Obama understands responsibility of being 1st African America president, Steele doesn’t understand his

Today on Good Morning America, GOP Chairman Michael Steele, fended off the criticism surrounding his stewardship of the Republican party by implying that it could be racially motivated.

From the Huffington Post:

Appearing on "Good Morning America" Monday, Steele was asked whether he was being criticized unfairly over expenditures on items such as private jet travel, high-end hotels, and bondage-themed nightclubs, because of his race.

"The honest answer is, 'Yes,'" he said. "Barack Obama has a slimmer margin. A lot of folks do. It's a different role for me to play and others to play and that's just the reality of it. But you just take that as a part of the nature of it."

Now that Steele has his back up against the wall because of his spending, especially the spending associated with the lesbian bondage club incident, he is playing the race card.

This is just ridiculous, when Steele compares his struggles to that of President Obama he ignores that simple fact that whenever Obama’s race is relevant he conducts himself in a manner that many of us in the African American community can take pride in. As for Steele, when his race is relevant he often plays the role of the mistrel.

Writing in the Grio last week Dr. Boyce Watkins noted:

“One problem for Michael Steele, however, is that even if this story is not true, the public is going to believe that it is. The tale of the financially irresponsible black man is an easy sell to the American people, particularly among conservatives. Notice that the language used to describe Michael Steele as arrogant, out of touch and economically irresponsible is similar to the dialogue aimed at President Barack Obama.”

While Obama is comfortable in his skin and not afraid to speak in his Blackcent on occasion or engage in what some might consider behavior associated with being Black (playing basketball being my favorite), he carries himself in a manner that pushes back and challenges some of the most negative stereotypes associated with Black men.

Steele on the other hand seems to think his role at times is to play a character. Let’s not forget when he said the GOP needed a “hip-hop makeover” and that it was going to launch a public relations offensive that was going to be “off the hook.”

One of the funniest moments in Steele’s tenure as head of the GOP was when Obama mocked Steele to his face during the 2009 White House Correspondents’ Dinner saying:

"Michael Steele is in the house tonight. Or as he would say, 'In the heezy.' Wassup?"

Steele stood up to call attention to himself as if Obama was talking to him man-to-man, however he didn't realize the President was leading the world in laughing at him.

I believe that the GOP selected Steele to be their “cool Black guy” in response to the Democrats’ “cool Black guy.” The only problem is that Barack Obama is a thoughtful, competent, inspiring individual who wants to be a transformational leader and happens to be both cool and Black, whereas Steele is just a simple fool.

Backfire: Illinois State Rifle Association plays race card and equates being Black or Hispanic to being a gang member

In an attempt to fight House Bill 6123, which would prohibit the sale of firearms to gang members in Illinois, the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA) played the race card by saying that the bill will discriminate against law-abiding African Americans and Hispanics.

From an ISRA press release:

Press Release - Bill That Would Effectively Prohibit African Americans and Hispanics From Buying Guns Advances in the Illinois General Assembly

Law-abiding African Americans and Hispanics would take it on the chin under a bill now moving through the Illinois General Assembly. Sponsored by Rep. Harry Osterman (D-14), HB6123 would prohibit any person or entity from selling a firearm to a so-called “street gang member.”

You heard right, because the bill would ban the sale of firearms to gang members the IRSA says it is discriminatory against African Americans and Hispanics. Meaning the ISRA views most law abiding Black and Brown people as gangbangers or at least looking like them.

In an ironic twist the ISRA's executive director goes ont to claim that the bill as promoting racial profiling.

"HB6123 promotes racial profiling at its worst," commented ISRA Executive Director, Richard Pearson. "Popular culture has branded urban minorities with the 'gangsta' stereotype that is pervasive well beyond the confines of actual criminal enterprises."

Oh brother, what Pearson fails to acknowledge is that by stating that this legislation is discriminatory against Blacks and Hispanics he and the ISRA, not the legislation nor the lawmakers who introduced and supported it, are the ones engaging in racial profiling.

I'm Black, have tons of Black and Hispanic friends and acquantances, and very few of them look anything like gangbangers.

Sure a significant number of people of color, as well as quite a few white folks I have encountered, dress in a manner fitting a "'gangsta' stereotype" (those ISRA guys sure know their street slang), however the law specifically identified what constitutes a gang member and none of those guidelines have anything to do with race or attire. It is the ISRA that has introduced race.

Gun rights groups traditionally identify with those on the right, who often accuse lefties and people of color like me of playing the "race card." In this instance it is ISRA who is employing the "race card" either out of ignorance or as a cynical attempt to mock legitimate claims of racism.

Let's hope that the ISRA gets significant pushback on this offensive effort to play the "race card." At the end of the day ISRA doesn't care about African Americans and Hispanics or our civil rights, they just care about getting more guns out on the street.

HatTip CapFax