The Moderate Voice - Latest Comments in The Incredible Shrinking Ralph Nader: His “Uncle Tom” Remark About Obama

Re: The Incredible Shrinking Ralph Nader: His “Uncle Tom” Remark About Obama

Rhondacoca — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 09:44:06 -0000

I am an Obama supporter. However I am not dogmatic, where I cannot listen to a critique. You see, I was not offended by Ralph Nader's words. I am black. The term Uncle Tom is quite fitting to describe black politicans who sell out their communities to side with the "ruling class" or rich white people and corporations.

Obama has already ran a race neutral campaign that walked the line of completely denying the issue of race in America in order for personal gain with the end result being the further marginalization of such issues being addressed in the mainstream. He made me uncomfortable at times because while I would love to believe in an America that has progressed, I cannot because there is too much out there to completely contradict it. Its like the Gilded Age.

However, I am as I have always been confident in Obama's brand of leadership and also his understanding of the fact that change comes from the bottom up and not the top down. He was a community organizer and understands the grassroots. This is something that brought me to the Obama camp and this is something that has allowed me to remain in the Obama camp.We must hold Obama accountable at all times...all people so that he runs the government in the way that he said. I have no problem making demands and putting pressure. Its called Civic engagement-we must engage because it is the only way to bring about real change. Also electoral politics is not the place for real substantitve change in the way that social movement politics can. There are several movements that I can think of on the top of my head that America needs to engage in. We must not be complacent now that Obama is in the White House. We should use it to our advantage now that we have a president who is willing to listen to the people.

Re: The Incredible Shrinking Ralph Nader: His “Uncle Tom” Remark About Obama

socialnetgain — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 21:10:50 -0000

Lableboy.
How is Nader a racist? What do you think Uncle Tom means? What do you think Uncle Sam means for that matter? He accused Obama of being an Uncle Sam as much as he did an Uncle Tom. Maybe Nader is a patriot.

"I hope that man dies." Give me a break.

Re: The Incredible Shrinking Ralph Nader: His “Uncle Tom” Remark About Obama

socialnetgain — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 21:05:44 -0000

If you want your message to be heard you use words that attract attention. I applaud Nader for his lack of fear. He stuck to his guns and spoke his mind. If Obama is not Uncle Tom, let him prove it over the next four years.

In this post racial society, maybe terms like Uncle Tom will lose racial connotations altogether. Maybe we can all get over ourselves.

It is not about you. It is about us.

Re: The Incredible Shrinking Ralph Nader: His “Uncle Tom” Remark About Obama

TwinSkippy — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:22:50 -0000

I'm not going to apologize for Ralph, but what he said, and what you say he said, are two very different things. He did not call Obama and Uncle Tom. He made a bad metaphor using the term perjorative term Uncle Tom. That said, Malcom X used this exact metaphor many times when discussing "black leadership". For examples, see:
http://people.virginia.edu/...

Plus, really now, he's already pretty much blacklisted. He's not welcome on any talk shows, he's not covered by the mainstream media, and the Democratic party and its apologists (see comments here, for instance) call him much worse that what you say he said.

Is he blunt? Yes. Unapologetic? Always. Racist in the David Duke brand of racist? Doubtful. Racist in the way white America has always been racist? Quite possibly, but even there I would argue that if anyone can truly see Americans for what they are, it's Ralph Nader.

The piece you didn't see the other night was when Nader did 30 minutes on Real News Network, with Paul Jay, Tom Morris from Capital Hill Blues, and Bill Fletcher from Black Commentator, where they had an excellant discussion on race, politics, Obama, and the exact point that Nader was trying to make on the quoted radio program. Is Obama going to stand up for the poor and the downtrodden, or will he pander to the middle calss, while taking care of his corporate sponsors? Valid question? I think so!To see the segment: http://www.commondreams.org...

Get some perspective folks.

Re: The Incredible Shrinking Ralph Nader: His “Uncle Tom” Remark About Obama

Massachusetts54th — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 02:02:54 -0000

I was about to type in "I hope that man dies." However, it's cool that there's a racist running both green parties. It helps the Democrats and Obama. :)

Re: The Incredible Shrinking Ralph Nader: His “Uncle Tom” Remark About Obama

rorothepitbull — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:45:28 -0000

Nader speaks the truth, and does not back down form his statements. Both major candidates have received shameful amounts of money from companies to fund their campaigns, and both have shown an aversion to challenge those corporations. "Abamanation" has the opportunity to do his best to fullfill the promises he has made, and if he fails, he does become "uncle tom". As for the interviewer, he appears very calm and comfortable using that phrase, maybe a normal part of his vocabulary, and likely spoken more in his lifetime, than in Nader's years. Will our new leader succumb to the money powered mongers that have controlled Washington for decades, or will he really make the change that America needs? And, why is he already talking about a second term, if he can't get it done in the next four years?

Re: The Incredible Shrinking Ralph Nader: His “Uncle Tom” Remark About Obama

JohnnyPotatoe — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:07:15 -0000

Well, Ric, again, it is seen as self-evident that Nader has reached the breaking point; if nothing else, that fact is discernible. When we have
Limbaugh, Savage, Hannity plus all the lesser lights hammering us with their ceaseless madness about "redistribution," plus"complete government takeover," "destruction of the capitalist system," and the rest of their worthless flap-doodle, is there any wonder that a voice of sanity might overreact to it? When will the twinship of the Dems and Repubs be universally confirmed? Oh, that Johhny Potatoe. Whatever.

We can never relinquish the minority voice, not with Sarah (Wolf Killer)
Palin lurking In Juneau, waiting to set the Big Trap in 2012. Not hardly.
Not hardly , Jack.

Johnny "Anti-Vivisector" Director

Re: The Incredible Shrinking Ralph Nader: His “Uncle Tom” Remark About Obama

ChrisWWW — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:13:12 -0000

First off, I think it'd be ridiculous to make the claim that Nader is a racist. I refuse to believe that for a second.

However, his remark shows incredible tone-deafness. He should have retracted the part about Uncle Tom, and let the part about being a possible corporate shill stand. It's a good argument that doesn't need the racial component.

Re: The Incredible Shrinking Ralph Nader: His “Uncle Tom” Remark About Obama

Ricorun — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:30:55 -0000

No, let's not be attacking the message or the messenger.

What's left? :-)

Be that as it may, I understand his point. I very much hope Obama doesn't jump in the pocket of monied interests too. But Uncle Tom?? How tone deaf. How about Daddy Warbucks? And worse, he kept it up, too. He didn't or couldn't appreciate how offensive his choice of metaphores was.

Re: The Incredible Shrinking Ralph Nader: His “Uncle Tom” Remark About Obama

The Pajama Pundit — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:00:08 -0000

While I Nader has never been a true contender for the White House, his visibility has made it so that he can bring his issues to a national audience.

He has now squandered that visibility. Ralph Nader will never again be taken seriously by anyone outside his circle of friends.

http://thepajamapundit.com/

Re: The Incredible Shrinking Ralph Nader: His “Uncle Tom” Remark About Obama

JohnnyPotatoe — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:58:02 -0000

No, let's not be attacking the message or the messenger. Many of us ARAs have felt a far greater rage about the unyielding, worldwide animal holocaust which, despite, our extensive efforts, continues to worsen.

We understand and concur with Nader, hardly a racist as an Arab-Amercan, that the corporate takeover of our once great nation has been
categorical and complete. The 'little guy," animals, trees, rivers, streams and lakes suffer the brunt of the greedy machinations of the American/Global Corporate Defilers.

We've long pased the point of civil discourse with the Machine and Big Media yet we find a way to keep it in--Nader, it seems, is sick of keeping it in. He could have taken the easy way out by groveling to Shephard Smith on the spot; he chose not to. Ironically, the Limbaugh-led jokesters call Obama a socialist whereas the opposite is the objective reality. It can be admited Ralph's use of "Uncle Tom" was not a the wisest thing to do.

Noneteless, it is up to Obama to display the independence of action to compel an apology. Better than all of us, Ralph knows Mr. Obama, even if he wanted to , is powerless to break the vise Big Business has clamped on our country. There will be no socialism, no discernable "change."

JP aka Johnny "Loathe The Furriers" Le Courier

Re: The Incredible Shrinking Ralph Nader: His “Uncle Tom” Remark About Obama

onleyone — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:38:09 -0000

well, despite his good deeds in the past, he's always been a bit of a blowhard. now, he's a contemptible, self-righteous blowhard.