I mean Obama - an articulate black man - was legitimately reelected to a second term, whilst the Cheetoh in Chief was illegitimate based on the popular vote and failed reelction. That must burn him badly.
I agree. Just a heads up
articulate black man
is often considered a micro-aggression
articulate [for a] black man
especially when using the word “articulate.”
I know that wasn’t your intent and I’m not “calling you out.”It’s just an FYI re: phrasing that easily summons a larger history of backhanded complements.
Further reading on the subject, in case you’re interested:
- Challenging the Problematic Description of Being Articulate While Black
- He’s So Articulate: What That Really Means
- Why Black People Are Gired of Being Called Articulate
- Racial Micro-Aggressions: Most Common Examples
- What Black People Hear When White People Call Them Articulate
- Micro-aggressions Black People Deal With
When the color of their skin is otherwise irrelevant, I get you, but in this instance I think it’s relevant because Trump seems like a racist idiot. It’s salt upon injury, not because a rare black man who happens to be articulate owned him, but because a rare articulate man who happens to be black did. The point is the same, but the latter doesn’t perpetuate racism. Context matters.
Maybe I’m too naive, but that’s how I interpreted OP’s comment.
I hear you. To be clear I wasn’t accusing the new user of ill-intent, certainly not of racism, or even implicit bias. As you said, Obama is commonly regarded as a world-class orator, so it’s just true, and also would bother the tangerine palpatine who speaks in crayon.
It is merely insensitive, and likely due to a lack of awareness, which is why throwing a flag right away is preferred, especially in a forum where black people are less well represented (for now).
As to why it is insensitive: while it’s usually meant as a compliment, noting that a black person is well-spoken — especially when using the word “articulate” — happens to summon a long history of people being surprised that black people can speak so well. And while this example of racial insensitivity isn’t as well-known in popular culture as, say, blackface, it is not at all obscure. The links I posted above are a tiny sample of the articles, books, and memes pertaining to the subject.
In other words, simply using the phrase “articulate black man” unironically is enough to strongly suggest the author is oblivious to the fact. And judging by all the downvotes on my comment (and now throughout my comment history lol) I’m guessing many others in this forum are oblivious to it as well.
So I threw a flag, partly to make the user aware of the insensitivity, partly because I suspected many others in this forum might be similarly unaware, but mainly because I’d prefer this place be welcoming to everyone.
“They sound articulate” is the white origin of “you sound white” for black people who’ve internalized that horrid take.
Right and it’s just code switching. People of all races do it without thinking. The dominant strain of English in the US can sound “white” to urban poc, “academic” to rural white people, or “yank” to white people abroad. It’s only loosely associated with aggregate identities.
Here in NYC, at least in my neighborhood, code switching is constant and routine.
So what do you do with inarticulate old white men who are successful despite themselves due to old white man privelege?
Shave their belly with a rusty razor?
is a tired old micro-aggression.
And damning with faint praise. Obama remains the greatest orator of this century.
Agreed. I do miss having an especially thoughtful and couth figurehead representing us on the world stage, just someone we could generally be proud of.
Of course that feeling was especially pronounced when the following act was and is a global embarrassment and weirdly consummate avatar for all our worst qualities.
Just something about Obama that uniquely gets under his skin, and I love to see it.
It’s mainly his skin color.
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Charismatic black man very publicly made fun of him, that’s about it.
That something is easy to find! See for yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHckZCxdRkA
I watch that a time or two a year, always brings joy.
Obama beats his ass like a redheaded stepchild, and Trump has to sit there and seethe.
I see the link. I watch the video. Every time. Gotta take those moments to enjoy life when they present themselves.
Yeah, and the he was elected :(
Oh I’m well aware
Imagine the rioting from the GOP if Obama had worn a tan suit for that speech…
Lol!
“Only I can insult people, you can’t do that to me”
Thanks Obama! (I mean it this time, really!)
If we could get the Obamas to insult him 2x a week, he might have a cardiac event already and go the fuck away! Just a thought.
LOL, “your president”. Yeah, he was only ever president to a small section of the country. And they still insist on calling DonOLD “President Trump”.
You mean the weird, felon/rapist DonOLD, that one? The guy who lies so fast that the media gives up on fact checking him? The fat old fart who wears diapers, lifts in his shoes, orange makeup, implanted hair and stick on eyebrows? The bone spurs draft dodger coward who insults and disparages military veterans - that one?
Keep insulting him, it keeps him completely off topic, and when his handlers make him “stay on policy” is he low energy and whines about it the whole time.
The Democrats entire strategy should be to keep trump pissed so he can’t focus.
Yeah they need to keep him on the ropes
I havent seen the Huffington Post website in years. Clicked on this to see the video. About 20 seconds of the video, 30 seconds of ads, another 20 second clip. More ads.
At least the article isnt paywalled. Ill give them that.
What I hate is when news sites have an embedded video that has absolutely nothing do to with the article
And it pops over what you’re reading as you scroll. News sites are seriously unreadable without adblock, and only barely readable with it. As much as I don’t want to just read headlines, it’s a pain in the ass to do anything else.
My dude, don’t tell me you’re browsing the internet without an adblocker!
Don’t kink shame. Some people prefer to raw dog the Internet.
Do you want to get chlamydia.exe?? Because that’s how you get chlamydia.exe
By all means, don’t skip that ad. Relish in it.
Glad the Obamas have done that.
"Do I still have to stick to policy?” wtf? ONLY policy he has ever stuck to is to smear his opponents characters, physical appearances, and intellect. Sleazy fuck cant take it.
You forgot the policy of “blame everything on immigrants”.
Oh wait, that’s not a policy, never mind.
I just don’t care about this framing. I want him to fail in all his political endeavors, I think he would be particularly dangerous if re-elected, and also, I never met the guy and I don’t care if he has a certain feeling or another. He’s personally pissed off? Ok, fine. I don’t care.
Birther fuck face deserves every insult lobbed at him.
…Was. So was Michelle. Past tense you goddamn fucking imbecil.
Dish meet take
?
He can dish it but not take it
That’s not how you say that tho lol
That’s not how you say that
Geez.
I KNEW I shouldn’t have bought that knockoff writer’s handbook off temu!
(It’s the Internet. I’ll play with words on a meaningless and anonymous platform with no business or academic standards any damn way I please)
That’s definitely a shame, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy /s