Home Politics & Debate
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.

I'm Barack Obama and I endorse this MP. Or does he?

Only two days in, and I'm already getting sick and tired of third-rate ministers and MPs throughout this rotten borough licking Barack Obama's arse and trying to bask in his reflected glory. The psychologically flawed Gordon Brown was at it at PMQs yesterday, although Call Me Dave was just as nauseating. Now Dawn Butler, a Labour MP, has apparently posted a letter up on her website which appears to be an endorsement from Obama himself. Written on House of Commons notepaper, he apparently claims that she is "bright, intelligent and determined". The letter also says that "I can see why she is one of only two black women in parliament". Reads to me like a massive insult to British black women.

This was originally posted on Iain Dale's Diary (click to see the original letter) this morning and very quickly picked up by the mainstream media. The Beeb's report sounds more like a Labour Party press release than a news report from an "impartial" organisation, but nonetheless, it's there.

Just one question. Is this actually real or not? Consider - how likely is it that Barack Obama is going to have a piece of House of Commons notepaper at the ready? Having seen his signature in a photograph in today's newspapers, I have to admit that it looks genuine. It's also more than possible that he would have written that kind of sycophantic drivel - his campaign speeches proved he has form for spouting flowery meaningless rubbish. But for some reason, I'm not entirely convinced that this is the real McCoy.

What do you reckon?
Beep boop. I'm a bot.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I reckon you'd be good at writing one of those blogs. As for the "I can see why she is one of only two black women in parliament." It sounds in a sense less insulting at black women (to my ears) and more the nation (in the sense we don't like voting for black people), that's without context of course.

    dawnbutler.jpg

    The cynical part of me believes it's less a heartfelt message and one of these political thingys. I'm not sure whether it's real either though, I'm wondering who he addressed the letter to. Did he write her a letter but then talked about her in the third person? It's just like he wrote an open letter to the world praising her.

    According to the beeb it appears all he did was sign the thing, it was his / her office who okd it. From watching political dramas (please forgive me!), I think it's probably a move set up to reinforce his solidarity with people of colour. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but you're probably right in being cynical about her use of the letter as if it was personally written by him endearingly for someone he really admired. He probably just met her and his aides were ticking the boxes.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You should try living in Scotland. It's utterly embarrassing how much the SNP's Alex Salmond (first minister) is trying to deflect some of the Obama glory. Has even tried to suggest that Obama has ancestoral roots tracing back to Scottish king. Apparently an Obama tartan is in production too. :o
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    To be fair I think the whole thing has ben thoroughly "over-cheesed".
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Dawn Butler is a great MP, who supported YouthNet and BYC's Respect? report when it first came out, and if she's been endorsed by Obama why shouldn't she be proud of that?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    piccolo wrote: »
    Dawn Butler is a great MP, who supported YouthNet and BYC's Respect? report when it first came out, and if she's been endorsed by Obama why shouldn't she be proud of that?

    Because she drafted it herself and comes over as semi-literate?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Does it really matter that he's black? I'm getting sick of it all.
    Whenever someone seems to mention Obama it's like "Obama is great, he's smart, oh and he's also black incase you didn't notice!" He hasn't done anything yet to prove his loyalty to America, or the world. Jeeez. Give him the 4 years, see how many messages of hope he breaks and if he's hated as much as Bush is right now.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ShyBoy wrote: »
    I reckon you'd be good at writing one of those blogs. As for the "I can see why she is one of only two black women in parliament." It sounds in a sense less insulting at black women (to my ears) and more the nation (in the sense we don't like voting for black people), that's without context of course.
    I'm baffled as to how you reach that conclusion. In many respects, the UK is far less racist than most other countries around the world. We've seen far fewer riots than other countries have in recent years - the only race riots in this decade were the ones in Burnley. Trevor Phillips, head of the Commission for Racial Equality, said earlier this week that Britain is the least racist country in Europe. Though obviously not so non-racist that they're able to wind down the commission which he heads.

    As far as politics goes, however, the USA is miles ahead of us in some ways. What is the chance realistically of the UK getting a black Prime Minister in the next 50 years? The way we're currently proceeding, virtually none. Where are all the black mayors in this country? There's plenty in the USA, there's none that I know of here. We have very few black MPs - the only woman other than Dawn Porter is Diane Abbott. Ah yes, the socialist hypocrite who condemns grammar schools and "privilege" in education whilst sending her own kid to a private school. There's more chance of the Pope advocating the use of condoms than there is of her making it into the Cabinet. Things aren't much better amongst the black male MPs either - the best amongst them (by which I mean truly mediocre) is David Lammy. His lack of action over the Baby P case was truly shameful and has killed his chances of a ministerial job stone dead.

    The Left are certainly right on one point. Politics in this country is stuffed full of the same white, middle-class faces who have been around for decades - and look what a mess they've made of things. The only question is how you get more non-whites into those positions of power.

    As for the issue of me writing a blog, it's something I've considered more than once. If there's an audience out there who's prepared to read as I vent my spleen at everything around us, I'd be more than ready to do it.
  • JsTJsT Posts: 18,268 Skive's The Limit
    stargalaxy wrote: »
    the only race riots in this decade were the ones in Burnley.

    Race riots in Bradford in 2001 also. I seem to recall Oldham having similar riots on the same year.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    JsT wrote: »
    Race riots in Bradford in 2001 also. I seem to recall Oldham having similar riots on the same year.

    And Wrexham in 2003
Sign In or Register to comment.