"John Preston, who is the county's circuit-court judge and also its amateur historian, Harvard-educated, with a flag pin on his lapel, said, "Obama is considered an elitist." He added, "There's a racial component, obviously, to it. Thousands of people won't publicly say it, but they won't vote for a black man--on both sides, Democrat and Republican. It won't show up in the polls, because they won't admit it. The elephant's in the room, but nobody will say it. Sad to say it, but it's true." Later, I spoke with half a dozen men eating lunch at the Pigeon Roost Dairy Bar outside town, and none of them had any trouble saying it. They announced their refusal to vote for a black man, without hesitation or apology."
After I read this, I mused for a while on this fact of American politics that is apparently accepted without question or demur: there are people in the US who, no matter what, would not consider voting for a man with a black father and a white mother.
These people would rather that 4700 more American soldiers were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and 32,000 more wounded than cast a vote for a man of mixed race.
These people would rather that 90,000 more Iraqis die and hundreds of thousands more be wounded and displaced than cast a vote for a man of mixed race.
These people would rather that tens or hundreds of thousands of Iranian civilians be killed or wounded than cast a vote for a man of mixed race.
These people would rather that the economy continue to disintegrate under the management of the Republican incompetents than vote for a man of mixed race.
These people are willing to give up many more years of preparation for climate change, and thereby put the world at greater and greater risk, rather than vote for a man of mixed race.
These people would rather that the upper 1% of Americans be enabled to control more and more American assets and income than vote for a man of mixed race.
These people would rather that the world's respect for and friendship toward the US continue its steep decline than vote for a man of mixed race.
I know it is considered unacceptable for persons such as myself, unrepentant howling liberals, never repentant know-it-all liberals, to cast aspersions on such beliefs because, God forbid, those who would kill or be killed rather than vote for a man of mixed race are entitled to their opinion, and they resent being disparaged. We have to respect them, we are told, even though we were right about the Bush administration, right about the Iraq War, right about the criminality of unregulated markets, right about global warming, and right about the hypocrisy and greed of every Republican you can name, and quite a few Quisling Democrats. We are told to keep our mouths shut, because we don't know what we are talking about.
Okay, so I won't attack the rights of these people. However, let's look at it this way. Four years ago, gay marriage was thought to be the issue that would put the cherry on the Republican sundae. The more gay people came out, spoke up, claimed their rights, and acted like perfectly equal citizens, it was said, the more the issue would inflame the Republican base. You could practically hear Karl Rove cracking his simian knuckles in delight at the prospect.
But hey. Where's that issue now? Not even on the horizon. Old people cling to homophobia, young people not so much. Same with racism. I don't mind if some guy my age in Kentucky puts the lives and the livings of his children and grandchildren on the line because he would never vote for a man of mixed race. But I look forward to the day when his grandchildren look him in the eye and say, "Gee, Grandpa. Can't afford to keep you anymore. Maybe Grover Norquist will take over your care."
Intelellectuals can think themselves past race and can think their way into the future, and assume other people make decisions based on reason. Turns out most people run on instinct, pride, fear and heart. The intellectual arguments blow right by.
Human beings are the whole game. We don't get to criticize human nature, but we need governments that work with it and for it.
Same with racism. I don't mind if some guy my age in Kentucky puts the lives and the livings of his children and grandchildren on the line because he would never vote for a man of mixed race.
But I look forward to the day when his grandchildren look him in the eye and say, "Gee, Grandpa. Can't afford to keep you anymore. Maybe Grover Norquist will take over your care.""
Remember that old chestnut constantly thrown out to people opposing the now infamously wrong, wrong, wrong Viet Nam War?
'AMERICA - LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT'.
Well, I would suggest all the people sipping the koolaide and soooo unhappy with this country (that 25% base) should do JUST that.
You don't like it? Go find somewhere better.
You don't want to work with US? Go find somewhere better.
You don't want to be a part of the American Society? Go find something better.
WE are AMERICA - a UNITED of States. You don't want to be united? Go find something better.
All over the world, and not just in America..., people will line up to vote against their own interest. Remember, Ferdinand Marcos had die-hard supporters, just like Robert Mugabe, Vladmir Putin, .... and many other miscreants around the world masquerading as leaders. I'll assure you that there's somebody about to lose his/her home, job, and penniless, who still believes George W Bush is the American messiah.
Why should one be shocked that some whites would not want to vote for a black/colored person for president of the United States? There are still white landlords that will not rent to black tenants, white employers that will not employ blacks, whites that will not.....(fill in the space) for/to/with blacks.
Racism is one of the fundamental ills of the U.S. Lots of current problems can be traced to the deeply ingrained belief that we're not all in it together -- we should only take care of the "right sort"of people.
This is the cost of racism.
pakistan
military commissions act
fisa
black white or purple - who cares.
does liberal mean caring about crap that doesn't amount to sh*t? we have a duopoly, period. same bosses, different colored koolaide. no racist, or liberal for that matter, will make any significant difference with their vote. its a ruse. until we the people take our branches of government back, it is a hopeless re-run.
i suppose you are for eliminating the 4th ammendment?
but you keep on cheering jane!
I've said in multiple posts here that attrition will eventually tear down the attitudinal wall of racism in this nation. Jane agrees: "Old people cling to homophobia, young people not so much. Same with racism." This, coupled (pun intended) with increasing numbers of bi- and multi-racial citizens, will in 2 to 3 generations render this discussion amusing and moot.
My faith in intermarriage and the birth of more mixed-race people was shattered by Bosnia. Here was a society where Muslims and Christians (Serbs) intermarried, lived and worked together, and yet the Serbs were able to revive the old fears and hatreds and tear the society apart. Nationalist fantasies were more important to many people than their real lives.
On the other hand, it's hard to imagine Italian-Americans and Anglo-Americans (say) turning on one another. The various European groups have mingled and interbred so long here that everyone, it seems, is 1/16th this and 3/16ths that, way too mixed to identify with only one descent. Those of us from Europe are all just "Anglos" now. So maybe given time, race will fade into insignificance. I just wouldn't put my money on it happening any time soon. 2-3 generations is optimistic, I fear.
The Playdo Institute
Handel Glassberg, President
in a conversation with a college graduate, who is also a very successful engineer, my spouse was told, "You aren't going to vote for Obama, are you? You know, it's been all over the news, he's a terrorist and he was born in Africa."
Well, what can you say to that?
but as a former life-long democrat, i eventually took more than a passing note that the party leaders, and the party in general, had shifted from the concerns related to blue-collar workers and the underserved throughout our country. to me, the political machinery that is the democratic party is virtually no different then that of the republicans, evidenced by the fact that our country, and our foreign policy, is in shambles.
politically, i moved from "democrat vs. republican" to "us against them" . this decision had nothing to do with race, gender or any social orientation/issue used as wedges in the national debate. rather, my decision was a virulent, years long struggle to come to grips with what i viewed as our overwhelming political/social/economic failures. i came to terms with my belief, that there may never come a person or group who will genuinely address what i see as our ills. anyway, neither party, nor independent, has a deep, profound, life affirming agenda or intention to serve. no to them all, vote "none of the above".
As for "none of the above," are you really advocating anarchy? I do not know your age, but I think it is time to stop holding your breath and try growing up a bit.