Thursday, March 13, 2008

What can you say?

The story was going around my workplace about something one of the employees was overheard to tell a customer on the phone. Apparently the customer had asked for a particular salesman, who happens to be African – American, who had recently been promoted to another position at a sister company. The none-too-bright employee told the customer that salesman no longer worked for the company but suggested the customer instead talk to a particular other salesman because "He's black too."

What can you say, but "Oh dear?" He probably thought he was being helpful.

What can you say about Geraldine Ferraro? She is angry and defiant about the criticism she has received for saying that Barack Obama is lucky to be a black man, because if he was white he would not be running for president. She thinks she is telling the truth. She seems to sincerely believe that people who claim they are supporting Barack Obama, not because he is black but because of his intelligence (top of his class at Harvard Law, professor at the University of Chicago) charisma, inspiring oratory and proven ability to unite rather than divide, are deceiving themselves or are hypocrites. What can you say, but "Oh dear?"

1 comment:

Tacky said...

Oh dear is what one wants to say every time you hear such attitudinal responses.
I was at a meeting last night where we were discussing the problem some African immgrants and refugees face when they come to Rock Island ( particularly).
One of the local leaders wanted to know who the "tribal leaders" were? I said " oh dear " to myself and did not respond.
I later pointed out that some of these refugees come fro cities larger than teh entire Quad Cities and probably did not have "tribal leaders."