Truly, a Defining Moment
In recent weeks, whenever the conversation has turned to the presidential race I have expressed my doubts about the willingness of whites to vote for a black man to be the President of the United States. I can only attribute this opinion to a combination of not wanting to get my hopes up too high, and the realization that the actual number of people who won't support him because of his race is somewhere north of the 6% who will admit it when asked.
However, I'm not one of those people who believes an Obama loss could only be blamed on racism. There are some reasonable people who have made an informed decision not to vote for him purely for policy reasons. But some of the statements I've heard: "he's a Muslim," "his pastor damned the United States (sometimes used in quick succession by the same speaker)," "he's an elitist," "he's arrogant," "he's condescending," and so on; all sound like excuses to me. After all, we're not electing the president of our high school student council.
Lately I've started to let myself believe it might actually happen. McCain's behavior during the week of the initial vote on the bailout/rescue plan -- including his "suspension" of the campaign -- did not serve him well. From his role in the negotiations that led to the bill's defeat in the first vote, to his demeanor during the first presidential debate, I believe the country saw someone whose time has come and gone.
Still, one of the keys to an Obama victory will be his ability to earn the votes of a significant number of white voters. After seeing this speech by AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka, I'm optimistic about his chances.
posted by Darryl @ 6:24 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Darryl,
Truly indeed a powerful message in his speech. I agree with him - racism is still alive and there are several thousand people who walk the face of this nation who will NOT vote for a black man. I'm sure they have their excuses as why not to vote for him but they would only be excuses. Racism lives in all of us and there will become a day that we will wake-up and see that all men are created equal despite the color of their skin.
Our country has endured years of abuse, ridicule, hatred, back-biting and distrust. Our children and their children deserve an opportunity for our great nation to allow a God fearing man to lead our country in the right direction. The work of our past and current civil rights leaders should not go invain. God spoke to then while carrying out his work and it's a prophetic calling that God would send such a man to lead this country. God said that he would send someone that we would least expect - just as he sent his son Jesus Christ. It's high time that we allow God to lead us. We, as a people, have made a mess of things and forced the hand of opportunity for our own self-preservation. Our country has suffered enough.
Thank you for posting this topic.
This just in! Breaking news! There is racism in America. I am not making light of a serious topic, but I marvel every time I see a news article about a study (good link, by the way) about race. Racism is still a global problem, it is not just an American problem. In political circles this problem of race has a name and it is called the Bradley Effect. Former Mayor of Los Angeles, Tom Bradley, a Black man, was defeated at the ballot box, but was way ahead in the polls. The difference was that what Whites said to pollsters was quite different from what they actually did at the polls. WIth all of that said, though, being a 51 year old Black man, I have come to a conclusion on this whole matter of racism. Small minded people still harbor racist views and people with equally small minds have their lives stifled by these views. Since Obama is a post-racial candidate, I will do my part and get past race and get to the issues. We would all do well to do the same.
I will not vote for Barack Obama. I will not vote for him just because he is Black. I will not vote against him just because he is Black. I have studied his positions and they just do not line up with mine.
Lets begin. It was stirring speech in the video you included on your blog. Mr. Trumka said Obama will "fight for families". Really? He will fight for families all right. But only those family members who make it out of the womb. You see, Mr. Obama is pro-abortion and I am not. He has his name on an ugly piece of legislation here in Illinois that concerns what to do with infants that survive an abortion procedure. Its ugly and I will not get into that here.
Also, Obama has also raised taxes at every opportunity in his political career. Not exactly a family friendly stance. He has, unfortunately, toed the party line every step of the way. I don't care about what he has said he is going to do if he is elected. It is an election year. Politicians will say anything and Obama is no different. If you want to see how someone will govern, just look to how they have voted in the past.
But, back to fighting for families. Obama has made it clear that he will raise taxes on businesses. Dirty little secret here is that family members work for businesses. Well, let me put it this way. A family member either owns the business or they work for someone that does. I guess the logic here is that raising taxes on businesses is okay just as long as the business is not yours? Right. And what right does Obama, or any other politician, have to punish success by imposing a 'windfall profits tax' on big business? I know people who have pension funds and 401k retirement accounts and these people depend on these funds to supplement their Social Security. Where do politicians get off by taking funds out of these accounts? That is exactly what they are doing. Higher taxes impacts profits. Lower profits impacts dividends which otherwise would be deposited into these retirement accounts.
Speaking of Social Security, the current administration put forth legislation to sure up Social Security which by most public accounts is going broke. A change needed to be made. Once again, unfortunately, Obama toed the party line and voted 'no'. So much for 'change'.
Lastly, (I will make this my last topic in the interest of time and space. Obama is, once again, toeing the party line in regard to school choice. Polls OVERWHELMINGLY show that Black people want a chance to get their kids out of failing public schools. Why is Obama and his Democrat colleagues against it? Being here in Chicago, I unfortunately see the schools, the students and parents that are imprisoned in them. Guess what? Obama's kids go to a school of HIS choice and, it, my friends, it not a public school. It is one of the most prestigious and elite private schools in the Chicago metropolitan area. Most Black families would kill to get their kids into this school. But I am sure they would gladly settle for just having a choice. David Barton, the author of "American History in Black and White" said it best. He stated that roughly fifty years ago, the Democrats were standing in the doors of the public schools, keeping Blacks out. Today, Barton concluded, the Democrats are standing in the door again, this time not letting Blacks out.
Black people are no longer the monolithic voting block, despite what people think. In my opinion, we got past that years ago as evidenced by the fact that we have vilified the likes of Clarence Thomas, Condoleeza Rice, and even (yes...) Bill Cosby. So it should come as no surprise to anyone that there are Black people that will not vote for Obama. I share your feeling about seeing a Black president, but I have gotten behind the slick marketing and oratory skills of the current Democrat running for POTUS. Besides, he is not the first Black on the public stage that has stellar oratory skills. I have seen a few in my lifetime that are better and so have you.
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