Thursday, November 06, 2008

Afterthoughts ...

Wasn't Obama's victory speech terrific ? As were the gracious words of John McCain. Obama hit all the right buttons, real lump in the throat stuff.

In fact, the last victory speech which had such an effect on me was delivered in the early hours of May 2nd, 1997.

One or two commenters, noting the voter intimidation in Philadelphia, implied that the US was on a South African trajectory.

I think not. I haven't the figures to hand, but as I recall the black percentage of the US population is actually falling, due to high rates of abortion (one black baby in three) and Hispanic immigration. If anything, demography implies that US politics may become more Mexican.

The Mexican Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino, an ally of President Felipe Calderon, died last night when a small plane he was travelling in crashed into evening rush hour traffic in Mexico City. The reason for the crash was not clear but a civil aviation disaster expert told Reuters that sabotage could not be ruled out, along with other possible causes like engine failure.

Calderon, who is waging a high-stakes war on Mexico's powerful drug cartels, mourned the loss of a close aide and friend who had worked with him for years.

Steve Sailer's new Obama book, currently free as a pdf, (link possibly non-work friendly) goes into some detail about the Reverend Wright's church and its theology. But there's a much longer essay on the same subject by Stanley Kurtz here. Quite entertaining stuff - James Cone and the Rev Wright hate white liberals just as much as they hate white conservatives :

Indeed, one of the most striking features of Black Theology and Black Power is its strident attack on white liberals. According to Cone, "when white do-gooders are confronted with the style of Black Power, realizing that black people really place them in the same category with the George Wallaces, they react defensively, saying, 'It's not my fault' or 'I am not responsible.'" But Cone insists that white, liberal do-gooders are every bit as responsible as the most dyed-in-the-wool segregationists. Well before it became a cliche, Cone boldly set forth the argument for institutional racism--the notion that "racism is so embedded in the heart of American society that few, if any, whites can free themselves from it."

The liberal's favorite question, says Cone, is "What can I do?" He replies that, short of turning radical and putting their lives on the line behind a potentially violent revolution, liberals can do nothing. The real liberal question to blacks, says Cone, is "What can I do and still receive the same privileges as other whites and--this is the key--be liked by Negroes?" Again, he answers, "Nothing."
Ironic really. White do-gooders are all over the shop at present telling the world how Obama transcends race and what a great unifier he is. This is the stuff Obama listened to for twenty years, before discovering how awful it was around the same time the media discovered it.

When we consider that nearly the whole of Wright's original congregation left, that other active members departed, and that Wright's radicalism made relations in the United Church of Christ rocky, Barack Obama's decision to stay appears all the more striking. Indeed, Blow the Trumpet in Zion is filled with attempts by Cone's followers to come to grips with their rejection by the broader black community. Nearly every sermon Wright preaches, as well as his now-infamous bulletins and church magazines, is filled with his radicalism, and it's therefore impossible not to conclude that Obama was broadly attracted to Wright's politics.
The good news (in the sense that his racial identification at least isn't driven by religious fervour, a powerful force) is that Obama seems to have been more attracted to the pro-black/anti-white bit than the religious bit. A/c/t his own testimony, the young radical was advised that his "organising" work would meet with more response from church leaders if he 'belonged' to a church - and he chose Wright's. His interviews with Revds Phillips and Wright don't exactly sound like those of a devoted Christian, more like those of an ambitious agnostic :

“Nothing’s harder than reaching young brothers like yourself,” he said. “They worry about looking soft. They worry about what their buddies are gonna say about ’em. They tell themselves church is a woman’s thing-that it’s a sign of weakness for a man to admit that he’s got spiritual needs."

The reverend looked up at me then, a look that made me nervous. I decided to shift the conversation to more familiar ground ...

Nonetheless, the guy's a bright cookie. As Sailer says, he possesses one of the finest minds of any US politician. I watch events with interest.

Oh, and I see various predictions that other countries will give the new kid in the playground a push or two didn't take long to come true.

Russia will deploy short-range missiles near Poland to counter U.S. military plans in Eastern Europe, President Dmitry Medvedev warned Wednesday, setting a combative tone that clashed with global goodwill over Barack Obama's election.

In his first state of the nation speech, Medvedev blamed Washington for the war in Georgia and the world financial crisis and suggested it was up to Washington to mend badly damaged ties.

Medvedev also proposed increasing the Russian presidential term to six years from four — a change that could deepen Western concern over democracy in Russia and play into the hands of his mentor, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who has not ruled out a return to the Kremlin.

Extending the presidential term could mean a possible 12 more years in the top office for the popular Putin.




11 comments:

Anonymous said...

43% of white voters voted for Obama.
34% of Asian voters voted for McCain.
31% of Hispanic voters voted for McCain.
4% of black voters voted for McCain.

As Dubya leaves the Whitehouse, wave goodbye to the last white President of the United States.

Anonymous said...

The black population is in relative decline. Already more =blacks in the US are immigrants/descended from immigrants than are from the original slave population.

Yes hispanic immigration is vast, enough to destroy the US on its own but black immigration is going on too.

"34% of Asian voters voted for McCain."

Those hardworking natural conservatives eh? Yet again race-blind conservatives are left scratching their heads wondering how their message didnt get through.

"31% of Hispanic voters voted for McCain."

Actually werent they supposed to be natural conservatives too? I think Bush did well with them a whole 40%, count em! So for every 10 hispanics of voting age 6 voted democrat and thats when the reps did well.

McCain wanted to allow unlimited numbers of hispanics into the US. Ergo McCain would help to guarantee a permanent democratic future for the US.

Though Obama probably has similar plans.

Anonymous said...

1997, I remember the joy, stayed up all night in a friends caravan on the east coast, we booked it specially, watching TV, happy days! At last we were going to get our way, a land of milk & honey...or something.

Jeez, what a mug I was.

Ive woken up now. Children, 9/11.

Obama may be better in some respects but he has the whole US to play with. Blair just helped hasten the decline of Britain, Obama has the clout to wreck the whole west.

Dont get me wrong, Juan McAmnesty would have been as bad, if not worse.

'Eddie Willers' said...

Hmmm...white, liberal do-gooders asking 'What can I do?'

Didn't Frederick Douglass give them the answer to this 'Negro Question' some 140-odd years ago? Do Nothing but leave us alone - or some such sagacity...

Anonymous said...

For all the hysteria, isn't the reality a bit more prosaic?

Let's get things into context. Only one party since WW2 has won more that two terms in a row - the Republicans with Bush 1 after Reagan.

The popular vote was divided 48%/52%. If I was a Democrat, I would be asking - after two unpopular wars, the most unpopular president in history, and with the biggest economic crisis in 100 years, and up against a geriatric and a hockey mom - is that the best we can do? It was a points victory, and the points that got the victory were the black voters who never normally vote anyway.

So for all the media hype, have things really changed that much? There's quite a lot of good news in this for conservatives, or there could be.

First, this should be the beginning of the end of the race and grievance industries. You can do it if you want in the US - black, female, whatever. Already a number of states have banned affirmative action. The election of Obama calls into question much of the identity politics of the left and much of its raison d'etre

And when California, that ocean of blue to the left, land of Hollywood, bans "Gay marriage", things can't be that bad. America still knows its right from its wrong, the things that keep it strong.

Fears that Obama might introduce European style social democracy and in so doing consign it to history will hit reality, if he tries. You can't redistribute money you don't have.

America still has vitality, vigour and identity, it is on a demographically determined move towards the right.

As to Hispanic immigration - all I can say is - count yourselves lucky. There's nothing inherently contradictory in Hispanic culture with the incumbent culture, it's Christian, family based, of European origin. You have very little to fear, and if you assert yourselves, you should have little problem with assimilation.

So don't panic just yet.

Anonymous said...

"There's nothing inherently contradictory in Hispanic culture with the incumbent culture, it's Christian, family based, of European origin. You have very little to fear, and if you assert yourselves, you should have little problem with assimilation."

Tienes razon, amigo. Hispanics have revived Protestant churches in many areas. Contrast that with Eurabia.

Anonymous said...

First, this should be the beginning of the end of the race and grievance industries. You can do it if you want in the US - black, female, whatever. Already a number of states have banned affirmative action. The election of Obama calls into question much of the identity politics of the left and much of its raison d'etre

Im not holding my breath. You could say the same about SA and Zimbabwe. Remind me, how's that working out?

Hugh, you've got to reach up to that tiny whispering liberal devil sitting on your shoulder and crush its life out.

For the likes of Obama its race first, last and always. Until we think the same, optimistic statements about how reasonable Obama is going to be will likely turn to ashes in your mouth at some point.

A more cynical assessment is that he will just be a pawn of the powers that be and throw away his liberal credibility attacking Iran or something.

Anonymous said...

This is the future...

Black US school teacher bullies a young school girl (close) to tears for supporting McCain:
You Tube video

Black Obama supporter thinks she will now get free petrol and her mortgage paid, for life:
You Tube video

Anonymous said...

For the likes of Obama its race first, last and always. Until we think the same, optimistic statements about how reasonable Obama is going to be will likely turn to ashes in your mouth at some point.
The point I'm making is this. The American voters have given Obama the benefit of the doubt, they haven't given him a ringing endorsement. He needs to tread carefully, and if he doesn't he'll be out - in four years. That's the beauty of America. You don't get to sit there indefinitely. You can only do so much.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 8:10 - D'acuerdo.

Anonymous said...

Hispanic immigration - all I can say is - count yourselves lucky. There's nothing inherently contradictory in Hispanic culture with the incumbent culture, it's Christian, family based, of European origin. You have very little to fear, and if you assert yourselves, you should have little problem with assimilation.

Please, please Hugh stop it mate, that's the tired old 'conservative' line that keeps being trotted out year after year. Fool yourself if you like but dont spread enemy propaganda!

At every election hispanics vote democrat in at least a 60/40 ratio. GWB got that 40% vote and thats the best ever. The more hispanics, the more votes the democrats get. These hispanics are not King Juan Carlos or Penelope Cruz, they are mestizos, very largely indian descended, they are not assimilating, though we keep being told thats going to happen any time now. Many dont even speak Spanish - after 100s of years they have not been assimilated into hispanic culture, but they are going to become model US citizens.

The next Republican president, if there is one, will likely be the last and probably the last white one. Laban often mentions demography as destiny regarding Muslims, its the same with hispanics in the US.