[burger]

[quote author=burger link=topic=14611.msg156904#msg156904 date=1456012669]
[quote author=TreesAndBirds link=topic=14611.msg156889#msg156889 date=1456000057]
But at the big picture level, I think both parties engage in their share of divisiveness, and my disagreement is with people who think that one party does it far more than the other party. But I am especially disappointed that, to me, President Obama has not helped heal the racial divide in our country, and has likely made it worse. He was uniquely positioned to help address this important problem, and to me it is his biggest failure.

I've heard this argument before, and I think that it is completely divorced from reality.  One big problem with race in this country (there are many "sub-problems," and it would take days to address them all) is that there are a lot of racist people.  Studies, including some by Stanford folks, have shown this over and over, and I am too lazy to get all the links, but the evidence is overwhelming.  How was Obama supposed to eliminate racism?  How was he supposed to make people of any race who have negative attitudes towards other races stop?  I think that racism is, in part at least, a product of human nature, and expecting Obama to somehow transcend human nature is the height of folly.

The "failure to heal the racial divide" argument is a farce.  Why was it Obama's responsibility to heal the racial divide?  We've had lots of previous presidents of both parties--didn't they have some responsibility, too?  Aren't parents responsible for raising their kids?  How about churches and religious institutions and schools?  Expecting one person to solve a problem that has existed for millenia is ridiculous.
[/quote]

I did not say Obama was supposed to "eliminate racism". I said I am disappointed that he has not helped to heal it. And I believe as our first bi-racial President he was in a unique position to do so. And instead things are worse. And while many of us might have some prejudice in us, we as a nation have made of exceedingly large proportions progress, so it is not like this is something that is inherent and cant be improved upon. Unfortunately the opportunity that Pres. Obama had was largely wasted, and while I dont think he gets all the blame, I think he gets a lot of it. Maybe he will choose to devote more energy to this area when he becomes a private citizen. I hope so because I believe he has the ability to make a difference.
[/quote]

I still find your entire argument ridiculous.  I'd challenge to name three concrete things that Obama could have done to heal racial issues.  I can't think of anything.

Also, there is no evidence for your statement that things have gotten worse--it's just an unfounded opinion.  The Black Lives Matter protests are an attempt by a group of people frequently MURDERED by police to have their rights protected.  Those protests are an attempt to make things better, not evidence of a breakdown of black-white relation.

This is just another example of ridiculous expectations that the right wing has for Obama.  He's just one person.  Being black or mixed race does not give him magical powers to heal the country.

[burger]

[quote author=burger link=topic=14611.msg156904#msg156904 date=1456012669]
[quote author=TreesAndBirds link=topic=14611.msg156889#msg156889 date=1456000057]
But at the big picture level, I think both parties engage in their share of divisiveness, and my disagreement is with people who think that one party does it far more than the other party. But I am especially disappointed that, to me, President Obama has not helped heal the racial divide in our country, and has likely made it worse. He was uniquely positioned to help address this important problem, and to me it is his biggest failure.

I've heard this argument before, and I think that it is completely divorced from reality.  One big problem with race in this country (there are many "sub-problems," and it would take days to address them all) is that there are a lot of racist people.  Studies, including some by Stanford folks, have shown this over and over, and I am too lazy to get all the links, but the evidence is overwhelming.  How was Obama supposed to eliminate racism?  How was he supposed to make people of any race who have negative attitudes towards other races stop?  I think that racism is, in part at least, a product of human nature, and expecting Obama to somehow transcend human nature is the height of folly.

The "failure to heal the racial divide" argument is a farce.  Why was it Obama's responsibility to heal the racial divide?  We've had lots of previous presidents of both parties--didn't they have some responsibility, too?  Aren't parents responsible for raising their kids?  How about churches and religious institutions and schools?  Expecting one person to solve a problem that has existed for millenia is ridiculous.
[/quote]

I did not say Obama was supposed to "eliminate racism". I said I am disappointed that he has not helped to heal it. And I believe as our first bi-racial President he was in a unique position to do so. And instead things are worse. And while many of us might have some prejudice in us, we as a nation have made of exceedingly large proportions progress, so it is not like this is something that is inherent and cant be improved upon. Unfortunately the opportunity that Pres. Obama had was largely wasted, and while I dont think he gets all the blame, I think he gets a lot of it. Maybe he will choose to devote more energy to this area when he becomes a private citizen. I hope so because I believe he has the ability to make a difference.
[/quote]

I still find your entire argument ridiculous.  I'd challenge to name three concrete things that Obama could have done to heal racial issues.  I can't think of anything.

Also, there is no evidence for your statement that things have gotten worse--it's just an unfounded opinion.  The Black Lives Matter protests are an attempt by a group of people frequently MURDERED by police to have their rights protected.  Those protests are an attempt to make things better, not evidence of a breakdown of black-white relation.

This is just another example of ridiculous expectations that the right wing has for Obama.  He's just one person.  Being black or mixed race does not give him magical powers to heal the country.