# Why if you disagree with Obama and his policies some label you as a racist?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [September 11, 2011, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918 "2011-09-11T05:24:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 12

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**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/221 "2011-09-12T19:10:59Z")

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> [@Martin\_Hyde](#):
>
> That has nothing to do with whether or not being in favor of you know, _enforcing immigration laws the entire country agreed upon decades ago_ is racist.
> 
> By the way, I’ve actually advocated before that I think immigration is a positive development economically and want more legal immigration. However the left essentially acts like _unlimited illegal immigration_ is not a bad thing at all, and any desire to stop it is equivalent to racism with no possible other motivations.

I was raised a moderately libertarian open-borders Republican, and my family include Christian missionaries who benefit from relatively open international travel. I have never agreed to criminalizing the crossing of an imaginary line in the dust.

It is not generally the case that the entire country actually agrees to the exact language of a given law. Laws can be changed. This one should be, in the estimation of a lot of your countrymen, so stop trying to use “us” as an authority in your argument from authority against our opinion.

Say, “I don’t like foreigners & don’t want them to come into this country but in dribs and drabs,” or whatever. Take responsibility for your own opinion.

Oh, and the treatment of illegal immigration as a felony, in Oklahoma, Missouri  
(that I know of), and maybe other states that I don’t know of, that’s in the last ten years.

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**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/222 "2011-09-12T19:32:57Z")

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> [@Lobohan](#):
>
> You have no idea what you’re talking about.
> 
> You can’t even talk about it without reciting the FOX liturgy.
> 
> They were working on the bill for a year. Think really hard about this. If you are writing a 300 page novel and you change a scene on page 226 so that the character is wearing a white t-shirt instead of a black one, does that mean you haven’t read the novel?
> 
> Honestly, your complaint shows you have little understanding of how laws are made. It’s just a nonsense objection.

It was 1900 pages and it was shoved through without being read. [It does not have public support.](http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/health_care_law)

The bill links businesses with health care costs which is not their function and the lack of job growth shows it. There is no constitutional basis for Congress to force businesses to act as 3rd party care givers and we are suffering because of this legislation.

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**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/223 "2011-09-12T19:36:22Z")

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> [@Magiver](#):
>
> It was 1900 pages and it was shoved through without being read.

If you repeat that enough times, maybe it’ll become true.

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**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/224 "2011-09-12T19:51:56Z")

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> [@Frylock](#):
>
> This is not responsive to my post. I have already said I disagree that these guys are “people in prominent positions in the Democratic party.” And when they are speaking _to Democrats as Democrats_ they don’t talk like this.

How is this not responsive to your post? Exactly who is and who isn’t in a prominent position within the Democratic party? I would think that people who hold seats in the House, such as Maxine Waters who represents California’s 35th and Andre Carson who represents Indiana’s 7th district, would be considered prominent. I’d think Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, who for some odd reason get high marks from Blacks and are outspoken proponents of policies advocated for by the Democrat party and avid campaigners for the Democratic party, are prominent within that party if for no other reason than it helps Democrats continue to secure the “Black vote”. But since you don’t consider people such as these ‘prominent’, who do you consider ‘prominent’?

> [@](#):
>
> I agree they shouldn’t talk like that at all. But it’s not an in-house thing where the house is “The Democratic Party.” It’s more specific than that.

I didn’t say it was an “in house” thing. I said that the Democratic party is willing to turn a blind eye to racism, race-baiting and racially charged statements so long as those persons remain inline with the party’s position. Conventional wisdom is that Republicans/conservatives court racists, but how many Republicans can you name who actively engage in racism, race-baiting or make use of racially charged rhetoric? There are probably one or two, but there are nowhere near as many of them as Democrats. You’ll also find, if you paid close attention, that most of the racially charged insults come from the left to those on the right, rather than from those on the right to the left.

You, for example, rarely see someone on the left called an Uncle Tom. These are usually accusations levied against those Blacks on the right. You, for example, rarely see someone on the left labeled as a House Negroe. These are usually accusations levied against those Black on the right. You, for example, rarely see someone on the left labeled a traitor. These are usually accusations levied against some individual of a minority group who dares to not vote as they’re usually expected. The [AP](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/04/06/black-tea-party-activists-called-traitors/) had an article on this last year. That is not Republicans/conservatives being racist and/or intolerant, but rather those on the other side of the isle.

Furthermore, when it comes to national debates, you rarely, if ever, see Republicans/conservatives bring up race. If race is brought up, it’s usually by Democrats/conservatives who are either:

1.) Accusing those on the other side of being racist or  
2.) Who are using race as an issue to fire up their base (as is the case of the CBC).

I asked it before and I’ll ask it again; name me ten Republicans who consistently make racist remarks, race-bait and/or make use of racially charged rhetoric. You’re going to be hard-pressed to name ten because Republicans/conservatives, by virtue of being super scrutinized, do effectively well at policing themselves, mainly because they have to do so out of necessity. Can’t say the same for Democrats/liberals, though, who make racist remarks, race-bait and/or make use of raciall charged rhetoric out of the wazoo. Just imagine the hell if some of these people were Republicans/conservatives…

I know I’m getting on my soapbox again, but damn if stuff like this doesn’t annoy me. Democrats/liberals/progressives/whatever they want to call themselves constantly act as if they’re morally superior, but they probably do more to harbor and perpetuate racism than do the people they point the finger at by _willingly_ harboring racist ideas, ignoring racist slurs directed at those ‘across the isle’, so to speak, and by accusing everyone with whom they disagree of being racists.

> [@](#):
>
> Nothing was lost in the “chopping up.” It is the standard format for discussion at the SDMB.

No, you’re chopping up my responses by quoting a sentence out of a paragraph and ignoring the rest.

> [@](#):
>
> If you’re going to talk about geese and ganders here, then for the metaphor to go through, the things you’re talking about must be of a kind. But I was pointing out, by my “chopping up,” that you were talking about two _different_ kinds of things. Not geese and ganders. Ducks and pigeons.

Because that’s not what I was talking about. Again, I repeat. The point was that those on the political left can make all sorts of comments about those on the political right without it being deemed as racism, but as soon as someone on the political right does the same to someone on the political left, then it’s deemed as racism.

> [@](#):
>
> Bill Maher is a liberal who matters–who fwiw I’m on the record as saying I somewhat despise.
> 
> But tell me what he said?

It would probably be easier to tell you what he hasn’t said. In which case, I couldn’t.

> [@](#):
>
> Text of the condemnation from the NAACP?

[What condemnation](http://dailycaller.com/2011/02/07/naacp-won%E2%80%99t-directly-address-racism-leveled-against-clarence-thomas-at-progressive-protest/)? Didn’t you read what I said?

> [@](#):
>
> And are what is your argument that this is _representative of accepted attitudes_ among liberals?

Where have I argued as such?

> [@](#):
>
> You’re making predictions and prophecies. I honestly don’t know what would happen. Go try it and see, I guess?

Please. Quit being obtuse. Both you and I know what would happen. This board is notorious for trying to jump on every little thing Republican/conservatives posters post. What makes you think that suddenly they _wouldn’t_ jump on a Republican/conservative poster who proceeded to state that every Black who is liberal is a moron? Your contention is highly ridiculous. I mean, _highly_.

> [@](#):
>
> If people said “it is stupid to be black and liberal” is, in and of itself, a racist statement, they’d be incorrect. (Though an argument _for_ that position might be racist. I’d have to see the argument.)

Please. That wasn’t the statement. In fact, much to your consternation, [there was no argument](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14185073&postcount=171). And furthermore, there was not a single peep from the Democrat/liberal leaning folk.

> [@](#):
>
> Do _you_ think they (the six given examples) are manifestly examples of criticisms of Obama solely on the basis of his race, or not?

No, because ‘they’ are just random pictures which lack any political context whatsoever.

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**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/225 "2011-09-12T19:55:29Z")

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> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#):
>
> No, because ‘they’ are just random pictures which lack any political context whatsoever.

So now you are making the claim which before you did not make.

And as I said before, the claim is literally not believable. There is not a person reading the SDMB who believes you when you say the above.

When come back bring credibility.

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**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/226 "2011-09-12T19:59:04Z")

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> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> If you repeat that enough times, maybe it’ll become true.

[It was 1900 pages](http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8721817). And there is no way anybody read the bill. On top of that, it doesn’t have the support of the people and it’s an extra financial burden on businesses.

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**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/227 "2011-09-12T20:01:08Z")

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> [@Frylock](#):
>
> So now you are making the claim which before you did not make.
> 
> And as I said before, the claim is literally not believable. There is not a person reading the SDMB who believes you when you say the above.
> 
> When come back bring credibility.

…Right. I find it odd how calling the claim that everyone who caricatures, lampoons or draws a political cartoon about Obama is doing so based on either racism or because they are racists into question means I lack credibility. That doesn’t make any sense, when you think about it.

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**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/228 "2011-09-12T20:08:04Z")

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> [@Magiver](#):
>
> It was 1900 pages and it was shoved through without being read. [It does not have public support.](http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/health_care_law)
> 
> The bill links businesses with health care costs which is not their function and the lack of job growth shows it. There is no constitutional basis for Congress to force businesses to act as 3rd party care givers and we are suffering because of this legislation.

This would be that FOX liturgy I was talking about.

You do know that the 1900 pages is the marked up detailed version, right? A lot of what goes into a bill is stuff like, “In law XXXX, section XX, subsection XXX, line XX is changed from ‘Blah blah blah’ to ‘Blah, blah blah’.” A lot of it is complex jargon that is necessary for legal purposes, but not for understanding.

This webpage you’re looking at is actually (partially) this:

> [@HTML\_GODS](#):
>
> \<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC “-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN” “[http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd](http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd)”\>\<html xmlns=“[XHTML namespace](http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml)” dir=“ltr” lang=“en”\>\<head\>\<meta http-equiv=“Content-Type” content=“text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1” /\>\<meta name=“generator” content=“vBulletin 3.7.3” /\>\<meta name=“keywords” content=" Why if you disagree with Obama and his policies some label you as a racist?, " /\>\<meta name=“description” content=“Page 5- Why if you disagree with Obama and his policies some label you as a racist? Great Debates” /\>\<link rel=“image\_src” href=“[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/fblogo/sdmblogo.PNG](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/fblogo/sdmblogo.PNG)” / \>\<!-- CSS Stylesheet –\>\<style type=“text/css” id=“vbulletin\_css”\>/\*\*\* vBulletin 3.7.3 CSS\* Style: ‘Straight Dope v3.7.3’; Style ID: 12\*/body  
> {background: #FFFFFF;color: #000000;font: 10pt Trebuchet MS, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;margin: 5px 10px 10px 10px;padding: 0px;border: 1px solid #E0E0E0;}a:link, body\_alink{

…and so on. Do you really think that someone needs to read the detailed CSS and HTML in order to understand what this webpage says?  
The congress people who gave a fuck had access to abstracts that told them what was in the bill. You don’t need to look at the legalese line by line to understand the concepts of what’s in it.  
As for the bill not having public support, the elements of the bill when polled about in detail are strongly supported. The bill itself is less so, because FOX news and the Republican party have been lying about the bill for years now. Look at your own opinions, grounded in misinformation and fantasy, and to all appearances, unable to change.

I don’t know that you think you’re saying about forcing businesses, it sounds like something you heard wrong.

Care to give some details on that?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/229 "2011-09-12T20:09:00Z")

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> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#):
>
> …Right. I find it odd how calling the claim that everyone who caricatures, lampoons or draws a political cartoon about Obama is doing so based on either racism or because they are racists into question means I lack credibility. That doesn’t make any sense, when you think about it.

Of course, anyone reading our exchange knows that the incredible claim is the claim that the six presented images do not constitute explicitly and intentionally racist characterizations of Obama.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/230 "2011-09-12T20:15:34Z")

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> [@Frylock](#):
>
> Of course, anyone reading our exchange knows that the incredible claim is the claim that the six presented images do not constitute explicitly and intentionally racist characterizations of Obama.

Incorrect. Anyone reading our exchange would know that the six pictures were brought up by **Gyrate** _after_ I said the assertion that Obama’s race was the primary driver of people not liking him/lampooning him to be false. It doesn’t matter how many pictures one posts; the original claim was both asinine and unprovable, as it would require one to be a mind reader to know.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/231 "2011-09-12T20:19:57Z")

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> [@Magiver](#):
>
> [It was 1900 pages](http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8721817). And there is no way anybody read the bill.

BOY: “Mr. Turtle, how many repetitions does it take to establish a fact on the Straight Dope Message Board?”

MR. TURTLE: “I never made it without citing. Ask Mr. Owl.”

BOY: “Mr. Owl, how many repetitions does it take to establish a fact on the Straight Dope Message Board?”

MR. OWL: “Let’s find out.”

> [@Magiver](#):
>
> Voted before anybody could actually read the bills.

MR. OWL: “A-one.”

> [@Magiver](#):
>
> It was shoved through before people could read it and that included the public as well as the people voting on it.

MR. OWL: “A-two-OO.”

> [@Magiver](#):
>
> It was 1900 pages and it was shoved through without being read.

MR. OWL: “A-three.”

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/232 "2011-09-12T21:05:49Z")

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> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#):
>
> Incorrect. Anyone reading our exchange would know that the six pictures were brought up by **Gyrate** _after_ I said the assertion that Obama’s race was the primary driver of people not liking him/lampooning him to be false. It doesn’t matter how many pictures one posts; the original claim was both asinine and unprovable, as it would require one to be a mind reader to know.

You said the six images do not contain explicitly racist characterizations of Obama.

That claim is incredible. No one believes you when you say things like this.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/233 "2011-09-12T21:22:24Z")

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> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#):
>
> Please. That wasn’t the statement. In fact, much to your consternation, [there was no argument](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14185073&postcount=171). And furthermore, there was not a single peep from the Democrat/liberal leaning folk.

Dude, that’s friggen **Diogenes** and **Der Trihs**. People are so used to that kind of thing from those two no one ever says anything about it anymore. Check the Pit–you’ll find plenty of liberals pitting both of those guys for their particular attitudinal approach to liberalism. No one came to your rescue because no one imagines anyone needs rescuing from those guys. Everyone knows no one listens to them when they get like that, and everyone knows (so to speak) that everyone knows it.

The thing to think when you are in that pairs’ crosshairs is not “the liberals are out to get me” but rather “those guys are jerks.” Why? Because _Liberals_ here tend to agree that those guys are jerks too!

Which I know comes close to a personal insult in GD but it seemed like a directly relevant point to make speicifically to answer a debate point in the thread.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/234 "2011-09-12T22:36:02Z")

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> [@Frylock](#):
>
> You said the six images do not contain explicitly racist characterizations of Obama.

Find it. I want the exact quote and post number.

> [@](#):
>
> That claim is incredible. No one believes you when you say things like this.

Considering you’re content to assert I said something I didn’t say, I wouldn’t believe people for not taking what I didn’t say seriously, on account of me not saying it.

Edit: And, to be fair, I mentioned nothing about people “coming to my rescue”. I said no one said anything. And don’t give me this line about “well, people just tend to ignore them”. I’ve seen _plenty_ of responses where someone calls BS on a statement the former makes.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/235 "2011-09-12T22:38:32Z")

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It’s right here:

> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#):
>
> > [@Frylock](#):
> >
> > Do you think they (the six given examples) are manifestly examples of criticisms of Obama solely on the basis of his race, or not?
> 
> No, because ‘they’ are just random pictures which lack any political context whatsoever.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/236 "2011-09-12T22:40:45Z")

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> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#):
>
> Edit: And, to be fair, I mentioned nothing about people “coming to my rescue”. I said no one said anything. And don’t give me this line about “well, people just tend to ignore them”. I’ve seen _plenty_ of responses where someone calls BS on a statement the former makes.

Yes, you’ve seen people call BS on posts on the Dope.

I am talking specifically about what people know about the individuals **Dio** and **Der Trihs**. When it comes to politics, they are unduly insulting and unreasonable. This is well known to all. No one sees a need to take their insults of _anyone_ seriously because… well… that’s just _them_.

Every now and then someone calls them out. But much more typically, we just leave them to do their thing, and ignore them.

Seriously, if they are the best examples you can come up with then you have no examples at all!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/237 "2011-09-12T22:51:35Z")

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> [@Frylock](#):
>
> It’s right here:

And that says nothing of what you think it says. I said that the given pictures are not evidence of criticism against Obama made solely based on his race. Nowhere did I ever say that none of the pictures contain explicitly racist characterizations of Obama. The two are **not** the same. Without either being a mind-reader, being told explicitly by the individual themselves or know the context in which they occur, you have no basis upon which to say someone’s criticisms of Obama are based solely on race.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/238 "2011-09-12T22:52:51Z")

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> [@Magiver](#):
>
> The Tea Party came in to being because REPUBLICANS were spending too much money. There was a huge backlash of Conservatives who vocally criticized the spending. It was discussed in depth by Conservative talk show hosts years before President Obama was elected.

I am largely coming down on the side of the word racist being tossed around too much - but this is perhaps the most specious claim I’ve ever seen from an otherwise mostly sensible poster.

The Tea Party movement has unquestionably, demonstrably come in to being since Obama’s election, and any claim to the contrary is bullshit.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/239 "2011-09-12T22:58:23Z")

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> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#):
>
> And that says nothing of what you think it says. I said that the given pictures are not evidence of criticism against Obama made solely based on his race. Nowhere did I ever say that none of the pictures contain explicitly racist characterizations of Obama. The two are **not** the same. Without either being a mind-reader, being told explicitly by the individual themselves or know the context in which they occur, you have no basis upon which to say someone’s criticisms of Obama are based solely on race.

Okay.

What I _meant_ was:

Do you think the seven (sorry, not six) images contain explicitly racist characterizations of Obama?

So do you?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-if-you-disagree-with-obama-and-his-policies-some-label-you-as-a-racist/595918/240 "2011-09-12T23:01:16Z")

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(WTF is a racist characterization of a person if it is not a criticism of the person based solely on his race?

Unless it’s praise of the person based solely on his race? I mean, that’s possible of course. But it’s right out as an interpretation of any of the seven images.

Racist==based solely on race  
Characterization==A summary of what is taken to be important in a description.

A negative characterization _is a criticism_ by definition.

Anyway, if your answers to the two questions differ we can explore this matter further.)

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