Posted on Jul 24, 2015
Are you surprised to hear that race relations in the U.S. have gotten worse during President Obama's tenure?
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Seven years ago, in the gauzy afterglow of a stirring election night in Chicago, commentators dared ask whether the United States had finally begun to heal its divisions over race and atone for the original sin of slavery by electing its first black president. It has not. Not even close.
A New York Times/CBS News poll conducted last week reveals that nearly six in 10 Americans, including heavy majorities of both whites and blacks, think race relations are generally bad, and that nearly four in 10 think the situation is getting worse. By comparison, two-thirds of Americans surveyed shortly after President Obama took office said they believed that race relations were generally good.
The swings in attitude have been particularly striking among African-Americans. During Mr. Obama’s 2008 campaign, nearly 60 percent of blacks said race relations were generally bad, but that number was cut in half shortly after he won. It has now soared to 68 percent, the highest level of discontent among blacks during the Obama years and close to the numbers recorded in the aftermath of the riots that followed the 1992 acquittal of Los Angeles police officers charged in the beating of Rodney King.
Only a fifth of those surveyed said they thought race relations were improving, while about 40 percent of both blacks and whites said they were staying essentially the same.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/24/us/poll-shows-most-americans-think-race-relations-are-bad.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0
A New York Times/CBS News poll conducted last week reveals that nearly six in 10 Americans, including heavy majorities of both whites and blacks, think race relations are generally bad, and that nearly four in 10 think the situation is getting worse. By comparison, two-thirds of Americans surveyed shortly after President Obama took office said they believed that race relations were generally good.
The swings in attitude have been particularly striking among African-Americans. During Mr. Obama’s 2008 campaign, nearly 60 percent of blacks said race relations were generally bad, but that number was cut in half shortly after he won. It has now soared to 68 percent, the highest level of discontent among blacks during the Obama years and close to the numbers recorded in the aftermath of the riots that followed the 1992 acquittal of Los Angeles police officers charged in the beating of Rodney King.
Only a fifth of those surveyed said they thought race relations were improving, while about 40 percent of both blacks and whites said they were staying essentially the same.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/24/us/poll-shows-most-americans-think-race-relations-are-bad.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0
Society
Equality
United States
Racism
Edited 9 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 15
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If race relations got worse it isn't President Obama fault people chose to hate, we're more focus on tearing each other down than to ban together to preserve life in this country.
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COL Jean (John) F. B.
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, however, I don't see how anybody can claim that Obama has not been the catalyst for the significant degradation in race relations in this country.
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Lt Col (Join to see)
Sir, the basic fact that an African American is in the top office in the land brought out the flood of various haters. It was really expected, opinion polls aside. I don't in any way blame President Obama, other than he is African American. I think we'd have seen the decisiveness with just about any individual of color who sought to balance serving all citizens with the responsibility of being the first to do it. I think even if he chose to make the same decisions on the same issues as previous presidents, we'd see the hate.
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Lt Col (Join to see)
SGM Matthew Quick, there is no point to that distinction. The history of our nation does group all persons with any black African lineage and not just for unmixed members of populations from sub-Saharan Africa as 'black'. I believe that this is what MSG Williams was trying to describe in his additional thread with you. The traditionally accepted category, right or wrong, of any one with "one drop" of African blood that can be traced to tribes in Africa is 'black'. This also could be expanded to those from Central and South America I'm positing as well, assuming they possess many of the same physical characteristics and experiences in the US. The point is that the genealogy of President Obama was expected in the many communities to generate controversy with the entire country. Here is a good discussion on the subject of 'mixed' race.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jefferson/mixed/onedrop.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jefferson/mixed/onedrop.html
Mixed Race America - Who Is Black? One Nation's Definition | Jefferson's Blood | FRONTLINE | PBS
FRONTLINE investigates the accusations of criminality and corruption that have surrounded Vladimir Putin’s reign in Russia.
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First, President Obama is not a black president or a white president...he is mulatto or bi-racial.
Whether or not people believe this is the President Obama Administration's fault or not, an American President (or his spouse) should not appear to favor a single ethnic group over another.
I truly believe this countries race relation issue is NOT an issue with our President, but the bottom feeding news organizations. Our news organizations do a completely UNETHICALLY balanced job reporting white-on-black crimes...this is the largest fuel source for our countries race issues.
Whether or not people believe this is the President Obama Administration's fault or not, an American President (or his spouse) should not appear to favor a single ethnic group over another.
I truly believe this countries race relation issue is NOT an issue with our President, but the bottom feeding news organizations. Our news organizations do a completely UNETHICALLY balanced job reporting white-on-black crimes...this is the largest fuel source for our countries race issues.
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MSG Floyd Williams
SGM Matthew Quick - You give me proof of what is a mulatto! If someone other than Black is mixed, is that individual mulatto? Why that label had to be put on the President? Why is it an issue that his father is black and mother white? What that have to do with his character as a human being?
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SGM Matthew Quick
Proof (Merriam-Webster):
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mulatto
**Your turn, MSG Floyd Williams! (proof that EVERY black person in America is of mixed race)
That fact that President Obama is mulatto is NOT an issue...you're reading WAY to much into my comment WITHOUT understand the context/original thread.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mulatto
**Your turn, MSG Floyd Williams! (proof that EVERY black person in America is of mixed race)
That fact that President Obama is mulatto is NOT an issue...you're reading WAY to much into my comment WITHOUT understand the context/original thread.
mulatto | the first-generation offspring of a black person and a white person
noun | \mə-ˈla-(ˌ)tō, mu-, myu-, -ˈlä-\ | See the full definition...
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MSG Floyd Williams
SGM Matthew Quick - The bottom line is since slavery Blacks been label everything but the right thing just because it is in the dictionary doesn't defines the President, me, or anyone else of color. Now, I will leave this alone, this can go on and on lets try finding solutions to real problems, someone have to be the bigger person to get pass color.
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SGM Matthew Quick
You asked for proof...it was provided, MSG Floyd Williams.
I asked for facts to back up your grossly irresponsible statement and you attempt to change the subject. Yes...you be the bigger person and leave the discussion...a discussion you mis-read, anyway.
I asked for facts to back up your grossly irresponsible statement and you attempt to change the subject. Yes...you be the bigger person and leave the discussion...a discussion you mis-read, anyway.
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Did anyone really think the bigots and Bubbas were going to open their eyes and suddenly see everyone as equal just because Obama was President? If anything it seems like people went completely out of their way to further cement racism in order to show that "ain't no black president gonna tell me who to like!"... It's a very sad commentary on our nation...
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Maj (Join to see)
My thoughts exactly. It's like people disagree with him just to prove poin, even when he has great ideas that help all side. It has been interesting for sure seeing the amount of unnecessary disrespect .
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Actually, I think Obama's Presidency has encouraged people to finally think about, contemplate, and discuss race in the country. The race problems we've had in this country have been here all along; they just never got talked about. Now, two things have converged-- a Black President and widespread social media & camera coverage. People across the country are seeing, many for the first time, some of the constant, low-level abuse and bullying Black people have had to put up with, due to everyone and their dog having cameras now, and access to social media.
It's like when sexual assault reporting started being taken seriously, and then there was a corresponding rise in reported cases. Sexual assault reporting didn't cause more sexual assaults; those assaults were always there, but now people felt it was worthwhile to address them so a vast underground of nastiness got some light shed on it.
You can argue that widespread social media would have spread the word about Black people being abused regardless of who was in office and you'd probably have a valid argument. It could be coincidence that all this social technology is happening when a Black man sits in the Oval Office. Of course, the visceral reaction of some racists because of his color probably helped to show just how far some folks were willing to go in their public comments, which established the far limits of how the conversation would go.
It's like when sexual assault reporting started being taken seriously, and then there was a corresponding rise in reported cases. Sexual assault reporting didn't cause more sexual assaults; those assaults were always there, but now people felt it was worthwhile to address them so a vast underground of nastiness got some light shed on it.
You can argue that widespread social media would have spread the word about Black people being abused regardless of who was in office and you'd probably have a valid argument. It could be coincidence that all this social technology is happening when a Black man sits in the Oval Office. Of course, the visceral reaction of some racists because of his color probably helped to show just how far some folks were willing to go in their public comments, which established the far limits of how the conversation would go.
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PFC (Join to see)
Thank you! I was struggling with myself trying to figure out a way to articulate what I was thinking, but it seems like you read my mind and did it for me.
Social media has had such a tremendous impact on our culture and the world.
Social media has had such a tremendous impact on our culture and the world.
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Lets look at the O'Malley incident as a test case in race relations. When he said "All Lives Matter," he was right, but he was booed off the stage by the "Black Lives Matter" crowd. Why wouldn't they celebrate all lives or are they so selfish they don't care about anyone but themselves. Personally, I saw naked racism in that audience.
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad - Disappointed, yes... surprised, no. One only needs to look at his background/history (what little he has allowed to be public) to see that he is and always has been a racist and is married to a racist of the worst kind. He surrounds himself with racists and has appointed them to key positions in his Administration. In addition, he uses race-baiters like Al Sharpton as advisors. Why would anybody expect anything different?
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Race relations have never been good. They just get more attention these days. They spotlight has been shown more brightly on them because of the media and prevalence of cameras around the country - mobile devices.
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We were all created to be one body. And one vital key to living in peace, no matter what the other person is like, is to show respect.
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No. Unfortunately he has helped fester worsening relations. He is pitting different groups against each other.
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