So my question is - In the face of the numerous attacks that
are made against the African community or the black community by the
same US government that you aspire to lead - and we are talking about
attacks like the sub prime mortgage that you spoke of - it wasn't just a
general ambiguous kind of phenomena, a phenomena that targeted the
African community and Latino community, attacks like the killing of Sean
Bell by the New York police department and ?? right here in St.
Petersburg by the St. Petersburg police, and Jena 6 and Hurricane
Katrina, and the list goes on. In the face of all these attacks that are
clearly being made on the African community, why is it that you have not
had the ability to not one time speak to the interests and even speak on
the behalf of the oppressed and exploited African community or Black
community in this country?
Obama's crowd jeered.
But Obama said:
"I want everybody to respect him...He has a legitimate question."
Obama responded:
"I think you are misinformed about when you say not one time. Every issue you've spoken about, I actually did speak out about....I'm going to go through the various specific examples. I've been talking about predatory lending for the last two years in the United States senate and worked to pass legislation to prevent it when I wan in the state legislature. And I have repeatedly said that many of the predatory loans that were made in the mortgage system did target African American and Latino communities. I've said that repeatedly.
Number two, Jena Six - I was the first candidate to get out there and say this is wrong, that there's an injustice that's been done and we need to change it. That's number two. (applause) When Sean Bell got shot, I put out a statement immediately saying this is a problem."
The gentleman interrupted Obama....
Obama: "I'm just trying to answer your question. On each of the issues that you mention, I have spoken, I've spoken out forcefully. I was a civil rights lawyer... I passed the first racial profiling legislation in Illinois... I passed some of the toughest death penalty reform issue in Illinois... that doesn't mean I'm always going to ... [say] what
you guys want me to say... which gives you the option of voting for somebody else... or ...run for office yourself." [Huge cheers.]
And the protester relinquished his microphone and sat down. I've seen Obama deal with hecklers before, but this act of persuasion was probably his best. (NB: McCain still corners the market on dealing with protesters at his town halls... he often lets them have the last word.)
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