Obama And Race: Most Whites Open To Black President, But Hate Groups Growing

The Washington Post reports "an overwhelming public openness to the idea of electing an African American to the presidency."

In a Post-ABC News poll last month, nearly nine in 10 whites said they would be comfortable with a black president. While fewer whites, about two-thirds, said they would be "entirely comfortable" with it, that was more than double the percentage of all adults who said they would be so at ease with someone entering office for the first time at age 72, which McCain (R-Ariz.) would do should he prevail in November.

But the good news may stop there. "As Sen. Barack Obama opens his campaign as the first African American on a major party presidential ticket, nearly half of all Americans say race relations in the country are in bad shape and three in 10 acknowledge feelings of racial prejudice," according to the same poll.

Overall, 51 percent call the current state of race relations "excellent" or "good," about the same as said so five years ago. That is a relative thaw from more negative ratings in the 1990s, but the gap between whites and blacks on the issue is now the widest it has been in polls dating to early 1992.

More than six in 10 African Americans now rate race relations as "not so good" or "poor," while 53 percent of whites hold more positive views. Opinions are also divided along racial lines, though less so, on whether blacks face discrimination. There is more similarity on feelings of personal racial prejudice: Thirty percent of whites and 34 percent of blacks admit such sentiments.

Moreover, the Post reports in a separate story that Obama's historic primary victory "has also sparked an increase in racist and white supremacist activity, mainly on the Internet, according to leaders of hate groups and the organizations that track them."

Neo-Nazi, skinhead and segregationist groups have reported gains in numbers of visitors to their Web sites and in membership since the senator from Illinois secured the Democratic nomination June 3. His success has aroused a community of racists, experts said, concerned by the possibility of the country's first black president.

"I haven't seen this much anger in a long, long time," said Billy Roper, a 36-year-old who runs a group called White Revolution in Russellville, Ark. "Nothing has awakened normally complacent white Americans more than the prospect of America having an overtly nonwhite president."

Watch the American News Project's recent piece exploring the phenomenon of "white nationalism":

Comments

[sangsue]

I prefer when people are obviously racist. It's the ones who claim they're not yet use code words or other actions that prove their words mean nothing. And sometimes - it's the little things. My parents for example. NY Liberal, for affirmative action, prochoice, not at all homophobic.

Until I let them know about my African American girlfriend (I'm a woman, btw). My father had the problem with the girlfriend part. My mother had the problem with the African American part.

They were too polite to make a thing of it but there was a definite lack of enthusiasm even though I had found someone I loved.

The moral? I was blindsided because my parents were supposed to be Liberal. I'm sure that a lot of the people who say they'd have no problem will act differently in the polling booth. I hope I'm wrong. But it seems like people can be tolerant and even accepting - until it actually affects them.

[BlueStateMan]

....& there is MORE than you'd care to think.

[TheBlackCat]

So true. My grandparents were always such enthusiastic, equal rights toting liberals...until I took a Puerto Rican to the prom when I was in high school. Since then I have noticed other instances when minorities make them uncomfortable when they actually have to interact with them (i.e. grandchildren dating minorities or there being minorities at a party they are attending)

There are many who do not think themselves to be racist, because they support equal rights, or will vote for Barack Obama. Yet when actually confronted with minorities in a personal setting it turns out they're not as color blind as they thought.

[PatrickforO]

I guess these imbeciles are afraid of someone who's different, and who has a host of good ideas that will help us all. But let's not confuse them with the facts.

[kcam44]

god help us!! a black man running the country..white people are scared.

[pupbayer]

Perhaps they are just uncomfortable with anyone, any color, with no experience and no track record running for the highest office.

Of course, if saying it is all about race makes you feel better, go for it.

[NoblesseOblige]

As a white (gay) man I'm afraid of most "white" men--except certain ones. I'd rather have Obama running things with his wife (Michelle) in charge....rather than predictable wasps like John and Cindy McCain. ( I was / am a Hillary Clinton supporter slowly warming to Obama.)

BTW, my "white" mother hated gay people...yet she had a gay hairdresser. I wonder what she was thinking and telling me in those days?

[PatrickforO]

Be careful!

[aristippe]

WHY DID YOU EVEN TAKE THE TIME. LOL

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Didn't Rush tell you operation chaos is over?

[Kalima]

Apparently there are still a few stragglers. Remember the story about
the few Japanese soldiers, hiding in the jungles of the Philippines,
not knowing the war had ended?
It's something like that.

[SDnavyPROUD]

These are the words of a crowd that has an inferiority complex while analyzing the decrease of political power. I'm pretty sure that 70-80 percent of these people are over the age of 50. Their time on Earth is short and they know it. As long as they don't physically harm anyone, I say let the diatribe continue.

Some of my family in North Geogia are likely in this category of 10%ers; but their views are so out there it is fruitless to even argue. If they can not judge people based on their character, and only look at ethnic features, it is they themselves who suffer. Just put a mirror in front of their luntic facial expressions, and see if anything changes.

[pupbayer]

Whew! You have a real prejudice against older people don't you? Were you scared by an old person when you were a baby or something?

[luvobama]

No. We're just scared of you.

[Zeusthunderbolt]

Would some one please explain to me why are the so called hispanics are not considered white? Henry the VIII first wife Catherine was spanish. i have never read anywhere that she was considered not white. are people confused? Are they talking about preserving an english speaking majority or a majority made up of descendents of people from europe excluding spain ? Specially if the spanish first migrated to mexico or central and south america and not directly to north america.

Are English speaking descendents of italians are OK and white, but not if they are english speaking offsprings of spanish speaking parents?

I find it impossible to tell the difference between a palastinian jew, christan and muslim, when they are speaking english, tha accent appears to be the same. Which one of them is White , if they immigrate to the states?

For if the so called hispanics are considered white, then the math is 80 percent white and the histeria should die.

[LettuceB1]

Hispanics are people of Spanish (and other) heritage that aren't born in Spain. In order to be considered "white" you have to be from, or originated from, Europe with no "impurities." Hispanic is not "pure" since they mixed with the Native people from the Americas and Africans.

See how SILLY/STUPID race labeling gets :)

[Zeusthunderbolt]

LettuceB1

Are you telling me that all of the descendents of Spanish people who came to the America's became impure by intermarrying with local indians and hence are labelled as hispanics? How come so many of them look just like any other american ? Is nadal , the tennis player, pure spanish, for he looks like any other hispanic mexican, specially when he tries to speak english in a spanish accent. If he were to come settle inAmerica, and procreated by impregnating two girls daily, resulting in a 30 percent pure spanish speaking offsprings, would the racial purity of America still be threatened ?

[Buddy McCue]

It IS silly and stupid; you're right.

Anyone who talks about "racial purity" is misinformed. Genetic diversity is a GOOD thing; the opposite of this is inbreeding. Yes, "pure-bred" and "in-bred" mean the same thing. People who breed animals know that this is true. The Manx cat, for example, cannot be bred "true;" other non-Manx cats must be bred into the line in order to prevent birth defects (such as a fused spine.)

European royalty has also suffered from the misconception of "family purity." Anyone who needs a graphic illustration of this can look at the famous "Hapsburg lip."

[TheBlackCat]

Very good point illustrating how absolutely arbitrary race is.

Remember, a hundred years ago Irish and Jews were not considered white people.
they were their own separate races and there was a lot of institutionalized restrictions on them because of their non white status.


Race is a social construct and nothing more.

[Crowhaul]

Seriously, does anyone still care what color a person's skin is?

[Kalima]

Obviously, did you watch the video?

[aristippe]

Even people who say they don't care, care. Sometimes they even care the most.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Are you talking about yourself?

[BlueStateMan]

Just to set the record straight.....

Where do YOU stand?

[StillIRise]

Yes!

[kcam44]

why?

[BlueStateMan]

Yes.

The dredges of society..... & they're EVERYWHERE.

[ann1]

Did you watch the video? If you think they're just random folk......think again.

[soapington]

Why is it that people who proclaim white supremacy always look like potatoes?

[BlueStateMan]

Because their heads are buried under the dirt & their eyes can't see.

[ZimboChick]

lol

[aristippe]

Is it a coincidence that a show like "24," which allows Americans to indulge their fears, cast a Black President.

[BlueStateMan]

The President in that show is a HEROIC character.... unlike our present reality.

[aristippe]

And perhaps having a black heroic fictional character is just a guilty pleasure for some.

[aristippe]

looking the numbers in the article, Obama isn't electable. Then again neither is McCain.

[BRB]

15% of Americans say Obama is muslim. Google it.

So, 90% say that they'd be comfortable with him as Pres?

That means at least 5% think he's a muslim and that's just fine with them.

Right.

[kevenseven]

You hate Mus lims? Got a problem with a Mus lim being president?

[BlueStateMan]

15% of Americans are idiots... & this discussion is not for them.

[rzan]

I could care less what his religion is or if he is totally non-religious. By the way, there are over three million Muslim people in this country (perhaps more). They work, pay taxes, and live their lives. My landlord is Muslim, and he and his wife vote.

[mypov123]

Obama isn't a Muslim, Google it. And dont' click on anything that comes from Fox (Faux) News. Please and thanks :)

[lornejl]

That Muslim fist bump freaks me out. America is not ready for a radical fist bumper.

[BlueStateMan]

I agree.

We need a more conservative fist-bumper......

http://images.easyart.com/i/prints/rw/en_easyart/lg/3/0/Hands-of-God-and-Adam-from-the-Sistine-Ceiling--1511-Michelangelo-300707.jpg

[Oz2cash]

lol!

[HumeSkeptic]

It's worse. It's a "terrist" bump.

[CamJam]

Oh jeeeeeez! get over that! It has the same meaning as like the OLD HIGH 5 or do you even know that one? Sorry that the FIST BUMP is NOT as LAME as BUSHS" CHEST bump! *rolls eyes*

please! I can't believe you are freaked out by this. Obviously YOU watch toooo much FOX news! Boy has Murdoch got you under his rich slimy thumb!
And do us a favor and DO NOT VOTE if you can not PASS this SIMPLE TEST:
http://www.dontvote.org/

[Kalima]

Sarcasm button not working tonight?

[nunzia]

CamJam - that was a joke.

[SenorBob]

I can't believe you don't recognize sarcasm when you see it.

[rosal]

Third grade education is not a good thing. People start getting fantasies in their brains about bumps. And if they watch Fix News all day, the fantasies get worse.

[luvobama]

please say you are kidding.

[nunzia]

90 percent.
The other 10 percent worship a blue-eyed blond Jesus who spoke English.

[BlueStateMan]

Jeffrey Hunter?

[rzan]

I remember that movie.

[HumeSkeptic]

And was half spandex. (Someone down on this thread told me that god is made of spandex).

[kevenseven]

First I'm hearing.

[ccmd]

Why couldnt someone give taylor a tissue for that little friend in his nose

[grumpygranny66]

ccmd; No one has the stomach to be around him, so that little fellow will remain in his nose for a long time.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Probably the same reason that McCain often has one in his pictures. Nobody likes them enough to tell them.

[kcam44]

LOL!!

[PAposter]

...just made what he was saying even more idiotic.

[GravitonX]

I couldn't help thinking the exact same thing. What a slob.

[walsenberg]

why does this guy, taylor, mention european and cilivilized in the same breath - as if this is the only culture that is civilized or with a history of cilivilzation. Wasn't there a time when other cultures were flourishing, i.e arabs, asians, africans when at this time the europeans were living with pigs and cows in their houses, stinky thangs. Cultures/civilizations come and go, some improve, some decline, some die out but I do know that all I want to do is just get along.....

[truthinreporting]

Several months ago, I decided that from now on whenever I have a form to fill out that asks for my ethnicity, I am going to check every box. Reasons: 1. I possibly am every race, and 2. I am sick of talk about the possibility of having a black President, never mind the fact that Obama is 1/2 white. I'm just not going to be a part of divisive politics in any form anymore. I simply do not understand people who are racist.

[GrainOSand]

Your tact concerning forms represents your chosen moniker, truth in reporting. No one is their race, for race is a fabrication of people for purposes of categorization, divide, denunciation, and ethnic pride. While distinct culture exists, the only race I consider is the human race. Concerning questions of character, I measure by content of heart and mind as exemplified though action. The color of someone’s backside is a lame approach to judging human worth, yet it is a historic practice with a lengthy and horrific past of bestial behavior. You are the change and that is all any one individual can do, be the change.

[BlueStateMan]

We should also LIE to the pollsters.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Hey, I can't wait until Obama gets in the White House and renames it the Black House. :P

[Kalima]

"Paint It Black!"

Rolling Stones.

[BlueStateMan]

"Black is Black".

Los Bravos

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

"Once you go black you never go back".

[NochlessMonster]

Love that song!

[NochlessMonster]

Oooo...... "Back in Black" AC/DC .... two controversial subjects for the price of one!

[Midnightrain]

Watch out. You might end up at G-Bay for this one:) Lol.

No, but for real.

[robodweeb]

It will be an improvement over the "Nut House" that it is now.

[PAposter]

Good one robo, LMAO!

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

I wanna see him do a 'Cribs - Special edition'.

[GrainOSand]

I was thinking he would name it -- The crib!

[GrainOSand]

...as in President Obama arrived at “The Crib” today after returning from his European tour and mission of goodwill.

...or, President Obama and First Lady Obama held a reception at “The Crib” last night.

...or, some Senator wondering about the president’s whereabouts asks, where is the president. Someone answers, oh; he is at “The Crib”.

The Crib!

[NochlessMonster]

That would be hysterical... : )