Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau for October 17, 2008

Isn’t a black person playing basketball rather stereotypical?   I thought we were supposed to be moving away from these stereotypes? Or is it just OK when Trudeau does it?

Alby, It isn’t being racist or stereotypical when Obama really does play Basketball. I don’t know about the 8 out of 10, but the shot of him hitting the three pointer in Kuwait was all over the place before he went to Germany.

UncaAlby, focus, focus, focus. It’s not about Obama, it’s about Rick’s blog and committed liberal college kids.

And if he didn’t want people to notice that he plays basketball pretty well, he just shouldn’t have taken the shot.

Especially with the cameras rolling.

Well – he took a shot with cameras rolling in a bowling alley – and threw a gutter-ball –   They should blog that!

RussellNash says:

Alby, It isn’t being racist or stereotypical when Obama really does play Basketball.   How about if I say blacks account for more than twice their proportion of the population in violent crime? It really is true. But I’m sure someone would call me racist for pointing it out.   Maybe it’s only racist if you point out negatives? Would it not be racist, if true, to blog about Obama winning a watermelon eating contest? Winning is positive right?

So, to make sure I understand it, if Rush Limbaugh devotes an hour to talking about Obama playing bastketball and eating watermelon, everybody here is cool with that, right? I mean, if true.

Roger, but not THAT one, the other one. says:

UncaAlby, focus, focus, focus. It’s not about Obama, it’s about Rick’s blog and committed liberal college kids.   You’re not telling me Trudeau is satirizing liberals?

“How about if I say blacks account for more than twice their proportion of the population in violent crime? Is that racist? It really _is_ true. But somehow, I suspect someone will call me a racist for pointing it out.”

No this is not racist. However, if anyone were to say that these problems was strictly because African-Americans are inherently miscreants while ignoring the socio-economic factors and social racism that place people among this demographic to choose between crime and no crime to put food on the table, to feel one is getting a fair shake, etc. (a thought that often does not cross many privileged people’s mind), that, my friend, would be ignorant.

CourageCD, that’s an awful lot of assumptions regarding a very simple statement.   How about somebody says that most problems in the African-American community are largely self-inflicted, and that racism has very little to do with it?   My daughter has a friend who’s nice young lady, who happens to be black. And she happens to have an attitude like you wouldn’t believe. And she happens to not be able to find a job. Because she’s black? Or because she has an attitude?

“Because she’s black? Or because she has an attitude?”

UncaAlby, your questions seem to suggest that she has an attitude because she is black. Let’s face it, there are blacks who are jerks and do bad things, just as there are people of all different races, ethnicities, genders, religions, and capability who are jerks and do bad things.

But why, according to the statistics you point out, is there such a disproportionate amount of people from one race who bear the brunt of the punishments. Let’s start by looking at who predominantly writes the laws, judges people’s actions as legal or not, and who hold the prison keys.

Come on Unc, he really does play basketball. It’s ok for him to do it, and do it well. And it’s even ok for us to talk about him doing it. One of his top aides is a pro-level player and they play in order to relax.

Would anyone say anything if the strip was about McCain shooting 3 holes in one while golfing? No, and they shouldnt think anything about Trudeau making a point about Obama being able to shoot 3pointers.

Dypak says:

Come on Unc, he really does play basketball. It’s ok for him to do it, and do it well.   Tell me why everybody got all bent out of shape when Biden referred to Obama as articulate – ??

CourageCD says:

UncaAlby, your questions seem to suggest that she has an attitude because she is black.   Don’t read more into my statements than what I say – she is black, yes – she has an attitude, yes.   The question now becomes, is she unable to get a job because she is black or because she has an attitude?   Given the preponderance of jobs held by non-attitude-holding blacks, I’d have to say it’s the attitude. The problem then, is that she is going to blame it on her being black.

CourageCD says:

Let’s start by looking at who predominantly writes the laws, judges people’s actions as legal or not, and who hold the prison keys.   So are you saying then that black cops and black judges don’t lock up black criminals at the same rate as white cops and white judges?   That black politicians don’t write laws the same as white ones?   Where in your obvious scenario of racism can we find a scintilla of personal responsibility? Such as, for example, if there is a law against speeding, maybe, just maybe, people of all races should slow down?

– a discussion of the merit of specific laws to be tabled for another day – for example, drugs should be legalized, period – but, so long as they remain illegal, it’s a matter of personal responsibility to avoid them. If you get caught with an illegal drug, that’s not the fault of the evil bogeyman “racism”, that’s your fault.

UncaAlby wrote in part in various posts:

How about if I say blacks account for more than twice their proportion of the population in violent crime? It really is true. But I’m sure someone would call me racist for pointing it out.

Statistics are hard to interpret, and most people are severely innumerate with them. So it's easy to see racism where none exists, or to plausibly deny actual racism, or just to confuse people enough to project their own attitudes onto others. But if Barack Obama, an individual, had committed a violent crime, then I'm sure that you could get away with saying so (at least assuming that the evidence were clear).

he took a shot with cameras rolling in a bowling alley – and threw a gutter-ball

As I recall, that was all over the news back when it first happened.

You’re not telling me Trudeau is satirizing liberals?

He does that often. Where've you been? (All of the cool kids make fun of their own side.)

By the way, your comment from two days ago was right on!

tobybartels says:

most people are severely innumerate with [statistics].   Perhaps so, but I’m not.   He [satirizes liberals] often.   As often as he satirizes conservatives and Republicans? Come now. Trudeau did not build his reputation on bashing liberals and everyone darn well knows it.   He may toss a jab at his own once in a great while, just enough so people can say he does – but generally liberals escape his wrath.   By the way, your comment from two days ago was right on!   Thank you!

uncaAlby said: “Tell me why everybody got all bent out of shape when Biden referred to Obama as articulate – ??”

Because of the full quote. Biden said “you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean”