That Pesky Context Issue
I read a blog post recently from someone who happened to catch a radio broadcast where Rush Limbaugh was comparing President Obama to Hitler. This radio broadcast was not the actual Rush Limbaugh show...it was a discussion on NPR, which included a report ABOUT the Rush Limbaugh program. The blogger who heard this went on to speculate that Rush Limbaugh could just as likely "flip-flop", ranting on behalf of Liberals, if the price were right.
Now, I happen to know this blogger to be an intellectually honest person, a real truth-seeker. That's why I am surprised that he would not have considered the context of the soundbites he may have heard. I am puzzled that he would not have questioned the possible agenda of NPR in broadcasting this discussion. Specifically, it concerns me that "context" has become so meaningless.
For instance, today's controversy about Harry Reid's comments prior to the presidential campaign. As I understand it, he referred to President Obama as "light-skinned", with "no Negro accent." I am not an Obama fan, much less a fan of Harry Reid. But, I don't think Reid's statements were racist. In context, he was defining his early support of Barack Obama as a candidate for President. We may not want to acknowledge it, but the fact that Barack Obama is African-American was a consideration. I don't get it...we were all proud of the fact that the U.S. finally elected an African-American President (therefore proving that we are NOT a racist nation), but on the other hand, we can't talk about it, because that would be racist.
What is the bottom line? Would we be really-really-non-racist if we elected a really black-looking black guy, with a really heavy street accent...so long as we didn't use the word "Negro"? This is insane! He's our President. I don't like his agenda, and I have a right to disagree with that.
I refuse to take Harry Reid's comments out of context, just to make him look like a racist. I would appreciate it if others would not take Rush Limbaugh's comments out of context, just to make him look like a Hitler fanatic.
Now, I happen to know this blogger to be an intellectually honest person, a real truth-seeker. That's why I am surprised that he would not have considered the context of the soundbites he may have heard. I am puzzled that he would not have questioned the possible agenda of NPR in broadcasting this discussion. Specifically, it concerns me that "context" has become so meaningless.
For instance, today's controversy about Harry Reid's comments prior to the presidential campaign. As I understand it, he referred to President Obama as "light-skinned", with "no Negro accent." I am not an Obama fan, much less a fan of Harry Reid. But, I don't think Reid's statements were racist. In context, he was defining his early support of Barack Obama as a candidate for President. We may not want to acknowledge it, but the fact that Barack Obama is African-American was a consideration. I don't get it...we were all proud of the fact that the U.S. finally elected an African-American President (therefore proving that we are NOT a racist nation), but on the other hand, we can't talk about it, because that would be racist.
What is the bottom line? Would we be really-really-non-racist if we elected a really black-looking black guy, with a really heavy street accent...so long as we didn't use the word "Negro"? This is insane! He's our President. I don't like his agenda, and I have a right to disagree with that.
I refuse to take Harry Reid's comments out of context, just to make him look like a racist. I would appreciate it if others would not take Rush Limbaugh's comments out of context, just to make him look like a Hitler fanatic.
posted by Kathy at 1/10/2010 08:24:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home