For about the past two weeks on a local radio station I've heard a political radio spot supporting a couple of candidates in a bay area city race. Near the end of it, the spot says, "And after we vote for progress nationally, let's elect strong African-American leaders for our own community." (To the extent it's relevant, the City in question is Richmond, which has a large African-American population.)

To be honest, I didn't really think much about it the first time I heard it, but after hearing it several times I then started thinking about it in a different context.

What if you instead said, "let's elect strong White leaders" or "strong Mexican-American leaders" or "strong Jewish Leaders"...etc.

I don't really want to call it racism, since I'm not sure that was the ad's intent. But if you did stick "white" in there, boy, the outcry would be unbelievable.

In any event, considering that this is an American city that is located (duh) in the United States, what's so wrong about trying to elect strong "American" leaders...and ignoring skin color, creed and other factors that should be irrelevant?

In the end, if skin color is the deciding factor when you mark your ballot, haven't you just turned the clock back fifty years?

Exactly.

The true Words Allways Hurt the MOST ;

............although that is exactly what it is.


You've been programmed to accept this sort of racism and also programmed to reject the same racism if the word "white" was placed in the same sentence.

In reality, you should not have needed to ponder the question.

Look at it from the other perspective. Look at the presidents of the past 200 years. Not a single woman, not a single non-christian white male till 2008. Look at the leadership of the US in general. There are more women but women make up 50% of the population. Look at minorities (some of whom are too minor any more) and look at their representation in government. Yes it is better then it was in the 1920's or 1960's but to think that we have a representative government I think it a bit optimistic.

Perhaps instead of saying lets elect a "X" person they should have said lets elects someone who represents us and will represents us.

Most of here have a MB. Would you go to a BMW specialist to work on your car or a MB specialist? I am not saying that a white person cannot represent the interests of a black person or Mexican or Muslim or what ever other group but I do think a black person is more capable (all other things being equal) of representing black interests.

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- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

are we talking about in-group preference or racism?

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Turn it around.

I want a white President because he's more capable of representing white interests.


How about if I posted that on the forum? I already know what you'd say to it.

Well, perhaps you'll pardon the expression, but I can't really see it quite so black and white as you seem to.

It may be that something in my makeup has made me a little more sensitive to the plight of African-American people in this country, and I can comprehend what often seems to be their distrust of the white man, the same as I can for the American Indians.

Nor can I blame those who may think that a "fellow" person of color might be more understanding and sympathetic to their situation. Of course at the national level that's utter nonsense, because neither BO nor MR has a good grasp of the commoner in our society, regardless of the commoner's skin color. But at the local level, yeah, I suppose it might make some manner of sense that the local guy who looks like you and talks like you (and presumably thinks like you) may have something else in common with you, too.

I suppose the real problem I have with it, after you peel back the "R" label, is that it just reinforces the old stereotypes. If at their core your beliefs about another person stem from the color of their skin, then that's really a bad sign, regardless whether your beliefs about them are positive or negative.

At the same time, however, we are talking in this discrete context about politicians. If you're trying to decide which liar you can trust more, I suppose skin color is as good a line of demarcation as any.

Is that not what has been happening for the past 200+ years? I believe quite a few voters base their decision at least in part on race and gender. I do not think it needs to be posted because the voting history already seems to substantiate that American voters seem to prefer white candidates. The trend is shifting but I think it still is a large factor in US politics.

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Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

It is, if you'll pardon the expression, "black and white".

Nothing wrong with being sensitive to the plight of minorities. However, when a minority or a majority decides that they need to favor a group due to their plight, that's racism.

You can be sympathetic to racism if you so choose, but don't try to hide behind oppression as an excuse to continue it.

Of course that's what has been happening.

Doesn't make it any less racist.........no matter which way you turn it.

I'll hazard a guess to say that all people are racist to some degree...........even those that vehemently deny it.

The ones that deny being it are the worst.

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