Ralph Nader symbolizes the intense racism which still percolates below the surface throughout America. But in a shocking little slip during a Rocket Mountain News interview, the curmudgeonly third-party presidential candidate revealed the kind of ignorance, hostility and racial prejudice that could be carried into the voting booth come November. Here's what the crusty former consumer rights' advocate said about the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee, Sen. Barack Obama:
"There's only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He's half African-American. Whether that will make any difference, I don't know. I haven't heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What's keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white? He doesn't want to appear like Jesse Jackson? We'll see all that play out in the next few months and if he gets elected afterwards... He wants to show that he is not a threatening . . . another politically threatening African-American politician. He wants to appeal to white guilt. You appeal to white guilt not by coming on as black is beautiful, black is powerful. Basically he's coming on as someone who is not going to threaten the white power structure, whether it's corporate or whether it's simply oligarchic. And they love it. Whites just eat it up."
What an unconscionable racist diatribe. Nader's upset that Obama apparently forgot to take his ebonics classes at Harvard. With his disgusting comments, Nader is appealing to the lowest common denominator of racial bigotry: the belief that if a black person looks presentable, dresses nicely, is highly educated, extremely articulate and is successful, well then he or she must be trying to "act white." Because, as we all know, black people are supposed to sound like Al Sharpton, have gold teeth and rob liquor stores, right? Sadly, in 2008, this is how many people across America still view blacks. Despite the stellar accomplishments of Obama -- Ivy League schools, Harvard Law Review editor, Illinois State Senate, U.S. Senate, Democratic presidential nominee -- these racists can only see a jive-talkin' urban threat to white security. A homeboy in Whitey's clothing.
Earlier this week the comedian Robin Williams appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Speaking to this underlying racism, Williams nailed it in a hilarious bit about how whites deep down fear that once Obama becomes president he's gonna bounce out of the Oval Office onto the White House lawn, grabbing his nuts, flailing his arms and hands like a rapper and sounding like Flava Flav as he introduces his cabinet, which would consist of folks like Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and perhaps Flava himself (my examples, not Williams'... I can't remember his but they're similar). And ya know what? He's unfortunately right, as Nader so chillingly reminded us this week. The truly scary thing is, if someone as seemingly intelligent, progressive and well-known as Nader can publicly utter such irresponsible, reprehensible racial stereotypes, just imagine what might face Obama once small-minded America closes the curtain at election time... and is all alone with their racism and that lever.
In the wake of Nader's painful wake-up call about racial intolerance and bigotry still prevalent today, the million-dollar question remains: is Obama inspiring enough young people, blacks and independents to offset the loss in votes from the racist dumbasses across America? To be sure, because of the race factor, this is an election like no other in our nation's history.