"It isn't about race..."

[Brewman_Jax]

or "race has nothing to do with it."

How often has anyone heard this claim, esp. if it's an event or happening that white people caused or obviously benefits or affects them. Case in point; the repub-controlled state legislature in GA allowed some of the north metro Atlanta neighborhoods to incorporate in the early part of the decade. For those familiar with the area, the new cities are Sandy Springs, Milton, and Johns Creek in north Fulton Co., and Dunwoody in north Dekalb Co. You can guess the demographics of the areas. I live in, now, the city of Dunwoody. Unlike Sandy Springs, which whined and cried for 30+ years to incorporate, the others just jumped on the incorporation bandwagon. As for Dunwoody, it's a neighborhood with no major businesses, other than retail, and no major tax source other than property taxes. They followed the same whine that Sandy Springs used, which is that we don't want our money going to the other end of the county paying for "those people" and local people should control local taxes. One of the complaints was the roads. I grew up in the south end of Dekalb county, yes, majority black. I drive there regularly and found the roads to be in good order. They didn't have to incorporate, they and the community groups got together and got the elected officials to do their jobs! When I put the question to some of the Dunwoody yuppies (who didn't vote for incorporation)--Are they suggesting that the white Dunwoody elitists can't do something that black working/middle class residents can? Black people didn't have to incorporate to get stuff done.

Of course, they hem and haw back saying, "race had nothing to do with it", and come up with some other examples, but they can't answer or refute the question. I wonder since the incorporated cities are majority white, well-to-do, and the county board of commissioners are majority black or have black senior leadership.

Feel free to post your experiences.

[Brewman_Jax]

1. It's about "customer service"

or, IMO, standard white folks' sense of entitlement. I got to talk to a resident of one of the above mentioned cities, and that's what he said. If you call the police, they're present in "no time flat", while before, "it took awhile." Sounds like the standard short-sighted anecdotal BS to me, i.e., the old way sucked, but now that WE have control, it's excellent!" I'd like to see the actual records for "customer service", response times, dispatch procedure, etc., before a final judgement is reached. It's like the old McDonalds vs. Burger King argument: McD's was faster, but you could only have what was on the menu, while BK was not as fast as McD, but you could have your burger "your way". The wait wasn't as long because you had it "your way". I see the same thing, perception vs. fact, in this case. Are they REALLY better, or does it SEEM that way because the police have "your city" painted on the side instead of "the county"? :shrug:

[Raineyb]

2. I always find that if the first sentence out of someone's mouth after saying or doing something

that could be construed as racist is "It's not about race" then it's definitely about race.

They either don't lie well or they think we're so stupid as to not see what's in front of us.

Regards

[Number23]

3. Case and point...

This girl is an absolute nobody but what she's saying is exactly what you're talking about:

"Angie Harmon: I'm Not Racist Because I Disagree With Obama"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/30/angie-harmon-im-not-racis_n_180796.html

Is she trying to "deflect" or what?? Angie, nobody has thought about you in 7 years. What the hell are you talking about? Why would anyone ask your opinion about anything, or care about it after you've given it??

[bliss_eternal]

4. Too easy.

I liked her more before she shared her political beliefs with the world....and I assure you--I didn't like her much before.

She makes it all too simple to dismiss her as racist, elitist, sexist and mildly insane. Women regurgitating the high holy principles of the republican party nauseate me. They also make me suspect there's a creepy right wing, Stepford conspiracy at play. :scared:

[Number23]

5. Don't she and Hasselbeck make the flesh just crawl up and down your body??

Women regurgitating the high holy principles of the republican party nauseate me.

I know! And those two fit your description to a tee.

These are women who've obviously been brought up to think that being thin and pretty are the only things that women have to offer the world. Critical thought and analysis?? Too manly. Starving yourself in between birthing multiple babies and following every single word of that ever-so-DREAMY Sean Hannity?? The womanly thing to do...

:puke: :eyes: :puke:

[bliss_eternal]

6. How did you know...?

I also had Hasselback in mind? LOL! I'm not entirely convinced that Hasselback isn't some sort of human cyborg, created by Fox news and the Christian right to spew their agenda to the masses. ;)

But you forgot Patricia Heaton. The woman who told the world it's just fine to cut up your face and body, after you give birth (for your career).:eyes: She's SUCH a right wing, patriarchical tool. :puke:

I cracked up when I saw Ray Romano at the Inaugural Ball. I had NO IDEA he was a Dem. The "Everyone Loves Raymond" set had to be quite chilly during election season, given he's a Dem and Heaton (like Harmon and Hasselback) is an outspoken, rather obnoxious republican woman. She was shown POUTING at the Emmy's, the year Jon Stewart hosted. He (of course) took some jabs at the right wing and you could just see the steam coming out of her ears. Girlfriend was HOT! The camera guys seemed to be having a lot of fun showing her enraged responses. :spray:

[Number23]

7. Yeah, I knew about Patricia Heaton. But she just strikes me as even more of a nobody

than Hasselback. She is pretty much openly despised by every person with a brain.

She's cute, but not really pretty; and of course she's a football player's wife -- who else would have her?? She's not smart at all but she relays the daily directives from the RNC with such aplomb that she is well-liked within conservative circles (plus she's the blonde angel who defended conservatism against that evil lesbian, Rosie O'Donnell!) :crazy:

To be perfectly honest though, all three of these "women" could take a flying leap into crocodile infested waters. I honestly don't think anyone would notice.