What do you guys think of this? People are assuming that him touching Clinton was him wiping off the handshake of one of the Haitian guys in this video, leading many to claim that he "doesn't like black people" or is racist. This is just one article; there are hundreds more on this little buzz.
I think that the action was unnecessary, but don't really see it as something that should be reduced to a racial issue. Maybe I'm giving him too much credit...!
I don't think you're giving him too much credit. I think that there may have actually been a plausible explanation. Maybe the other guy's hand was sweaty, or that Bush's was? Even if it was intentional (not that I condone any such action), this is more about the spin anyone wants to put on a short video clip. I find this to be more useful as a piece of propaganda and of a display of how politicized race has become, and the use of media to spread one's point of view and create controversy.
ReplyDeleteA question this brings to my mind is about a hypothetical situation in which Obama could have been the perpetrator of a similar act. There are two possible ways for such a reversed hypothetical situation to play out... Obama is painted as being "too black" or the media gets persecuted for executing a witch hunt against the black (not mixed race, mind you) President.
In both the hypothetical and real models of this situation, the media is the real bad guy" in my mind for making race into such an issue. This is a good example of people preferring to turn a humanitarian trip or issue into a politicized finger point and name calling session. That one possibly insignificant incident is able to overshadow some good doing in the world or the plight of a devastated nation, just demonstrates the power of racialization.
I think this was blown wayyyy out of proportion! I am not a huge George Bush fan myself, but I definitely do not think this needed to be reduced to a racial issue. To me, it simply looked like he was patting Clinton or the shoulder and kind of trailed off. That seemed hugely insignificant and as Max said, completely overshadowed the point of that visit. It shows racialization of politics as well as the corruption of the media...George Bush was given the spotlight instead of the charity to Haiti. I could definitely see how that could have been viewed as rude... but to put the title "George Bush Doesnt Like Black People" on it seemed a bit dramatic.. George Bush is not longer in the position to be re-elected.. his trip to Haiti was to raise awareness, charity, and knowledge about the situation. That clip just really placed emphasis on something insignificant in the scheme of things.
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