The election is only a few weeks away, and there are still "undecideds." What are they waiting for? And how can they be torn between these two guys. They're so different. They are offering voters a very clear choice. Besides, what more could the undecideds possibly hope to learn or see about the candidates? Is Obama finally going to gain a few pounds? Is McCain finally going to stop saying, "My friends?" What is taking these people so long to make up their minds? Well, when it comes to some of them, to paraphrase a famous political saying, I'd have to say, "It's Because He's Black, Stupid."
Now before you start angrily typing to me, let me make a few things clear. I'm not suggesting that everyone who dislikes Barack Obama and plans on voting for John McCain is doing it because of race. I'm not saying that all of the people who are still undecided are racist. What I am suggesting is that we have to look at and wonder about those voters who agree with Barack Obama on issues that are very important to them and disagree with John McCain's positions, yet are still thinking about voting for McCain. Why? Could it be race?
Lately, political pundits have been talking about "The Bradley Effect." This refers to the 1982 California gubernatorial contest in which Tom Bradley, an African American, was ahead in the polls but lost to George Deukmejian. Some experts feel that some white voters were embarrassed to tell pollsters that they really planned to vote for the white candidate, and others who favored Bradley just couldn't vote for the black candidate once they got in the polling booth. There is some feeling that this may happen again in the Obama-McCain contest.
But I think there's also something going on that I'll call, "The Who, Me? Effect." This involves white voters who don't consider themselves anti-black. They may live among or work with African Americans and would certainly never use a racial slur. But, well, they just aren't completely embracing African-Americans. They feel uncomfortable, weird, and awkward about the whole thing. When they're having a public conversation in a restaurant, etc., they always seem to whisper the word, "black" (like some people always whisper the word, "cancer"). If someone called these people bigots or said they were prejudiced, their response would be a shocked, "Who, me?"
But they agree with Obama on all the issues that are important to them, yet they're just not sure about voting for a black man. So they remain undecided. And they are desperately searching for some reason, some excuse, some rationalization for voting for McCain that doesn't involve race. Apparently, they couldn't convince themselves that eight-year-old Barack Obama was a radical member of the Weathermen, so they're still looking for some reason not to vote for Obama without feeling guilty.
When you combine "The Bradley Effect" with "The Who, Me?
Effect," the numbers could be quite significant. A whole vocabulary has evolved to help the "Who me-ers" rationalize their opposition to Obama. I can help with the definitions:
"I don't like him because
he's arrogant" really means, "He's black."
"He's inexperienced" really means, "He's black."
"I know he's not a Muslim,
but how can I vote for
someone with a name like
that in these times?" really means, "He's black."
"His speeches are too fancy" really means, "He's black."
"How did a guy with his
background end up at Harvard?" really means, "He's black."
"I like his ideas, but
there's just something
about him" really means, "He's black."
"I don't like his wife" really means, "He's black."
One good thing about America is that you are not required to justify whom you vote for. If you want to vote for someone because you like his eyes or the way she dresses, you may do that. And if you don't want to vote for someone because of the color of his skin, that is your right. I just hope that not too many people exercise that right.
Lloyd Garver has written for many television shows, ranging from "Sesame Street" to "Family Ties" to "Home Improvement" to "Frasier." He has also read many books, some of them in hardcover. He can be reached at lloydgarver@gmail.com. Check out his website at lloydgarver.com and his podcasts on iTunes.
I also would not call the Quakers, “whites who felt guilty”. There are many with so-called "white" skin who are simply decent human beings who escaped the trap of defining the worth and value of others by their skin tone. Others were not so blessed, and they live in that self-imposed hellhole of bigotry their entire life.
As for not voting for Obama being a sign of racism, only the person who harbors that intent knows their heart. The society need not be convinced of any individual slant, for come November 4 we will have our answer. If John McCain wins, America is racist because it sat back and allowed an election to be determined by pervasive racism within the society and the hearts of the citizens, which is the society. Every citizen should be outraged by the behavior of John McCain; he should receive zero votes for hatred and stupidity unleashed. My role is to keep watching, occasionally dipping of my hand into the bag of popcorn as I watch a nation, contortionist like, claim it is not racist when throughout its behavior and its dialogue is more than a hint of a backwards and hateful disposition.
Of course you can have legitimate complaints against both candidates and I laud your decision to not cast a ballot for either of them. Hence, you are not one of the "undecideds" Garver is citing. My problem is with people who truly like Obama's message and would (arguably) benefit from an Obama administration but either can't commit to him or, worse, will, sadly, vote against either their ideological or economic interests by punching the ballot for McCain/Palin. There does seem to be an inordinate amount of people this election cycle who--for whatever reasons--fall into one of these two categories.
If I kick you, your role is to be quiet and pretend that I did not. If you ever speak of the fact that I kicked you, I will deny it through charges that you are trying to profit from a victim mentality.
If you are brown, you are looking for a handout or you are following the orders of superior people who know best. These are your only options in this society. Either way, suffer silently, never point out disparity, know with clarity your place and never try to rise above societal definition of your place or we will crucify you.
It is imperative in a world that hates and labels it love that one retains their own definitions. It is imperative when one lives in a world where a fellow human being can be slandered in society and some consider that “the rough and tumble nature of politics” to be self-sufficient in all things moral. One cannot look to their country for moral guidance when it is a wasteland of immorality. Once cannot trust their country to do what is right when it shows ample evidence of leaning towards that which is evil and wrong.
1968 -- 2008, this was the lifespan of a wake-up call to get things right. Regret or fear not the results of getting it wrong. We were warned.
[ Don't worry - i have 3 volumes of Karl Marx's "Das Kapital" on my bookcase; literally 3 feet away.
I know of what I'm talking. You don't want advice from a 19 century economist who doesn't
know how to use diagrams to show his points, and instead rumbles on and on and on
in page after page of impenetrable German ].
Maybe we should put our money where our mouth is and give the more deserving candidate the nod this election year.
With all the faith-based programs on both sides, we will be paying higher taxes which to go to fund religions that we don't agree with. No one is allowed to criticize Obama (much like Bush for the past 8 years). Say anything against him and you're called a racist, threatened etc. This is such a farce.