"The black community" for lack of some precise language? Because it's what everyone else says, like 'the gay community', and locutions like that? It means what, exactly? It intends to mean what, exactly? It's not racist, it's bankrupt pitchman's jargon, and it reinforces - not stereotypes so much as monotypes. Props, though, for not mentioning JJ's formative and deep career in Chicago and its politics.

Padraig
 

So I am curious Joe. Just what is it about Obama's words do you object to? I take it you do object because it appears that you agree somehow with Rev. Jackson.

"'There's a reason why our families are in disrepair," Obama said in a Father's Day speech at Apostolic Church of God on Chicago's South Side. "And some of it has to do with a tragic history, but we can't keep on using that as an excuse. Too many fathers are AWOL, missing from too many lives and too many homes. They've abandoned their responsibilities. They're acting like boys instead of men.""

How is that talking down to people? Do you think telling people to take some responsibility for their lives is a bad thing? Do you have an explanation why Rev Jackson might not like that approach... not liking that Obama is telling some blacks they cannot just be victims?

Bad Obama.
 

It's been my impression that the good Reverend Jackson has been unhappy with Senator Obama for a while now. Ever since I heard him refer to the upcoming Democratic Convention as "The Trainwreck in Denver" back in...February (?) I've wondered how positive his opinion of Obama's could really be. (I was going to post about Jackson's "trainwreck" comment a while back, but chickened out; sorry, Joe.)
 

If you were that curious, Scott, you'd already have read up on the outrage that Obama's patronizing lecture to AA fathers was stirring up. Black fathers who don't live with their children already have a better record of seeing and supporting their kids than other dads in the same situation. You sound as out of touch as Obama, who was laughed out of the black community in Chicago when he first tried to "organize" them.

Go, Jesse Jackson! I'm proud of my primary vote for you, too. You were the real trailblazer. But you must be sad to see your son learn to throw family members under the bus in the way of the master of that, Barack "racist grandma" Obama.
 

The black community is notorious for its dysfunctional consequences wrought by numerous absentee-father families. A (Freudian) Yale University study in 1960 showed that sons of a fatherless family develop very strong tendencies for either drug addiction (the phallic needle) or alcoholism (the mother's teat). It happened that the federal AFDC program, aka welfare or gov't assistance, required by law the absence of an able-bodied male family member, like a father who could go to work. The first two Godfather movies and especially The Good Shepherd are excellent displays of father-son stories.

Dimitri
 

How can Obama talk down to black people and be a black racist radical at the same time ?

What is pathetic are the poor excuses given by the Reverend after the event, we all believe his "profound admiration" for Obama now. So, if I understand well, you're proud of your vote for an hypocrite. Can you imagine how Jackson would have reacted if a white man (like Don Imus) said that ?

It might only be a sad case of jealousy... he failed where Obama has a solid chance of winning.
 

I voted for both Jackson and Shirley Chilsom. I'll never vote for O'Precious.
 

Got to love the Shirley Chilsom. I've been meaning to do a post about her, too.
 

Panther said
How can Obama talk down to black people and be a black racist radical at the same time ?

Because nobody knows what he really is - even people like Jackson.

He is smoke and mirrors personified. Is he a radical pretending to be centrist or a centrist pretending to be radical?
He can be anything we project onto him - and that is the greatest danger of all - we don't know who he really is.
 

I am a tad confused.

Jackson ALWAYS plays the race card, to the point of absurdity.

Remember when Jackson had a fit because the white power ranger said 'white power' on the kids show!?

Does anyone remember how Jackson feels about jewish people, or should I say the "Hymies in Hymietown" that supposedly control the media?

Criticizing Obama and Jackson Jr on racial issues while proclaiming support for Jackson Sr is beyond hypocritical.
 

Mmmm...I wonder why Jesse Jackson Sr is so upset about Obama encouraging responsibility?

Could it be because Jackson himself cheated on his wife and had a child with the woman he was having an affair with?