<p>If you don’t live in a multi-racial environment, and are curious what all the fuss is about, rent the Academy Award winning movie, “Crash.” It expresses the violence to the soul, going in all directions, among all races (set in LA). In the movie, many characters are hurt or frustrated in one situation, then lash out at the next person they see in their working day who bears the same color skin as the one who just insulted them. It’s as if it’s all stored at the tissue level. </p>
<p>Nobody is gaining from racial misunderstanding. That’s why you might innocently interact with someone, only to get nailed. I believe everyone has to work to undo the toxic racial negativity in our culture.</p>
<p>One could say he’s being charitable in saying the administration has done nothing to defuse growing unrest, when in fact their policies have increased the economic divide in this country.</p>
<p>Weenie, I have lived in NY, Atlanta, Chicago, and LA–all cities that have major gang problems. Gangs are attractive so long as the money is good. If it were not for the drug trade and other $$$$making criminal activity their attractiveness would decline significantly.</p>
<p>They ae not gangs they are youth affinity groups At least that is what the county government was calling them around here. They insisted for a long time there were no gangs. That has all changed now.</p>
<p>Clinton has the highest percentage of Hispanic/Latino voters among the Democratic candidates. Obama has the highest percentage of Af Am, but it’s close with Clinton. Edwards’ percentage of white voters among his supporters is the highest of the three. All from the new Pew Research survey today.</p>
<p>I didn’t check Hispanic support for the Republicans. After tonight’s debate, I can’t imagine it will be very high.</p>
<p>Bravo to Obama for providing leadership alone out of all the candidates. He points out the growing divide between haves and have-nots and yes, much of it is racially based.</p>
<p>After reading the excerpts quoted in this thread, I can’t imagine anyone drawing a conclusion that Obama was suggesting or inciting violence! My interpretation of his statements is that he is defining the problem and saying that it is not going away and must be addressed. Otherwise, the situation may erupt even worse.</p>
<p>I see that for the most part on this thread, folks don’t understand allegory or rhetoric. Put your thinking caps on people, do you honestly feel that the Senator meant a literal riot or violence? And why is it offensive to point out societal or political grievances?</p>
<p>Oh, they understand it, all right. But wouldn’t allow such subtlety to get in the way of a cheap political shot.</p>
<p>Note that not a single person has addressed what our fearless leader has done to address the issue, so I guess there is a consensus that Obama is right.</p>
<p>I’m clasping hands with Mini on this one. Has our anger over Katrina dissapated? Are we holding G.W.'s feet to the fire? Why hasn’t he marched down to Louisiana and figuratively grab those nitwit politicians by the scruff of the neck and force some positive action to redress the mistakes and the suffering? The federal big stick can be used to exert a well-deserved whuppin or to make a mess of things.</p>
<p>Bush has pushed the No Child Left Behind program that has all schools at least focused on closing the “achievement gap” and providing more resources to those in poor schools or moving them to better ones. They have also tried to push voucher programs but teacher unions have fought these at every turn.</p>
<p>“Bush has pushed the No Child Left Behind program that has all schools at least focused on closing the “achievement gap”…”</p>
<p>Fair enough. I see NCLB (which originates with Clinton) as an attempt by business to create a permanent underclass of low-wage, non-diploma-bearing workers (mostly minorities), and it has been quite successful in doing so, but people of good will can differ.</p>
<p>The fact that schools cannot execute any sort of improvement–even when they get extra money–says more about the educational establishment than the politicians.</p>
<p>On the contrary, I think the schools are working exactly as designed in reinforcing a form of economic apartheid, and are extremely successful at what they do, which is why they don’t change. </p>
<p>Back to Obama – if playing the race card is speaking candidly about disenfranchised Americans – than it’s about time SOME politician played it. Although I’m not a huge fan of Obama, I give him credit here for courage alone.</p>
<p>I understood perfectly well that Obama was not speaking of literal violence, but to me his over-the-top rhetoric was a capitulation to the Sharpton/Jackson divide-America demagogues, and was extremely disappointing. More same-old, same-old.</p>
<p>Nothing divides America more than color. Katrina proved that; Obama is merely pointing out the fact to a white majority that they are creating conditions for a perfect storm of racial anger. Obama is merely the messenger here, a fairly measured one considering the reality he’s referring to.</p>
At least that is what the county government was calling them around here. They insisted for a long time there were no gangs. That has all changed now.</p>