Racism not erased by Obama's win, real change still needed

Good article. I think a lot of white people voted for him because Obama never brings up any African American issues. A lot of white people like that and feel that Obama being president will cause black people to look up to him as a person to try to be like.

“BARACK OBAMA — White Power in Black Face“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALXhG1o620g

These are good questions, good perspective. Obama’s victory is a powerful symbol of white America’s potential to overcome its long-held racism against black people. However, we should not mistake symbolic change with structural change. Schools are still segregated and seperate and unequal, cops still racial profile blacks and latinos, minorities are still denied jobs based on race, white supremacy/privilege is still taught to white children (and college students) within every facet of American life.

Ok so you believe white people voted for him because they believed in his ideas and policies. Well them please tell me….how many blacks voted for him for the same reason? Not many I would believe because I watched during election time how many areas with large populations of blacks turned out in record numbers to vote for him. Don’t tell me that real change is needed when a large percentage of blacks that voted for him only voted because he was black. If he was a white man with the same ideas would black voters have turned out in record breaking numbers to vote for him? I don’t think so.

For Kyle Mays it is. People like Kyle need to perpetuate racism or else they will have nothing to talk about or no career praying off the innocent

The point of the article was about the eradication of structural racism and whether or not Senator Obama is prepared to do so or even willing to. Whether or not Black people voted for Senator Obama for the same reasons as whites has no relationship to the point of this article because Black people are not the racists, as Malcolm X once stated.

I, Kyle Mays, do not perpetuate racism. It is the structures of this capitalist society that does as well as the apathy of white America.

The two responses above Kyle’s are so stupid they do not warrant a response. No wonder republicans lost this election cycle. MSU needs to ratchet up its critical thinking skills training :)

You have to be a complete idiot to deny racism exists, you fall in the column with the holocaust deniers. Racism is as prevalent today as it was 40 years ago, but now its more PC to hide it. Otherwise why would you question african americans voting for a black man and not just a democrat. Minorities typically vote for democrats over republicans anyways and insinuating they are not intelligent enough to make that distinction is insulting.

“Capitalist democracy is the main problem”

Your revolution is over, Mr. Mays. Condolences! The bums lost. My advice to you is to do what your father did. Get a job, sir!

“Minorities typically vote for democrats over republicans anyways and insinuating they are not intelligent enough to make that distinction is insulting.”

Which is kind of ironic given it was the dems who were the most fervent racists. Check out the percentage in both parties who voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1968. The democrats want to keep minorities perpetually poor and dependent on government because it equals more votes for them.

You’re just looking for a hand-out, like every other bum in this … Are you employed, sir? You don’t go looking for work like that do you? On a weekday?

from my life, then I as I read this, I realized it was another whiney letter to the editor from Mr. Mays. When is it that people like Mr. Mays will realize that this country is not about equality for all, but equality of opportunity for all? Obama had a pretty common, everyday upbringing. He decided he wanted to go into law, worked hard to do so and got into a great school. He decided he wanted to get into politics, worked hard, and was successful.

“Kyle Mays

African American and African studies graduate student”

Since when did African American become a title?? Why doesn’t the State News publish “Caucasian American” or “Asian American” under anybody else’s letters. Why does Kyle need to point out he is black in his title (and black isn’t capitalized as it is not a proper title)?

Also, hate to break it to you, but black people are kinda racist- such as making groups such as the Black Caucus or Black Poets Society, etc. and then not allowing other races to join.

if i spent 6 years getting a worthless degree like kyle i’d want to perpetuate this nonsense too

“Capitalist democracy is the main problem….”

So if the real problem is a capitalist democracy why does it even matter who is president. Obama was elected by a capitalist democracy and unless he decides to trample over the Constitution and replace our democracy with something different, i.e. socialism, fascism, or communism, he and every other president we will have in this country will be democratically elected into a capitalist society.

To Uhh…,
I assume he is a graduate student in both African American studies and African studies.

You have two options.
Option 1: everyone gets the same and nobody has a chance to change their position in life. We all line up every day for our bread and water rations
Option 2: Everyone has the chance to succeed and improve thier lot in life. Some will fail, some want to fail or do nothing. Those that bust their asses, have a better chance at succeeding.

I choose option 2 because I came from a broken home in Detroit (the glorious East Side you mention) and with option 2, I had a shot of atleast making it.

Top 5 Reasons Kyle Mays has no credibility:
5. He claimed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were not effective.
4. “Capitalist democracy is the main problem”
3. “poor black, Latino and Native Americans will continue to suffer the injustices of this so-called democracy.” No concern for poor whites.
2. He calls America a “so-called democracy” a week after a convincing win in a democratic election by an African American.
1. “I … do not perpetuate racism.”

Racism is dead. It has been replaced by a sort of culturalism and classism. If you wear dreadlocks, white or black, you will be discriminated against. If you grew up in a poor neighborhood, you will be discriminated against. If you have a “accent” you will be discriminated against.

If you were to describe the childhood of Barack Obama without his race described to you… I bet you would not identify it as a typical* African American experience.

*If you can ascribe a typical upbringing to someone.

I was wondering…I agree with your comment, and your last point is dead on. As long as you or I earn more than a minority, racism will exist in Kyle’s mind. And Kyle, I hate to break it to you, go anywhere in the world and you’ll find discrimination or racism. Name me one country in this entire world where some form of discrimination has NOT taken place.

To the poster that said my response was so stupid it didn’t deserve a response I’d like for you to get your head out of your a**. If you honestly think that some black people didn’t go out to vote for Obama just because he was black then you are clearly living in a fantasy world. As someone who followed the presidential race closely and watched numerous news reports on black voters it’s clear that some black voters were swayed solely on the color of Obama’s skin.

I have to admit it, I enjoy the comments by MSUAlumn2001. I wish that I could talk to you in person as you seem to have some intellectual capacity. However, when you talk about discrimination and racism, you are conflating the terms. There has always been discrimination and racism, but they are not in fact the same. Racisms prevalence began with the rise of capitalism in order to justify slavery and colonialism.

Somebody get Mr. Mays another shovel. He’s gonna need one to keep digging himself deeper into this hole. I’ve never heard someone argue so desperately from a position of victimization.

“structural racism effects people of color; that is, in predominantly Black and Latino, and Native American areas of occupancy. I do not deny that poor whites suffer, but that is more specifically capitalism.

I am a racist.

People posting that racism does not exist, or is not the result of institutions, are – as another poster put it – like Holocaust deniers, sick and delusional. During the presidential election poll, after poll, after poll, pointed to great expanses of this great country of ours that said they would not or were reluctant to vote for Obama because of his race. And this was even amongst white working-class Democrats!

Nothing will ever be enough for the African American population. It doesn’t matter what is done or how time changes, you will always think whites owe you something. Let me just make this very clear: I don’t owe you a thing. There will never be complete equality across the board. There will always be ignorant people (whites and blacks) who will have issues with the other race. You cannot expect everyone to completely understand your side, and you can only ask for handouts and sympathy for so long. Stop complaining, and be happy with how far our nation has come.