Tuesday, May 13, 2008
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Racism's Wrong; Opposition Is Not
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Posted by:
Carol Platt Liebau at
11:57 AM
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The Washington Post details some ugly racist incidents reportedly being confronted by Obama volunteers (are its journalists suggesting that such invidious reasons explain Barack's forthcoming blow-out defeat in West Virginia?!).
These incidents are deplorable, awful and totally wrong. Anyone who is refusing to vote for Barack Obama just because he's black is a racist, and should be ashamed. (And how shocking to learn that this is going on in a Democratic primary . . . haven't we always been instructed that the Democrat Party is the party of the enlightened?!).
There's a lurking danger in these kinds of narratives, as well. When stories like these go into wide circulation, it's a sure bet that some on the left are going to start asserting -- not that America is a great country with (unfortunately) some racists (all of which is true) -- but that America is a predominantly racist country with some great people (i.e., those who support Barack Obama). If Barack loses in the fall, the USA will officially be labeled a racist country by many of its left-wing citizens.
Back in the realm of reality, it's the sad truth that there will probably be some people who won't vote for Barack just because of his skin color. But there will be many, many more who oppose him because of his leftist policies and his radical associations. It's important to distinguish between the two. And that's not just because it's wrong both to slander all GOP voters by calling them racists and to equate all opposition to Barack with racism per se. It's also important for the sake of the candidate and the campaign itself that the distinction between policy opponents and invidious-motive opponents be grasped (as I noted here when Hillary Clinton supporters were crying "sexism!").
Finally, I've done my share of phoning and even a little door-to-door stuff in the past. My candidates happened to be white males, but even then, some of the epithets were pretty ugly. It would be interesting to know whether any of the people recounting these stories with evident shock and horror are campaign veterans, or first-timers who haven't been exposed to the rough and tumble of grassroots work. Racist epithets are always unacceptable and wrong, but as campaign veterans can attest, at some point, unfortunately, some people will always resort to the ugliest kind of slurs, whether they're anti-female, anti-minority or anti-gay.
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Why, I wonder, would it be racist for a white to vote for John McCain for the same reason 90% of African Americans vote for Obama? Double standard perhaps?
All the more reason to keep the issues in the forefront. Especially because any mention of the content of Obamas charecter will invariably results in accusations of racism. What gets lost is that such reckless abuse of that charge is at least as, if not more damaging, than any racial epithet. The boy crying wolf effect diminishes all those charges, even those rightly levelled.
The issues are security, economics, and to some extent judicial appointments. These color nuetral issues affect everyone so on that basis let the debate begin.
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My folks were involved in the civil rights movement for years before I was born in '52. Dad came home from WWII with a mission to fight discrimination with everything he could. What I'm seeing and hearing is the result of a lot of change and progress.
I have X gen and millenial kids, nieces and nephews, smack dab in the generations who have grown up with a much different experience in race and homosexuality. They and their friends are looking at their own futures; the debt, the deficits, health care, college, jobs and mortgage issues.
I find the WaPo article rather trivial journalism. I understand that the WV race has been examined in overwhelming detail. That the degree of Hillary's win is not going to change the numbers enough to even 'raise' doubts about Obama as a CNN headline suggests. (Confirm, yes). So they are taking a different way to discuss the race issue and suggest that it is not new. But just how prevalent is it? Anecdotal with no statistical information is just as stupid as taking statistical information without looking at variables and factors that were left out.
The GOP reality includes the percentage of Americans who think we are on the wrong track, how long it has been a majority, how it is still climbing. The loss of two Congressional seats long held by the GOP and another one that might squeak through today, are indicative of the mood in many areas.
If the economy does not get better by Nov, (the CEO of Chase just told a group he was talking to that the recession has just started), there will be a percentage of Americans forced with a very personal decision: does race matter more than their bank accounts?
Finally, since I cast my first presidential ballot in '72, I have voted GOP, Libertarian, and finally Democratic..
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a racist. I have many black friends. I just do not like or trust Obama at all. |
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Your comment: Anyone who is refusing to vote for Barack Obama just because he's black is a racist, and should be ashamed, Is very confusing.
We continue to hear from the black community, that they will vote for Obama only, because he is black. That too is racist, and those people should be ashamed and Obama should tell them so.
Before we start using the word "racist" lets be sure that it applies to all equally. |
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...white guilt egghead base.
NOTHIN' works on those folks like overt acts of RACISM!!!! (although it usually don't matter that these kinds of acts are usually done by black folks themselves) |
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I wouldn't worry about being considered a racist if you disagree with Obama's politics and would be inclined to vote GOP anyway. But if voters who want a big change in Washington, favor Dem issues for the most part, and oppose a 3rd GOP term can't find it in them to vote for Obama, then you have to wonder about some problem they have with skin color.
And if you're fooled by the sideshow fluff and the effort to paint Barry as some sort of extremist, then you're either easily manipulated or looking for a cover to hide your predjudice.
So don't worry, TH columnists and RWers. Just be sure to spell his middle name correctly.
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