Story from dkos

[badgerbag]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/5/12494/1977/623/620782

So what do you think of this? Heartwarming story that makes you tear up? I have to say, my first reaction was laughter and being appalled at everyone applauding this racist white guy for not crapping his pants as he talked to a "young black man" with tattoos and "bling" for the very first time.

There are things to like in there:

"I have been a very ignorant American. I apologize to God and everyone in my country. I have never seen living conditions as horrendous as some of these elderly people are living in. Note to self - detachment is no longer an option - I will now be much much more involved in community issues. "

Hey I'm not gonna argue with that. Especially coming from an ex-Republican.

The self congratulatory tone of the dude and most of the commenters makes me a bit ill. Oh well thank god the great white knight braved the scary bling to go save black people... I don't see such reactions of heartwarming tears to stories from people of color going out and working on campaigns or doing community activism. Maybe that will change though and people doing good work will get widespread credit and respect.

I do really like the thought that 18 and 19 year olds who don't get into the polling results because they have only cell phones, are going to get out and vote like crazy and possibly make it a total landslide victory for Obama! Now that's heartwarming!

Comments

[vito-excalibur.livejournal.com]

I don't know; it may be fair to tell someone who is finally where he should have been ten years ago, "Hey dumbass, quit congratulating yourself, you should have been there ten years ago;" but is it useful? I think a certain amount of that is useful, lest people take the first step on the path to wisdom and decide that they are there already, but there is also a place of "hey good job finally starting on the path."

[badgerbag.livejournal.com]

I have cookies to spare for this man, it's true!

It's more the 500 people crying with sentiment in the comments who bug the ever living hell out of me.

[vito-excalibur.livejournal.com]

Ah well, my point of view is that I am not going to leap up to give him cookies, so if other people want to do so, why not? Then I can poke him if I feel motivated to do so and give my cookies to someone else.

[bifemmefatale.livejournal.com]

I just hope that as many people as possible are voting early or by absentee--the video floating around youtube predicting a vote hack and a 51.5% victory for McCain-Palin scares me with how easy he makes it sound.

[brownbetty]

I'm not even sure I can take it as a semi-truthful account: to me, the “You're the first white man who has ever spoken to me with respect” thing sounds like “And then the entire bus applauded me for my verbal slapdown of those two punks.” When someone gets that much in-story validation for their actions, I get suspicious.

[badgerbag.livejournal.com]

It does seem a bit unlikely on several counts. Possibly the rest of it could be true and the bit about the massive thanks for being the first white man to respect the dude is the fantasy do-gooder embellishment! I keep trying to imagine that scene actually playing out, and failing.