a rough time for bigots. They spent a lifetime hating a race and now have a black president. If he succeeds they will have all their bigotry blow up in their faces. Can’t we have a little sympathy for the close minded. There is a new reality. Perhaps you are underestimating the human capacity for living in denial of reality. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-increased-a-lot-after-obamas-victory/473036/24 "2008-11-17T17:50:47Z")
A couple of quick thoughts First, from this [version](http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/us_world/NATLProtecting-Obama-a-Tough-Task.html)of the article: > [@](#): > > The Secret Service also has cautioned the public not to assume that any threats against Obama are due to racism. I’m not sure the secret service can be considered a leading source on questions of social justice, but they are obvioulsy at the center of the issue. > [@tomndebb](#): > > I doubt that racsim has increased. I go along with others who suggest that the expression is currently up a bit. .. Which begs the question, what does it mean to say that racism has or has not increased? Does racism, in general, remain more or less constant with fluctuations in expression and other acting out being the main variation? When expression is lower, would that reflect any differently on racism? (Is it safe to say that when expression is decreased, racism is not on the decrease?) If more people become part of White Supremicist organizations, would that reflect an increase in racism? ---
**Author:** ![vison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e47774/32.png) [@vison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vison)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-increased-a-lot-after-obamas-victory/473036/25 "2008-11-17T18:47:17Z")
[How about this?](http://www.cuatower.com/2008/11/14/cardinal-at-cua-obama-is-%E2%80%98aggressive-disruptive-and-apocalyptic%E2%80%99/) > [@](#): > > His Eminence James Francis Cardinal Stafford criticized President-elect Barack Obama as “aggressive, disruptive and apocalyptic,“ and said he campaigned on an “extremist anti-life platform,” Thursday night in Keane Auditorium during his lecture “Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II: Being True in Body and Soul.“ > > “For the next few years, Gethsemane will not be marginal. We will know that garden,” Stafford said, comparing America’s future with Obama as president to Jesus’ agony in the garden. “On November 4, 2008, America suffered a cultural earthquake.” > > Cardinal Stafford said Catholics must deal with the “hot, angry tears of betrayal” by beginning a new sentiment where one is “with Jesus, sick because of love.” Not racist, but scary as hell. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-increased-a-lot-after-obamas-victory/473036/26 "2008-11-17T21:43:30Z")
Wow. I’m Catholic and as pro-life as anyone, but Obama is hardly extremist in any way. I didn’t see abortion as a key item in his agenda. And it’s not like the pro-life president made any real changes, unless the judges he appointed plan to revisit the past decisions. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-increased-a-lot-after-obamas-victory/473036/27 "2008-11-18T00:49:58Z")
Obama has promised that “the first thing” he will do as President is [sign the Freedom of Choice Act](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_Choice_Act), which most pro-lifers see as a very extreme piece of legislation. It just remains to be seen if that was a BS campaign promise to pro-choicers. He may very well move to the middle now that he is elected to avoid pissing off the large portion of voters who do not agree with eliminating most (if not all) abortion restrictions. In contrast, Bush did things like help the partial birth abortion ban get passed and [stopped overseas taxpayer funding of abortions](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico_City_Policy). “Extremist” is in the eye of the beholder, but I don’t see anything to indicate Obama has ever heard of an abortion that he didn’t approve of. But, still, the point remains that this reason to dislike him has nothing to do with race (in fact, from what I recall, pro-life sentiments tend to be more prevalent among black Americans than white ones). ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-increased-a-lot-after-obamas-victory/473036/28 "2008-11-18T13:49:13Z")
Thanks, I stand corrected. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-increased-a-lot-after-obamas-victory/473036/29 "2008-11-18T13:59:31Z")
I side with those who say its expression has definitely increased. I’ve heard, directly from the mouths of my bigoted relatives, _including the ones who voted for him_, a LOT of fear. On a gut level, they’re worried that now that “blacks are in charge” they’ll exact revenge on whites. I’m loving the visibility that Obama’s recent moves have had, I don’t recall being so aware of Clinton’s transition period. I’m sure that I won’t agree with all of his decisions, but I absolutely adore Obama’s manner; he is obviously so effen smart. I believe (hope) that frequent exposure to his calm demeanor will soothe most whites within the next year or so. Those of us who live in white areas need to see him, and his family, often; it’s going to change the “black brand” in this country. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-increased-a-lot-after-obamas-victory/473036/30 "2008-11-18T14:45:04Z")
It seems to me that for years, racists probably told themselves most people secretly agreed with them (and just wouldn’t admit it in public), and part of the evidence was the fact that there hadn’t been a black president, vice president, and there weren’t too many black senators (now zero) or governors (two) either, for example. If you’ve ever had a conversation with a racist on this board or elsewhere, you know how often they say ‘Everybody knows it’s true, you just won’t admit it.’ Then you look at this election. Not only did the black guy get elected by a fair margin, it turns out that even among people who didn’t vote for him, a lot of folks think this milestone itself is pretty cool. So these idiots are probably feeling a little extra isolated and besieged, because it turns out there isn’t a silent majority of white people who agree with them. Sucks to be them. ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-increased-a-lot-after-obamas-victory/473036/31 "2008-11-18T21:09:34Z")
First, I raise my eyebrow at attempts to gauge the level of racism in the nation on such a short time basis. Is it even meaningful to say that racism has increased, decreased, or stayed the same _over the past two weeks_? Second, expressions of racism seem to have mutated this year with Obama’s candidacy. We heard a lot of wingnuts calling him an “Arab” and a “Muslim”. I’m not sure the press is up to date on the new racist lingo. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-increased-a-lot-after-obamas-victory/473036/32 "2008-11-19T00:36:13Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Then you look at this election. Not only did the black guy get elected by a fair margin, it turns out that even among people who didn’t vote for him, a lot of folks think this milestone itself is pretty cool. So these idiots are probably feeling a little extra isolated and besieged, because it turns out there isn’t a silent majority of white people who agree with them. Sucks to be them. That’s an interesting point. I know a lot of people were expecting that upsurge of hidden racism. Pretty late in the game people were still talking about the Bradley effect (and honestly, I heard more about the Bradley effect from conservatives than Democrats, though I know some Democrats were scared). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-increased-a-lot-after-obamas-victory/473036.md?page=1)