President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, both, have been a lot bolder when speaking on race in his
second term. He was even frank enough to use n-word when discussing race. I think it's been obvious for quite a while that the president is not trying beg the republicans into bipartisanship anymore. President Obama, in my not so humble opinion, tried "negotiating" with the republicans way too long during the first term--even if it was to guarantee re-election. And I was quite aggravated after his first 6 - 9 months in office.
But what do I know?
I NEVAAAH thought he'd be elected twice)
Michelle? She even talked about the racism she and Barack endured on their way to the White House and while in the White House. And I didn't think I'd hear THAT story until she and Barack were out of office for a year or two.
(That speech was awesome, by the way. Listen to it here: http://thankherforsurviving.blogspot.com/2015/05/michelle-obama-tells-truth-about-racism.html)
Last week, President Obama told the NAACP that he has bipartisan support for Criminal Justice Reform. Even the way he said the words "bipartisan support" was different from the way he used to say them. The President mentioned "bipartisan support" like the republicans will come along for the ride or they won't. And he's been moving without them already. He's been using his presidential power to grant clemency to non-violent drug offenders. He's released a total of 89 non-violent drug offenders so far. He's simply not Mr. Nice Guy begging for support like he was the first few months of his first term.
Apparently, he lived and he learned.
Chris Rock is right, of course.
It seems worse to white people because, post-Trayvon, we've had Black Lives Matter around to bring cases to the nation's attention.
Before Black Lives Matter, Freddie Gray might have died without anybody but a few scattered activists knowing his name. And before #SayHerName Sandra Bland would have been forgotten by Black Lives Matter. So now, there can be huge protests that lasts for days. Once those selling news figured out black death makes money, some news outlets seemed to start trying to get some outrage going on their own, reporting *the black, unarmed, and dead by white cop* every chance they got.
In other words, it seems worse to white people (and some black folk too) because black death used to be so local and relatively silent.
Please note, from where I sit, the black internet leads the press. Now, we have more connection to one another through social media. And that has translated into the power, the power TO FORCE mainstream news to pay attention to black deaths.
In other words, we have Black Twitter. The Los Angeles Times has even hired a Black Twitter Writer for their news paper.
Yes, because of fluctuating news coverage, it's hard to tell how much race relations have gotten worse. So much was going on in 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s that wasn't reported unless white police officers just happened to go crazy on somebody black or brown in front of news camera in those pre-cell phone camera days. Even if the police officer did act up on camera in the late 20th century, the incident might only be reported in "Emerge" Magazine.
On the other hand, I was totally expecting white racism to go buck wild when our first black president was elected. Most black folk were. Black people in the white house without the Prez saying or doing A N Y T H I N G was enough to guarantee the white racists would be jumping up and down like popcorn on an open skillet.
Most of us know it's no accident that the Tea Party went from some ignorant fringe group to a political movement strong enough to turn the previously, super organized republican party into a scrambled mess. (<---Didn't see that coming)
Honest to gaaawd, before and after the Clinton years I thought the democrats would be a disorganized mess forever. I thought the super-organized republicans would always be in control of the white house, congress, and the supreme court. After all, they got a rock head elected as president twice and let him break the "middle east."
And I thought I understood why the republicans were destined to always win too.
Democrats are the party of "yes" and "change" (at a glacial rate) And there are 100 ways to say "yes." So there's always a bit of a mess when there are 100 ideas about doing one thing and you try to move forward. Conservatives, the republicans? They always want to say "no" and keep the status quo. "No" is narrow. Therefore, "no" was always organized and seeming to speak with one voice.
But then there was this economic downturn in 2007. People start shouting "recession" and whispering "depression"
Then BOOM!
All of a sudden it happened!!!
The white people got so scared of the coming depression that they'd vote for anybody who might save their houses, their banks, and free credit up again, even if the best guy for the job turned out to be black. My jaw dropped to ground and stayed there for months the day Barack Obama won the primary in Iowa.
Then, I blinked again and there was this black dude in the White House. After a little while I understood why this came to pass:
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