Debbie,
This is what I’ve worked out regarding the choices made by the President, his wife, and others in his administration. Many, if not most, are arrived at based on “It’s Our Turn Now” rather than rational, grown-up thinking. Much as women have made some irrational choices after a long and hard fought conflict over status, pay, and opportunity. I believe it’s the result of an all too human trait that causes newcomers to power to demand the right to act as ridiculous and self serving as the group which preceded them. They feel they have the right to make all the same mistakes and be excused for those and any new twists because “It’s their turn.”
Thank You, Zowie! just learned we’re under a new tsunami alert. 8.0 on Vanuatu.
Bob Fulkerson
Haiku,Maui

Bob Fulkerson on October 7, 2009 at 7:06 pm

Debbie – it gives one a window into their worldview and it isn’t very attractive. The more Americans see of them, the less they like them. Very soon, Obumbler’s ratings will be in Jimmy Carteresque territory. He’s managed to do to his own popularity in eight months what it took the combined efforts of the media to do to Bush in eight years. And he’s naive, dangerously incompetent and over his head in running the most powerful country in the world.

NormanF on October 7, 2009 at 8:29 pm

I’m surprised the NEA hasn’t been commissioned yet to do a series of artwork of the Obama-messiah and his peeps to be displayed in the racistly-called “White” House. I wouldn’t put it beyond the NEA to create some sculptures of Odopey as a youth in chains and shackles being oppressed by whitey.

I also wouldn’t put it beyond Odopey’s ego to tear down the Jefferson Monument because Jefferson owned slaves. Then he’d probably put up an Obama Monument in its place with an art gallery of his NEA sponsored artwork.

Jarhead on October 7, 2009 at 9:41 pm

[Featuring paintings that allude to the segregated South of yesteryear are a slap in the face to the South, especially when the man sitting in the White House is Black.]

And I guess “Inglorious Basterds”” is an insult to Germany.

NB: Wow, they’re showing “Inglorious Basterds” to visitors on the walls of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s house? Who knew? DS

Norman Blizter on October 7, 2009 at 10:58 pm

I believe that the Obamas, their admin, the Democrats in power in Congress all lack the sensitivity to realize how their abuses appear to the rest of the nation.
President Obama hasn’t even HAD a real crisis yet, of the type that changes the world, such as what happened on 9-11-2001. Imagine what President Obama would have done then.
George Bush was a better President in his sleep than Obama could hope to be on his best day.

Douglas Q on October 8, 2009 at 12:55 am

I would expect this from someone like John Conyers, or someone else from the Congressional Black Caucus. The fact that President Obama is putting up such “racial art” is pretty appalling. Why not have Maxine Waters do the interior design for the White House, if we are going to have this sort of thing?

sorrow01 on October 8, 2009 at 4:54 am

Debbie, get Madeline Albright to design it. She’s into large showy pieces of shoulder jewelry.

MK750 on October 8, 2009 at 7:22 am

The current people who occupy the White House are turning it into a house of ill repute that is even worse than Slick Willey could have imagined. There is no honor or decency with these people; they are trashing the people’s house like it was some hip hop club. It disgusts me how they are turning the White House into a homie’s club with all of the garbage they have coming in and all of the parties they have. They are not acting like heads of state, they are acting like pompous royalty. What’s next that we will find out about these miscreants? Are they going to alter one of the rooms in the White House and turn it into a makeshift mosque and put in a musalla, also known as a prayer hall, with signs that show the direction of Mecca? I wouldn’t put it past these raghead loving pukes.

Next on the list of their reprehensible trashing of the White House is that they’ll put TV monitors in every room of the White House that will only show the entire video series of Alex Haley’s “Roots”, just in case whitey has forgotten what he did many generations ago.

Jarhead on October 8, 2009 at 11:14 am

This is to be expected from people who were educated in America. Our colleges and universities, even our high schools have been indoctrinating, as opposed to teaching for over 30 years. From grade school, we are taught that the white Christian male is the eternal oppressor, and those of a different race and gender are eternal victims. It’s not a situation that “ends”. It is taught to be “ETERNAL”. No amount of social change will ever be recognized. One is taught to wear their color like a badge that grants entry into the angry club, where all manner of bad behaviour is excused. Until we take our schools back, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Spiffo on October 8, 2009 at 1:53 pm

I’m sorry, but SEVEN out of the FORTY SEVEN artists that were selected are black.

If it were a white president, and he hung art created by say, seven Jews, or seven Latinos, or even, dare I say, seven WHITE people, would you have a problem?

This is totally baffling. The idea that you find it offensive or “racist” that President Obama would choose art made by black people as somehow suggesting they can’t let go of their past, or that it’s an insult to southerners because the art reflects on segregation is pure lunacy.

Have you seen the image of the painting you are whining about?
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/10/07/arts/design/20091007BORROW_9.html

It’s text from a book written by A WHITE PERSON in 1959. Should history be ignored? Now, I would understand if EVERY piece of art in their collection was political and by a black artist, then perhaps you might have some kind of issue (though, I don’t imagine the same would be true if it were a white president, and all white art), but that is not the case.

It’s right wing fanatics like you that are “playing the race card”, not Obama. And actually, calling the first lady “Mrs. Thang” is, um, I think what any person in their right mind would call racist. So, look at yourself.

By the way, for what it’s worth, I’m white. And Jewish. I’m sure that insults you too.

Dan on October 8, 2009 at 2:07 pm

re: “When will the Obamas realize that White people elected Barack Obama?”
They no doubt realize that already. Likewise they probably realize that the White people who elected don’t have the same problems with the choice of art as you do.

mkm on October 12, 2009 at 1:20 pm

“It’s that their choices range from the stupid to the downright divisive.” Art is subjective. I think you are an ignorant racist . . . also subjective. See how that works?

“They are the most powerful, fortunate-beyond-their-wildest-dreams couple in the Western world, and yet, they are still bitter!” Actually, you’re the one that reads bitter. Choosing art they find intriguing isn’t “harping on racism”. But your ranting in this post would certainly qualify.

“Featuring paintings that allude to the segregated South of yesteryear are a slap in the face to the South, especially when the man sitting in the White House is Black.” Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. — George Santayana

“Babymama,” “Ms. Thang,”? Pardon me, but your bigotry is showing . . . talk about chutzpah. You wrote, ” . . . would seem to indicate that segregation–other than the self-imposed kind–is over and that there’s very little racism other than the much accepted reverse kind.” Are you serious? Your entire post negates this very weak point.

Hello. Welcome to the 21st century. You should try to assimilate as soon as possible.

Lesle on October 14, 2009 at 5:23 pm

Lesle has some good points. But I would also like to point out how this entire website is commonly, if not absolutely, dedicated to anti-muslim attitudes which amount to racism as well as religious and cultural bigotry. Sorry Lesle and all those sensible readers out there, but did you actually expect Debs to have a clear conception on race when she is one of the most bigoted people here? Ms. Schlussel, do not ever talk about race again without learning a substantial amount more, because it is clear to even this skinny white boy from the Midwest that you presently have absolutely no ground to stand on.

gunDy on July 13, 2010 at 3:47 pm