"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." - Martin Luther King, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC
Now that Barack Hussein Obama is the prospective nominee, a sickening trend I noticed a long time ago is coming even more to the forefront. People are focusing on the color of his skin rather the content of his character.
The standard line is 'oh, isn't it wonderful that here in America we have a black candidate for president!'
Among the people gushing in this fashion are Condi Rice, Peggy Noonan, John Lewis and a host of others. They should be embarrassed and it makes me want to hurl.
The idea that a presidential candidate should be celebrated or exalted simply because of his race rather than his accomplishments or character is about as contrary to Dr. King's vision as can be.
It smacks of the days of set asides, quotas and affirmative action focused solely on ethnic background rather than a color-blind meritocracy of accomplishment.
It also gives credence to the idea of America as a hotbed of rabid racism, with the idea that it is something absolutely astounding that a black man, however qualified could be nominated and run for president in America. The European press has been particularly odious in this regard.
Obviously they weren't around when Colin Powell could have had the Republican nomination for the asking.
Another problem I have with this line of thinking is its obvious corollary...if you're an American who isn't black and you vote against Obama, obviously you must be racist, no? And of course, if you're say, a white Leftist who maybe has some hidden 'discomfort' on the rare occasions when you come into contact with black folks in your everyday life, you can mask or even cover for those feelings by voting for the black candidate and be able to say 'hey I'm no racist, I voted for Obama.'
Of course a number of them will be saying one thing in public and another in the privacy of the voting booth.
I have a feeling that come November, if everyone who loudly claims to have voted for Obama really did, McCain will be left with maybe 25% of the vote. Watch for some very interesting distortions in the early exit polls that will make 2004 look meticulously accurate by comparison.
Obama's campaign has skillfully played the race card almost since its beginnings and will continue use this white guilt to the utmost, because it works. No one will have the guts to ask the question: if non-blacks who vote against Barack Obama simply because he's black are characterized as racist, how would you characterize black people who are voting for him for exactly the same reason?
The ironic thing about Obama being characterized as the Great Black Hope is that he doesn't have an ounce of black American heritage in him, being half white, at least one third Arab and maybe one sixth African. Nor does he have any discernible qualifications to be president except for the ability to do a bang up job reading off a teleprompter. But to a number of his supporters both white and black, it is simply skin color that matters.
Rather than a milestone, this is a major step backwards for race relations in America. If Obama wins, the sort of racial politics his administration will likely promote will poison the water for a future, far more qualified black American candidate. If he loses, it will be the Evil White Man's fault to a fair number of his black supporters.
It's a damn shame.
5 comments:
I must be honest, as a fan of Peggy Noonan's I'm embarrassed for her preening, "look at how great we are, we've selected a black man" rhetoric which is both condescending and subtly racist. As a writer in England suggested in a column I wish I'd saved, they're talking about Obama like he's a dog balancing a biscuit on his nose. "clap, clap, isn't he wonderful."
Moreover Noonan, who has trashed Bush for the last three years for not being "conservative enough" is a rank hypocrite if she is now going to gush over Obama, who will do NONE of the things she wanted Bush to do. He won't even try.
So, which is it, Peggy, is Bush not conservative enough, or he just didn't hire you for his staff? Because Barack sure won't further your Reagan conservative ideals.
Yes, a triumph for the "Race Relations Industry". They are the people who have convinced the typical white Anglo-Saxon Christian male that he should be absolutely ashamed of his heritage, and should henceforth grovel in front of the politically correct. Rather like the grovelling in front of a Muslim, that is required of a Dhimmi.
Sadly, I doubt there is anything we can do about it. I know you won't want to read the Christian end of the Bible, but do look at Daniel, the second half (or so) of Ezekiel, and similarly the second half of Isaiah. I believe that in the EU we see one of the Kings rising up as foretold in Daniel. Similarly in the forthcoming North American Free Trade Area (--> Union), I see another. A further Union is on the way for South East Asia. The other 7 can't be far behind. Given the speed with which it is happening, I expect to see them all surrender their power in turn to one (UN anyone?) in my lifetime.
We must now be training the spiritual resistance fighters for the time about to come.
Hi Pat, as a fan of Noonan's ( or perhaps an ex-fan at this point) I couldn't agree with you more.
Hello, Yokel ,Hope all's well.
Actually,I'm pretty familiar with the New Testament, as well as the Qu'ran and a few other religious scriptures.
I do not see the US surrendering its sovereignty...nor do I think the EU will last,even if it assumes a lock grip on the states of Europe.
For my part, I think the West will stand, and if you read Isaiah, he prophecizes that as well. I doubt that Muslims will re-erect the Bais Hamikdosh (the Jewish Holy Temple) on the Temple Mount!
The West will stand because of the inherent weaknesses of our enemies,and because we have everything to lose and they have very little to defend.
All Best,
rm
I'm one of those people you're disgusted with. I still continue to think that it is amazing that a minority has been selected as the nominee of a major party.
This has nothing to do with America. This has to do with the WORLD.
When I look around the world, I can think of only one case where this has happened before, and that is Fujimori in Peru. Now, I'm not a great follower of current events, and others can enlighten me on other examples where a minority has been selected by the people for a national office.
I am cynical about the world and human nature. You won't see a white man or a black man selected for Mexico. You won't see a white man or a Hispanic selected for an African nation that is majority black. You won't see a white man selected in Japan or China. You simply won't. Period.
The world is mired in racism/tribalism, across the entire face of the earth, and that's the way I see it.
And that is why this is significant. It DOES in fact show the greatness of our country that a black man can succeed in this nomination battle. I do think it shows that we are leading the world in what is right, yet again. A world mired in darkness, and we are the light.
Perhaps we've been ready to elect a black man for quite some time. But I think back to the 70's, and I'm not sure how far back that window was open.
Obama has a host of flaws that may correctly prevent him from succeeding at being electing President. I certainly won't vote for him, and it's because of his far-left politics and associations, not because of his skin color.
However, the point is: We now know that he has succeeded at the nomination, and his skin color DID NOT STOP HIM. That is what is significant and so rare. America has proven we are past a threshold, whereas the vast majority of the rest of the world is not.
For this world mired in tribalism and racism, that is significant. And it's a feather in our American cap. Defeat him, yes, but celebrate America nonetheless!
Mike Devx
Hi Mike,
And welcome to Joshua's Army.
We're not all that far apart, except for this:
To me, America has ALWAYS been exceptional. That's why half of humanity is fighting to come here.
Part of that is that I don't feel there was ever a question among most white Americans that a black man couldn't be president simply because of his race. I don't think it's amazing in the least,given the level of basic decency and altruism in the average American.
To express surprise at this indicates, as I mentioned in the article, a certain amount of buying into the idea of America as a racist country. Certainly there's a potential first lady that feels that way!
Why should a candidate's race be a topic of discussion at all?
Another place where I think we diverge is that I believe you expect the same sort of people who feel that America is a racist country to change their views because a man who is perhaps 1/3 African is running for the White House.
I assure you they will not, regardless of whether Obama wins in November.
Dr. King's point, I think, was that identity politics is ALWAYS wrong.
I agree with him.
Thanks for weighing in...
All Good Things,
rm
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