I can't search yet, it is my holiday gift, but ...

[sjdnb]

Has anyone yet speculated about how unlikely it is that in a country that elected (or, allowed the Supreme Court/state election boards to elect) GW Bush, not once, but twice, that either a minority or a woman could be elected as President in the General Election?

Now, I think it sucks and, quite frankly, can't believe we're still in a place where race, gender, religion, etc. are an issue ... but, practically speaking, given the country's track record over the last 200 years - but, especially, the last seven years, I just find it highly unlikely that a few months of campaigns, celebrity/famous folk endorsements, or an unpopular war would cause the entire country to evolve to a level where either the first minority or first woman candidate would become President.

I am a former Gore holdout who recently (informally) became an Edwards supporter - but, that is not why I am concerned or why I am supporting Edwards. I am concerned because the next President has so much to clean up and fix - or, we're all screwed. It just needs to be someone who can win and who is in it for the right reasons.

BTW - Part of my experience relates to my multi-racial/ethnic - Christian/Buddhist/Jewish/Agnostic/Atheist family and how they've been treated by the general public, both past and present.

[K Gardner]

1. Let me guess, you're.. concerned? n/t

[MonkeyFunk]

2. Has anyone speculated?

Yes... many here have. Every 20 minutes for the last 10 months, at least.

But none of it matters cuz they're all just talking outta their asses. Nobody knows what will happen a year from now, but I remain confident that any of our candidates could beat any of their candidates.

[sjdnb]

3. Sorry, I have experienced the prejudice that hides behind the headlines

In the media, everyone wants to feel like it's all touchy-feely good -- no more bigotry, no more intolerance, etc.

Do you have a multi-ethnic/racial/faith family? I do. And, for the last 30+ years, trust me, I've not seen a lot of 'real' growth in our society as far as acceptance, tolerance, and equality goes.

[MonkeyFunk]

4. Yes

I see you're from a Christian/Jewish/Buddhist/Atheist/Agnostic family. It must've been difficult to escape the ghetto. You're a credit to your races.

[sjdnb]

5. I have a large family with a lot of marriages over the years

Uncle/Aunt = Jewish/Catholic; Cousin/Wife = Methodist/Buddhist; Son#2/Wife2b = White/Black; Best Friend/Husband-Earthparents to my eldest = Hispanic/White Catholic/Agnostic; Son#1 = Atheist; Daughter #2's Earthmother = Bisexual Atheist

It's hard enough to keep our own extended kin civil, let alone society as a whole.

[zalinda]

6. Yeah, I'm concerned too, I have been for months

I don't see the enlightened electorate either. Maybe if it was just young kids who voted, it would happen. But, there is still too much prejudice still left in the older folks. There are more over 50 crowd voting than under 30 crowd, and while the prejudice may be not as blatant here in the northeast, it certainly is still around. You can see it by the looks, when no one thinks that they are being noticed. I live in an urban area, around a college and it is progressive, but not as progressive as one might think. A couple next door didn't get their lease renewed, because "the house was being sold". Later, when talking to the owner, I found out it was because they thought they were selling drugs. Yeah, the interracial couple were very friendly to the neighbors who were walking down the street and knew just about everyone. And, yes, during the summer the porch would end up with about 8 or so people on it yakking away. But selling drugs, no. If it had been a white couple, the landlord would have just thought they were being friendly.

And, in Arkansas, my sister works at a local convenience store. The stories that went around about the hurricane survivors were just awful. My sister who wants to vote for Hillary, repeated these stories as if they were the gospel truth. Would she vote for Obama, no, she would stay home.

And you have a lot of people who wouldn't vote for a woman either, my mom won't. She has a visceral hatred for the Clintons and would never vote for either of them.

It took me a long time to get to my support for Edwards. I looked at all the candidates, and pragmatically, he was the only one that I thought would be able to win. And, to be honest, if Biden, Dodd or Richardson really had a chance, I think they could win as well. Richardson, only because he doesn't look hispanic and his name isn't hispanic sounding. Kucinich would never win the general, he would be thought of as the nerd at school that every one made fun of and no one respected. Yes, I know it's the pits, he should be listened to, but he would never get the chance.

Our country is scared, and they don't want to rock the boat. I knew Kerry was going to have a difficult time unless he produced a landslide, it didn't happen. And, no matter how badly Bush has screwed this country, the electorate is not going to give it to a woman or a black guy, especially with all the baggage (she's disliked/hated by way too many people, and he has the name muslim thing hanging over him) that they bring to the general election.

If you think that the electorate is above this sort of thing, you need to watch Jay Leno's man on the street to see the plain stupidity or lack of interest of people out there.

zalinda

[sjdnb]

7. Thank you for making the point I was trying to, far better than I did ...

It's the whispers I hear in the shopping malls when walking with my son and his fiancee; the stuff I learned as the IT Director of a supposedly, progressive, nonprofit; the fear I feel for my friends and family who may hold minority views/faiths/non-faiths/etc. when I know they may come in contact with people who, while they may think they are tolerant, are not so tolerant, when it comes to a different beliefs/cultural attitudes/etc. of something they hold, particularly, close.

[MonkeyFunk]

8. really?

while walking through shopping malls, you hear people whispering about Obama's race or Hillary's gender?

Are you sure these voices aren't coming from inside you?

[sjdnb]

9. Why do you feel the need

to be an antagonist ... not enough attention during your childhood - or?

Your a 12 y/o - in which case, I could understand your ignorance of the real world/lack of ability to follow a threaded conversation.

[zalinda]

10. How rude!

This person feels and sees the prejudice, and you are calling them crazy?

You can't see anything beyond your blind love of your candidate. That is too bad. I would never stoop as low as you, telling someone that they have a mental illness.

Just RUDE! You do your candidate proud.

zalinda

[MonkeyFunk]

11. I'm questioning

that ANYBODY hears "whispers" about Obama's race while walking through a shopping mall. It's absurd to me.

And this whole "concern trolling" about race is despicable.

[sjdnb]

12. READ THE THREAD

It's about the broader issue of racial/ethnic/gender/faith inequality/prejudice in our society.

Shame on me for not explaining that to you, before you started attacking my psychological state of mind, etc.

[MonkeyFunk]

13. I have read the whole thread

and it's neither original or rare around here. In fact, I see this kind of tripe every day.

Now, honestly, do you seriously maintain that you hear people whispering about Obama's race or Clinton's gender while walking through the mall? Do people huddle in dark corners and you walk by and hear "wiswispiswis Obama wisipisispis NEGRO!" or "wispis Clinton wispissispis VAGINA (GASP!)"?

[sjdnb]

14. Not even close to what I said ...

But, you just keep spinning anything that differs from your point of view, as it suits your candidate's agenda ....and, yes, you too, might be called upon to become the next Karl Rove.

[MonkeyFunk]

15. LOL

I'm defending Obama mostly in this thread. Try again.

Your "concern" is duly noted, and duly chucked in the shitcan where it belongs.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MonkeyFunk]

17. awww

you had to use personal attacks, workinforalivin?

I've made my views quite clear here - you just disagree with them.

The concern trolls that worry about whether America will elect a black man or a white woman are a dime a dozen here, and they're all idiot trolls. Any of our leading candidates will beat any of their candidates, and for the OP to pretend that she hears whispers at the mall on this topic is an outright fabrication.