Racism?
01
September
I watched some of the B.E.T awards this past weekend, and especially enjoyed Al Greene’s performance. The awards were replete with references to Obama. Which is well and good. However I am not convinced all those folks in shiny suits (here’s looking at you Diddy!) could utter a single one of Obama’s campaign platforms. In fact from the general tone of the comments I am convinced that most of the speakers (if indeed they are going to vote) are going to vote for Obama because he is Black. How is that not racist? How different is this from insisting that some folks out to sit at the front of the bus because they are white?
My admiration for the man notwithstanding, I strongly believe, as I do in the our local setting, if you vote for a candidate for anything other than the issues, or for that matter don’t vote for a candidate for a reason other than the issues, and to be specific tribe/race then you are an ass.
In fact, voting for Obama because of his race makes a mockery of everything the man and democracy stands for. And on the same coin not voting for him because he is black speaks volumes of the state of democracy, maturity and fair play in 2008!
I’ll bet If parallel sentiments were expressed at a McCain rally protests would be flooding faster than you could say Jim Crow.
Quote Of The Day
Wednesday? That’s too early in the week
Priceless 
1. '(Un)officially Mrs M'
(28 Comments) | September 1st, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Did I just pull the ‘just wanted to acknowledge on behalf of my husband’ stunt that woman pulled at B.E.T ? LOL.
I’m convinced you’re the only one who heard that wiseass comment!
2. Kush
(1 Comments) | September 1st, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Hit the nail on the head M. What an articulate and insightful commentary on a universal truth . . . I’m talking about the ‘Katchmega joke’ btw lol.
3. archer
(17 Comments) | September 1st, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Kakamega? LOL!! I thought for a minute though. It’s the sun, man, it’s the sun!
4. Coldtusker
(5 Comments) | September 1st, 2008 at 4:24 pm
True dat but in Kenya… tribalism is ‘legal’ and allowed.
For all the “Kenyaness” Luos are loyal almost to a man to Raila. Kikuyus vote almost to a man for a Kikuyu candidate. And the voting stats - though flawed even by the uber-idiot’s (sam ‘cant count’ kivuitu) reckoning - proves that.
Then there is the religion factor where Muslims seem to coalesce behind their candidates.
Finally. Race. When was the last time you saw a serious contender who was Mzungu or Mhindi?
When Philip Leakey (former MP for Langata for many years) stood against Raila in Langata… it was not even close.
In the USA… jesse ‘fornicating’ jackson can use the ‘N’ word or call someone a “redneck or cracker” but dare a white (wo)man use the ‘N’ word…
BTW… M… a jamaa had to apologize for the term “niggardly” coz many of the vocal African-Americans’ had no idea what it meant! Shyte… the etymology of Niggard ain’t even derived from Negro/Negre
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversies_about_the_word_%22niggardly%22!
5. acolyte
(174 Comments) | September 2nd, 2008 at 7:52 am
I for one don’t watch the coonery that is BET but it’s funny how one moment Obama wasn’t black enough but now in some quarters he is too black.
One thing I give him marks for is that he is running as Barrack, not a black man or a white man. Of course this has peeps like Tavis Smiley and Cornel West up in arms because he isn’t championing their causes but at the end of the day if he gets to the White House he isn’t going there as the President of Black America but the American President. Don’t even mention peeps like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, when they decide to help black people stand up for themselves instead of always playing the victim card is when they shall be worth any respect.
Anyway how does this relate to us? Our politicians need to run for office as personalities and not tribal chieftans. Not what I can do for us vs them but what can I do for all of us who live in my constituency irregardless of tribe or origin.
Anyway let me stop preaching.
ps: took me a second to get that joke, I’ve been out here too long! Nice one!
6. Coldtusker
(5 Comments) | September 2nd, 2008 at 10:25 am
Aco: “coonery”… I hope for your sake Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton don’t read your comments… on the other hand unless u have chumz & they can blackmail you, your comments make no difference to them!
heck jesse called obama a nigger…! In public…! Fox has not aired the clip for the sake of ‘decency’… or maybe jesse blackmailed them!
Obama is far better than these so-called African-American Activists… who are nothing but hypocrites!
7. Mocha!
(28 Comments) | September 2nd, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Politics Politics Politics
I for one would not be surprised if he doesn’t get to set foot in the white house.
I would be however surprised if he did…..as it would mean America is indeed ready for CHANGE!
8. edge.of.sanity
(34 Comments) | September 2nd, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Let’s just say that race in America is a very complex and sensitive matter that shall remain unresolved for a very long time.
On Obama and race.
There
seems to be a needis a need [rightly or wrongly] to balance things out and that’s why [for one] the local black population finally “came home” to him.I have to say that I understand the motivation even though the definition of such thought and action is clear. We may label them racist, but to them, it’s clearly duty and screw anyone who thinks otherwise. The presidency has been an Anglo-Saxon male affair since day one and since Obama has a chance, most will try and see to it that he gets there. It helps that he’s brilliant.
On Clinton, Palin and gender.
There are American women who will vote Republican [screw the issues] only because Gov. Palin is the #2 pick and would vote Democrat if Sen. Clinton had been #1. We may label them sexist or both sexist and racist but to them it’s their duty to place a woman that much closer to the presidency no matter what.
To some voters, unfortunately, the core issues at play this election season will continue to be race, gender or both depending on their level of prejudice.
Now, imagine if any of the picks had been a black female…that would have thrown a huge wrench into the works.
Most people abandon the issues when another seemingly more important dynamic like tribe, race, age or gender comes into play. However deplorable it is, that’s human nature and that’s how all
pseudo-democracies work. Those asses as you call them, M, outnumber the rational ones in any society.On the word Niggard.
I think it’s just safer to avoid the word altogether if you are familiar with the controversy attached to it unless it’s in a published work. There are ways and times to use it specifically to offend a black person both by way of it’s true meaning, it’s phonetic similarity to the derogative word or both. So, why not just avoid it if you can and use an alternate in it’s place to convey the same meaning? I’m quite sure even the wordy types can go a lifetime without using it freely.
It’s not the word, it’s the motive behind it’s use.
I never use it unless it’s well placed on a Scrabble board which is where I learned it by the way so many years ago. I truly have no need to use it anywhere else.
9. 31337
(15 Comments) | September 2nd, 2008 at 6:11 pm
took me a while but i got there in the end…say two days? kakamega indeed! i am hooked, line and sinker.
10. kenyan
(1 Comments) | September 2nd, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Can i also argue that since Barrack is 50% white(mom) n 50% black (dad) the black pple would be voting for his 50% ness, and the white pple will be voting for his other 50% ness,
but on a serious note i dont see why anyone that has endured 8 yrs of George Bush , would want to continue with another 4 yrs of McBush.Since Mcain’s policies are virtually identical with Bush.
11. Wathii FM
(64 Comments) | September 2nd, 2008 at 7:14 pm
12. I
(119 Comments) | September 2nd, 2008 at 11:14 pm
You couldnt be more right.. regarding Obama.
and yes.. it is racist!
13. edge.of.sanity
(34 Comments) | September 3rd, 2008 at 10:23 am
Once Obama fever subsides and it’s all in the recent past [with him having made president or not], I don’t think another black man or woman in the near future will rise to the heights he has in such a short while - call me a pessimist.
The rise of Obama has been the perfect storm of events that will not soon be repeated.
I submit that part of his appeal is the fact that practically everyone [including Asians] can claim him even though his main classification is American-black-male. The sum of his parts and the state of affairs are key to this phenomenon. Take away a few of the pieces and what you are left with is pretty common in America and the appeal fizzles away fast.
I must concede that America has come a long way in terms of race relations but is still going through it’s growing pains.
Having said that, I’m quite certain that if Obama were 50% black African and 50% African American [specifically 1/8 white down to unknown], he wouldn’t be where he is right now even with all his other attributes remaining intact. As a first generation biracial individual, his white family is still readily identifiable, they played a major role in his upbringing and he fully embraces his white side unlike some biracial Americans. That exponentially increases his appeal to the white population even though by American definitions he’s black.
If there was nothing special about him, “black” would have played a smaller role to Afro-Americans [especially since he's not descended from former slaves] and the opposite would be true. Since he’s larger than life, everyone wants a piece of him even though they typically wouldn’t.
I can’t be proven right or wrong but there’s plenty of truth in that assertion.
Once again I acknowledge that America has grown so much in that last 50 years and that’s commendable.
If you think about it, they have done much better than many African countries where people still discriminate against, maim and murder each other due barely discernible differences…Interesting.
14. curious
(2 Comments) | September 3rd, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Until Obama became the front-runner… he was not ‘black’ enough for many African-Americans… talk of hypocrisy… and being niggardly with their support…
edge-of-sanity: At that rate… we may have have to decimate our vocabulary…
gay… rug… pussy… (All those kids’ books that taught me to say ‘here pussy’)… homo (as in sapiens, erectus)… manhole… shaft… plug… hole…
And what would you have the Spanish speakers do since “negro” means or relates to the color “black”…?
“Nigger” - what jesse jackson used is derogatory. Also used extensively by so called hip-hop & rap artistes. That is offensive.
15. curious
(2 Comments) | September 3rd, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Until Obama became the front-runner, he was not ‘black’ enough for many African-Americans. Talk of hypocrisy and being niggardly with their support.
edge-of-sanity - At that rate, we may have have to decimate our vocabulary.
gay
rug
pussy (All those kids’ books that taught me to say ‘here pussy’)
homo (as in sapiens, erectus)
manhole
shaft
plug
hole
fag (as in cigarette stub)
And what would you have the Spanish speakers do since “negro” means or relates to the color “black”?
“Nigger” - what jesse jackson used is derogatory. Also used extensively by so called hip-hop & rap artistes. That is offensive.
16. Mocha!
(28 Comments) | September 3rd, 2008 at 5:22 pm
I didnt get the gag!
Educate a sister? Pris!
17. excess
(7 Comments) | September 3rd, 2008 at 8:54 pm
LOL! ati Kakamega!
18. excess
(7 Comments) | September 3rd, 2008 at 8:56 pm
FINALLY I can comment here (again)! Thanks to Googgle Chrome…
19. Quentin
(1 Comments) | September 4th, 2008 at 5:53 am
Kakamega…..very funny!
Coonery..even tho’ I don’t “subscribe” to BET; NOT FUNNY!!
20. edge.of.sanity
(34 Comments) | September 4th, 2008 at 6:02 am
Uummm…Not really, curious.
The vast English vocabulary is quite safe even in our increasingly culturally sensitive, politically correct, slang infested world.
My point is simple. If people made a personal choice to slightly censor themselves, some undesirable outcomes can be avoided regardless of motive with respect to a seemingly harmless word like “Niggard(ly)”. One could be labeled a racist, get hurt or worse due to the liberal use of a relatively obscure word that sounds like…[]. Sometimes the consequences are not worth being right about something since people get emotional and things turn ugly fast.
Curious, let’s at least agree that some people use “Niggard”[and it's various forms] to get cheap thrills, especially in the presence of unwitting black people. Some will use it correctly and tactfully to intentionally convey a racist message in the presence of blacks knowing that the intent can’t be proven if and when detected. Being that “Niggard” sounds like THE N-word, when [some] non-black people mouth the former, especially publicly and in a covertly racist statement, to them it’s as gratifying as saying the N-word out loud. They feel stifled and need to release their pent-up racist sentiments.
Come to think of it, this is not unlike the “Nappy-headed ho’s” fiasco.
All in all, I’m not proposing a ban on every word that may be offensive in a certain context for that would be absurd. Still, I understand why people get offended and choose to be sensitive to that. That’s just me.
21. ---Supreme-G.R.E.A.M---
(4 Comments) | September 4th, 2008 at 10:23 am
On Saturday I got home just in time for Al Greens performance. I have developed a penchant for 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s Soul Jazz R&B and am actually collecting. But just the other day someone used my office computer and deleted a huge huge collection of it. I felt like killing him.
Jesse Jackson said on fox that he’d cut Obama’s nuts! I dont remember the word nigga being used though! Al Sharpton & Jesse make their money on purporting to fight for African Americans! As Nas said, they aint heros no more & Rev Wright is no right
22. Taz
(1 Comments) | September 6th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Dude…you got me all cracked up with “Kaka Mega” LOL!
23. Mocha!
(28 Comments) | September 8th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
A days and weekend later I get it!
24. Mocha!
(28 Comments) | September 8th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
***A few days** is what I meant
25. spoony
(1 Comments) | September 17th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
am appalled by that stupid jibe of you saying that big brother in swahili is kakmega! your quick to shout racisim when it happens to you and yet you act like a tribalist pig! there i said it as the as the bible quotes remove the speck from your eye before jugding others so tale leaf out the bible and stop acting like a moron!am disgusted wont say no more i can see smoke comming out of ears !
26. mfas
(5 Comments) | September 18th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
M, it is not necessarily racist and one should not be regarded as such. The sad reality is that most voters vote for the candidate they can identify with, not the one who champions their interests.
Logically, self-interest should come first; not so when voting. Why did about half of the Americans choose Bush? Why did Cali vote for the Terminator? What informed the choice of running mates in US-08? Why do peasants and industrious citizens in Africa vote for wealthy looters and moochers?
When making big decisions, man is usually not rational.
<Kakamegha!…was is good
27. Kenyanchick
(15 Comments) | September 21st, 2008 at 3:25 pm
On the other hand… check this out:
http://news.yahoo.com/page/election-2008-political-pulse-obama-race;_ylt=As2aSIKG8tXk7IvFZnrKMMsb.3QA
28. Nairobian
(2 Comments) | September 23rd, 2008 at 3:28 pm
why does the Obama debate attract so much attention to the race issue?
29. donworry
(6 Comments) | September 23rd, 2008 at 4:48 pm
I do not want to sound as if I am wishing my life away; The Lord knows I appreciate every sunrise that I greet. However there are some things which I wish would just hurry up and be over and done with
1 The [b]US[/b] presidential elections
2 the Kenyan 2012 So-called elections
Perhaps once these events have come to pass I, along with many other peace-loving, tax-paying, unsuspecting ordinary wananchi, will be able to get on with our daily lives without all the political mischief making.
30. sidaki
(51 Comments) | October 3rd, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Dude,
Good work as always. The fight against stupidity will be won yet!
31. Macharia
(6 Comments) | October 14th, 2008 at 5:01 am
My dad bought a shamba where my whole family grew up. I went to school and there after got a job. I still don’t see how voting is relevant to my life. My concern is how to get a bigger paycheck. I dare say politics is very entertaining and am conflicted on whether I should advocate doing away with voting entirely and everyone just getting a job.
32. 3N
(7 Comments) | October 17th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
It now 20 days to voting and we will see how the US votes - though 98% of black americans are projected to vote for Obama. Of which I would guess only 2% are doing so because they believe in Obama values and policy standings.
Kenya is another sadder story all together.
CONGRATS!!!
33. Coldtusker
(5 Comments) | October 18th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
M: u ok?
34. KD*
(1 Comments) | October 26th, 2008 at 5:10 am
I didnt even know they had an award recently.I stopped watching BET when Nelly swiped that credit card between Laquishas butt.. on uncut.
Black folks have a long way to go dude and if our ahem.. KENYAN son finally raises their self worth let em be!…they need that!
35. Cordon
(1 Comments) | October 29th, 2008 at 5:23 am
So much for diddy and them, but if I had to say something about Obama at the BET awards I would feel safer not going into issues, if i had any idea what they are
, but thats just me.
Generally I don’t think anyone can productively argue that it’s racist. Having a president who’s all about issues is great, but having a black president says something about democracy even if it also says something negative about how people think.
So who are you voting for?
36. reason
(1 Comments) | October 31st, 2008 at 6:08 am
“Contemplating little they spew put their ignorance”
Reality check Obama’s mum had a Kenyan sperm donor.
Kenyans sorry to burst your bubble but Obama is only technically a Kenyan. I doubt he would pass a standard 4 Kenyan GHC test.He only met the dude once for a month when he was ten and has made a couple of trips to Kenya. I know white tourists who are more Kenyan than Obama.
I respect the man greatly and I hope he wins. but it’s stupid the way Kenyans are all giddy about him actually its pathetically ignorant.
We should leave the dude alone and if you have no clue on what it is to live in America while being black or have never even pandad a plane please refrain from talking based on ignorance.
Black people have been the underdog in America and therefore if they see one of their own within a chance of being president they will vote for Him irregardless of issues. If that surprises you, check up on your critical thinking skills.You can argue it should be about issues and not race but like I said if that surprises you are a not smart.
Kenyans should concentrate on the waki report and holding their leaders accountable.
Your opinions don’t matter they are insignificant, if that hurts your pride and you think I am mean its OK but it’s the truth.
You are africans including me a kenyan, but in the words of a UN colonel to africans in hotel rwanda
“You’re dirt. We think you’re dirt, … The West, all the superpowers … They think you’re dirt. They think you’re dung … You’re not even a nigger. You’re African.”
Of course that is not true I’m proud to be a Kenyan but lets focus our energies on building our country and let the west deal with their politics, do you think they care about your elections unless they make the evening news because as usual a bunch of peasant Africans are killing each other for the benefit of corrupt politicians.
So wacheni kimbelele obama si wenyu concentrate on Raila and Kibaki those are your great leaders.
37. mundu
(2 Comments) | October 31st, 2008 at 2:41 pm
i think ‘reason’, really doesn’t have much of it. you’re frothing at the mouth coz M said it like it is. it is racist to vote for someone just coz of his skin colour, whether past injustices are blinding you or not. As for being in Africa or having gotten on a plane,i can zoom around he world seated at my desk. Fancy a name change to ‘idiot?’
38. Kimemia Maina
(3 Comments) | November 2nd, 2008 at 4:44 am
Well they are celebrities and, in the classical celebrity sense, are too busy being rich and famous to have any kind of engagement with the real world and therefore almost to a man have no idea what the issues ever are beyond what their publicists tell them to repeat in front of the camera.
Which scares me when celebrities start to be labeled global experts on serious matters like global poverty.
39. Jose
(20 Comments) | November 4th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
@spoony,
Clearly haukunyita the joke, or maybe your comments are meant in jest. Kaka mega is really funny! I’m trying to look for the tribalism in that joke, and I swear I cannot see it.
@reason,
Why are you raining on Kenyans’ party.
We all know Obama is an American. He has never identified himself as anything else. But he is of Kenyan extraction. This he has never denied. So we are proud of his achievement. He is one of us, a first generation African American, who has family and friends right here in Kenya. He is a symbol of hope to many Kenyans, and I for one think it is really great how the Kenyan nation is rallying around his campaign as one.
As for us being dung, dirt or whatever else some may think, we can’t control or determine what others will think of us. But we can determine how we perceive ourselves. The story of Barrack Obama is testament to this.
Also, to say all Obama’s mom had was a Kenyan sperm donor, while a sensationalist and an “attractive” sound bite, is crass and ignorant. The couple were together for 2-3 years, after which Barack Snr left for Harvard and they drifted apart.
@reason, you really sound a bit negative. Lighten up, bwana. A son of Kenya is about to ascend to the helm in the US of A.
Allez Obama!!
40. donworry
(50 Comments) | November 5th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Firstly congratulations M….welcome sir, to the good life.
Secondly I never dreamed that this day would come. Obama and the voters in America have made history