OBAMA

[YoFuggedaboutit]

During the West Virginia primary, people actually said they would not vote for a black man. There is still a lot of unresolved racial tension in many parts of this country.

Funny thing is, remember when Michael Richards (Kramer) went off on his N-word rant while doing some stand up and it made national news?  I recall reading an article in the Miami Herald by Leonard Pitts Jr. commenting on that rant.  Here's a little snip from it:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2003448050_pitts26.html

If so many of my white countrymen refuse to recognize racism when it is this blatant and unmistakable, what expectation can we have that they will do so when it is subtle and covert? In other words, when it is what it usually is.

Modern bigotry usually isn't some nitwit screaming the N-word. It is jobs you don't get and loans you don't get and apartments you don't get and healthcare you don't get and justice you don't get, for reasons you get all too clearly, even though no one ever quite speaks them. Or needs to. It is smiles in your face and knives in your back.

At the risk of metaphor abuse, the response to this debacle makes clear that you can't explain Advanced Racism to those who haven't passed Racism 101.   

And, with all due respect to my correspondent, that need to make excuses gets old. The man spent two and a half minutes screaming racial insults. You say that's not racism?

Then, pray tell, what is?

[run_to_win]

I recall reading an article in the Miami Herald by Leonard Pitts Jr. commenting on that rant.  Here's a little snip from it:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2003448050_pitts26.html

Modern bigotry usually isn't some nitwit screaming the N-word. It is jobs you don't get and loans you don't get and apartments you don't get and healthcare you don't get and justice you don't get, for reasons you get all too clearly, even though no one ever quite speaks them. Or needs to. It is smiles in your face and knives in your back.

Everyone knows that blacks are always the most qualified applicant, have perfect credit and are all in perfect health so when a black person doesn't get a job, apartment or healthcare it's always due to racism.  There's no other explanation. 

[Phishfan]

During the West Virginia primary, people actually said they would not vote for a black man.

Just out of curiosity, where did you hear this?

[landlocked]

It is smiles in your face and knives in your back.


[/i]

This is exactly what I'm talking about.Almost every African-American I know is 100% behind Obama,they are excited about a black man being so close to the white house.At the same time,white people that I know,who don't like John McCain,who are hard core Democrats,are quietly grumbling, and I almost feel like they feel like they will be forced to vote Republican for no other reason than to keep a black man out of the white house regardless of his policies.Keep in mind that I live in Tennessee,which is in no way a microcosm of the country,but we have a room full of drivers from Illinois,Ohio,Wisconsin,Pennsylvania,and all over other parts of the country every night,and what I hear spoken about quietly is right down racial lines.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Everyone knows that blacks are always the most qualified applicant, have perfect credit and are all in perfect health so when a black person doesn't get a job, apartment or healthcare it's always due to racism.  There's no other explanation. 

You might be right sometimes, but sometimes there is a black person that has perfect credit or is a qualified applicant and still gets denied. 

Case in point.  I used to wait tables at The Crab House over in North Bay Village back in 1999 (before the housing market went up).  One time I was waiting on this black family of five.  They were very well dressed and spoke eloquently, with no street slang whatsoever.  They told me they had just moved into the area from Tennessee.  The dad was a partner at a large downtown Miami law firm that had a branch in Nashville as well, and they were looking for a house.  When I asked them what their price range was, he said, "Half a million tops."  I then suggested Coral Gables or Pinecrest as both areas are very nice, have beautiful homes, good schools, and are of easy access to downtown Miami.

A few months later, I saw him in there with his family sitting with another group of people from Liberty City.  He bought a house in Liberty City. 

Now tell me.  Someone who can afford a $500K house wants to live in an area known for drugs, gang violence, and drive-by shootings??    Give me a break dude. 

[Defense54]

Are you kidding Phish?  While I agree that many who are racist are ignorant and uninvolved but they are also the most afraid.  They will show up.  This doesn't count all of the racist Democrats who are afraid to admit they don't trust a black man as a leader but would never admit it. 

Win lose or draw I'm betting Obama voting is less than whatever the polls show going or coming out of the polls.   

Just to be fair they said that this race will have the best Black turnout of voters ever. Where were they the last 2 elections?  Why did it take a Black man to run for them to Vote?

Unfourtunatley they are in the minority and for that reason I believe McCain will win. I still might vote for Obama reguardless.

[StL FinFan]

I have seen 2 different poll results on tv, one before the RNC, which had Obama leading by 2%, the other after the RNC, which had McCain leading by 5%.  It's anyone's race and I think the final vote will be very close.

[bsmooth]

Just out of curiosity, where did you hear this?

The day of the primary. People were asked about their vote as they left and some people actually said they would not vote for him because he was black. I am not saying it is a large majority there, but it is a fact that is part of this election. People have two choices, a classic elderly, rich, white man, or a rich middle age black man. Unfortunately there will be a percentage that will not vote for Obama solely based on his skin color.

[Frimp]

The day of the primary. People were asked about their vote as they left and some people actually said they would not vote for him because he was black. I am not saying it is a large majority there, but it is a fact that is part of this election. People have two choices, a classic elderly, rich, white man, or a rich middle age black man. Unfortunately there will be a percentage that will not vote for Obama solely based on his skin color.

the fact that there are so many people who will vote for the first time for Obama because he is black means that they didnt vote for Bush, Clinton, etc because of THEIR skin color. 

[Phishfan]

I never saw the story. That should have been major news.

[bsmooth]

I never saw the story. That should have been major news.

It was wrapped up in the fact Obama did not campaign there during the primary as he was polling extremely low, and this came up as one of the reasons why.

[run_to_win]

It was wrapped up in the fact Obama did not campaign there during the primary as he was polling extremely low, and this came up as one of the reasons why.

Am I missing something?

He's polling low there because he did not campaign there, but people are saying that he's polling low there because of racism?

[ethurst2]

I got a question...

What are these guys (Obama or McCain) going to change?

[Defense54]

I got a question...

What are these guys (Obama or McCain) going to change?

Probably nothing. Either of them. But people now a days just want people they can relate to in the White House. Both have made promises to a million people , companies and corporations just to get to this point. All will cater to them before they help you or me. Thats just politics.

[CF DolFan]

I got a question...

What are these guys (Obama or McCain) going to change?

Their address.