|
Post by ToneBender on Feb 6, 2009 7:17:48 GMT -5
And stop bringing "the first" into the presidency/ it matters nowt that JFK was the first Catholic. And it matter nowt that Obama is the first black. For the last time the presidency is about leadership, not religion or race, get that through to your thick self. I don't give a shit if Obama was Blue, he needs to run the country well - that's what matters - not the color of his fucking skin. Actually, it matters quite a bit that he's the first black President. He's had to put up with death threats and racism unlike any President before him. That shows "courage under fire". He has empowered an entire demographic of people in this country who until recently, due to some of their own faults as well as history's unfair hand, had been considered second class citizens. So, you think it's not important that he's the first black President? You think that says nothing of his leadership skills? Take a look at this, chief. blog.newsweek.com/blogs/labnotes/archive/2009/01/23/an-obama-effect-on-blacks-test-scores.aspxAn 'Obama Effect' on Blacks' Test Scores? Sharon Begley On only the fourth day of his presidency, it’s obviously way too soon to assess whether Barack Obama’s effect on African-Americans will extend beyond providing hope and inspiration. Will he, for instance, goad black students to higher achievement, since he is living proof that working hard can pay off? One intriguing hint of what researchers led by Ray Friedman of the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management calls the “Obama Effect” suggests that maybe, just maybe, Obama will do more for the scholastic achievement of African-Americans than anything since Brown v. Board of Education. In a paper under review at the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Friedman and colleagues present findings suggesting that Obama might close the black-white gap in scores on standardized tests. That gap reflects, in part, what psychologists call “stereotype threat”. In this now well-established phenomenon, being reminded that you belong to a group that, according to prevailing stereotypes, isn’t good at something causes you to do worse on a test of that something than if you were not so reminded. Similarly, if you are told that you are being assessed on something that stereotypes say your group is not good at (“girls can’t do math”) you do worse than it you’re told the test does not (in this example) detect gender differences. It’s easier to explain by example. When girls who are about to take a math test are reminded of their sex (basically they just check M or F on a line asking their gender), or when African-Americans about to take a standardized test such as the SAT are reminded of their race, or even when white males take a test that they’re told Asians excel on, they do worse than otherwise. Apparently, students become so anxious about confirming the stereotype that their brains stumble. As the researchers write, “concern about confirming entrenched negative racial stereotypes via poor performance . . . ironically leads to their underperformance on challenging exams.” So here’s what the new study did. At four different times during 2008 (late August, before the Democratic nominating convention; just after Obama’s acceptance speech; in early October; and right after election day), it asked about 120 college students to take an online test consisting of 20 questions from the Graduate Record Exams (GREs). (Over the four testing periods, 84 black students and 388 white students, matched for education levels, participated.) They were told that the exam was “created by the Massachusetts Aptitude Assessment Center, and is used as a diagnostic tool to assess verbal problem-solving ability”—a ruse meant to activate the stereotype that blacks don’t do as well as whites on aptitude tests. They also had to indicate their race before taking the exam, also known to activate stereotype threat. The results varied according to when the students took the test. Before the convention and in early October, the performance gap was as wide as ever: white students got a median score of 12.1 compared to blacks’ 8.8 before the convention; the scores were 12.9 and 8.4, respectively, in early October. But just after Obama’s convention speech, and just after election day, “when Obama’s stereotype-defying accomplishments garnered national attention,” as the researchers put it, there was a remarkable effect. Among students who watched Obama’s speech, blacks’ and whites’ scores were statistically equal (10.3 vs. 12.1) after the acceptance speech and 9.8 vs. 11.1 after election day. The difference is considered statistically insignificant--that is, likely due to chance. Here’s how the researchers see it: “The fact that we found effects with a random sample of American participants, far removed from any direct contact with Obama, attests to the impact that such a powerful role model can have. At the same time, this research provides evidence that real world role models, such as Obama, can trump racial stereotypes only when their success and accomplishments are especially salient. . . . Obama’s impact on Black-Americans’ performance may only occur when his success is highlighted”—that is, the performance gap vanished when his success sparked a media frenzy (acceptance speech, election) but not when it was less visible (pre-convention, early October). Now the caveats. It is significant that the performance gap vanished in the wake of the acceptance speech only among black students who watched it. Among blacks who did not watch it, scores continued to lag those of whites. That raises the possibility that only some black students will benefit from Obama’s trailblazing. I asked Joshua Aronson of New York University, one of the founders of the research on stereotype threat, what he thought of the study. “They hypothesis [that Obama’s success might eliminate stereotype threat for blacks] makes a lot of sense,” he said. “Studies have shown that even a brief intervention [like watching Obama’s Denver speech] can nullify a stereotype. But the big problem is that . . . participants were not randomly assigned to condition; rather, they self-selected. There looms the strong possibility that the participants who chose to watch Obama's speech and chose to be in the study are the type of students who would be inspired by him and whose test performance would be boosted by thinking about him.” To be sure, there was no such self-selection for the final test condition, after the election; then, everyone knew that Obama had won, and the test-score gap also vanished. Other experts nevertheless sounded a note of caution similar to Aronson’s, echoing the concern that the Obama Effect may only apply to a particular sub-population of African Americans. Clearly, more experiments need to be done. But the very possibility that Obama’s achievement will pull along an entire generation is intriguing.
|
|
|
Post by NYR on Feb 6, 2009 13:02:33 GMT -5
l4e, it does matter. you'll never realize how big obama's inauguration is because you're a white christian. (you know, the people who have had the power for hundreds of years.) but what do i know, you're smarter than everyone here it's also because he's not the leader of your party. i'd bet good money that if he was a republican, you would be calling us racists and berating us for not celebrating how big of a thing it is as much as you. and that's what's wrong with party politics. and that's what's wrong with you. you're treating this like football. don't support the same party just because it's your party. support the candidate who will do better than the other. (sorry, noel)
|
|
|
Post by AbbeyR0ad on Feb 6, 2009 14:06:37 GMT -5
l4e, it does matter. you'll never realize how big obama's inauguration is because you're a white christian. (you know, the people who have had the power for hundreds of years.) sweeping generalization. i'm a white christian (well, raised a christian at least) and i realize it. most people do realize it in fact, l4e does definitely NOT represent us whiteys
|
|
|
Post by Beady’s Here Now on Feb 6, 2009 14:37:40 GMT -5
I may be white, but im no Christian. While my parents are/were? Christians, they didn't raise me with religion. We celebrate xmas, but that's it. I've never gone to church, my parents dont go to church, I don't even believe in god.
But that neither here nor there.
I still find it hugely hypocritical - we all say that everyone should be equal, one race isn't better than the other, etc etc; but here we are bigging up Obama because he's the first black president. I'm sorry, but that just doesn't add up. Comparing today's society with past generations is one thing, but to say Obama's presidency is already special because of the fact that he's the first black president is just wrong. I'll say it one more time - Presidency is about leadership and not race.
|
|
|
Post by halftheworld on Feb 6, 2009 20:57:10 GMT -5
oh jesus, please STOP! right now!
everyone in the world (and for more intelligent people than us, believe me) is seeing the historical importance of a black president! and i like that the us finally have a black president! IT DOES MATTER.
does this make him a better president? no. did anyone ever say so? no. do people just like obama, because he is black? NO.
and if you had half the intellectual potential you claim for yourself, you would understand the parallels to JFK and Lincoln! does that make him god or something? no. did anyone ever say that? no!
what you are doing is using his skin color against him by assuming that he has nothing but his skin color. that is just wrong! he is not even 50 days in office and you say that he is just empty rhetoric... didn't YOU tell us that presidents cannot be held responsible for the first 100 days or so, anyway?
|
|
|
Post by halftheworld on Feb 6, 2009 21:02:26 GMT -5
I may be white, but im no Christian. While my parents are/were? Christians, they didn't raise me with religion. We celebrate xmas, but that's it. I've never gone to church, my parents dont go to church, I don't even believe in god. just as a sidenote: i would also love to have an american president who says: i don't believe in god. i believe in humanity! but i still don't want you to be president (or even class representative!!). got my point now?
|
|
|
Post by NYR on Feb 7, 2009 12:53:31 GMT -5
I may be white, but im no Christian. While my parents are/were? Christians, they didn't raise me with religion. We celebrate xmas, but that's it. I've never gone to church, my parents dont go to church, I don't even believe in god. just as a sidenote: i would also love to have an american president who says: i don't believe in god. i believe in humanity! that's doubtful. athiests are the least trusted group in the united states today. shame. I may be white, but im no Christian. While my parents are/were? Christians, they didn't raise me with religion. We celebrate xmas, but that's it. I've never gone to church, my parents dont go to church, I don't even believe in god. But that neither here nor there. I still find it hugely hypocritical - we all say that everyone should be equal, one race isn't better than the other, etc etc; but here we are bigging up Obama because he's the first black president. I'm sorry, but that just doesn't add up. Comparing today's society with past generations is one thing, but to say Obama's presidency is already special because of the fact that he's the first black president is just wrong. I'll say it one more time - Presidency is about leadership and not race. you're missing the point, man. not only did nobody here say that blacks are better than anybody else (unless al sharpton is a member of the forum), it is a momentous occasion. nowhere on this forum did anybody, other than yourself, suggest that obama's a better president because he's black, either. imagine, for example, a woman as president, or even vice president. would it be a major achievement? yes. 100 years ago, they didn't have the right to vote. in certain places in the world today, they don't have that right (and much worse). i guarantee you that if sarah palin was elected as vice president, you would be saying how amazing it is for the progress of this country. so stop acting like a spoiled child who didn't get the toy he wanted at toys r us and step into reality, would you? but what do i know? you're the most ignorant arrogant intelligent person here.
|
|
|
Post by tank13 on Feb 7, 2009 14:22:32 GMT -5
Obama's presidency is not special because he's black or multiracial. I think the proper adjective would be symbolic. Its symbolic to how far we've come as a society that as recent as 40 years ago, minorities couldn't vote and public schools were still segregated (50 years ago). When the first woman, latino, asian, indian, etc., become president it will become another symbolic moment in society as to the proverbial glass ceiling.
Obama's administration has he unique opportunity to be special because of the shit hole we're currently in, thanks to your boy W.
I also thinks its ludicrous that those who did not vote for Obama are crying and whining like the fans of a team who lost a championship game/series. You didn't hear Dems/Liberals whine and complain in 04 like "WHYYYYYYY DIDN'T KERRY WIN! ITS THE END OF THE WORLD!!! WAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!" You heard them whine and complain in 00 due to a legit questionable voting situation in Palm Beach County, Florida that it took the highest court in the land to decide who was going to be President. I'm not implying Conservatives should compromise themselves and their beliefs and go left. Stand up for what you believe in. What I am trying to say, is at least give President Obama the chance to succeed or fail. Give him the CHANCE. 2 weeks into his presidency is not sufficient time to declare a presidency a failure or success. I think that this
I believe this is the shortest honeymoon period any president has ever had. Remember this, Bush, sat around for the first 9 months of his administration. Had 9-11 not happened, he would've sat around for at least a year not doing anything.
|
|
fastfuse
Oasis Roadie
Today Class We Shall Learn Rock N' Roll History
Posts: 264
|
Post by fastfuse on Feb 7, 2009 14:50:52 GMT -5
All the Americans on here who don't think Obamas up to the job will you spare a thought for us poor bastards across the pond!! At least he's articulate and passionate when he talks about his country. Brown has been in power for 18 months and been powerless/unable to stop this country sliding further and further down the toilet.
He will lead his country in an dignified and intelligent way during his term. He will improve relationships with other country's and hopefully right some of Bushes wrongs.
I don't claim to know the ins and outs of American politics, just give him time. Put it this way from what I picked out of the press coverage. If McCain got in you'd all be signed up to national service running round the mountains of Afghanistan looking for MORE weapons of mass destruction..
|
|