The Moderate Voice - Latest Comments in Republican Congressman Rep. Davis Refers To Obama As “That Boy”

Re: Republican Congressman Rep. Davis Refers To Obama As “That Boy”

DLS — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:14:30 -0000

There are dummies who actually say (presumably with a straight face) that Obama is a post-boomer rather than a boomer.

He is young and inexperienced compared to others (which is almost certainly the rationale behind the "boy" remark; can't you PC weenies grow up and examine the rest of what is said, actually form concepts out of context?), and that is what he is trying to sell to people. The "snake oil" remark is suitable, though clumsy; I had a relative attend Obama's Portland appearance, and was called about the total lack of real content and substance in his speech, one sound bite after another (my reply was that a speech by him typically is one long sound bite; all the candidates are the same in this regard, but in Obama's case, so much of his support is PC adoration and cult following). Any false put-down about addressing the PC facts behind the reaction to this is silly, to keep thigns much more kind than they need be.

Re: Republican Congressman Rep. Davis Refers To Obama As “That Boy”

lurxst — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:19:54 -0000

In the context he used the term it was meant to belittle Obama, there is no doubt about that. I am younger than both of them but I cringed when I read that. Davis is acting like a moron (which is a term to belittle his intellect).

I think this campaign has really made everyone face up to intrinsic racism present in much of our society. I know there are defenders of this kind of behavior and speech out there, but they are losing their ground.

Re: Republican Congressman Rep. Davis Refers To Obama As “That Boy”

kritt11 — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 08:40:46 -0000

It could have been unintentional, but I DO think a politician from the South of Davis' generation most likely IS aware of the history attached to that term.

A Southern white man calling a black man "boy" could be like Allen's "maccaca" moment. I guess if someone hung a noose from a tree they could claim it was innocent also.

Re: Republican Congressman Rep. Davis Refers To Obama As “That Boy”

EEllis — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:14:28 -0000

As Ryan said many people can and have used "Boy" and meant nothing derogatory or racist. That being said for a white southern politician to use it in reference to Obama is stupid. It is the height of idiocy and there is no playing it off as anything else.

Re: Republican Congressman Rep. Davis Refers To Obama As “That Boy”

runasim — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 02:43:41 -0000

Calling a grown man "boy" has a history, and there is no way Davis can fail to know that.
I think it was an intentional slur.

Re: Republican Congressman Rep. Davis Refers To Obama As “That Boy”

ryan — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:57:17 -0000

This seems to me like another much-ado-about-nothing issue. Is it possible that Rep. Davis is racist? Of course. But without further evidence of other racist statements I think he gets the benefit of the doubt for using Southern slang that applies across ethnic groups. Living far from the South in California, the twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings I hang out with (representing black, white, brown, yellow, and just about every other color there is) occasionally use "boy" in reference to their peers, sports figures, celebrities, etc. of all ethnicities. There is no racist intent - it's simply part of the vocabularly of a generation that grew up well after "boy" was commonly used as a derogatory term.

Re: Republican Congressman Rep. Davis Refers To Obama As “That Boy”

templestark — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:13:57 -0000

Well, people, his supporters do keep on calling Obama "young" which in anything but a politician - i guess - 46 isn't young.

"Boy," I'm not sure it's straight up racist - but could be persuaded - but it is pretty damn offensive.

Re: Republican Congressman Rep. Davis Refers To Obama As “That Boy”

Marlowecan — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:16:39 -0000

Joe's "Answers.Yahoo.com" link was very good.

I have heard "boy" used by Southerners in a non-racist way...but there has to be an age difference. That is not the case here. I suspect it was coded racism. But that is just my opinion.

sh0ter makes an excellent point: " The rep. should've known better, but I bet he figured he was safe in a room full of his peers."

I imagine Obama felt the same in San Fran. No where is safe from the "GaffeMeisters" in this election!

I thought this was Obama's "macaca" moment...given that I can't imagine him ever again getting in as sweeping a demographic in one gaffe.

But the year is still young.

Wait till Bill Clinton gets caught in a motal room...

...with John McCain!

Re: Republican Congressman Rep. Davis Refers To Obama As “That Boy”

sh0ter — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:03:44 -0000

Boy will always be synoymous with racism, when it is said from a white person( especially an old southern or rual one), to a black, or mixed race person.

Any attempt to play this off as simply being overly sensitive to PCness is a falure or unwillingess to understand history.

The rep. should've known better, but I bet he figured he was safe in a room full of his peers.