there is a gap between older hispanic voters and recent immigrants, and the older ones resent the illegal, newer crowd. cruz and the right play to that split, trying to get the conservative hispanic voters, also by appealing to the "social" issues like family, abortion, religion.
the role of blacks in this? i bet you that a subtle racist appeal is there. not overt, but subtle, as in the rest of america. not, maybe, with the confederate flag, except locally, but with allusions to obamacare and welfare.
i will eat my hat if getting cruz to apologize will change any of this: he will return, like a trickster, in a new shape, with a new set of "cheaters" to use in appealing to conservatives; and if not cheaters, he'll find another term, like lazy, if not illegal. he will beat those figures over and over, since that is the heart of his supporters' emotional belief that they are victims of the poor, of blacks, of foreigners, of cheaters, of people taking their jobs, stealing govt money in entitlement programs,etc. that will not change in cruz's discourse. it's what makes him cruz, and what makes american politics dangerous since it targets the disempowered and blames them for the problems of american society.
there is a history there, and it isn't recent.
ayo, you are an optimist. but it reads like utopianism to me. (but my wife thinks i am a pessimist, so let's go with your dreams)
ken
The point, as Tricky Dicky Nixon once observed, is that "When you have them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow."
Cruz may or may not be sincere in his apology, but he has had to make it nonetheless, because he recognised that Nigerian displeasure and the perception of him as a racist might come with some electoral costs in Texas. So now, he will have to avoid any racist or anti-Nigeria remarks, and the less people hear such views repeated, the more likely they are to see that (surprise surprise) not all Nigerians are scammers. Why, Cruz might even convince himself!
AyoI invite you to follow me on Twitter @naijama----We shouldn't put words in Ken's mouth! Ken said Ted Cruz's apology has a political agenda and that there are global implications for his anti-Obama stance. I don't see anything wrong with that position. All politics may be local, but they also have wider implications.Come on people, can't we all just have a good debate without unnecessary insinuations!
On 28 October 2013 23:09, kenneth harrow <harrow@msu.edu> wrote:
well, we can try to make whatever mileage out of this that we can. cruz is the leader of a dangerous movement; if pushing back on his bigoted words puts him on the defensive, i won't argue. keep it up, maybe the outcome will make it worth while.
all the best
ken
On 10/28/13 5:46 PM, Akurang-Parry, Kwabena wrote:
--Oga Ken
Now you are replanting the goalposts to include the global economy, class and poverty, petroleum politics, the white man's burden in saving Africa from its immemorial self, etc. So you think Nigerians who live in the USA are the only ones concerned with Cruz's reckless stereotyping? Then again, I anticipated such positions that was why I bridged both your viewpoints, but nailed in a stronger cog that Nigerians ought to "parse" Cruz's words of apology.
Kwabena
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] on behalf of kenneth harrow [harrow@msu.edu]
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 4:18 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - RE: TED CRUZ APOLOGIZES TO NIGERIAN-AMERICANS, WANTS A PEACE MEETING
how could anyone who lives in this country not be interested in cruz's political positions. his opposition to raising the debt ceiling almost wrecked the world economy. that would have had a disastrous impact of all of us, especially those not particular rich; and it would impact the price of oil, it would impact programs in africa and the economy on which africans depend. for me the double-speak of a politician is far less significant than the consequences of positions he takes.
ken
On 10/28/13 2:49 PM, Akurang-Parry, Kwabena wrote:
--I am sure that most Nigerians would disagree with your statement that "i am 1000% disinterested in whether we can parse his words to determine the genuineness of his intentions." I don't think that Nigerians are interested in the political positions that Cruz and his benighted supporters take in America as long as their utterances and actions do not criminalize Nigerians. Absolutely while the apology is the focal point here, yes, Nigerians who demanded the apology can also live with your "i am interested in understanding how he and his handlers are intend upon creating public awareness over issues that evoke the retrograde passions of his dumb supporters. and they are dumb; they are manipulated to support positions that actually harm their own interests."
Kwabena
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] on behalf of kenneth harrow [harrow@msu.edu]
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 12:40 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - RE: TED CRUZ APOLOGIZES TO NIGERIAN-AMERICANS, WANTS A PEACE MEETING
everything a politician does is to enhance his political stance, his popularity, and ability to attract money.
bear this in mind when the leader of the tea-party movement, the most xenophobic and no-nothing party we've had in this country in many decades, takes a public position, and responds publicly.
i am 1000% disinterested in whether we can parse his words to determine the genuineness of his intentions--i am interested in understanding how he and his handlers are intend upon creating public awareness over issues that evoke the retrograde passions of his dumb supporters. and they are dumb; they are manipulated to support positions that actually harm their own interests.
ken
On 10/28/13 10:58 AM, Akurang-Parry, Kwabena wrote:
--Is this truly a genuine apology when Cruz rationalizes the essences of his so-called joke: "it is unfortunate that we are living in a time where just about every joke can be misconstrued to cause offense to someone." In Ghana we call this "maka a maka" apology. Crudely crafted, it means "we all know that what he stated is common knowledge and should not offend anyone with a thick skin"
Kwabena
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] on behalf of Toyin Falola [toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu]
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 10:11 AM
To: dialogue
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - FW: TED CRUZ APOLOGIZES TO NIGERIAN-AMERICANS, WANTS A PEACE MEETING
Toyin FalolaDepartment of HistoryThe University of Texas at Austin104 Inner Campus DriveAustin, TX 78712-0220USA512 475 7224512 475 7222 (fax)
From: Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans <cananusa@gmail.com>
Date: Monday, October 28, 2013 3:04 PM
Subject: TED CRUZ APOLOGIZES TO NIGERIAN-AMERICANS, WANTS A PEACE MEETING
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