Obama's Blind Spot on Race and Character

News Type: Opinion — Seeded on Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:22 PM EDT

Article Source: nationalblackrepublicans.com

politics, obama, democrats, republicans, nbra

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In his Philadelphia speech on race, Senator Barack Obama justified his 20-year relationship with his anti-American pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, by castigating as racist a host of people, including his own white grandmother who he later lambasted as a "typical white" racist. Conspicuously omitted from Obama's culpability list is the architect of modern day racism—the Democratic Party.

Frances Rice is a lawyer, retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and Chairman of the National Black Republican Association. She may be contacted at: www.NBRA.info

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{"commentId":1637881,"authorDomain":"ejronin"}

Shawn Gordon

I've never fully understood why the Democrats almost always play the 'race friendly' arguments when they are not historically true. More often than not, the Democrats try to look friendly to all races, but by focusing intently on getting a block vote, they put themselves in a position where they have to, in the end, either pony up and keep the promise showing favoritism, or they simply do what most politicians do at some point and go back on their word.

No political group should really push an agenda for the betterment of any one race, it speragtes and segregates what we really are - Americans.

{"commentId":1637881,"threadId":"242614","contentId":"1400219","authorDomain":"ejronin"}

2 votes

#1 - Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:27 PM EDT

{"commentId":1637969,"authorDomain":"juppiecat"}

JUPPIECATDeleted

{"commentId":1638395,"authorDomain":"ejronin"}

Shawn Gordon

They need the African American and the Latino, Native Americans votes to sit in the oval office as much as any Democrats. I think the agenda that is being pushed is to help all races. It is unfortunate that some of you see it differently. I do however, respect your thoughts.

Well... yes and no. I think getting votes is important to each party, but identifying each race as a block for which to pander I think countermands the very unity we seek to achieve. Teddy Roosevelt talked extensively about ridding the country of 'hyphenated Americans'. I don't think we shoudl loose sight of heritage, but we do need to move on and identify more closely as being American in general. I've noticed more on the Democrat side of things that race is 'important', but not important for the right reasons.

I definitely wasn't implying republicans are not race friendly, but that Republicans (me being one) tend to overlook race. more often than not it hurts us becuase it is felt that by doing so we just don't care, and that's not the case. In this area I tend to believe that Democrats try and level down and Republicans try and level up. The con of leveling down is you effectively make it too easy so that everyone can achieve and so much gets by that a lot of bad or subpar things come through the gate. The con of leveling up is that people feel they never achieve, but... I think a lot of people are just plain lazy, or expect or have become accustomed to, things being handed to them. Subsequently there are cases where those truly in need are in fact left to die...and it's sad, but sometimes I do feel that there are 'acceptable losses'. And, yes... if I fell into the category of 'acceptable loss' I'd take that as putting a fire under my ass to work to NOT be there and would do what I could, but I also have to be fair in my assertions and beliefs and place myself to burn as I would condemn another - which I'd have to do... I can't take only to good, there are bad things that come with everything.

There are many days I almost wish America had the work ethic of the 1940's... where you took pride in what you did, there was honor in hard work, and people for the most part took responsibility for what they did or did not do. Free rides weren't common and weren't expected.

{"commentId":1638395,"threadId":"242614","contentId":"1400219","authorDomain":"ejronin"}

#1.2 - Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:15 PM EDT

{"commentId":1638630,"authorDomain":"bengrimm"}

Ben Grimm

I don't believe that Republicans really want to "level up". If they did, they'd have offered a viable alternative to programs like affirmative action. A leveling up solution would have been to offer free continuing education and/or job training to individuals who are the product of underfunded schools, broken families, abusive situations, etc... But, I've never seen anything like that put forth by a Republican. And obviously I know that it would never happen because real Republicans are fiscally conservative and want a hands off government. But again, politicians can't level up anything with government inaction -- that's the single tool politicians have.

{"commentId":1638630,"threadId":"242614","contentId":"1400219","authorDomain":"bengrimm"}

1 vote

#1.3 - Sun Mar 30, 2008 11:55 PM EDT

{"commentId":1638610,"authorDomain":"snmiller"}

Dr. Sherman N. Miller

I am a black Republican who has been in the Party over 30 years. I might suggest your read, "Obama showed courage for refusing to dump his mentor." It is located at http://www.iccjournal.biz/Opinion_Commentaries/obama_showed_courage_for_refusing.htm

It offers an interesting twist on how Senator Obama could be in Rev. Wrights presence and not be enchanted with his caustic rhetoric.

{"commentId":1638610,"threadId":"242614","contentId":"1400219","authorDomain":"snmiller"}

#2 - Sun Mar 30, 2008 11:45 PM EDT

{"commentId":1638684,"authorDomain":"ejronin"}

Shawn Gordon

Oh I don't really deny that it is possible to befriend someone and not believe the same things. Church generally preaches to hate the sin and not the sinner... so it could be the same way. I just thought it was interesting that the NBRA took this kind of stance on it. I mean, aren't I allowed to be a Republican and not fully believe in some of what other Republicans say or do?

{"commentId":1638684,"threadId":"242614","contentId":"1400219","authorDomain":"ejronin"}

#2.1 - Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:19 AM EDT

{"commentId":1638615,"authorDomain":"nickford"}

Nick Ford

'who he later lambasted as a "typical white" racist'

And that's where I stopped reading.

{"commentId":1638615,"threadId":"242614","contentId":"1400219","authorDomain":"nickford"}

2 votes

#3 - Sun Mar 30, 2008 11:47 PM EDT

{"commentId":1638685,"authorDomain":"ejronin"}

Shawn Gordon

why?

{"commentId":1638685,"threadId":"242614","contentId":"1400219","authorDomain":"ejronin"}

#3.1 - Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:19 AM EDT

{"commentId":1638794,"authorDomain":"nickford"}

Nick Ford

Because he didn't A) "lambast" anyone and B) say "typical white racist", he said "typical white woman".

{"commentId":1638794,"threadId":"242614","contentId":"1400219","authorDomain":"nickford"}

1 vote

#3.2 - Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:07 AM EDT

{"commentId":1638832,"authorDomain":"ejronin"}

Shawn Gordon

ok... so be mad at the article and see if there's more wrong than something introductory. I mean... what purpose does it really serve to say "yeah, I didn't even pay attention to the article"? You may have well just not said anything.

Why not... post a correction and an opinion as to the take on it becuase the article is written by Black republicans about Black Democrats and everyone wants to make it an issue, so why not understand where someone from the same race take it?

{"commentId":1638832,"threadId":"242614","contentId":"1400219","authorDomain":"ejronin"}

#3.3 - Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:26 AM EDT

{"commentId":1646800,"authorDomain":"renaissancelady46"}

Navyvet48

I find it very interesting that the author went into the history of the Republican Party. I was not aware of the history until I read the following book: Revolutionary Heart: The Life of Clarina Nichols and the Pioneering Crusade for Women's Rights.

I was a Republican most of my life (48 years) . I have however become unassigned no Independent Party in Kansas. I am like Shaun in that I am blind to race. I give credit to my mother and father for this. They didn't just tell me to be race blind, they showed me by their actions. It doesn't make me unsympathetic, it just makes me less aware of differences in people. It probably helped that my older brother and sister (different father) are Syrian-Americans. That was a real life lesson in ignoring differences between me, a white woman, and all others.

I lived in a town in Massachusetts that was mainly populated by people of Portuguese descent. We even had Cape Verde Portuguese people. They are black complected. I went to school with black people. We never talked about race. It just did not exist on our level and in our school groups.

@Shaun: I agree about the 40s. In my family, my husband and children have the 40s mentality and work ethic. I had it too. When I was in the USN, I thought I was a Superwoman. I did it all. I had 2 children in school where I was very involved, worked 24/7, and finished my college degree. Post-Navy days I was the same way. I was working 3 part-time jobs since I was unable to get a full time job to assist with family finances. Now that I am considered unemployable, I still have a strong "work" ethic. I quilt, blog, can the veggies I grow, sew Renaissance Fair costumes for my daiughter and her friends, and I am taking painting lessons.

{"commentId":1646800,"threadId":"242614","contentId":"1400219","authorDomain":"renaissancelady46"}

#4 - Wed Apr 2, 2008 8:56 AM EDT

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Obama's Blind Spot on Race and Character

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