Chris Matthews: America is still segregated

Pretty interesting discussion from MSNBC's Chris Matthews. He shocks Joe Scarborough that he didn't have an African American in school from kindergarten through graduate school in college. And he went to schools in the North!

Comments

[NPC from Columbia SC]

Thanks Roland. I knew that you and/or your staff would find this one. Another view and yes "morning joe" was a little stunned; however, so was I not about Chris, but about "morning joe." I've watched Hardball for years and years, and sort of understood the objectivity of Chris, really not partisan. I remember "morning joe" from the Clinton impeachment and his partisanship; however, when he said that he went to school in Mississippi with 50%/50% then I understood just a little bit more about Joe, i.e. his dislike for Barack now that he's gonna be our next "President of the US." He really reminds me of my being 14 years old in the 9th grade and walking into my high school in 1965 in SC. Ok now I'll be a little more tolerate of "morning joe" again. Why? Oh well, yep he might be onto something here, "it's generational." Yea, ok...?...

[Angela]

Roland, we need for someone to address Pat Buchanan's racist comments on his blog..... http://buchanan.org/blog/?p=969 Below is just a part of the nonsense he wrote in it.

"Barack says we need to have a conversation about race in America. Fair enough. But this time, it has to be a two-way conversation. White America needs to be heard from, not just lectured to.

This time, the Silent Majority needs to have its convictions, grievances and demands heard. And among them are these: First, America has been the best country on earth for black folks. It was here that 600,000 black people, brought from Africa in slave ships, grew into a community of 40 million, were introduced to Christian salvation, and reached the greatest levels of freedom and prosperity blacks have ever known. Wright ought to go down on his knees and thank God he is an American."

[Gregory]

Thanks for posting this video Roland. We need to email Chris Matthews and thank him for being pretty much the only guy who isn't being negative about what Obama said and seeing it for what it was, the fact that he goes against what his friends think and feel is a big stand up on his behalf.

[Callie, Cleveland OH]

I am glad that America is having the conversation on race as Senator Obama has called us to do. I saw this interview live on Morning Joe, and I have been rather disenchanted with Joe Scarborough's comments about Senator Obama. I have decided not to watch Morning Joe anymore his negativity is even starting to bother his co-host Mika (Mee-ka). I do appreciate Chris Matthews just giving his honest opinion of what his experience has been growing up with Black people. Chris did so without the "white superiority" attitude. I applaud that! I personally am starting to realize thru conversations with white people who have surrounded my circle that they really didn't get it. They didn't get why it's insulting to be asked at the grocery store "Are you paying with food stamps because our machine is broke?" when you witnessed the salesclerk not bother or think or to ask the other 3 white people in front that very same question. Or how insulting it is to be asked in the first 10 minutes of a conversation where do you live? where do you work? Is this series of personal questions used to determine if I live close to you? Or do you have this conversation with other white people? I have to say I as a Black person am very ignorant to the ways of White America too. If we as a nation can have this conversation intelligently and honestly I think we will grow. My dream is to know that when someone asks me where I live or rather what type of monetary transaction I'm making, its not because I'm black or they are white, it's because they are just nosy or need to do there job.

[Soldierette]

I found the conversation very interesting as well. I guess he'll get ribbed again for saying that he gets all moist when he listens to Obama. LOL Okay, he didn't actually say "moist", but he did say, "emotional". Picture Chris Mathews sitting on his couch with tears in his eyes listening to an Obama speech. LMAO! Okay, I was wrong for that, and hypocritical too because I damn sure had tears in my eyes listening to his speech on race. Yeah, really.

[NPC from Columbia SC]

"Ghettorize Barack and he'll go back to his people." Yep --- I heard Pat Buchanan's comments on David Gregory's 6:00 pm Show this past Friday on MSNBC. (What did Pat mean?) Well I thought maybe Eugene Robinson (SC Native, Washington Post) would address this, but he didn't. Now I don't fault Eugene for not responding because I understand a little bit about TV medium and soundbits. After boling over all weekend long (even while working in my yards--pulling weeds), I started to postal letter write (not email write), Pat Buchanan with a CC to NBC News, David Gregory, MSNBC, Eugene Robinson and to the Obama campaign my disgust for the remark. (Worst than Don Imus and the Rutgers Basketball team comment.) Then I decided against it and I said "Oh well, maybe someone of higher statute will monitor" and "vet" Pat and will "report and you decide" his comments. Roland, you and your staff need a raise. Ya'll are all over every story (and you are the man for the job,) be it the TV medium which is controlled by big money or the internet where a "whisper" of millions of people of every economic status is being heard.

[NPC from Columbia SC]

Wow -- Callie you are so right. I really don't watch morning joe MSNBC live anymore either, I watch the MSNBC "morning joe" internet videos later and decide if I want to stay tuned to these videos or move on. Yep and I did email "morning joe" last week about his "republicanist remarks" that I'm no longer a real time viewer. I'm so with you. I watched the call for "Don Imus' head " and wonder will the same thing happen one day to "morning joe" and Pat. Every so often I monitor the Wolf Blitzer CNN and morning joe and Pat MSNBC to see how far corporate will allow the line to be blurred with the many comments, before someone (the advertisers and the people who are insulted) start yelling and screaming. It will be interesting, I say "Stay Tuned."

[Angela]

Chris Matthews went off again this morning about the Clinton sitcom... Here's the link.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23778328#23778328

[Lynne '08]

Morning Joe is looking for a "train to catch" -- easily swayed and he usually shuts down when confronted with his [covert] racism. Going to school in Mississippi has prepped him for his current stance. I am in Alabama, and we say of people in MS that "they always make us look good" -- even when we are called "Bombing-ham"

What is really amazing is that Joe S. was poised in a quasi-support of something new and fresh; until that newness and freshness acquired more delegates than the old and familiar.

Angela, I would not at all be surprised that Pat and Joe got together last week and created the article you have linked. Let us do something about him telling us we should be happy about slavery and all of the woes this America has perpetrated upon us. While there may not bbe another country (maybe Africa)that I would want to live, I think I would've been accustomed to, and appreciative of, my heritage in Africa -- had my ancestors not been rounded up like cattle, tortured and murdered all for the greed of a people who is not the least bit interested in our current nor past plight.

Let us have the conversation. A real conversation.

[Ms.Martin]

Martin,

Yes, America still is and always be segregated. At least until the likes of Scarborough Buchanan and the like have passed on to another place.

I'm not that excited about Chris either. I have been watching and have seen all too many times when he delighted in the probability that ehtnic groups in Philly would note vote for Barack Obama because he is black. (Notice how Joe tried to call him out on the anthropology comment.)

He also shied away from Ed Rendell's comment of them coming from the same ethnic backgrounds and how they knew nobody would vote for the guy. I think he is now displaying caution in his speak because there is a great possibility that Obama will be his president and/or the viewers are sick of this race-based emotion filled reporting and will call on the corporations they support as consumers to act or there will retribution.

America is segregated because that is what people want. I know I have no desire to be where I'm not wanted. And I would surely like to keep away from the ignorant likes of Pat Buchanan. It works for me not to be included redneck hate peddlers so long as I have equality opportunities for building a life.

[NPC from Columbia SC]

Wow I pray this is proper, but I have copied and pasted your quote, just to say Thank you thank you! Your quote: "What is really amazing is that Joe S. was poised in a quasi-support of something new and fresh; until that newness and freshness acquired more delegates than the old and familiar." Now back to me: I've been watching since Don Imus was canned last year and when morning joe said "classroom 50%/%50% in Mississippi," I immediatedly understood Joe and his experience (remember -been watching him since he because permanent after Don Imus and watching him at "Scarborough Country"). Too bad he doesn't understand ours. (I was probably .1% to .099% in 1965 at Storm Thurmond High School in 1965.) Ok I got this! Thanks Roland. "morning joe," do you? I don't think it will work this time, and my family and I are preparing for January 20, 2009 in Washington DC!

[adrianp]

I hope Roland reads this, or someone can pass it along to obama's people, or unbiased reporters for further investigation
I just read HRC spokesman spin on Clinton's lie that she "dodged bullets etc" on her tip in Bosnia in 96.

Wolfson says:
"The facts are clear from contemporaneous news accounts that she was entering a potentially dangerous situation. She has written about this before, she has talked about this before and there you have it. Now, is it possible that in the most recent instance in which she discussed this that she misspoke, with regards to the exit from the plane, but there's no question that I hope everyone is clear about this in the reporting, there is no question if you look at these contemporaneous accounts that she was going to a potential combat zone, that it was by the front lines and the first person since Eleanore Roosevelt to do that and she was going into a hostile military environment."

I am from Bosnia, and i covered the whole war from 92-95, for an american news agency. I remember the visit, and when this was taking place ( March 25, 96) the war had been done for more than 4 months. There was NO fighting in March of 96, there was no combat lines, front lines or anything that resembles conflict.
By spring 96, Nato was in firm control of the whole country. Even during the peak of the war in 95, Tuzla airport was one of the safest places, and was used by the Moslem government to bring in arms and aid, and in March 96, 4 months after the peace was signed, the only potential danger to the first lady and her daughter could have been crows and pigeons jamming the jet engines. This all can be verified and checked

adrian

[G from Georgia]

I for one have been as Chris Matthews, but having African American children as the only blacks in their class and neighborhood. I made a decision to turn down a job when my children were younger, because I did not want them to be the only black kids again. My children were military dependents having grown up in diverse communities at every base we lived oftentimes the only blacks in the neighborhoods or the schools. My daughter was embraced by the whites of her school when we did move to the South, because the black children viewed her as an outsider only because she did not attend elementary school with them. Those very same whites turned their back on her when she finally experienced a predominantly black experience at college as did my son and were embraced by the blacks that once turned their backs. She was born in Okinawa, Japan and we lived the first three years of her life there. I remember my son being the only black child his age at a Japanese Pre-School, as well as both were the only black faces in a sea of Japanese faces on playgrounds and in the markets that we frequented. But despite all I taught my children to always remember where they come from, to always be who they are and to accept all nations of people unconditionally until proven otherwise. I also instilled in them to believe in themselves and never let anyone of any race keep them from living their dreams in life.

I have listened to Senator Obama's speech and read the Preamble of the Constitution of the United States over and over again, and I must say is that of a Mission and Vision Statement that most major companies adopt. "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." When we were brought here as slaves and gained freedom, we became a part of the United States of America and the Constitution that was written. Every citizen regardless of race, nationality, gender, creed or otherwise currently make up the United States of America then and now. Those of us that are citizens of this country, must unite together now, for as we were once a nation to be reckoned with, strong in power and economic strength, have now been reduced to what, a place where only a select few can and will achieve the American dream. Where only a select few will rise high soaring among the clouds looking down on others. Yes, the United States of America has now become a place for handouts.

It is said in Scripture, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." The United States has become a nation divided against itself and please know this, we will not and cannot stand. We must unite together as "One Nation under God", and stand strong and stand solid in an ever changing world that we may see the Glory of God shining upon us once again. "The Lord's anger lasts only for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime, weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." This country has been weeping but know that our joy is coming, for morning will be here soon and we will see the favor upon us once again, not just a few citizens but for all citizens of this United States of America.

[Dee]

I have been reading comments by some bloggers who criticize Lou Dobbs and for the longest time I did not understand why. I am currently watching "Lou Dobbs Tonight" and now I see why. He is just as bad if not worse, because he has a national and maybe even international audience, then the Wright he criticizes. I just don't understand why he keeps harping on this. Then he tries to say Ross (the new pastor) is the same as Wright and is keeping it going. I am so upset right now. Lou needs to stop calling others ignorant and look at his own ignorance.

[Cynthia]

Roland, I just read this article after seeing it several places on the internet and various blogs.

http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/2008/03/jeremiah-wright-responds-to-ob-000376.php

[Klynne]

I enjoyed this segment from Morning Joe...but was not surprised with what Chris had to say. I am from Nebraska and while I lived in the black part of town, went to the high school in the hood, I was often the ONLY black student in my honors/AP classes. My school was a magnet school and the white kids would be bussed in from the suburbs. The school truly was a school within a school. The white students only had to interact with the black (neighborhood) students if they were in the honors classes...and as previously inferred, there weren't many. And I graduated from high school in 1994. Unfortunately, white America is being challenged to admit and deal with the fact that they do not have to deal with African Americans unless they CHOOSE to; however black folk have NO CHOICE; particularly in the "North" were black folks aren't abundant and are greatly physically segregated. When I go home to visit, I still get crazy looks when I go to certain parts of town...and to think my parents were scared for me when I recently moved to Alabama!

I'm with Barack, it's high time that both Black and White, Yellow and Brown, have a REAL discussion about race and our prejudices. Pat Buchanan and all the others wouldn't feel talk at/ preached to if they would honestly and openly listen to what is being said from the jump.

[Tenika Moore]

Thanks Roland for being our Voice out there!

See: www.urbanstump.typepad.com

[Tenika Moore]

Thanks Roland for being our Voice out there!

See: www.urbanstump.typepad.com

[Code7]

Joe Scarbrough hails from one the most racist segments of the nation, the "red neck riveria", Pensacola, Florida. When Joe was in Congress, he had little if no contact with African-Americans, let along visted a African-American church. This should be expected on his "morning show."

[Nicki_Mommasigma]

Roland, You know, I hope Mr. Matthews reads this. I originally would hear him rant and raves years ago and thought he was a racist. But, since the evovlement of Barack's campaign, I've listened to him many times. Perhaps, I did not originally liked what he said or perhaps he has evolved. None the less, I enjoy his open and frankness on the subject of race in the US. I can listen his statements and understand that his experience is different than mine. He too, like Barack, is honest. I think it perturbs me more that white people (that I know) would rather bury the past though they (that I know) still perpetuate the same prejudices. Perhaps, we as Black people harp on race too much, but there should be a BALANCE. Let us not forget, but let us move on!