HOMOGRAPH The definition of a homograph is the following: two words that have the same spelling and the same sound, but have a different meaning. Take for example the homograph race. The first meaning is to move at great speed; to compete. The second meaning is a major division between mankind. When you read the following phrase, “The ‘Race‘ for the White House” what comes to mind. Is it a competition or is it the major division between mankind. SPEAK ON IT! Just click on the title and began lamenting.
- Speaking of the race for the white house, I thought it would be appropriate to provide a link for you to view and read Barack Obama’s whole speech. Make your own judgement.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3511&id=12333-8982805-mByHjv&t=546
If you’re busy, here’s a highlight from the speech:
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3510&id=12333-8982805-mByHjv&t=547
SPEAK UP! 
Several things come to mind: Generational race, biological race-woman v. man, Time of the race-race against time maybe/we are out of time: and Farrakhan expressed that it will take a black man to fix this country.
This generation is racing against another generation in the Republican candidates, he is 71, he can’t relate to any generation after his.
We have a generation of voters young, men and women who have a difficult choice between sex and culture-being black is also a culture, so even though Obama isn’t American Black, he is grouped with all blacks in America.
What should come to mind for all voting citizens, is that they should be racing to the polls and reading non-subjective print to keep up with their candidate.
My grandma always said that white people don’t pay attention to us until we pay attention to them.
We need to pay attention to what and who we think are the best candidate for this presidency-Race, Culture, associations aside.
And a shout out to my girl for putting us on, e
Thanks for the shout out friend, you know you my girl. I knew that you would be the first to speak on it. Love you E, always and forever!!!
I also hear you on the part about Obama. I have been visiting other blogs that tend to spend a lot of time talking about this election in particular Obama and I have gone on the record sharing with total strangers what I believe they need to know about the man who is running on the Democratic ticket. People out there are clueless to this man as far as his race is concerned. You and I know because of our heritage.
You know what ticks me off is all this talk about the mans middle name. So his name is not John, Sue or Harry! Does that make him less of an American. Who defined what names are American? Oh I think it started on Ellis Island. When my students of central and north american decent try to change the pronunciation of their name because they want to be accepted I make no mistake in telling them their original pronunciation is correct. I don’t care what Obama’s middle name is, all I’m concerned with is will he make a good president for an America that I hope is ready for REAL CHANGE and not a man at 71 who can’t relate. Mos Def said it best, No more dynasties in the White House.
I could go on and on but I must stop so I can fix something to eat.
Seems like the idea of race always hovers in the background with any public-based decision we as a humankind make. Private situations exist for this purpose, as do prejudice exist to channel discrimination; sometimes it’s better to just think and not speak. Because our system has been founded on unjust, illegal (according to today’s law) and power-driven principles, it’s difficult to take out the obvious and follow utopian views. Cornell West gave me good insight in regards to his dress. He states his one-piece wardrobe symbolizes a sorrowful existence but his jubliant spirit gives him balance (paraphrased of course). The times we have before us will be viewed from fighting stances to make change in a process not designed for change. A black president will open the eyes of black people (at minimal) to learn more about, contest, support, mourn and celebrate the daily happenings of our society. We’ll see just how much “democracy” will prevail in November! Thanks you my #2 for bringing wholesome, grown-folk talk to the table 🙂
Today I had a myriad of great discussion with different kinds of people that inspired me to once again visit my blog in hopes to share my experience with the world. Today it just seemed to be the day where folks were coming out of their shell and expressing themselves openly. I appreciate that. I learned a lot about myself through other peoples experiences as well as how similar I am to people I once thought was different from me. I can honestly admit that this one conversation I had with a lady caught me off guard because I went into the discussion thinking she was a red state and after chatting with her for 35 minutes she came out and told me she was a Democrat. See that’s what I mean people, we must talk. We must not be silent. This woman is most likely in her early to middle fifties, woman of European decent, educated, married with children– DOWN TO EARTH told me she was voting for Obama. And though I live in a state that allowed Obama to yet gain another state to his many I would have never thought this woman would support Obama. I know, I am guilty of prejudging, we all are. But what transpired after her telling me her candidate of choice we began to talk about matters being discussed in the media. She then began to tell me stories of her childhood growing up in Iowa. About how the first time she saw a black person was on the bus with her mother. How she was in awe of the lady with, her words exactly, “chocolate milk skin”. It was her first encounter with a person who she states didn’t have skin the color of milk. This lady who touched my life today was a child when she first laid eyes on this woman of chocolate skin. See I wish we as adults could see the world, the ‘race’ for the white house through the eyes of a child. I wish cable network so called reporters could be of the age of innocence again when reporting on this competition. I am tired of the name calling and the lack of integrity in the reporting because there are many vulnerable Americans that I want to protect from the very things that divide us, like race. We may not be able to change are skin complexion–OR CAN WE– our hair texture–OR CAN WE, but we can change our ways of causing dissension, confusion and division if we take the time to get to know him or her. Later
I have no problem admitting that I’m involved in this election in some capacity. Today I listened to a Ferraro explain to a reporter how her comments were taken out of context and how she is not a racist. Hmmm. Okay I will give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she’s not a racist. Let me not cast judgement nor cast the first stone. But, I feel the need to speak on the issue of the media bringing race into this election for the white house. The media is obsessed with race right now as if this is all a part of sweeps week for prime time television and who is going to get the highest viewer participation. Will it be Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives…? I just want to go on ‘Survivor Island’ right now. The cable network Fox promotes the idea of ‘FAIR AND BALANCE’ but I don’t see that. In my opinion FOX is in the same league with CNN, HNN, CNBCW, CNBC, MSNBC, ABC, NBS, CBS–THE VIEW. Can the news just talk about the facts? Can we stop dividing this election, this competition, this race, by race. No more pie graphs dividing the race for the White House, this way the Ferraros of this world won’t add fuel to the already blazing fire.
Like the woman you spoke with earlier today, I had a very limited upbringing. I admit the first time I touched Reggie’s hair I spent a moment figuring it out. Thank GOD it wasn’t too humiliating for him, and he stuck with me to open my eyes. Now it’s been 7 years and I’m the one embarrassed. I think this country is doing that. We’re feeling what’s different in our candidates. We’ve never had anything but old white men, and though McCain is the oldest, I hardly think that makes him more unique than Clinton or Obama. Hopefully this country is more than just fearful, hopefully there is curiosity because that leads to mind-opening.
Caitlin, I too am still trying to figure out my hair and after all these years. And I’m 35, you would think I’ve got it figured out by now. 🙂
Your candidness about the moment you found yourself trying to figure out Reggie’s locks is one to be appreciated and I applaud you for inquiring and admitting your sense of embarrassment. It shows your humanity and your sojourn for those things, in my opinion, not valued as beautiful. But I see you have found the beauty of his locks. Those locks are valuable. Their journey here to America made it through hard times to say the least and still they rise. You’re comment is right on, hopefully there is a curiosity from this country that is ready to conquer its fear too.
I’ve been holding on this because after a little less than a decade living in the US, I still consider this kind of discussion very “foreign” and I mean foreign to my way of thinking and to the way I was raised, so I might not be in sync with a lot of people on this, but it’s worth the risk 🙂
I must clarify, without going in too much detail, that when I talk about “race” I only understand it, when apply to humans, as “social race”, meaning an idea that is culturally embedded in this society -and others-, but that is NOT FACTUAL, not real, not biologic.
For more on that, I recommend this website: http://www.pbs.org/race/000_General/000_00-Home.htm
With that in mind, I wonder, why is such a surprise that this issue has come out at this point? As Tim Wise (http://www.timwise.org/) said, neither Obama or Clinton could bring up the race or gender issue to their campaigns because it’d be perceived as trying to “cash on it”, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been in the minds of the voters, it’s just the white elephant in the room.
I believe that people should look at the facts, the record and the character of each candidate by him/herself despite of gender, skin color or POLITICAL PARTY and go with that person they think is best for the job which also mean that who they can identify with.
I come from a generation that, in my home country, was the first to vote for the candidate and not the party and my first vote was not for my “family’s party”, so I find myself very independent when it comes down to choosing a candidate, but that’s me and I can’t ask everybody to do the same.
For some people, race is a deciding factor, for other gender, for most political affiliation. At the en of the day, neither one of these things can ensure that a candidate will be a good president, they’re just superficial. However, because race has so much to do with personal identity in the US, it’s not surprising at all that it plays some kind of roll in an unprecedented presidential campaign.
I believe we have come a long way since the days of Martin Luther King Jr., but still have a long way to go until we can actually say that our judging factor is the character of a person, and not his/her skin color.
http://www.glumbert.com/media/chrisrocksnl
Chris Rock is funny. Sometimes it’s just good to laugh and not get your panties or boxers in a bunch.
CFRICK,
I will never fully understand how the concept of race is foreign to you because anyone who has grown up in America has been beaten over the head with the concept. I too wish this idea was something foreign to me as well as for my American brothers and sisters of all nationalities. If this were the case then I believe we as a nation would be closer to the promise land.
Dr. King had a dream and in his dream speech he mentioned color which in my opinion is synonymous with race, for in his time, race was a constant thorn in your flesh no matter if you were black or white. But in this day and age we have an opportunity to omit race and come together as human-beings– separate from color segregated minds.
I don’t want to get all spiritual, but I believe there’s a devil just as I believe in God, the Father and I know the enemy comes to kill, still and destroy and he will use any means necessary to divide and conquer us as a country–EVEN THE RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE. Do you not think race is a card the adversary plays to keep us hating on each other, stabbing each other in the back, dividing us by this so called ‘race card’ so that we don’t come together as humans who are SO capable of love. Because all I’ve been hearing and seeing is dissension on the television and airwaves. Help us!
This will not be the first time I’ve voted for a president. I believe I’ve voted three or four times and I’m coming up on my 4th or 5th vote. Truthfully speaking, I’ve lost count. Nevertheless, my previous voting has always been about the issues, never the color of ones skin regardless if there wasn’t a choice back then–AND this election is no different. I am hoping that all eligible voters vote for the candidate they believe is the best for this country. Keep in mind none of them are perfect, but we have to choose one and I choose Obama. Not because he’s biracial and I’m biracial, but because he has carried himself in a manner I deem honorable and I like what he has to say about education seeing how I’m an educator in the public school system. HELP US!
Thanks CFRICK for enlightening me and enlightening the world with your thoughts.
Jinkatta
I plan to check out those websites you offered.
You go Girl! speak your mind and hold your position. I love you my Nubian Sister.
Well, it seems as this was somehow a prelude of what was about to happen.
I have spent the last two days listening to radio shows talking about Obama’s speech about race and people’s reactions about it.
Nevertheless, an interesting and passionate topic, but also a very sticky and complicated one.
I don’t want to put you in the spotlight, but I’d love to hear your thoughts about what’s going on.
CFrick you best to believe I’ll be responding to the latest garbage on tv. I’ve already started my draft, but because I’ve seemed to have lost my glasses my comments about what is going on will take awhile so stay tuned because I am so inspired!!!!! to speak on it.
GO OBAMA! YOU GOT MY VOTE AND YOUR THE REAL DEAL. I AM TIRED OF HEARING ALL THIS GOSSIP. HE WHO CAST THE FIRST STONE…. YOU HAVEN’T HEARD THE LAST OF ME FOR I MUST RESPOND TO THIS GOSSIP ON NEWS PROGRAMS ABOUT THE LATEST GOSSIP REGARDING OBAMA.
HE’LL TAKE PENN. AND HE’LL BECOME THE THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY SO MANY OF MY FRIENDS DON’T TRUST THE ELECTION SYSTEM. AND BY THE WAY MY FRIENDS WHO DO NOT TRUST THE ELECTION SYSTEM VOTED FOR BARACK SO WHAT DOES THAT SAY. PEOPLE NEED TO GET A LIFE AND STOP BRINGING THIS GARBAGE UP. MY HOPE IS THAT PEOPLE WON’T GET SUCKED INTO THIS CRAZY DISPLAY OF IGNORANCE THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS SUFFERED FROM SINCE ESTABLISHMENT.
I POSE THIS QUESTION TO ANYONE OUT THERE IN BLOG LAND. CAN A BLACK PERSON BE A RACIST? I DON’T AGREE WITH OBAMA’S PASTOR BECAUSE HE WAS NOT PREACHING THE GOOD NEWS/THE WORD OF GOD. WHAT HE WAS STATING WAS COMING FROM HIS OWN AGENDA.
AND BY THE WAY, TO ALL MEN AND WOMEN–STOP WORSHIPPING MAN. MAN IS NOT PERFECT. EVEN THOSE MEN WHO CLAIM THEY ARE OF THE CLOTH. PUT YOUR TRUST IN GOD!!!!!!! AND YOU WON’T GET DISAPPOINTED. THE ‘CHURCH’ IS THE BODY OF CHRIST NOT A BUILDING CALLED UNITED TRINITY OF CHRIST.
AND PASTOR WRIGHT IS NOT GOD AND MEN OF GOD ARE NOT TO BE WORSHIPPED.
EDUCATE YOURSELF PEOPLE. OKAY I’M DONE FOR NOW