God, I hate to say!
I really do.
But it is so evident, so stark, that pretending it isn't there is foolish and not just a little silly.
Race is a huge issue in this election.
Phew!
Firmly off my chest now.
I know for a fact that there are people out there that listened to Obama and McCain, that watched the conventions, that are deeply political, that understand both platforms who will not vote for McCain because they realize that as one of the architects of the current financial crisis, John McCain is not only too old to be president but his running mate is far too inexperienced to be so close to the presidency. (Let's be honest for two seconds. Palin is being protected from the mean ole media and has given ONE non-partisan interview in the THREE WEEKS since she was chosen as VP. She will not take questions from anyone. Can you fathom this happening with Biden. All jokes aside? Let's say that Obama brought out some woman that no one knew, she spoke at the convention, travelled with him giving the same same speech in different forms - repeating the same half truths as if completely oblivious to the fact that they have been exposed. This woman is then essentially sequestered with our media not having any access. Do you honestly think this would fly? They have played this as protection from the jackals that attacked her out of the gate.
But that's to be expected.
There was no vetting.
This is the presidency for crying out loud!
It is essential that we see how she fares in the pressure cooker with the media on her heels, having to respond to multiple situations all at once. It is how we can evaluate her performance should she win. My God! Every president ages 15 years in office! It's a terribly stressful, demanding job. And she can't take questions from the media? AND she is already trying to put a stop to a bi-partisan investigation?? Do we really need more of this??!!!)
Anyway, there are people out there who are politically savvy, that are in tune with what's going on and have a working historical knowledge.
Yet they will not vote.
They will not vote for a black man.
There is a fear amongst whites in our country that has existed for hundreds of years. It is why black men are targeted. They are (generally speaking, now) seen as a threat. A threat physically. A threat to "our womenfolk". Honestly. Look at how blacks were treated and the punishments they received from the white masses. Not only were they tortured - which is an intimate cruelty - but most if not all, had some sort of "sexual" based injury. What a pathetic word for what many endured! Injury! If having your penis cut off and shoved into your mouth or having poles shoved up your ass is an "injury" then I guess it's appropriate.
Anyway. There is a real fear. That's why we incarcerate so many young black men. Our white society fears them. For whatever reason, and I say this because there are so many deeply seated causes for this irrational fear, we white people have this undercurrent of suspicion when it comes to black men.
It is why, when Obama was getting pummeled a bit and everyone was saying "get mad!" "fight back!", we saw none of that.
Because anger would lose it for him.
He knows it.
His closest advisers know it.
An angry black man will NEVER win the presidency.
He maintains his decorum.
He keeps a level head.
He stays...even.
He has to.
Otherwise the fear-mongering will ensue.
But back to my point.
Our racism permeates every aspect of our culture.
With the off hand stereotyping.
The flippant comment.
I hope one day that it will not define us.
I'm hoping that those people that find it next to impossible to vote for a black man for all their "false" reasons will seriously evaluate the true reasons.
I am still hopeful.
I really do.
But it is so evident, so stark, that pretending it isn't there is foolish and not just a little silly.
Race is a huge issue in this election.
Phew!
Firmly off my chest now.
I know for a fact that there are people out there that listened to Obama and McCain, that watched the conventions, that are deeply political, that understand both platforms who will not vote for McCain because they realize that as one of the architects of the current financial crisis, John McCain is not only too old to be president but his running mate is far too inexperienced to be so close to the presidency. (Let's be honest for two seconds. Palin is being protected from the mean ole media and has given ONE non-partisan interview in the THREE WEEKS since she was chosen as VP. She will not take questions from anyone. Can you fathom this happening with Biden. All jokes aside? Let's say that Obama brought out some woman that no one knew, she spoke at the convention, travelled with him giving the same same speech in different forms - repeating the same half truths as if completely oblivious to the fact that they have been exposed. This woman is then essentially sequestered with our media not having any access. Do you honestly think this would fly? They have played this as protection from the jackals that attacked her out of the gate.
But that's to be expected.
There was no vetting.
This is the presidency for crying out loud!
It is essential that we see how she fares in the pressure cooker with the media on her heels, having to respond to multiple situations all at once. It is how we can evaluate her performance should she win. My God! Every president ages 15 years in office! It's a terribly stressful, demanding job. And she can't take questions from the media? AND she is already trying to put a stop to a bi-partisan investigation?? Do we really need more of this??!!!)
Anyway, there are people out there who are politically savvy, that are in tune with what's going on and have a working historical knowledge.
Yet they will not vote.
They will not vote for a black man.
There is a fear amongst whites in our country that has existed for hundreds of years. It is why black men are targeted. They are (generally speaking, now) seen as a threat. A threat physically. A threat to "our womenfolk". Honestly. Look at how blacks were treated and the punishments they received from the white masses. Not only were they tortured - which is an intimate cruelty - but most if not all, had some sort of "sexual" based injury. What a pathetic word for what many endured! Injury! If having your penis cut off and shoved into your mouth or having poles shoved up your ass is an "injury" then I guess it's appropriate.
Anyway. There is a real fear. That's why we incarcerate so many young black men. Our white society fears them. For whatever reason, and I say this because there are so many deeply seated causes for this irrational fear, we white people have this undercurrent of suspicion when it comes to black men.
It is why, when Obama was getting pummeled a bit and everyone was saying "get mad!" "fight back!", we saw none of that.
Because anger would lose it for him.
He knows it.
His closest advisers know it.
An angry black man will NEVER win the presidency.
He maintains his decorum.
He keeps a level head.
He stays...even.
He has to.
Otherwise the fear-mongering will ensue.
But back to my point.
Our racism permeates every aspect of our culture.
With the off hand stereotyping.
The flippant comment.
I hope one day that it will not define us.
I'm hoping that those people that find it next to impossible to vote for a black man for all their "false" reasons will seriously evaluate the true reasons.
I am still hopeful.
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