Obama talks about race and urban issues in Iowa

The article does not make clear whether Obama spoke of the responsibility that the black community has for its own improvement. The question is: Does Obama wish to be the president of blacks or the president of all America? If it's the latter, he needs to be forthright in identifying the problem and it's more than "putting on a belt."

I don't think he was saying that the problems in black america are as simple as putting on a belt. I don't really see how you can distill that from his comments. In fact, it sounded like the thrust of his comments were about the disparity between black and white America, and it's not a fashion problem.

I think if there's one candidate in the Democratic race who understand what it's like to be black, it's Barack Obama. Who better to offer a solution than someone whose actually faced adversity and racism, and overcome those obstacles?

The comment posted by Boniqua, sadly, reminds me of my former jhs students who simply don't listen or won't listen. Senator Obama did identify the problems that strangle Blacks in America: income, criminal justice, incarceration, infant mortality etc...Wake up Boniqua!

cool

When Barack Obama talks about the problems of black Americans , he is talking about a quintessentially American problem, no more, no less.

I was there today and he spoke of the need for both the government and individuals to take responsibility for improving conditions for urban poor. He stated that parents needed become part of the solution. I believe he appeals to everyone black and white. He talks about Americans...not races.

the plight of the cities define the plight of america. the face too often happens to be Black. we are measured not just by our own issues but also by how we recognize the issues of the least amongst us. it is not a question of being the president of the Blacks or whites, these are America's questions. we are all americans. i was afraid that he was afraid to take it on.if he can do it in Iowa there goes the Clinton's claim to representing Black folks. good job, Senator.

This is just the kind of honesty and spontenaity needed to get out of the horrible ethical malaise in which this nation finds itself.

Obama gets my vote. Based on this converstaion alone I'll be committing more financial contributions to Obama's campaign - Tonight.

A lot of us used to look up to the USA, as a country that protect the weak and the poor, provide justice, equality and opportunity to all mankind without regard to race.
However, recent happenings have kind of over shadow the uniqueness of the "American dream" of freedom, peace, love, success etc.
I frankly agreed with Sir Obama. The obvious disparity between the white, the natives and people of color, like any other indices of discrimination, are MAN MADE!
The USA, need a leader, the president that, not only understand the pain, agony and hurt, that such man made barrier can feel like, but one who has actually experienced it first hand.
Such a president, will be willing to set up a network of informations and actions, whose aim and objectives will be to generate a new thought process; that which will bring about, an improvement in the way Americans, generally live within her diverse population.
I am tremenduously encouraged by Obama, having the time to speak out for humanity, rather than, pretend that, all is well with the USA.
We should all contribute to teaching others to fish, rather than feeding them continuously on fish.
A CHANGE IN THE WAY THINGS ARE PRIVIOUSLY DONE IN THIS COUNTRY, WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE IN.
God bless America,
God bless Obama,
God bless us all, amen.

"Who better to offer a solution than someone whose actually faced adversity and racism, and overcome those obstacles?"

This is a total turn off. Please don't say that. Just because your are black or faced racism does not make you qualified to solve the problem. Your solution to the problem should speak for itself. Too often people get hung up on this gang mentality. What person fits the mold to be able to speak on a issue. In that way they miss out because someone who might not come in the package they expect will be offering the solution. You don't have to face racism to know adversity. And all humans know adversity so as humans they can relate, but the difference is do they learn form it enough to offer good solutions. Having said that he identifies the problem, and part of the solution is individual effort. The Trib answered that by playing on the old conservative "pull yourself up by the boot straps"--pull up your pants and put a belt on. It is clear that he spoke on to the responsibility that the black community has for its own improvement.

A great American has already spoken openly about the racial situation in America. Bill Cosby 'nuf said

Why won't Senator Obama, or any of the other Democratic candidates for that matter speak out about Dunbar Village?

Obama's specific comment was not directed towards all the poor. "There's an old saying that when America gets a cold, black America gets pneumonia," He did not say "poor Americans", he said "black Americans", excluding Asians, Caucasians, Latinos, Native Americans, etc; all races that are poor. He has a specific agenda, and that's fine, but let's not delude ourselves and say otherwise. Listen to his words. I work two jobs, and my income is below the poverty level, yet I feel better off than my gay friends. They pay taxes, have died in all the wars in US history, defending this country (closeted), and yet they are denied the right to be married. One was murdered last year, targeted just for being gay. I was stunned at the bigotry I witnessed. The assailants, police, hospital personnel, and journalists comments and actions were disgraceful, and some were African American. Let's address the injustices towards all of our citizens, not just the black community.

While certain fashions are inappropriate for the work environment, we need to focus more on who a person is rather than what they are wearing. And some fashions are annoying; the good thing is they DO go out of style. Don't do Obama the disservice of asking who he wants to be president of- we don't need that. We already have a president that thinks he is the President of the Republicans of the United States.

Living in Central Illinois, I have first-hand knowledge of the Black struggle. Too much. Too often, Blacks are more than willing NOT to take responsibility for their plight.So far, O'Bama looks like the best candidate for the job of President Of The USA.

The "responsibility that the black community has for its own improvement" question is like a stone thrown in a pond. It produces waves that repeat JFK's "ask not what your country can do for you" speech. We need to think about responsibility as something that is shared, where each of us participates in making our nation stronger and our world safer. In this sense, a president acting responsibly might even be one who offers a sneezing corporate executive a Kleenex. We all benefit.

"There's an old saying that when America gets a cold, black America gets pneumonia," he said.

This is how I feel about this quote:

This is 2007, and times have changed. While there is still racism against Blacks going on, there is racial discrimination against Latinos, Whites, Asians, and other ethnic groups too. Racial discrimination is bigger than Black vs. White. Latino-Americans and Arab-Americans are more commonly targeted for discrimination(Hate crimes against Latinos and Arabs + constant negativity in the media about Latinos and Arabs). I do not hear Mr. Obama speaking about how these people are being discriminated against. Instead, I see quotes like the above where it comes back to Blacks getting discriminated. I would take Obama more seriously if he focused on all discrimination(not just African-American issues). It is sad to see a presidential candidate, especially a minority, that does not try to fight against all issues regarding discrimination. Instead he brings it back to his ethnicity and focuses on advancing, "Black America."

Being a minority myself, I feel that a human being is a human being. Everyone is the same regardless of where he or she comes from and what he or she looks like. It is time we stopped focusing on trying to advance one race over the other and start trying to treat everyone as an equal human being.

So my final statement is this: Sen. Obama, please speak about all discrimination, not just blacks.

There are portraits of 42 former Presidents of the United States in the American Art Museum in Washington DC. All 42 of those portraits are of White Anglo-Saxon men and one Roman Catholic man of Irish descent. The lives of those men spanned more than 2 centuries. Think about that! Two centuries. And the problems of race in America, which began before that first president are still with us. The problems are different, but there are still far too many of them, which in most instances are the residual effect of matters handed down from generation to generation.

Black people did not create racism in this country, and Black people cannot solve the problems of racism. White people can. Certainly one man cannot do it, but unless Americans can agree that it is the number one consistent problem that has plagued this country for 2 centuries whomever is president will be powerless to do very much.

I thought there was no such thing as the "trickle down" effect?

which is it lefties?

Let's see.

Oprah is the richest most influential single black woman in the world and a (1/2) black American is in the top 5 to be the next leader of our country.

GW, how do these things happen where, according to you, racism is the number 1 issue?

"The problems are different, but there are still far too many of them, which in most instances are the residual effect of matters handed down from generation to generation. "

Are you talking about America or the black community?

Get over yourself.

"I could not be standing here, were it not for the extrordinary efforts that were made on my behalf by a previous generation."
This is true for everyone. I often wonder if that is truely appreciated by the "I'm oppressed" crowd.