Singer Dave Matthews: Racism is “everywhere” in the US
And it’s the primary reason people are opposed to Obama, says the popular musician:
We caught up with Matthews just as news hit the Web that former President Jimmy Carter believed racism was the root of some of the negativity directed toward President Obama in recent weeks. The 42-year-old singer-songwriter offered a unique perspective, as a man who split his childhood between the United States and South Africa during apartheid. The following is an edited version of the interview.
CNN: President Carter said he thinks that a lot of the animosity directed toward President Obama is race related.
Dave Matthews: Of course it is! I found there’s a fairly blatant racism in America that’s already there, and I don’t think I noticed it when I lived here as a kid. But when I went back to South Africa, and then it’s sort of thrust in your face, and then came back here — I just see it everywhere. There’s a good population of people in this country that are terrified of the president only because he’s black, even if they don’t say it. And I think a lot of them, behind closed doors, do say it.
Maybe I’m paranoid about it, but I don’t think someone who disagreed as strongly as they do with Obama — if it was Clinton — would have stood up and screamed at him during his speech. (Shakes his head) I don’t think so.
“Maybe” you’re paranoid about it? Dude, you are paranoid about it. And wrong. Does this idiot not remember the 8 years of non-stop yelling the far left did against Bush and his administration on any number of issues? The remaining obsession many of them with Bush and his administration – wanting to have them “investigated” for alleged “war crimes” and “Constitutional abuses”? Can’t blame that on “racism,” so what would Dave Matthews blame it on? Scratch that. It’s clear he really hasn’t thought about it, because the only Presidential history we’re allowed to analyze is Democrat Presidential history because only conservatives are ‘mean’ to Presidents with whom they disagree.
Really. What made CNN decide to question a musician about Jimmy Carter’s comments? Since when did CNN start looking to entertainers to give political opinions? Don’t get me wrong – I’m not one of those “they should just shut up and sing” types. Everyone has a right to express their opinion, but I get the distinct impression that people like Dave Matthews wants people like me to “shut up and serve” … this President – just like celebridiots who pledged to do so earlier this year, all in the interest of “harmony” and “getting along.”
If Matthews really is interested in bringing people together, he can start with condemning this WH for demonizing its mainstream political opposition since Day 1, and he can start calling for civility from its attacks dogs like David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel. He can also clue the WH in on the fact that it’s supposed to be the government who serves the people, not the other way around, and about the fact that you are not “unpatriotic” simply because you disagree with the President. Oh, and he can also start being a little more civil himself. Accusing a “good population of people” of “racism” is a pretty serious charge, and one he shouldn’t throw around lightly.