Make no mistake about it, the Republicans, the same party that created the Willie Horton ads are now busy strategizing ways to inject racial poison into this campaign. If Obama was white we’d be looking at the most lopsided win ever come November.
[Speaking Truth To Power]
What If Obama was White?
As the race for the White House emerges there’s an unseemly topic no one-including those in the establishment media-wants to talk honestly about: racism.
And a question that needs to be asked is: what if Obama was white? A few weeks ago, Senator John McCain fumed that Senator Barack Obama had played the “race card” because he stated Republicans were trying to frighten Americans from his candidacy due to his “funny name” and the fact that Obama “doesn’t look like those presidents on the dollar bills.”
Rick Davis, McCain’s campaign manager, screamed “Barack Obama has played the race card, and he played it from the bottom of the deck.”
Didn’t, McCain claim he would run a clean campaign? I guess that doesn’t include racial polarization politics. But why should we be surprised. Using racism to secure their objectives is something Republicans are experts at, like pigs wallowing in mud. Make no mistake about it the same people who created the Willie Horton ads are now busy strategizing ways to inject racial poison into this campaign. The vitriol seen during the primaries, where some of Rev. Wright comments were run ad nauseam, is an omen of what’s ahead.
It isn’t an understatement to say that the outcome of this election will have serious ramifications for this nation. In fact, this election maybe America’s last chance to live up to those lofty ideals that it preaches but hardly ever practices. America is dangling on a dangerous precipice. Ironically, America will be forced to face its shamefully racist history when white voters enter the voting booths in November.
The other day, CNN ran a poll result which stated that 31 percent of those polled felt electing Obama was a “risky” move. Somehow, only 21 percent felt McCain was “risky.” For some reason the obvious follow-up question to ascertain the thought process behind these responses, seems, to have not been asked.
Remember when Geraldine Ferraro said, during the primaries, that “If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position?” Well let’s explore that: what if Obama was white?
First of all, would a white candidate have been asked to explain himself for his pastor’s conduct, like Obama was forced to because of the views of Rev. Wright? Would a white candidate going up against Senator Clinton have to worry about being attacked as an “outsider,” and “not fundamentally American” which was proposed by some in her camp? Why hasn’t anyone labeled John McCain an “outsider,” since he was born at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in Panama?
Moreover, wouldn’t Senator Clinton Hillary have been forced to step out of the primary race long before if Obama wasn’t just half white?
At present, many in “mainstream media” pontificate about the problems Obama is having with particular demographic groups. Curiously, when the debate analyzes why he’s doing poorly with whatever faction the issue of racism never seems to be entertained as the root cause. Many other excuses are promulgated, including the assertion that he isn’t “qualified” because he is “inexperienced.”
Interestingly enough these concerns weren’t raised during the elections of George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. How much “experience” did Ronald Reagan have? Reagan, a former actor, was Governor of California for eight years (1967-75) before he became president. Obama was a state senator in Illinois for nearly seven years (January 8, 1997- November 4, 2004) before becoming a U.S. Senator for nearly three years now. When one includes his years as a community organizer-including his involvement in Project Vote, a voter registration initiative-as well as the twelve years he taught constitutional law, at The University of Chicago Law School, isn’t he more qualified to lead this country that Reagan was?
And, should I even bother to compare Obama to this “president?” George Bush who was Governor of Texas for a mere five years before becoming “president.” Before that he was the failed oilman behind Arbusto Energy. And given the paucity of his intellectual faculties, does anyone really think he is more “qualified” than Obama?
In the face of these and other examples the question is: what’s behind these red herring excuses of Obama being “inexperienced” not “qualified” and a “risky” candidate? Wasn’t it the “experienced” politicians like Hillary Clinton, George Bush and John McCain who created the Iraq mess America now finds itself in? Think about something else for a minute: why did Senator Clinton use the infamous “red phone” ad? Does anyone really think that the ad’s implication of Obama being untrustworthy had nothing at all to do with his skin color?
Some pundits have proclaimed that racism is over, in America, because Obama made history by becoming the first African-American to receive a presidential nomination. That rosy assessment is utterly ridiculous.
Are race relations better than they once were? Absolutely. However, while we applaud the incremental gains made, we must remember the brutal widespread scope of this scourge in America.
In this presidential election cycle there is only one real choice, yet, the race is basically even and some polls have John McCain leading. How can a man in need of Geritol and a rocking chair who’s mentally disintegrating before us and who has told us that he plans to continue the policies of Bush: tax-breaks for the rich, more war-for-profit schemes etc be running so competitively?
If Obama was white we’d be looking at the most lopsided win ever come November.
Benjamin is a member of The Black Star News’ Editorial Staff
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