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Dying A Slow Death: The Politics of Race
Townhall.com ^ | January 14, 2008 | Harry R. Jackson Jr

Posted on 01/14/2008 6:13:17 AM PST by Kaslin

My article last week emphasized the historic dimension of Barak Obama’s candidacy and how it marked the end of a stranglehold that the ideology of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson has had upon the American political scene. I celebrated how far upwardly mobile white voters in Iowa and New Hampshire have come. I even asserted that “a political aspect of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream may actually be partially realized.” Unfortunately, while the ink was still drying on my column and the Clintons were celebrating their victory in New Hampshire, the dying carcass of race-based politics reared its ugly head again. Like the villain in an action movie who refuses to die, racially biased political thinking did not stop at simply asserting himself. He called on his closest friends to help him fight a battle against all forward thinking Americans.

White pundits like Dick Morris predicted that the Clintons would play the race card. These comments left many holding their breath, waiting to see what the Clintons would do. “No trick is too dirty for them” was the declaration of many media personalities. The pundits created a false spotlight on Bill and Hillary. So when they made their next campaign statements, many hypersensitive Democrats began to speak out that they were offended by the Clintons’ statements. First, I received a call before the New Hampshire primary, asking me to comment on the “lack of spade work” comment that Hillary had made concerning Obama’s experience. The interviewer was convinced that this was a subtle, but incendiary racial comment. Thankfully, he allowed me to give my own comments.

Next, I heard the media clamor that the height of playing the race card came when Bill Clinton commented that some of Obama’s campaign criticisms about Hillary were “fairy tales.” I took the time to actually listen to Clinton’s remarks on UTUBE. There was not one shred of racial prejudice in Bill’s comment. Late last week, I heard that Congressman Clyburn of South Carolina was upset by the “fairy tale” comment. He also claimed that he was not taking sides but he had to speak out about the “racist overtones” of the Clinton comments. In my thinking, Clyburn slipped back into the unfair practices of race-based politics. Some old school politicians read racial prejudice into every comment made about an African American. In these folks’ minds, it’s okay for them to be hypersensitive. The net result is that no one can attack Obama’s record or lack of it without being attacked on some trumped up racial prejudice. There is something inherently un-American about that.

Here’s the Catch 22 of last week. If the Clintons say anything politically incorrect about Obama, their liberal friends may label them as closet racists. If they allow themselves to be muzzled by fear, Obama will continue to ride the moment of fluff and flowery words. In essence, they would give him a free pass. What Hillary needs to do is simply campaign in a clear, above-board fashion. She has to attack the flaws in Obama’s narrative about change, despite cries from reverse racists in her party. Fear of a black backlash will shipwreck her campaign. She cannot win without black support; on the other hand she will not maintain the respect of American women if she lets him box her in.

The unfairness of this situation is that Obama can put down Hillary’s experience and allude to dishonesty and insincerity, but any response from her can be seen as race baiting. This is certainly not Martin Luther King, Jr’s dream. This is a form of subtle race based, cultural manipulation.

Obama himself could stop this race baiting, if he spoke up. Such an act would give him the upper hand in the ultimate political exchange. He would truly be the candidate of change. However, if he stands back and says nothing; he allows the kind of divisiveness that he speaks out against to flourish.

The polls say that Americans are willing to elect a black man or a white woman as the president of the U.S. These statistics are encouraging in terms of social change. The ultimate question is whether our citizens will actually elect a black man, a white woman, or one of the other candidates. In the utopian America of the future, race and gender will never be deciding factors in an election. In the meantime, “How much change do we really want? “


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 01/14/2008 6:13:18 AM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Bishop Harry Jackson is an honorable man who understands conservatism. This can’t be said for a lot of black people who claim to have seen the light of conservatism and treat the Republican party as a way to get faith based money or money for their organization. I was a member of two national black Republican groups and their members are no good.


2 posted on 01/14/2008 6:15:48 AM PST by Def Conservative (Huckabee called Republicans against his tax increases shiites.)
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To: Def Conservative

The democrats are being hoisted on their own petard. For years they have played identity and victim politics. Now we have two of their major constituents: blacks and women at lagerheads. You say women are not in this fight. I say, just wait. It is delightful(delicious) to see Clintonian words taken out of context and the demagogues attacking them. I am just going to sit back, forget Christian charity and enjoy.


3 posted on 01/14/2008 6:35:38 AM PST by AZFolks
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To: Kaslin
This is a form of subtle race based, cultural manipulation.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

You got that right, but the repercussions for Hillery's failure to step up to the plate and tell the truth are a lot more serious than most people even know.

Obama is a rascist, slick, evengelical, and a supporter of Islamofascism, a term that does not exist in Hilley's lexicon. She will miss her true opportunity to become president ( Shudder) if she does not reveal the truth about Obama's association and advice to the genocidal activities Obama's cousin, Odinga, has perpetrated against the Kikuyu in Kenya:

How Obama and 1st paternal cousin Odinga Tried to Bring Kenya Under Sharia Law and Failed, The Dose

So truth falls to political correctness , yet again. The Dems have their heads buried so far into the sand, that soon they think they will be farting diamonds.What a crock!

4 posted on 01/14/2008 6:43:01 AM PST by Candor7
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To: Fred Nerks
Ping for Downunder!

Il Duce Obama, The new millenium fascist whose support of his cousin Odinga has contributed to hundreds of rapes, murders and genocide in Kenya, including the burning alive of a churchfull of Christians in Kenya by Obamas fellow Islamofascists.

Photobucket

5 posted on 01/14/2008 6:50:51 AM PST by Candor7
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To: Kaslin

Race baiters are reaping what they sowed.


6 posted on 01/14/2008 7:09:03 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Candor7

Personal power to the policican.

That is all that matters.

Lie, say one thing but do another, whatever it takes to keep power.


7 posted on 01/14/2008 7:43:30 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Kaslin
...the “lack of spade work” comment that Hillary had made concerning Obama’s experience.

I challenge the author to consider the media reaction had a Republican candidate made this comment about Obama.

"Macaca" pales in comparison.

8 posted on 01/14/2008 7:58:48 AM PST by kidd
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