Keith Olbermann Worst: Uppity N*****

Georgia Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland used the racially-tinged term "uppity" to describe Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama Thursday. Westmoreland was discussing vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's speech with reporters outside the House chamber and was asked to compare her with Michelle Obama. "Just from what little Ive seen of her and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama, they're a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they're uppity," Westmoreland said. Asked to clarify that he used the word uppity, Westmoreland said, Uppity, yeah.

Other Democrats have charged that the Republican campaign to paint the Illinois senator as an elitist is racially charged, and accused them of using code words for uppity without using the word itself. In August, Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) told reporters, When I hear the word elitist linked with Barack Obama, to me, that is a code word for 'uppity.' I find it extremely offensive and John McCain should know better.

Political consultant David Gergen, who has worked in both Republican and Democratic White Houses, said on ABCs "This Week" that As a native of the south, I can tell you, when you see this Charlton Heston ad, 'The One,' that's code for, 'He's uppity, he ought to stay in his place.' Everybody gets that who is from a Southern background.

The Obama campaign, asked about the quote, did not note any racial context. Sounds like Rep. Westmoreland should be careful throwing stones from his candidate's eight glass houses, said Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor. Campaigning against the first black major-party nominee has already created some problems for Republicans.

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) said that Obama's middle name Hussein is relevant to the public discourse surrounding his candidacy, saying in March that if Obama were elected, "Then the radical Islamists, the al Qaeda, the radical Islamists and their supporters, will be dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on Sept. 11 because they will declare victory in this War on Terror."

At an April 12 event in his district, Kentucky Rep. Geoff Davis (R) said of Obama: Im going to tell you something: That boys finger does not need to be on the button. He could not make a decision in that simulation that related to a nuclear threat to this country.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/westmoreland-calls-obama-uppity-2008-09-0...
Karl Rove says Barack Obama is arrogant. We've heard that; we've heard the pejorative "arrogant" before. When I say "we" I mean those of us who are "others" in America; people of color. Minorities. Women. We hear the word all the time from a select section of privileged white guys; the codifying they use when they fear the silver spoons are about to be snatched from their lily palaces: "Those people... How dare they think they can work jobs like ours or live in neighborhoods like ours or send their children to school with ours? Those people are just so damn arrogant."

Arrogant, of course, is a euphemism. In the monochromatic bunkers from which old-schoolers cling to power the true word they use is "uppity" when hurled at blacks. It's the "B-word" for women. I'm not sure what the Rovian ilk use for the Latinos and Asian-Americans who dare claim their due, but I'm sure it's equally as derisive and wielded with sick pleasure.

The only arrogance Obama is guilty of is the same "Unforgivable Blackness" so many exceptional people of color have demonstrated throughout the history of this country: a refusal to bend to the will of the Retro Guard. To Rove, to the neocons such attitude is wholly unacceptable. Back in the day such "arrogance" was met with a strong rope and tall branch, and anyone who believes that analogy to be too harsh, read here how Roy Bryant and J.W.Milam dealt with the arrogance of 13 year old Emmett Till.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-ridley/when-rove-calls-obama-arr_b_109639....
But conservatives have to understand that outreach cannot be an empty buzzword highlighted by making a speech at the Edmund Pettis Bridge 43 years after the fact. Outreach means taking a stand when your members use slurs like "uppity" and your operatives call Hispanics "stupid and unskilled." True outreach means not skipping events such as the All American Presidential Forum organized by Tavis Smiley at Morgan State University and the Univision debate. And if you want to attract some voters of color you certainly can't allow Sarah Palin to get away with making the racially charged comment that Obama "is not a man who sees America like you and I see America."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-ridley/conservatives-race-baitin_b_133743....

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[DarthClam]

the world today makes me sick...

[JSully212]

America is the riches nation on all levels (aka classes) because of CAPITALISM, Socialism/Communism/State Capitalism (which are all the same things) look good on paper, but are not. Competition creates innovation, when you eliminate the competition you eliminate the innovation.

Too many people worship Obama blindly, pick up a history book and learn what made America the longest lasting republic in the history of the world. It is the freedoms we once enjoyed that are being stripped away 1 by 1.

[JawsJaws]

Obama is a proven failure.

[16sag7]

@dog1701: you have to be kidding here. In the south when the word uppity is used it is almost always follow up with the so called "N" word. Uppidty N is like the Southern racist mantra when they are refering to any Black individual that has gained some measure of success.

[dog1701]

Well, Keith, I have no doubt that when you use the word uppidty, you do follow it with the "n" word. You seem to know more about that than I do. I have heard the word 'uppidty'' used before, but you're the first I've heard who follows it the "n" word.

Racist.

[jaxrwld2]

I usually follow my uppity with b!tch!

[CameronRounder]

@harj2009 The French like to go to war. So do the English. Not to mention all of Europe joined in on the Iraq invasion in 2003. The problem with socialism is that it's a lot harder to transition out of the lower classes to the upper classes. The state taxes you so much when you are trying to make something of yourself to help others, that it becomes almost impossible to escape the middle class.

[harj2009]

@CameronRounder not really Fascism is what happens when Capitalism goes on steroids.

When was the last time a socialist country invaded someone ? sweeden,norway all peaceful countries

Just because lenin said something doest make it a fact.Lenin was a communist he was not a real socialist his took party through a coup the original socialist in russia lost the civil war.

there is nothing wrong with socialism

[CameronRounder]

@harj2009 fascism is more like what happens when a capitalistic society tries to implement socialism in a corrupt way. do me a favor actually... define fascism in you head right now. do you have a solid understanding of what it means?

By the way, the person i was thinking of was Vladimir Lenin, that said socialism was the stage between capitalism and communism.

[harj2009]

@CameronRounder and capitalism is a stage between socialism and fascism

[CameronRounder]

i usually follow the word uppity with c**t... i like how oldermann puts words into peoples mouth though, good reporting/commentary...