At some Wal-Mart in Washington Township, New Jersey, a male voice announces over the PA system that “all Black people leave the store now.”
Source:
Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says
Wal-Mart NJ: “All black people leave the store now”

The following were comments in response to the story.

One person responds:

Black people are so sensitive. It was probably a prank by some 16 year old kid that ran from his mom while shopping in Walmart….We all know (including black people) that if the announcement had been “All white people leave the store now” this story would not have even made local news.

Another person responds:

Are you “F”ing serious? Black people are so sensitive, really? I am white and I am offended by you and half the **** I am reading on here. It is your ignorance that allows racism to keep on. Take a look back in history, why should white people care if there was an announcement that asked them to leave? White people are so sensitive.
I am white and I am married to a black man and we have 2 kids together. We have been pulled over for no reason, we have had people leave a restraunt or move to a different part amongst other things. So please don’t say stupid **** like black people are so sensitive, especially when you have racist muther****ers out there who don’t like someone because of the color of their skin…..talk about sensitive.

Then another person responds:

Yeah, dial 9 and it's over the whole store...

no……they really are sensitive. i dont have a problem with black people in general but the ones who act like thugs and parade around with their pants below their ass are the ones i dislike, and for that matter thats anybody who acts like a thug not just african americans. a black comedian could talk all day about white people but the instant a white man stood up and said something derogatory toward a black man it would be all over the news and the guys entire career would be gone, this is true and you know it.

Tell ‘em Why You Mad
So I responded:

I agree I dislike people who ‘act’ like thugs and pity the people (all races) who simply don’t know any better.

But i disagree that Black people are too sensitive. In fact, I’ve become so used to women clutching their purses; being watched in stores (even when I’m in a suit); police doing blatant maneuvers (sometimes dangerous to other citizens) to follow me; people thinking racism died in the Civil Rights Act (or with Obama) and thus saying dumb things; and the proliferation of the N-word (both hatefully and from ignorance) that I shrug off 9/10 offenses. At the same time, that apathy is far more dangerous. Trust me, no one has enough energy to simply say “not cool” to all the ignorance minorities face. Is it my responsibility to educate them if I find them ignorant? It’s not my fault they are ignorant. In fact, I wasn’t even going to respond to this, but I just happened to have the time and energy. That said, I have to get back to work.

Besides, this incident is not news, this happens everyday. Look at the name-calling to Rep. Barney Frank and Rep. John Lewis. There’s that apathy again.

P.S.: Under the right intentions it could have been funny… very funny, but in this case it’s not.

EDITORIAL

So really I guess this is more of “Tell ‘em Why You… aren’t Mad?! Wait, WTF?! Why Aren’t You Mad?!” truncated to “I Ain’t Mad at Ya”.

Responder 1: Was actually right, supposedly it was a 16-year old being stupid. Also true that there probably would be no story with “All white people leave.” White folks wait until something happens (though that’s often too late).
However, “All White people leave” could have made the news, alright. Throw in the word ‘terror’ and boom 3-day filler story. Threat Level: Yellow. “Random” airport searches.
“All Black people leave” is Threat Level: Red.

Responder 2: Uhhh… right on?

Responder 3: Well, yeah, but (depending on what he said) that’s justified. He knows what country he’s in. He knows his career risk. Freedom of speech all you want, but you should be responsible. Besides, if you’re funny it will slide, else you gambled and lost. Take it like an adult.

Regarding my response: Going forward I may expend slightly more energy and take a second to tell someone “yeah, that’s ignorant” but I dread having to walk them through their rude awakening. I mean, if I don’t say anything there is a limit to how upset I can reasonably be seeing that I am an accomplice to their ignorance. At the same time, I could just say “not cool” then leave them to find out why. Just because I show them that they don’t know, doesn’t mean I have to teach them, right? That’s their homework.

A couple of related things that do ‘get me mad’ are the times people act like Black people have had centuries to catch up in terms of socio-economic status. Really? I’d say we’re doing amazingly for half a generation’s time. Also, the “N-word”, I have a hate-like-hate relationship with it to be explained in another post. So stay tuned.

In a historic vote last night, Congress passed H.R. 3590, more commonly known as the “Healthcare Reform Bill.” After rancorous debate that seemed more akin to the dozens game than an exchange of facts and opinions in the hope of agreement, including a parliamentary tongue-lashing delivered to Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA) by Rep. David Obey (D-WI), the House moved to vote by electronic device. For approval, the bill needed a total of 216 votes. As the 216th vote came in, the House erupted into cheers of “Yes, we can!” Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) celebrated with the Democrats. Meanwhile, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and fellow Republicans fumed. In the end, the votes tallied up to 219-212 with zero Republican support.

The bill, called “the most significant Democratic triumph in 40 years,” is now on its way to President Obama’s desk. He has stated that he will sign it on Tuesday. Certain changes will happen immediately while the full effects of the bill won’t manifest until 2014. Included among the soon-to-occur changes are:

Children with preexisting conditions are eligible for coverage

The coverage gap for prescription drugs will be closed

Being a woman will no longer be considered a preexisting condition

Children currently insured through their parents’ health care plan will be covered up to age 26

While there are unpopular measures included in the bill, such as an individual mandate of coverage subject to fines, supporters of the bill liken protests to those against other health care reforms, like Medicaid and Medicare, which were opposed by the GOP in the 60s. Seeming to harken back to those times, protestors hurled racial and homophobic epithets at representatives known to support the bill. Representative Andre Carson (D-Ind) shared his account with the Associated Press:

Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind., told a reporter that as he left the Cannon House Office Building with Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., a leader of the civil rights era, some among the crowd chanted “the N-word, the N-word, 15 times.” Both Carson and Lewis are black, and Lewis spokeswoman Brenda Jones also said that it occurred.

“It was like going into the time machine with John Lewis,” said Carson, a large former police officer who said he wasn’t frightened but worried about the 70-year-old Lewis, who is twice his age. “He said it reminded him of another time.”

It is said that history repeats itself. Only time will tell the fate of this legislature; nevertheless, Barack Obama is already being called a “consequential” president.

Source:
US House passes key healthcare reform bill
Giles: Health Care Vote Is the First Step
The Most Significant Democratic Triumph in 40 Years
Boehner: Anti-gay, racial slurs ‘reprehensible’

EDITORIAL:
Hope in the unseen. The bill isn’t perfect, but it can be fixed and is far better than doing nothing, or, as the GOP argues, waiting for the “right time,” since this really should have been done in 1965.

You are already taxed for the poor/uninsured under the current system. So at least HR 3590 is a step forward in getting America covered, if not healthy. As well, the bill was worked on by both GOPs and Dems, zero Republican votes doesn’t mean much beyond strategy for eventual elections. If you want to be useful find out who included the fine with the individual mandate, which is quite similar to what Mitt Romney enacted in Massachusetts only his didn’t attempt cost controls like this bill does, but that’s what’s going to bank roll this (certain businesses are about to get PAID and that fine will really create $$$$ when the GOP is in office again).

You’re not going to get a perfect bill (even if you wrote it) nor are you going to make everyone happy. Even though this one probably doesn’t help you, it helps a lot of people; more than what most recently existed. Granted, this bill is going to hurt a lot of people too, but mostly in the same way doing nothing was going to hurt those people. That’s government.

And to the people complaining about giving hand-outs to the poor because of how hard they work, so what? There are always plenty of people (from all walks of life) working harder than you and STILL worse off. Beyond that, we just gave hand-outs to the wealthiest companies in the nation (started under Bush, finished by Obama). At the very least this might help some kids and some elderly.

The bill really doesn’t go far enough, nor is it what it used to be. (Public option, gone.) Big businesses will always get taken care of by special interests. So that idealism can be ignored. As well, the only bills that ever get passed grease the palms of everyone, remain just vague enough not to hurt anyone politically and hopefully attempt some good. That said, this IS an impressive achievement. Not even for the right reasons.

That said, call your representative or run for office yourself. (If you believe that, I know this prince who needs a little money but will definitely pay you back.)

Furthermore, the fallout of this bill highlights a growing concern of mine, which is how crazy the Right is getting. Be afraid, be very afraid.

The reality is that even though the vote is over, the fight over health care reform is not. Opponents, including the attorney generals of several states, are expected to file lawsuits asking the courts to declare the bill unconstitutional. The anger of conservative activists has been stirred to fever pitch — witness the spitting at Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver or slurs directed at Reps. John Lewis and Barney Frank during Capitol Hill protests Saturday — and it will not go away any time soon. At a time when some people feel like losing an election is living under tyranny, the passage of this health care reform bill has taken on significance far beyond the legislation itself.