Trump

[gravy]

What was the criticism?

[PumaG]

something about Barack Obama being biased over Brexit because Kenya (his father's homeland) used to be a British colony

[gravy]

And that's okay with you?

[KlaxonCow]

An odd argument to make about an American. What with, you know, America also having been a former British colony too.

[PumaG]

And that's okay with you?

No, it's totally fucking absurd as Barrack's mother and father divorced when he was 3 years old and the father only visited him once.

More likely, the President could want the best for Britain with his mum having English ancestry

the connotation with Trump is because the looneys think this is racist

[pogo]

It is telling that he is starting to play the race card, spuriously highlighting Obama’s skin colour as Trump did with his Birther campaign. The benefit is it will prop up his appeal among the fringe elements who want out of the EU for racist reasons, who make up a significant proportion of Brexit supporters. But at the same time it will drive away the majority who are not narrow-minded racists. Hard to compare as our systems are so different but I would think the nativist/racist element in British politics is much smaller than in the US.

[PumaG]

It is telling that he is starting to play the race card, spuriously highlighting Obama’s skin colour as Trump did with his Birther campaign. The benefit is it will prop up his appeal among the fringe elements who want out of the EU for racist reasons, who make up a significant proportion of Brexit supporters. But at the same time it will drive away the majority who are not narrow-minded racists. Hard to compare as our systems are so different but I would think the nativist/racist element in British politics is much smaller than in the US.

how is Boris playing the race card? are we now at the point where if the President was half-Irish and Boris made the same stupid comment, that's racist too? The reaction is way too knee jerk and based purely on processing in a nano second the two people's in question skin colour.
It's quite simple, theres a growing notion that in modern Britain you cant criticise or challenge someone with dark skin or a Muslim name. As proved by Ali G (purposely given a Muslim name to invoke fear of being a racist in anyone challenging him)

[(o)(o)]

Ali G is actually a white. It's Sasha Baron Cohen, the actor who played Boris. Nor was he attacked for having dark skin, his progarm was widely shown on British T.V.

[pogo]

It’s obvious to anyone with an ounce of sense that it’s nonsense. Obama is not affected in that way by his Kenyan parentage. Boris Johnson surely knows that too; he is not stupid. So why did he write it? To appeal to racists.

The good thing is that it is unlikely to help him. Obama is well known and liked here, liked even more than in the US. It smacks of desperation on Boris Johnson’s part, trying anything to discredit Obama before he spoke. As Obama’s contribution has been devastating to the Brexit campaign, blowing holes in their main argument that we could replace the EU with the US, as our main and closest trading partner.

[PumaG]

The benefit is it will prop up his appeal among the fringe elements who want out of the EU for racist reasons, who make up a significant proportion of Brexit supporters. But at the same time it will drive away the majority who are not narrow-minded racists. Hard to compare as our systems are so different but I would think the nativist/racist element in British politics is much smaller than in the US.

You'll find that many 3rd generation immigrants are against mass migration to the UK if that's what you mean by "narrow minded racists". also Isn't Boris an Englo-Turk?
It's normal for taxpayers of any race not to want to subsidise those not willing to put effort in like they did.

in addition to that I have several friends who are tradesman, and starting approx 4 or 5 years ago they said unkind things about Polish people because they could no longer earn the same kind of obscene hourly rates any more. Do you suggest I challenge them for being racist?
The motivator in both my examples is money, the biggest motivator there is, not skin colour.

[PumaG]

Ali G is actually a white. It's Sasha Baron Cohen, the actor who played Boris. Nor was he attacked for having dark skin, his progarm was widely shown on British T.V.

I'm well aware of who he is.
When the character was devised they gave him a Muslim name so he couldn't be challenged, otherwise it wouldnt have worked. They took advantage of 'political correctness'
The only one who came close to taking Ali G to task was Tony Benn and no of course he wasn't attacked for dark skin.
Part of his ironic humour was his "is it cuz I is Black" line. Even way back then he confused and made nervous British Policeman.
Today we have hater preachers like Anjem Choudary scaring Policeman into removing Poppies and charity wrist bands,.

[PumaG]

It’s obvious to anyone with an ounce of sense that it’s nonsense. Obama is not affected in that way by his Kenyan parentage. Boris Johnson surely knows that too; he is not stupid. So why did he write it? To appeal to racists.

Complete bollocks. Even as a comedy clown mascot London Mayor, Boris is not going to be observing or caring about Obama's skin colour.
Boris was already having a pop at Obama the other week about Obama being hypocritical, can you show your formula on how that was also racist? or designed to appeal to racists? or did Boris become racist over night and completely forget the culture of the city he is Mayor of?

The good thing is that it is unlikely to help him. Obama is well known and liked here, liked even more than in the US. It smacks of desperation on Boris Johnson’s part, trying anything to discredit Obama before he spoke.
As Obama’s contribution has been devastating to the Brexit campaign, blowing holes in their main argument that we could replace the EU with the US, as our main and closest trading partner.

I agree Boris was desperate. That was because his 'hypocrite' argument didn't do enough damage so his gone for the 'you dont like UK because routine' . nothing to do with skin colour

Obama is liked in the UK because he is very presentable. Good looks, body language, calm demeanor, his manners all qualities British like and are almost unheard of in British politicians, actually I'll go for unheard of.

[PumaG]

With Boris being part Turkish from his Anti-Nationilst Grandfather Ali Kemal Bey , what if he'd come out 'well tanned' ? Not looking so racist now is it

[pogo]

Complete bollocks. Even as a comedy clown mascot London Mayor, Boris is not going to be observing or caring about Obama's skin colour.
Boris was already having a pop at Obama the other week about Obama being hypocritical, can you show your formula on how that was also racist? or designed to appeal to racists? or did Boris become racist over night and completely forget the culture of the city he is Mayor of?

Bringing up his Kenyan ancestry when it’s entirely irrelevant is racist. Even worse is suggesting that Obama is anti-British because of it and Britain’s colonial legacy, for which there is not a shred of evidence.

The best comparison is with the Birther movement, the attempt to prove that Obama was born outside the US. The odd thing about it was that many Americans have one or even two foreign parents. Many are born outside the US, not least Ted Cruz. Obama was not and had one US parent.

So why pick on Obama? Because he is Black, and a large proportion of Americans believed and still believe a Black person cannot be president, for racist reasons. What’s notable about the Birther movement was there was never a shred of evidence for it. But that did not matter as it started with the assumption that Obama was a fraud, then tried to find evidence. It only had legs as so many people were willing to believe it, for racist reasons.

It probably explains why Trump ran, and why he has run the campaign he has. He saw how popular his Birther movement had become and decided to channel the same attitudes into a presidential run.

[PumaG]

Complete bollocks. Even as a comedy clown mascot London Mayor, Boris is not going to be observing or caring about Obama's skin colour.
Boris was already having a pop at Obama the other week about Obama being hypocritical, can you show your formula on how that was also racist? or designed to appeal to racists? or did Boris become racist over night and completely forget the culture of the city he is Mayor of?

Bringing up his Kenyan ancestry when it’s entirely irrelevant is racist. Even worse is suggesting that Obama is anti-British because of it and Britain’s colonial legacy, for which there is not a shred of evidence.

but youve just explained how it is relevant, if BO was from the DR Congo, BJ couldn't have used it