It is a great day in history.

[Clipper]

Today is a great day in history, as Barrack Obama becomes not only the President of the United States, but also the first BLACK president. It is a historic and symbolic realization of Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream, and it is a great day for all black Americans.

It is no secret that I hate bigotry, and advocate for people discriminated against. Black Americans must be bursting with pride as Barrack Obama takes his seat as President. It is a realization that ANY American can come from obscurity to the White House in a few short years. It is a realization that blacks are truly equal in every way, and cannot be discriminated against in politics or in social circles in Washington DC any longer.

God is on his throne, and all is well with the world, and especially with the United States of America.

Reading the comment sections on the OD homepage, I see Utica is still just as ignorant, bigoted, and stupid as it usually is, in the major portion of the posts. It is no wonder that our hometown is going down the drain, when there is such hatred and ignorance prevailing in every aspect of daily life.

I am hoping that this young and charismatic President can bring about the change that he has promised at some realistic level. I am hoping that his election to the presidency brings increased attention to equal rights for ALL Americans, and I am chuckling to myself, when I read the writings and opinions of the morons that are going into atrial fibrillation contemplating a BLACK man crossing the threshold of the second floor of the White House.

Those that said "it would be a cold day in hell when a black man became president" better button up your overcoats, LOL.

Yep, the face of our nation has taken on a darker pigmentation, but the ideals and the wonders of our democracy will prevail and thrive under his leadership. I am confident of that fact. Time will tell.

I was deeply moved when they played Hail To The Chief while a black man assumed the helm of our great nation. God Bless America, and may God guide the hand and mind of Barrack Obama.

[bobbbiez]

One word to describe how I'm feeling today. "EXCITED!" ;D

Ya know Clipper, when I campaigned and voted for our now new President, I never saw no color. I listened to a man who was the only one who gave me hope and I believed in him.

Now, I have only one message. Give the man a chance. He has a lot to face and a lot to change if we are going to get this country back on it's feet. I'm sure he will make some wrong decisions as those in the past have made. I'm sure he'll have to do things that not all of us will agree with but I believe HE is one who will try to do his very best for "all."

Give him the chance.

I am "excited" because I believe he will succeed.

[Swimmy]

I'm tired of this whole race thing. Who cares if he is black? Seriously! He is a junior Senator who won the Presidency on charm and charisma. As far as I am concerned, the jury is still out on his abilities as President. I find it interesting to note that he has chosen to keep Robert Gates as Defense Secretary (you know, one of the many follies of President Bush), and re-appoint several of the same Joint Chiefs of staff carried over from President Bush's administration. How much change does he truly stand for?

Yeah, so he's the first black president. It doesn't justify the 700+ million spent on this Inauguration, especially when he preaches about responsibility in this new "era" of America. We are in an economic crisis last I checked and just wasted $700 billion the country couldn't afford. All we hear is talk about government accountability and responsibility and the need to cut unnecessary spending. What a load of crap, look who's calling the pot black.

So he's black. His race has no bearing on his ability to lead this nation. So why is it still an issue? I'm left-handed, Irish, German, and Italian. You don't hear me complaining about it! Part of the King's dream is that color is no longer an issue. But it STILL IS!

Ok, I'm done ranting about this. I did like his speech. I look forward to seeing what he has in store. But I fear that the only change we'll see is more taxes, more socialist programs, and a new justification for Iraq and Afghanistan now that a democrat is in the white house.

[denise]

Isn't his mother caucasian?

[Clipper]

So you are tired of the race thing, and what difference does it make? Probably none to whites, who have watched 200 years pass by while white americans led the country. Uhhhhh do ya think if you were black, you might be just slightly enthused, encouraged, and proud that this day has finally come?

Yeah, he had a Caucasian mother. So what. Have you seen pics of his dad? He is undoubtedly one of the blackest African men I have ever seen. Gee, Thomas Jefferson's bastard children were sired by a Caucasian father, but they lived their lives as Blacks and slaves as well.

Damn, his wife is black, his children are black and he damned sure looks black to me, so what is the problem with his calling himself black?

For the record I voted for and campaigned for McCain. I have however been carefully listening to Obama since the election, and I have watched carefully as he picked his cabinet. I am not impressed thus far with SOME of his choices, but I agree with his choices in areas of defense and chiefs of staff. Stability would be sacrificed by changing things radically and quickly.

As far as the inexperience that I too was put off by, it may be the redeeming feature of his presidency. NOT being experienced in DC circles and national politics could be the best thing that has happened in years.

This young man is far from stupid. He is a very bright young lad with charisma and enthusiasm. Hopefully it will be directed in a proper and productive direction, and he will be a success in addressing the problems he has inherited, as does every president. We bitched about Bush's last term, although he was elected by the people. Barrack Obama was also elected by the people, so obviously the majority of those voting, wanted him to serve. Why don't we just settle in, back our president as patriotic Americans should and show a face of cooperation and support to the rest of the world instead of a country of inner conflict, political unrest and bullshit from within.

I agree with his statement that it is time to forget black and white, it is time to forget Democrat and Republican, and to unite for the good of our nation. Let's give him a year, and see what he is able or unable to accomplish.

When someone says "they don't care about the race thing" I see them actually caring about little else. If they don't care, let it slide. If they don't care, then let the black community have a moment of pride and accomplishment. It truly IS a historic event that has been 200 years coming.

As far as MLK's dream being that color would not be an issue, all I can say is the FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT is an accomplishment, and IS an issue. After we have had a few black presidents or some other ethnic minority president, then and only then will it be a nonissue. Kinda like white is a non-issue in politics. Let's say after the 43rd black president, it won't be an issue any more.

In the mean time, we can all pray for his success as the leader of our great nation. OUR safety and well being depends on that success. God bless him, and guide him, and God bless our nation.

Damn Swimmy, with the economy in the shape it is in with the outgoing Republican administration, and past Democratic administrations, do ya really think ANY incoming president would be able to avoid tax increases. Let's be real. We are in a frigging mess, and WE the taxpayers are going to pay the piper for everyone elses mistakes, whether the President of the United States is Obama or Mickey Mouse.

[Deleted]

I think that Obama can do great things. But, my worry is that the GOP as policy will attemp to derail his presidency at every oppurtunity. And what is good for the country be damned. All you have to do is watch Fox news for a short time to prove my point.

[clarencebunsen]

For the mirror image of what you are describing, look at the US Senate in December of 2001 and their reaction to a request for economic pump priming.

[corner]

today Obama will be flown to area 51 and find out who is really in charge lol see ny avatar u can get excited all you want but the president is as effective as congress lets him and they are already balking at his stimulus plan and telling him no by the wasy does anyone know if the new plan includes checks to us?

[Swimmy]

Jan 21, 2009 0:56:23 GMT -5 Clipper said:

When someone says "they don't care about the race thing" I see them actually caring about little else.

For someone who does not condone sweeping generalizations you sure make a big one. A wrong one at that, especially if you pay attention to any of my other 2,000+ posts.

You could have 1,000 black presidents over the next century. It won't make a bit of difference to the race issue as long as we keep making race an issue. In other words, 1,000 black presidents from now, if the main story is, "what a change in trends from early America, does this mean white power is done?" are the top headlines, you can bet your pension that race will still be an issue. My opinion is to not make it an issue. If hilary truly sought not to make the primary about race, she would never have allowed those "rogue" campaign members to make their remarks. The media would never have sensationalized President Obama's pastor.

When I look at people, I don't see color. I don't dwell on a person's skin color or ethnic background. It makes no difference to me. I will still look you in the eye, shake your hand, smile, and sincerely say, "Nice to meet you." That's how it should be. My mom routinely has to ask me whether someone is black, white, hispanic, or asian when I'm describing people. To me it isn't an issue because it has no bearing on who that person is. Maybe I've lead a more "privileged" life than some black people, but I also lead a more "privileged" life than some white people too.

Why does it matter whether a black man or a white man robs a store or kills someone? That person still committed a crime. That person's crime is no more heinous based on skin color. It's no different than when some jackass asks if a rape victim is cute. It doesn't matter and doesn't justify the rape!

As for the economy, there are other ways to pull us out of this without having to raise taxes, just no one in Congress, state legislatures, county or city/town level want to deal with. We should NOT be spending more, we should be saving more. Change the policies that lead to this, e.g. repeal NAFTA. Cut the multiple layers of government. Do we really need a US department of education if it is a state matter? Spend money on children who want to go to college but cannot go -- despite being admitted to college -- because they cannot afford it. Create tax incentives for companies that keep their jobs here in the US. Stop wasting money on efforts that fail, like no tariff on imported goods. Create ways to improve our export/import numbers so that our exports exceed our imports like they once used to. Stop giving out $700 billion dollar scams that do nothing and stop nothing. All we have ever relied on to fix economic woes, of late, is to raise taxes, big change there.

I don't see the Republican posing as big a problem to President Obama as I see key hardcore democratic leaders being a problem. We've already heard key democratic senators and house members stating that they are not an extension of President Obama and do not work for him. Maybe that's their assurance to the Republican minority that it won't be a windfall of legislation that President Obama will now push forward, but I somehow doubt that. I think they're now realizing that President Obama is too independent for them and won't push their political agendas, but his.

[dgriffin]

Jan 21, 2009 7:37:31 GMT -5 Swimmy said:

Jan 21, 2009 0:56:23 GMT -5 Clipper said:

As for the economy, there are other ways to pull us out of this without having to raise taxes, just no one in Congress, state legislatures, county or city/town level want to deal with. We should NOT be spending more, we should be saving more. Change the policies that lead to this, e.g. repeal NAFTA. Cut the multiple layers of government. Do we really need a US department of education if it is a state matter?

Swimmy, I wholeheartedly agree! But I don't have the room here to house any more than one out of work government worker family. But given the number of people who work for government, if we all agreed to feed and house a family .....

[concerned]

I was corrected by a black person on the bus when I said he was the first black president. She quickly told me he is not black--American Negro-- he is tri-racial--Arab, White, African. I kept quiet after that.

The news media was constantly saying how now the black people have " hope " in there lives. I hope this is true. They need to stop all the violence amoung themselves. Last week ( again on the bus---can learn alot about people) three young black girls were talking had a lot to do with familiy arguments. I guess a fight broke out and the mother of a 18 month old child through the child across the room at her boy friend. Boy was I shocked. After they got off on James and Dudley the bus driver said to me did you hear what I heard. I said yes what a shame.

[Clipper]

Well swimmy, I do take back any insinuation that YOU are among those that care ONLY about race. I did not intend that comment to pertain to you. You are always fair and unbiased in your 2000 plus posts.

What I intended was to point out the fact that most seem to want to push aside the importance to the black community of having a black person elected to the highest office in the land, whether he is biracial, tri-racial, or whatever. He damn sure isn't the usual white face that has occupied the oval office for the last 200+ years.

I do apologize for any misspoken or misconstrued comment I may have made. I certainly would not intentionally take a swipe at YOU of all people swimmy.

While I also am excited about the prospect of "change", I hate to read of people minimizing the race issue. It IS NOT a minor thing. Obama doesn't have to be a direct descendant of a Swahili chief to be black. I am sure that as mixed ethnicity white americans, there are other races doing the backstroke in OUR gene pools somewhere back in history. I simply don't like the idea that many seem to be minimizing the monumental event in history, whether intentionally or not. For some blacks it will be business as usual, but for others it will be a great day of hope and accomplishment that will bring some to realize that all is not lost by being black. Some people, both black and white, may quite well take it as an inspiration to strive for better things, and to work harder toward racial unity.

Hell, I guess some think I am a nutcase with my racial views, and my anger with those who discriminate, but I simply have this weird idea that if everyone thought the way I do, race would NOT be an issue and racial unity WOULD be a given in everyday life. Opportunity would be universal among all peoples, and we would no longer have to even factor in race as an issue in our daily lives.

Hell, I ain't no saint, or any great intellectual mind, but I simply believe that without racial, territorial, religious, or political divides, the world would be a better place. We all need to focus on those differences in order to bring about world harmony. Not in our lifetime right? But every little effort to resolve the issues helps. We may have all been CREATED equal, but way back when, somewhere along the line, that fact was forgotten.

It is not a one-way street. There are as many prejudiced and bigoted blacks as there are whites. The major difference in my life is that I have had black friends since my youth. I have watched them suffer from segregation, discrimination, and bigotry for most of my 62 years. I had parents that had NO racial bias. I was brought up to treat ALL people with equal respect. I spent time in the military and watched white people discriminate against soldiers of other races. I drove a truck for many years and listened to drivers rant at black drivers who were out there doing the same noble task that they were. I have been in restaurants with black friends when they were looked upon with disdain by wait staff. More importantly, I have been in circles of blacks over the years that had the same hate and bigotry in their upbringing as the whites. It is simply an issue of my mom and dad's words ringing in my ears and the resulting disdain for anyone of any race being biased against others because of color or ethnicity.

I can apologize for my obsession with issues of race, but I am not about to change my mind or refocus my attentions at this point in life. My mom and dad ingrained it in me as a child, and I have, in turn, ingrained that tolerance and love for my fellow man in MY children. I don't think that is a BAD thing,do you.? Part of that ingrained tolerance is that it is not based on, or put across as a condescending thing. True equality and sincerity of intent are the key words to unbiased thinking.

[Swimmy]

Jan 21, 2009 12:50:50 GMT -5 Clipper said:

I hate to read of people minimizing the race issue. It IS NOT a minor thing.

. . .

I simply don't like the idea that many seem to be minimizing the monumental event in history, whether intentionally or not. . . . Some people, both black and white, may quite well take it as an inspiration to strive for better things, and to work harder toward racial unity.

simply have this weird idea that if everyone thought the way I do, race would NOT be an issue and racial unity WOULD be a given in everyday life. Opportunity would be universal among all peoples, and we would no longer have to even factor in race as an issue in our daily lives.

Clipper, I think you and I have similar ideals in that I too have a weird idea that if people thought more like I do, then race would not be an issue. It is clear that we have a difference in how we think that ideal can be achieved.

I feel that by making such a huge issue over this we are again re-affirming that people are different (different qualities) and therefore we should be happy a black man is president because look at all the other blacks who are poor and incarcerated, now they have hope. To me, by not having to make it a big issue, it's acceptance of the fact that his color is not an issue. So for me, yes, he is the first black president. I'm happy for him in that, but I do not feel the need to make such a huge spectacle. Because to me, he will not be a good/bad president because of his skin color. I will form my opinion of his abilities to lead this country based on what he does and how he does it.

In my view, by making his skin color a big issue, I believe it enables him to behave substandard. For me, I won't be saying that he was a horrible president because he was black. Or that because he's black we should cut him extra slack that we would not otherwise give other presidents. I won't be sitting there and saying oh how cute our first black president invaded Iran, well he's black and probably forgot.

That is not to imply that President Obama will be a bad president or behave substandardly. I've been very impressed with how he has held his own against seasoned opponents and stood tall. Without trying, and by being the bigger person, he made an ass out of hilary, that was cool.

I guess that color isn't an issue to me so I don't understand why it should be to everyone else. My view is that one's skin color will not make him a better or worse person. I have a black friend who was about to be arrested because he was walking in a white neighborhood. This was in college. He was walking over from the bars to my house to hang out. The cops didn't buy it, and I just happened to be outside and came over to see if he was ok. Then when I learned that, boy did I let the pigs have it. (Again, that's not a slame against all law enforcement personnel, just those two racist bastards). Even then, I had some knowledge of the law and begged them to violate his constitutional rights so I could help him file a class action 1983 claim. They didn't know what I was talking about until I mentioned that a 1983 claim is from the American Civil Rights Act passed in the 1960s during Johnson's administration. They drove off shortly after. So I'm equally aware of the bullshit blacks and other minorities deal with daily.

I saw a bill board in Lansing, MI once as I was driving to class. The local NAACP sponsored it. It was all yellow with black text. The text read, "He is a well spoken black man." That stuck with me. And I think it makes sense. President Obama will be a great black President.

I had a better idea of the point I was trying to make, but I'm at a loss for how to articulate it. So if I lost you, I completely understand.

Jan 21, 2009 12:50:50 GMT -5 Clipper said:

Hell, I ain't no saint, or any great intellectual mind, but I simply believe that without racial, territorial, religious, or political divides, the world would be a better place. We all need to focus on those differences in order to bring about world harmony. Not in our lifetime right? But every little effort to resolve the issues helps. We may have all been CREATED equal, but way back when, somewhere along the line, that fact was forgotten.

I couldn't have said that any better.

Jan 21, 2009 12:50:50 GMT -5 Clipper said:

I can apologize for my obsession with issues of race, but I am not about to change my mind or refocus my attentions at this point in life. My mom and dad ingrained it in me as a child, and I have, in turn, ingrained that tolerance and love for my fellow man in MY children. I don't think that is a BAD thing,do you.? Part of that ingrained tolerance is that it is not based on, or put across as a condescending thing. True equality and sincerity of intent are the key words to unbiased thinking.

I'm not asking you to apologize about your obsession, nor am I asking you to refocus your efforts. I think we agree on principle, just not on how to achieve it. And that's fine. I would rather disagree on how to achieve a principle than on principle any day because it means we can work out an agreement.

Hopefully you have a better understanding of what I meant by my previous post that initiated everything. I have a better understanding of what you meant.

And I really hope he is able to deliver on his campaign. I just don't think his skin color will make a difference on it, nor do I think it should.

I remember my mother telling me that if I came home with anyone other than a white Catholic girl, I would be out of the will. I looked back at her and said, "Write me out from now. You told me everyone is equal and if you can't love and treat my girl as an equal, then I want no part in such a racist family." My mother still mentions my remark to this day, and that was said 14 years ago. Wow, I feel old. I can now say 14 years ago and not be remembering something when I was three.

[Clipper]

I guess a point to be pondered is this. Being the first black president should not be important to Obama in fulfilling his term, or an excuse for any shortcomings. I DO think that it is important point to other blacks though, and can serve as a point of pride and a ray of hope in their future. He is an extraordinary example to ALL minority youth.

Glad when we can resolve differences in a civil way Swimmy. It is one of the things that I respect about all of our members here. I tend to get overly exhubrant and emotional when I write, and everyone knows I am terribly opinionated and sometimes close minded.

I also had posted to the OD comment section, and stirred a shit storm. I just gave up on even trying to reply any further on that "Topix like" travesty of a forum. There are some real assholes on their site. I hate to see all the negativity 24/7. I don't know why I even go on there to read, much less post a comment.

I LOVE to use the word "bigot" on that forum. It really tightens up the nuts of some of the morons that frequent that mess, haha. I guess it is a sick desire to just jump in, stir shit, and duck, hahaha.

Sometimes I post shit on there just to see if they will delete it. I have purposely brought comment to an early end with one quick post. They don't delete the post. They totally freak and take the whole damn comment section down for that particular article, haha.

Brings back the almost "orgasmic" pleasures of screwing with that Onwalu girl that was so damned arrogant and biased in her moderation of he OLD forums. I guess we will find out if they read this forum, when I go to post again, and find that I am ONCE MORE banned from posting, haha.

[Swimmy]

The civility exhibited here is one of the best features of these forums. I think it's great that the community self-regulates. But it is also through the work of 3 hard working admins who keep us in check when we mess up. I think it is with civility and a desire to have a professional and mature discussion of difficult subjects that the Clipper boards are so popular. This site has really come along since its early days when there were only a few members.