I am White, Male, 52 Years Old

Last week race became the issue in the election of 2008.

Of course some people would say, and they're probably right, that it was always the issue, but it came to the surface last week. I won't try to speak for them, I'll just speak for myself.

I am white, male, 52 years old, and like everyone else (sorry) I feel that people always find a way to push me to the side, to objectify me, to react to my body as opposed to my ideas, and to use me as a screen to project their fears and doubts on.

I went into yesterday's podcast thinking we'd have an interesting discussion on race, that I was prepared for whatever would happen, but I was not prepared. You can hear that in the 50 minutes. You should listen all the way to the end before you form a judgment. And also watch your own responses and reactions and see how your racism works.

In the US, it seems no one is without it. If you think you are, perhaps it's because you've kept it tucked away, and don't challenge it, so it's invisible to you. But you have no trouble seeing it in others.

For example, there's no missing Geraldine Ferraro's racism, I don't know if she sees it or not. But it's clearly untrue that her nomination for VP in 1984 is comparable to Obama's leadership in the Democratic nomination process in 2008. She was chosen because of her gender. But that does not imply that Obama is leading because of his race. There is no correlation.

I understand her point of view because it's familiar to me, people close to me see it the same way as Ferraro. I don't think they can or will or want to change, they will always believe that Obama had an advantage.

In the comments in response to yesterday's podcast, Herb, a black man tells a story of attending a conference as a speaker, and having other participants treat him as if he were a waiter. I honestly had no idea that that happens. I knew that stuff like that happened in New Orleans when I was a student there in the early 70s.

I think blacks are racist too, btw. I've experienced it this way. According to them, all my experiences are invalid. They tend to talk about white males the same way Republicans talk about liberals, as if we're silly, naive, trivial people. Can you imagine I don't like that any more than the speaker who was asked to fetch a Coke. We're always lectured, no matter how old we are, no matter how much life experience we have, no matter how curious, or intelligent we are, the same way, as if we need an education. Black people actually put it that way. No not all. But remember, not all white people asked for the Coke, either.

BTW, that also comes with age. As you get older a curious thing happens. In some contexts you're assumed to be smarter, but in most you're that trivial, naive and silly stereotype I described above. It happens more frequently as my beard gets more gray and my hairline recedes.

I listened to Face The Nation on my walk yesterday, and heard Bob Schieffer ask Deval Patrick if black people are going to be angry if Obama is denied the nomination by superdelegates even though he has a majority of the elected delegates, and a majority of the votes. Wait a minute, what about non-black people who support Obama? Doesn't our opinion matter? Apparently not. What just slipped out there? Schieffer seems like a good guy, high integrity.

Then this raises another question for me. Okay there's a lot of unprocessed anger over race in the US, and a lot of it will come out in the next few months, but what if Obama is elected? This is where my head starts spinning. I tried to raise the question in yesterday's podcast -- will blacks look at the world differently now that a black man is president? I think he said no. I can't believe that. Something will have to give. But haven't they thought about that at all? (I'm very sure something will shift because, being around Silicon Valley for so long, I've seen lots of people achieve wealth very quickly. This usually causes an eruption of huge emotion as the normal feeling of worthlessness is contradicted by the new worth in the person's bank account. People often get very depressed when this happens.)

Then the question comes up -- will there be retribution? I couldn't believe I was thinking about this, but the Jeremiah Wright speeches that came out last week put it front and center. There was a time that I remember when blacks talked about taking power in the US in ways designed at least in part to scare white people. Obama is the perfect black candidate for not raising the fears of whites, unlike Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton. I'm still supporting him, but now I have new questions, that I probably would eventually have had even if Wright's speeches hadn't become an issue.

Yeah, I'm a middle-aged white male, and my opinion matters not one bit. I've heard that so many times. But of course I don't buy it.

I want to believe what Obama says, because I know that what he says is what we have to do. I want to find people whose politics are as far from mine as possible and find the bond that connects us as Americans. I think if we all do that we can hold on to our beliefs, and not worry about convincing others that we have it worst (that's not going to happen) but rather look for ways we can give each other what we want. That's why I want to know what people want, not the kind of victory wartime presidents say they want. Sometimes you can define victory, but most times there is no victory. We just get to do more with our lives with less suffering, and after all that's pretty good.

PS: I'm not voting for Clinton, under any circumstances. I would be happy to vote for a woman for President, but send us someone better than Hillary, who doesn't deceive so much, who actually has the experience that she is claiming. And even if she doesn't agree with Ferraro, she tried to use it, and that's inexcusable.

Comments

[Agave]

"Race" did not suddenly appear last week, and I can't believe anyone would believe that!

The day after the New Hampshire primary -- you know: the one Obama was supposed to win according to the advanced polls and the exit polls? The very next day, Obama spokespersons hit every major media outlet calling every white voter in New Hampshire a racist. The situation Room, Hardball with Cris Matthews, Countdown with Kieth Olbermann, the NBC Nightly News...

It was the first interjection of race into the Democratic primary process, and guess what? It wasn't either Clinton or any Republican -- it was Obama himself.

It was at it's worst on "Hardball" where the language and tone and epithets were consistent with the clips we see of the Reverend Mr. Wright.

And since that day, Obama's poll numbers among black voters have risen. And ti seems obvious tome that every time the Obmam Campaign needs to capture a bit of media attention, they again play the race card.

Or is it that only whites can play a race card? And isn't that the very definition of racist?

Obama loves to put his surro=gates out there playing racial politics at its dirtiest and at its worst, and then stand back like his hands are clean.

I'm undecided, but I'm not sure I can vote for a candidate whose politcal strategy is to split the country apart. I'd rather sleep with the dog I know and accept the Republicans' social divisions than live with the new diviseness Obama represents.

[Clinton]

Good for you. Vote for McBomb, in fact, you really would be most comfortable as a republican, right?
Just please stop the democrat pose, if that is what you happen to be, because the two parties are far too similar to one another. And this is at least partly because the democrats have become such cowards. They have allowed the republicans to silence dissent.

Raising the spectre of racism to account for anomolous voting is perfectly legitimate. And everyone can see the racism of the Clintons as well as that of many establishment democrats. Perhaps the time of the DLC taking the black vote for granted is over.

Obama is so obviously the best candidate for president. Young people can especially see this. It should be enough for the older democrats that they've left the younger generation with a huge debt, an unnecessary war, and a bleak future. They should have the grace to encourage their dreams instead of clinging so tightly to power for it's own sake.

[rixhex56]

Agave,

You say, "I'd rather sleep with the dog I know and accept the Republicans' social divisions than live with the new diviseness Obama represents."

This reasoning is maladaptive. If we have been so destructively divided by the ignorance and backwardness of Republicans, and we know we have been, perhaps the NEW DIVISIVENESS to which you refer would render a better result. If there would be divisiveness from Obama's election, it would most likely be from those creators of the old divisiveness dying off, like the dinosaurs, going extinct and fighting tooth and nail to hang on to whatever little bit of ignorance and backwardness they can nurture and perpetuate for their own personal gain.

When something isn't working, and what we have now is not, then it is past time for something new. Hopefully, come election time, you will have cooled off and regained some logic and reason in your perspective.

[JohnnySorrow]

Wow. What a revelation. Race is an issue and people are sensitive and sometimes irrational about it.

I suppose 400 years of slavery and goverment-sponsored oppression leaves a mark, huh?

The reason why you and other white males are lectured by blacks is until you've lived it, you can't understand it. I can live until I'm 100 and read every book, see every movie and listen to every story about what it's like being in a war. But, until I've done it, it's all superficial.

I'm not saying it's right, but I always find it odd to hear a beneficiary from a system designed for hundreds of years to benefit them complain about when it goes the other way for, in realtive terms, a very small number and amount of time.

The question I always ask whites is, "If you have it so bad, would you rather be black in America?"

To quote Chris Rock, "Most white people wouldn't want to be me and I'm rich!"

So, if blacks have some difficulty expressing themselves or get a hand-up occassionally, so what? In the big picture it's like pissing in the ocean. White America is still firmly entrenched. Relax.

[oldpotsmuggler]

I spent eight years in federal prison and I was outnumbered in there by everybody. I was almost the only person I saw that did his time by himself. But I was outnumbered by no one as much as I was by black guys. Well not quite. In FCI La Tuna we were both outnumbered by the Mexican guys, but that's because we were really in El Paso, Texas, a suburb of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. No problem there.

In fact I had pretty much no problems, aside from boredom, from anybody during the whole eight years. I'm a big guy and an old guy, and that set me really apart, but still. Folks who invited trouble had plenty, and the few of us who didn't knew more tranquility than most would expect. It's odd how expectations have a way of fulfilling themselves, when it comes to human interactions.

Believe it or not, we can elect a President and still make the big picture more tranquil around the planet. Or at least we can as long as we elect a Democrat. And that happens to be true irrespective of which of the two we select.

One thing I learned, going where I've gone, is that we have moved, in some very fundamental ways, much further from some commonly accepted stereotypes than most people would ever imagine. There is, I believe, a planetary hunger to move from where we've been to where we would like to be, that is great enough to overcome our obstacles in ways that the collective human consciousness has not been prepared to accept before this.

Do I worry about the reaction to the victory of the woman or the balck guy? Not even vaguely!

[rixhex56]

smuggler,

I grew up in El Paso -- late sixties and onward (don't live there now, though) -- and having blond hair and blue eyes, I was often targeted by Hispanics who outnumbered caucasians by at least 3 to 1 at that time. I was often scared, but rarely let that fear take total control of me. I often, not always, found that I could turn the dislike aimed at me around by simply attempting to find common ground. The act of speaking in Spanish was usually highly productive in terms of establishing a common desire to communicate and get beyond the language barrier that existed. The trend, not 100 percent, but mostly, was that if one barrier was attacked from both sides, then other barriers began to fade, and become less.

I sense, as you describe, the same sort of broader, large scale movement or energy, beginning, perhaps on a global level, towards a more unified humanity. There are, of course, forces fighting against that, and they will be around for a very long time yet, but perhaps they are rising up with such force at this moment in history because they sense their days are numbered; I don't know.

One such force is corporatism. If we can't get a handle on that, we will never get beyond that divisions they create through their instiable greed and self-interest. Corporations exploit and destroy people, pitting people against one another for their livelihoods. Corporations corrupt virtually everything they touch. Corporate interference in world affairs is one of the most destructive forces going right now. I hope we can start getting them under control -- they should never have been granted all the power they now possess.

Another destructive force is religion. Of these two forces, corporatism might be the easier to get a handle on, although belief in capitalism and "free markets", as they are advocated today by corporations (meaning they really are not FREE markets), has reached almost religious fervor, too.

[MRb1000]

I served in the Air Force for twenty years and saw things first hand. The military the most control group of people in the United States. I herd Officers tell people they would place another person with lower rank before a person of color with higher rank not knowing there skills. I remember this Spanish Senior Noncommissioned Officer that work in a dental clinic was told by her Section Chief he would make her clean teeth instead of managing the section. I seen tears in her eyes because she worked so hard to get where she was. Later, she never got that job, but manage to make the highest rank in the Air Force Noncommissioned Officer rank of Chief Master Sergeant.

I seen an African American women in the same squadron that out rank ever one among Noncommissioned Officers to be told she would be working for someone of lower rank. A white women with integrity turn down the job because it was the right thing to do.

I know you will say what did you do about it. I told the IG. OK when the Wing commander is in agreement what can you do. Social Action is the EOT program in the Air Force. Ok they just tell the commander everything you said. Now, he comes down on you even harder. So you have to just suck it up and move on.

Ok some of you would think it is because they were women. No the Commanding Officer of the Group and squadrons were a women. Most of the higher ranking officers in charge were women.

Oh please do not get me wrong not all white or black people are resists.

I was ask to sign a picture of a confederate flag with a confederate soldier on it. I refuse to sign it. This was for our squadron change of command present from our squadron to the Wing commander the highest ranking officer on base. This happen in 1999. You thought it happen durning the 60, 70,80, no it happen in the nineties.

This happen to me so many time threw out my career you just move on and fight the battle that you can win.

So America we need to clean up our own house before cleaning other people homes.

[TylerRose]

Dave, i understand clearly what you are talking about. The ambivalence you are feeling is the reality of CHANGE that is occurring right before our 50+ year old eyes. You and I played a major role in turning the face of America during the period of Woodstock , JFK, and MLK. We were the youth teaching our older generation back then that was time to let go of the old, segregational ways of America so the new progressive America could come forth. Despite all the RESISTANCE from the older generation, CHANGE did occur. There was some turmoil but more importantly there was progress. As a result, America became a healthy viable country respected by the whole world. The world is moving on and America needs to progress and compete with the whole world. America will not compete if we continue to try and maintain it in the time of 'Mayberry RFD'. Sure, there was some nice nostalgia of that time period but naturally there is a lot of ideaologies of that time period which does not apply anymore. One of the ideas is the pledge for us to become ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISABLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. We have not achieved that yet and it is the core of the America foundation. All our symbols (such as constitution, Statue of Liberty, etc.) represents this but we have become lax and has just SETTLED for how things are now. Well, things are not good or healthy in America as it exist in this modern world. I now I am sick and tired of the same old politics. Like Obama says, if I keep voting in the same old people who are doing the same old politics, then why should I expect a different way things are done in Washington? Scientifically, that makes sense.
iF THE VARIABLES IN EACH TEST ARE NOT CHANGED THEN THE OUTCOME WILL BE THE SAME.
You can't drive forward with the car set in reverse. That is why I admire our young voters today. I am so very proud of them because they seem to be taking the bull by the horn and making their decisions honestly based on facts and not fear. That is a sign of a strong America. Dave, it is time for our children to shape America and it is time for us to support them. Although Obama is not a 'spring chicken' himself (laugh) I continue to support his vision of a unified America just like we pledge to the flag. When people stop reacting to fear, we will achieve it and all the problems we are facing today will be solved. Why? Because we will ALL WORKING FOR A COMMON PURPOSE - US.

[mtnblusky]

What about women of all races, colors, religions and ages who are raped, murdered, ensalved and disenfranchised around the world? The majority do not vilify, preach hatred and make up lies about men. Black Liberation Theology,on which Obama's spiritual mentor bases his preaching and social awareness, is not only against Europeans (read white) but also Capitalism. I am not here to deny the failures of colonialism or Capitalism. I am here to protest violence, lies (see the origin of aids) and the basis of blame which is anger and hate. This being preached in a house of God under any circumstances in this country, against this country, is anathema. Obama should have left the church way before now. When a congregation rises to its feet and cheers, they are hearing something that they have heard before. Everyone in that church knew what the philosophy of the church leaders was.

[IdaBWells]

I don't mean to lecture just offer context.

RE: The origins of A.I.D.S.

Many Black folks believe we have reason to fear the government people of color, poor people ,in general vunerable citizens have been used in medical experiments. For example, the Tuskeegee experiment. There are several well written books on the subject.

Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans
Acres of Skin: Human Experiments at Holmesburg Prison

[ndolomar]

Such a poignant way to bring to light a subject that we've managed to avoid through consistent efforts to relegate it to that "ugly period in U.S. history." However, you bring up an interesting point about retribution, which really is at the base of a stinging presumption carried by many white Americans (even so-called liberal ones) that, when in power, African-Americans will exact "payback" for all the racial injustices in history. It's not without some merit. After slavery was abolished, African-Americans by law were not allowed to own guns, largely attributed to the chances that they would make their former slave-owners pay for beating, raping and murdering them and members of their family. In fact, although Hollywood would beg to differ, many African-Americans who fought on either side of the Civil War were not allowed to use arms for fear they would turn it on their white leaders (or, at least, those who had assaulted them). In 1955, Emmet Till, barely a teenager, was kidnapped, tortured and murdered because -- on a dare -- he made a semi-flirtatious remark to a white woman. The ensuing Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s - 1960s is wrought with imagery of African-Americans getting beaten by anti-integ­rationists­, as well as by members of the local and federal government -- a government to which their meager paychecks doled a percentage. Therefore, "no taxation without representation" rings very true to African-Americans, as does the idea of "black revenge" to many white Americans. However, take a closer look at the African-Americans who hold relatively strong political power in this nation. Despite more than 400 years of being subjugated and abused in the name of at-the-time government laws, there have been no major movements advocating "payback." Black congressmen and congresswomen don't call for the beheading of their white counterparts; black news anchors don't announce daily the addresses and phone numbers of white people who may be ancestors of slave owners; African-American athletes don't elbow and foul and fight the white members of their own football or basketball teams as a form of "historical solidarity"; and, last time I checked, black comedians still predominantly make fun of black people and urban culture. So, perhaps your blog will allay any dormant fears of a "black comeuppance" that some white Americans may harbor -- while still supporting a black candidate. If anything, judge by what history has shown: Whether good or bad, the African-American is not out to get even, or get revenge, or get blood; we just want to be a part of the same team so we all can enjoy the victory.
Thanks for the great post, Dave.

[DoninJoisey]

I'm a white male, and I'll be 61 soon. I have seen a big change in attitudes, but make no mistake, for Geraldine Ferraro to make her statement that Barack was "lucky" is so far from the truth that it isn't funny. Blacks are still at a distinct disadvantage - anyone who says otherwise is either a liar or in need of medication.

I disgusts me that Hillary will do anything to win. Play the fear card. Create a hologram of experience.
I also saw her sarcastically mock Obama's message of hope - with Hillary there would be no change.
Actually praise McCain above Obama, but most despicable at all, play the race card.

It troubles me that fear and smear and spin may yet prevail again - as it did in 2000 and 2004, and that somehow Hillary will steal the nomination. What a tragedy that would be.

BTW - I have a Masters of Science - the most interesting poll results I've seen show that support for Obama rises directly with education, Hillary is big among those who didn't finish High School.

I see a slogan - "Act educated - support Obama".

[johnOneOne]

Hi Dave...

I'm sorry to hear about the black folks that lecture you, but I have a comment about that.

I'm 54, and an African-American man with a technical Ph.D. Not only do I get treated like a waiter, or worse, but it's all the time. Someone like you might feel lectured once in a while, but people like me get it all the time.

As a black man with a Ph.D. in my field, I have to act like Stepin Fetchit around white men who may not even have a high school diploma, because they are in positions of power, and I'm not. Every single day I go through this, and it's been like this pretty much my whole life.

If a black man lectures you, he's really not just lecturing you - he's lecturing all those white men he can't lecture, who really just look like you but otherwise may be far different. He should probably thank you when he's done, for you giving him the opportunity to be heard, and apologize if his tone was inappropriate. But I can bet that his emotions got the better of him, because it's rare that a white man even has to listen to a black man, regardless of anything else but the respective color of their skin.

A white male coworker I like (he pushed to get me hired at my present job) and I were talking in the parking lot one day recently, and however it came up, I wanted to tell him how I felt about it. I was living in Iowa in 1988 and caucused for Jesse Jackson, so there's a real sense of history I feel about Obama not just winning that same caucus, but currently have a delegate lead. But I couldn't describe for the crying, which took me by surprise. It was too emotionally overcoming even to talk about it.

A person who looks like me becoming President of the United States? A person who looks like me who doesn't have to kowtow as a reflex to any white man in his presence? I can't tell you what even the possibility of that happening means to me, and I'm sure, to others like me.

I hope you get my drift, and I hope I haven't lectured you. Peace, sir.

I agree with you about Hillary, by the way.

[Clinton]

Hey, I'm a white guy with a technical Ph.D. You are right, my friend, I've seen the crap black Ph.D.s still have to put up with, I saw it in graduate school too. I admire you, it's got to take a hell of a lot of character to put up with that shit, day in, day out. Check it out man, Obama's probably going to win. Isn't that great? And he's without a doubt the most qualified, clearly superior to the others, no doubt about it.

[anon004]

I'm a middle aged white woman, and I'm deeply moved by what you said. I get even angrier when I realize that someone, (or some group of people) somewhere in history decided that skin color was something of significance. The concept of "race" is just a fabrication of the human mind. The gargantuan and untold misery that has been visited upon people because of this fictious construct is just staggering . . .

[rixhex56]

johnOneOne,

I think we all get your drift. Our national predicament of backwardness, in so many areas, is embarrassing. Without meaning to belittle your plight, it is getting better.

Winer points out that finding the common bonds are what we need to do. Unfortunately, one obstacle to this, which Winer also points out, is the one-upsmanship in which people engage in comparing who has the worst of it. You even felt compelled to engage that response: "Someone like you might feel lectured once in a while, but people like me get it all the time."

May I ask, "What is the desired response to this?"