# "Tanned ... darker than our president" - perfectly OK? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 8, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472 "2009-12-08T17:58:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/101 "2009-12-09T05:14:58Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > He doesn’t understand basic economics and yet he pontificates about it. [Cite.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11789541&postcount=12) > > He also doesn’t appear to understand the broken window fallacy. He’s just not that bright. The fact that he’s smarter than bottom-feeders like Clothahump just makes him seem well informed. 😃 If you want to argue that he’s a troll, then you have to admit that he’s pretty intelligent not to have given the mods anything to hang him with. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/102 "2009-12-09T05:23:52Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Shodan is a lying, ignorant troll. It’s perfectly reasonable for people to parse his comments based on his track record. > > I would imagine that he doesn’t mention the name Obama without forming it into what he thinks is a dig. I get that you think his intent was to be derogatory toward Obama. But _how_ was his remark derogatory toward Obama? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/103 "2009-12-09T05:26:01Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > I get that you think his intent was to be derogatory toward Obama. But _how_ was his remark derogatory toward Obama? Do you have to be derogatory to be racist? Like, the White House becoming beige comment was stupid because it was stooping to the level of race. Like, I hate this person as a candidate but I have nothing intelligent to say so I’ll make a stupid remark about skin color. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/104 "2009-12-09T08:06:27Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > There are only 2 maybe 3 posters whom I dislike whom I am aware are conservatives. I don’t dislike them for their politics, but because I think they are jerks, dishonest, etc. > > If you know that there are, in fact, more than 2-3 conservative posters here, then there are obvaiously that nimber minus 2-3 that I am at least neutral towards - maybe 1 or 2 I even like. > > Shodan - IMO - is a dick, and he carries his dickishness with him in any thread, independent of the subject matter. Fair enough. Would you mind sharing who those conservatives are that you like, or like better than others. I’m not trying to bust your balls here, I’m genuinely curious as to the strain of conservative you would be less ruffled by. If you’d rather not answer, that’s fine, too. Like I said, I’m just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/105 "2009-12-09T11:54:37Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Sounds fair; I’d like to get people to start calling white people pinkish-beige; very few of us are actually white. But we’re out there! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/106 "2009-12-09T12:42:40Z")
Yes No It’s a comparison to someone most people know about. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/107 "2009-12-09T13:57:50Z")
> [@leander](#): > > Yes, Shodan has a history of making racial, if not racist, comments. When Obama won the Nobel prize his first comment was “Affirmative action runs riot again.” His target hasn’t been just limited to Obama, either. He has made racist comments about me on this board as well. So I can’t say I blame the OP for looking eskance at **Shodan’s** tan reference, even though it doesn’t register on my meter. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/108 "2009-12-09T14:17:24Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > His target hasn’t been just limited to Obama, either. He has made racist comments about me on this board as well. So I can’t say I blame the OP for looking eskance at **Shodan’s** tan reference, even though it doesn’t register on my meter. He HAS? What has he said? And has he been called out for it, by a mod? I can’t imagine being a racists wouldn’t fall under not being a jerk! ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/109 "2009-12-09T14:21:55Z")
I’m left with the thought that if **Shodan** were actually racist, he wouldn’t even have (adopted) Korean kids, let alone compare his family members who he clearly cares a great deal for to something he hates. On the other hand, there’s the thought that **Shodan** quite frequently chooses ways to phrase things that are designed to rile people up (please note that “inflammatory” is distinct from “trolling” in a lot of ways). On the balance, I’m inclined to continue ignoring it–regardless of politics, the important thing in that thread was a doper’s child home safe from a war zone. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/110 "2009-12-09T14:34:29Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Fair enough. Would you mind sharing who those conservatives are that you like, or like better than others. Like I said, I’m not terribly aware of posters whom I characterize as conservatives (a troublesome, if not meaningless, word). And I’m not aware of any whom I dislike because of their social/political views. The very few posters I dislike (and I really don’t feel all that strongly + or - about anyone I interact with solely on a MB), I dislike because of the manner in which they express their opinions - not solely because of their opinions. Of the very few posters I pretty much dislike and try to ignore, one of them I would not particularly define as “conservative” across the board (again, I consider that a very problematic term - as is “liberal”), tho on at least one range of legal issues he advocates what would be generally considered a more conservative approach than I. I can think of a couple of posters who generally espouse extremely liberal views, who I think are as big of jerks as Shodan. I often find myself somewhat embarrassed that they advance views that so closely resemble mine. Off the top of my head - Der Trihs. Comes across as a total asshole. But at base his views and philosophy are generally quite consistent with mine (tho exaggerated to a ludicrous degree). You seem to be more tuned in than I as to what posters are or ore not “conservative.” If you want to post a list, I’ll be happy to tell you which - if any - I like. Not that I see why that would matter much to anyone, or why you really care. Moreover, I expect I will be ambivalent towards most of them. Do you consider yourself conservative? If you are, no offense, but I have no predetermined opinion one way or the other about you, and would respond to your posts as I encountered them. A couple of folk have talked about the inappropriateness of my eyeroll given the thread of “joy welcoming home a family member from war.” Well, as I said, Shodan dropped the first turd in the punchbowl by deciding to include a racial/political barb in his post. I exercised restraint by not observing that since he was such a huge supporter of Bush and the war, it is entirely appropriate that he and his be the persons put at risk. The support of a whole bunch of idiots like him contributed to us being there in the first place. So I don’t see it being a huge cause for celebration that one less hawk (and his family) have managed to avoid getting killed or injured (yet.) ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/111 "2009-12-09T14:53:11Z")
deleted ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/112 "2009-12-09T14:56:43Z")
My gosh, is he tanned - he is darker than Toby’s ass ! Okay? ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/113 "2009-12-09T15:01:24Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I exercised restraint by not observing that since he was such a huge supporter of Bush and the war, it is entirely appropriate that he and his be the persons put at risk. That was mighty white of you. ---
**Author:** ![Slypork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@Slypork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slypork)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/114 "2009-12-09T15:06:40Z")
Slight hijack: are the people who are offended bothered by the statement that his son was darker than Barack Obama or just that he compared his son’s skin color to a person of mixed heritage (remember, Obama is half-white after all)? Let’s be honest: when you read the comparison, you could immediately picture Obama’s face and have a “color chart”1 for a point of reference. Suppose he said that his son was “tanner than Denzel Washington” or “darker than Halle Barry”? Is that as offensive? Suppose he referenced some celebrity whose face you couldn’t immediately bring to mind, say Shari Headley. Is that offensive? Not having read all of \*\*Shodan’s \*\*postings I cannot immediately leap on to the “he’s a racist fucktard” bandwagon. I read his comment as comparing his son’s current skin coloring to that of a person we all can instantly bring to mind. After his son is home for a while will he get in trouble if he says that his kid is now “paler than Palin”? 1: I’m probably going to get blasted now for using the word “color” in the same posting as the name Obama. Man, this PC shit is for the birds. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/115 "2009-12-09T15:16:51Z")
**Shodan** referred to him as “our president.” I think he’s starting to like Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/116 "2009-12-09T15:19:02Z")
> [@Slypork](#): > > Not having read all of \*\*Shodan’s \*\*postings I cannot immediately leap on to the “he’s a racist fucktard” bandwagon. FTR, I don’t think he is racist - just a fucktard. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/117 "2009-12-09T15:19:33Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > The support of a whole bunch of idiots like him contributed to us being there in the first place. So I don’t see it being a huge cause for celebration that one less hawk (and his family) have managed to avoid getting killed or injured (yet.) I find this one of the most ignorant hateful and offensive statements ever to have polluted this forum. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/118 "2009-12-09T15:21:10Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > A couple of folk have talked about the inappropriateness of my eyeroll given the thread of “joy welcoming home a family member from war.” Well, as I said, Shodan dropped the first turd in the punchbowl by deciding to include a racial/political barb in his post. I exercised restraint by not observing that since he was such a huge supporter of Bush and the war, it is entirely appropriate that he and his be the persons put at risk. The support of a whole bunch of idiots like him contributed to us being there in the first place. I see. First you say you understand that you shouldn’t have posted that :rolleyes: and now you’re backpedaling. Awesome. You didn’t exercise restraint. Restrain would have be to keep your fucking pie hole shut in that thread and bring it here if you had a problem with something Shodan wrote. You shit on his thread. There’s no hand waving or other half assed excuse you can make that will change this fact. And seriously, are you really using “he started it” as an excuse? Grow up. > [@](#): > > So I don’t see it being a huge cause for celebration that one less hawk (and his family) have managed to avoid getting killed or injured (yet.) Are you really so clueless as to understand that despite whatever opinions someone holds that it IS cause for celebration when a family member comes home from a war zone unharmed. Are you so devoid of humanity? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/119 "2009-12-09T15:30:23Z")
“Perfectly” OK? No. Worthy of comment? Barely, if that. If that’s the worst thing he says all month, gonna be a great month. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472/120 "2009-12-09T15:31:41Z")
Not making any excuses or backpedalling from anything, pal. Merely explaining that he chose to make his OP something other than a warm expression of family joy. He’s an attention whore who trolls for reaction. In a moment of carelessness, I provided him one. I wish no one had to be harmed in this inexcusable Iraq clusterfuck. But if someone has to experience pain, I sure prefer it be the folk who thought this whole adventure was a good idea. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tanned-darker-than-our-president-perfectly-ok/520472.md?page=7)