If he had said "ordinary" instead of "typical" would they have brayed

[annabanana]

as loudly? Are a "typical white person" and an "ordianry white person" different people?

[maddiejoan]

1. why did he throw "white" into it?

and it begs the question --is a grandma living in Hawaii in the 1960's helping to raise her biracial grandson in any way "typical" or "ordinary"?

-- and what did Obama mean? Does he think "White People" are typically frightened of "Black People"?

To answer your question though --I suppose "ordinary white person" could have sounded better -- "ordinary person" better still.

In any event --he's lying there (or he's lying in his book). In Obama's book "Dreams of My Father" he talks about this incident, and describes as it his grandmother being fearful about one particularly aggressive panhandler in her neighborhood who happens to be black.

[annabanana]

2. It was a speech about race.

The point of that sentence was to acknowledge a general unease in the white population to matters of race.

You really should listen to it just once.

edited for link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrp-v2tHaDo

[maddiejoan]

4. I listened to it already

Why would you think I hadn't?

Also "typical White person" was not in his speech --it was in a later radio interview --and you haven't addressed my point.

[Straight Shooter]

5. Fellow DU'er didn't think you listened because you are "a typical Hillary supporter."

:D

[maddiejoan]

7. Heh

I'm not a "typical" anything.

[Straight Shooter]

9. Heh.

I recognize that. That's why you're one of my favorite DU'ers. :hi:

[Barack_America]

3. "Does he think "White People" are typically frightened of "Black People"?"

I don't know about him, but I think the answer to this is "yes".

Maybe not fearful of the "clean, articulate" middle class black people. But do they represent what white people think of "typical" black people?

No way.

[Obamanaut]

11. Re your second question, I think years ago 'yes', but much less

so now.

When I was a lad, my stepfather told me many times I was not to allow my hands to touch those of a "colored person" - this was in the 50's. I think that it was not uncommon to hear that amongst white people. I think this because of a conversation I had recently with a black friend in her 30's, who had encountered this very thing in stores when she was a teenager.

In the 60's I was in Hawaii, and played judo in a local (off base) club, where I was the only white person. I took another military member with me one night, and discovered to my dismay that he was terrified after we arrived and he discovered he was to be a minority of two.

So, I think that for many of my generation it is (typical, ordinary, common, pick one) for white people to be, if not fearful, at least apprehensive around people of color. It is not right, but there it is.

Most of us have gotten beyond this, some have not.

[EFerrari]

6. Yes, they would have.

He could recite Paradise Lost from memory standing on his head while on fire and there would still be an outcry.

[maddiejoan]

8. actually

that'd be kinda neat!

[goclark]

10. Amazing which words are selected by the main stream

media to question./discuss.

Amazing but not surprising.

It wouldn't make a damn bit of difference what he said -- they will only question language that could be twisted to the ear of a person that wants to tune out the message.

I have read the speech 4 times and typical did not stand out for me --of course I wanted to read and listen and learn.

Those that are "word picking" are doing it with their eyes wide shut.

[Window]

12. Yep. Just as loudly.