freeSpeech: Eugene Robinson
Washington Post Columnist Speaks About Condoleezza Rice
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Play CBS Video Video Rice On Iran, Terror Bill Harry Smith speaks with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice about U.S. relations with Iran, who is at odds with the U.S. over its nuclear program. Rice also addresses other issues.
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Video Rice Discusses Bin Laden Hannah Storm speaks to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice about the hunt for al Qaeda's leader, Osama bin Laden.
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Video Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice talks to "Face the Nation" host Bob Schieffer about the CIA's secret prisons and the Senate report that found no link between Iraq and al Qaeda.
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Eugene Robinson (CBS)
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Photos Presidency In Photos Images from President George W. Bush's many trips, functions and ceremonial events.
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Interactive Bush Presidency The president's agenda, plus facts, figures, major events and key personalities.
Yet the most visible, and maybe at the moment the most powerful member of the Bush administration is an African. It’s safe to say that Condi Rice provokes passionate feelings among black Americans, both pro and con — mostly con, in my case. But not always.
I’ve tried to get over the fact that a woman who grew up in Jim Crow Alabama is so loyal to a president for whom black America has so little love. I realize that black conservatives have the same right to be wrong as any other conservatives. She should be judged on foreign policy, not on whether or not she thinks like most African-Americans.
OK, fine, I think the war in Iraq is a disaster, I think this administration has created more anti-American feeling in the world than we’ve seen in my lifetime, and I look forward to the day when they have to pack up and go home. And that certainly includes Condoleezza Rice.
That’s the way I feel — until I hear some commentator describe her as, quote, articulate, which is code for a black person who speaks standard English. Excuse me, you were expecting the Secretary of State to be inarticulate?
That's when I get this involuntary twitch and I want to defend Condoleezza Rice — when she's patronized, the way black pioneers in all walks of life have been patronized. Look, it may be wrongheaded foreign policy, but Condoleezza Rice is making it.
Condoleezza Rice is a major, major player in this administration. So call her whatever you want, but don't call her a token or a puppet. And please don't call her "articulate."
Eugene Robinson, an associate editor of The Washington Post, writes about politics and culture. His column appears on Tuesdays and Fridays.
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Michelle Obama tells how her role as the First Lady has changed her perspective.





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See all 27 CommentsI am sure that we all would agree that there are some things that are worth fighting for -- our freedom and human rights, the lives of our loved ones, our strongest, highest beliefs. And if someone or some power were trying to steal these things, we might all feel that that would be worth fighting against.
People who hate what progress our country is proudly making know that these things are held sacred. All they have to do is make some nut out there believe the threat to their country and to their family is real, and one of them might feel justified to take action to mitigate it by trying to KILL OUR PRESIDENT!!!!!!!
It is a known fact that before harm is done to someone they are first labeled. The labeling of our president started with "......he's got a chip on his shoulder." " ......he's an Arab" and "he pals around with terrorists", now "........he's a racist", and "he hates white people". Then he is "trying to steal your health insurance and kill your elders in the process along with your job and your future". To show he is truly a threat that needs to justifiably be dealt with, he is "not even an American citizen" so he is the ultimate illegal alien that has stolen the highest American job! This despite the fact that he HAS submitted proof. Now he and his administration are the new Nazis. This is directed at those who would act to "protect" this country from someone who would try to harm it!!!!!!!
Those who propagate this labeling want someone, somewhere in this country, to be so driven by the fear of the above ideas that they feel justified to actually take a step to kill him. We stood by and watched it happen to doctors that performed legal abortions. That we cannot accept, and we cannot stand by and watch it happen again. Good people must stand up against the continued attempts to character-assasinate, and even worse, to encourage real assassination attempts on our President.
I hope you can use your position to shine light on this psychological scheme before it is too late.
Are you reading any of these ?
Please respond accordingly...
Do you have the courage ?
'African-American'. 'Mexican-American'. How will 'hyphened-Americans' ever be integrated into main stream American society if they refuse to identify themselves as Americans? How can Mexican-American citizens expect to be integrated into main stream America when they march in protest to our (immigration) laws and show their loyalty to Mexicao by waving Mexican flags?
I know a lot of people who are very 'articulate.' (Generally, reporters and journalists aren't among them.) What really impresses me is someone whose master of our language is 'impeccable' in spite not living in this country since birth.
Your stereotyping of blacks as generally unable to speak standard English (since you suggest that "articulate" blacks like Rice are recognized as such only in condescension) is a disgraceful ruse even a child could see through.
I am shocked at the level to which you will apparently stoop in order to harvest fresh pettiness and offendedness with which to crudely fashion new race cards for your aging and worn out deck.
You're pretty articulate yourself, by the way -- but alas, it does little to mask your ignorance.
Exacatly what words would be acceptable to you when a white person wishes to compliment a person of color / african american when they believe this individuals performance merits some type of notation in the public forum ?
Im no fan of Bush, but this person is throttling the cowboys love of ordinace with what appears to be reasoned logic.
You sir are just another african american who is completly enrolled in the polarizing non - sense that controls both political parties.
I keep mulling this over and now have my own conclusion of this issue as it applies to you.
As I stated in a previous post: "I have read your columns and seen you on panel discussions and more than once have thought that you were well spoken, articulate, even eloquent."
My conclusion is: A person that is "well spoken, articulate, even eloquent" need not be intelligent.
Im not going to be watching CBS news because CBS is shallow and short sighted by allowing this type of commentary on air.
To bad because I had planned to follow Katie to the evening news. Oh well, I guess my evening choice will be Brit Hume instead of hear this rediculous insipid rhetoric !!
Goodbye CBS and your goofball commentator
Eugene Robinson --------
After watching your commentary about Condolezza Rice last night, I certainly understood your point about using the word "articulate", however some thoughts sprung to mind when you said: "Excuse me, you were expecting the Secretary of State to be inarticulate?" - I thought to myself: "okay that's true, but how about our president? I would never descibe this guy as articulate, and he's our highest elected official."
Anyway, I do understand your point (I think) that describing Condi as "articulate" is revealing in terms of how the our society may perceive african americans..
I have read your columns and seen you on panel discussions and more than once have thought that
you were well spoken, articulate, even eloquent.
I now know that I should not have had these thoughts and would like to apologize to you.
Sincerely,
Broswall
Bush has kept America safe period I would hate to think what a Gore would do we already know what a Clinton would do NOTHING which of course has led to the middle east mess and china mess too
Robinson stated that although he may not always support our Secretary of State in her political responsibilities, he may be more concerned that she just doesn%u2019t think like an African American, graciously forgiving her conservative values. To my knowledge, the basis of our American Government is %u201Cfor the people, by the people%u201D not
%u2018for the races by the races%u201D, of which there are many in America. The fact that Condoleezza Rice is an African American Woman from Jim Crow Alabama rings a resounding triumph that she is our country%u2019s Secretary of State! Ms Rice is an intelligent Diplomat who daily addresses World Leaders of all races and confronts global issues with wisdom and articulation demanded by this position. Ms Rice successfully communicates the values, political position, and determination of the American People not to stand idly by while there remains human oppression at any spectrum of the Global Scale. Of course, this is not always popular and does created anti-American feelings among countries that prefer terrorism, communism, and oppression of freedom. I will agree with Mr Robinson on one point and that is that Condoleezza Rice is a major, major Asset to this administration and should be recognized as such.
Most African Americans, probably including yourself don%u2019t seem to know.
I didn%u2019t vote for Bush, and neither do I agree with his politics, but I%u2019m not going to %u201Cbash%u201D Condolezza Rice, because she supports policies I%u2019m in dispute.
The African American race is so fractionalized how can you expect for one individual to a representative of a race that has a lack of cohesion.
Instead of criticizing Condolezza for her politics you need to be addressing a long standing problem of black apathy towards each other, resulting in black folks murdering each other, disproportionate number of blacks in prison, black illiteracy, single-mothers and absentee fathers, a lack of sufficient black entrepreneurship, low-numbers of blacks finishing high-school and going on to college, and learned-helplessness.
There are much greater issues to concern yourself with concerning African Americans besides ranting over Condolezza Rice%u2019s assimilating into white America%u2019s ideology.
Certainly many blacks disagree with Bush%u2019s policies, but, still, many refuse to get out and vote.
Start with the %u201Cism%u201D blacks have had for each other, start with addressing the issue of blacks coming together to strive for a better education, entrepreneurship, health-care, etc.
Start by addressing blacks need to be more vocal in their communities, at school board meetings, etc., because Condolezza%u2019s political affiliation is not the problem.
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