Many voters feel it's okay to find any reason not to vote for the "black guy?"....

[HardWorkingDem]

How can this delicately be discussed without offending people....

The one thing that worries me about the upcoming election is something I seem to keep hearing from many "democrats" and that is they have to be persuaded on voting for Obama while at the same time seem to be willing to be more easily swayed for almost any bizarre idiotic reason to not vote for the "black guy."

I'm hoping in American politics that this year will be the perfect storm for Obama, but I'm really concerned about voters in America and their racial politics. It's almost like so many voters will use any reason not to vote for Obama, while not only ignoring that racial elephant in the corner, but denying it is there.

I see this man and am in awe of what could be while so many in America are hung up on voting for a black man.

Someone, tell me I'm seeing something not there.

(Still what adds to this fear is a 50 year old black co-worker told me the other day that he never thought he'd see this day in American in his lifetime.)

[Cronus Protagonist]

1. Same shit happens with the Clintons

Any excuse will do to hate them.

[anonymous171]

3. Like how Hillary is supposedly a lesbian but she still had an affair with Vince Foster?

[Cronus Protagonist]

7. Isnt' that why she had to have him killed? n/t

[sandnsea]

2. Funny, there were less attacks in GDP

I figured this would happen. Every stupid thing that's been said for the last year will be ramped up even more in the interest of readhing some unknown voter.

IA, WA, OR, ID, MT, ND, NE, WY, NV, UT, CO, WI, MN, CT, VT, ME, NH.

That ought to be enough white voters for you and your "democrats" who need to be persuaded to vote against McCain.

[HardWorkingDem]

9. Why don't you ask before reading between non-existent lines?

This has nothing to do with an "attack" on Obama. Not only that, I fail to see where I even implied that. On top of that, have you even been watching what has been going on?

I have told people around me this election is going to be a huge barometer on race in America and here is why: this country is in deep trouble and has been brought to its knees by a truly sociopathic imbecile and the person running in his place is an extension of his failed policies. And if race is not the elephant in the room, then why is the Democratic nominee not leading by fifteen or twenty points?

I hope the Dems are pulling in many more young and tolerable voters than those that will use such an excuse to go to McCain.

[sandnsea]

11. Yeah it never does

Keep stirring the race pot, then blame everybody but yourself when it blows up in your face and we lose again.

I am so sick of this shit.

[HardWorkingDem]

14. Think before you start excusing people of "stirring the race pot"..

you should check out their past postings.

Also, pull your head out of your naive rear end because if you aren't seeing some of this, then you are ignoring it and being a Pollyanna. It's going on and I'm just asking, how much of it is and how much of it will make a difference.

[sandnsea]

17. It's not going on in those states I listed

So maybe you need to get out and about more.

[pnwmom]

15. The Democratic nominee is never ahead at this stage by 20 points.

Usually the Rethugs and the Democrats are separated by a handful of points.

[HardWorkingDem]

22. Um...check the current circumstances of America and then tell me...

that in any other presidential election year maybe things might be a little bit different...

This presidential cycle says a lot about American politics, regardless if DU members want to acknowledge it or not.

[pnwmom]

25. Racism doesn't have to be what "this presidential cycle says" about

American politics. What it could also say is that the 24 hour news cycle of mostly conservative politics is successfully manipulating public opinion.

And the MSM meme is that Obama is the "most liberal" member of the entire Senate -- a position that, if true, would not endear him to half the electorate.

[crickets]

16. Add GA to that list, please.

Thanks. :)

[27inCali]

20. "persuaded" -I've heard that a lot lately

and if you are a progressive and need to be persuaded to vote for Obama over McBush -then are you really a progessive? Wouldn't the progessive issues matter to you more than the cult of personality which is so very poisonous to democracy what ever party it takes place in?

[HardWorkingDem]

21. Where did I state "I" needed to be persuaded?

This is not about "me"....but other soft Democrats that are using all sorts of reasons to avoid voting for Obama without possibly admitting the most obvious one. And that deals with my question.

Will it be a problem or is it even an issue to be concerned with. Myself, I think it is an issue to be concerned with.

Lastly, why is that almost some faction of DU members here dares to question the bona fides of other DU members simply because one asks a critical question?


If you want to question my bona fides as a progressive then ask it, don't suggest it.

[aquart]

23. Well, that's the fear: a "poisonous cult of personality."

The zealous, single-mindedness of Obama's supporters is, to many of us, not the beautiful thing it is to you. To us, it is ugly, totalitarian (Now you get to define "progressive"? Planning a purge, dear?), and utterly dangerous to democracy.

Obama inherits all of Bush's usurped power PLUS the precedent of NOT impeaching no matter how grave the crime PLUS the whiny threats of his acolytes that any dissent is racism. Meanwhile, they feel free to insult women, the aged, the less educated, the hourly wage earner, and anyone who disagrees on any point for any reason.

It smells like Stalin.

[CANDO]

27. Aquart, Billary LOST. Get over it already!

EOM

[anonymous171]

4. Thankfully, Appalachia is not representative of the entire country.

[aquart]

24. What's wrong with Appalachia?

The people aren't good enough to be Americans in your world?

You reek of condescension and we can smell it.

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

5. Think of him as an American

not a black man.

I don't give a rat's ass about the color of his skin if he's the best person for the job, and right now, we need the best person.

[bdamomma]

28. right on.

we have to get this right this time, too many people from other parts of the world are watching us again. And with our help we will get this man elected our own survival depends on it.

[JDPriestly]

6. Barack Obama can handle this easily.

He has been handling this one all his life. Don't worry. That will not be a problem.

[Captain Angry]

8. There are a lot of ignorant and hateful people out there.

1: Hopefully some of them are too lazy to vote.

2: We've got several months to show that McCain isn't going to do squat for people. If we can prove that McCain will be a disaster without resorting to lying, we will reduce his voting base.

But there's nothing that can be done about that level of ignorance. People need to progress and understand that we're all the same on the inside, so it's ideas not skin that should be the topic of discussion. For the ones that can't handle that, not much we can do.

[HardWorkingDem]

10. You are so right and one of the most promising things I've seen in a long time...

is a report on CNN that must have Rethuglicans scared as hell and that was about the racial and sexual tolerance of younger voters and how that these two variables are not as decisive anymore.

[Captain Angry]

13. As awful (and broad brushed) as it sounds...

I've said for a while that we have a generation or two that needs to die off. As the people who grew up in a time when that was acceptable go away, we can make some serious progress.

I will never understand my grandparents' fear/hate of basically anybody different.

I will never understand my parents' prejudices even though they're VERY low key. My dad still says things like all blacks vote Obama solely because he's black. Not that there are issues that they can think of on their own, just race.

[MedleyMisty]

30. It usually helps me to remember that they were the ones who taught us

to be tolerant.

But yeah - going to boards with younger populations is such a breath of fresh air..well, usually. The MMO gaming world is pretty damn prejudiced. But I love going to my Sims 2 board - they're even self aware of what vestiges of prejudice they have, as opposed to getting all defensive and shutting it out and refusing to acknowledge it and turning on the person or people who pointed it out.

[grasswire]

31. that's about the most ignorant statement I've read on DU

Do you honestly think that having two generations of Americans die would solve the planet's problem with bigotry?

Better get yourself a world history book and a subscription to a good newspaper.

That's what humans do. They band together in groups and hate other groups.

We who wish peace and harmony can work to ameliorate the human tendency, but it won't be eradicated, and it won't be stopped by utopian wishes or hopes that millions will die because of their opinions.

And in case you haven't noticed, skinheads and racists and common jerks exist apart from the generations you want dead.

[Captain Angry]

34. Thanks for totally missing the point.

I don't want them all to die.

Each generation is less racist than the last. As time moves along, things will improve as new generations come along.

There will always be racists, and ignorant people. But the institutional and widespread racism will decline as the generations that grew up with it and accepted it age.

That's all. No wholesale death, just moving along. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

[Skittles]

12. there is a lot of ignorance and hate but PLEASE KNOW

NOT ALL OF US ARE ENTHRALLED WITH OBAMBA - PERIOD. I will vote for him but I am not in AWE nor do I orgasm every time I hear the man speak. He's just an average politican to me.

[sandnsea]

19. Did he steal your cookies or something? n/t

[FrenchieCat]

18. Here....

This might ease your mind. http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_frenchie_080517_how_in_the_general_e.htm

[BlooInBloo]

26. The upcoming election is a significant referendum on the American character.

[MuseRider]

29. So far I have not heard that from one single person.

Not one. While I have no doubt that is the case for some I would have thought I would have heard that by now if it was something to actually worry about.

Personally I do not like him. Nope, he is nothing at all like what I want to see leading our country. His being black is one of the only things I actually like about this nomination, as in it is about damned time we were able to get past this barrier.

[Lex]

32. Me either, and I'm in NC.

A lot of people, in fact, that I thought might have a hang-up about "the black guy" have told me that they are voting for him!

[HardWorkingDem]

35. What you have not "heard" is what is disconcerting...

Maybe I should have made it clearer, but it's not that people openly admit and verbally state they are using any excuse, "scandal" or other reason to not vote for Obama, but if you talk to enough people, it is there. It's just under the surface. Earlier I posted about a co-worker who is a strong Democrat and HRC supporter who was doing just this but wouldn't admit it.

And sadly, it is out there and has been reflected in numerous exit polls where Democratic voters have stated race did matter to them (one poll had it at 20 percent of voters and another 17 percent).

Hopefully though the amount of young and new voters will greatly out number these other voters.

[grasswire]

33. I've been predicting that Republicans are encouraging a race war.

They have nothing to lose by starting a race war right now, over Obama. Thoughtful people will ponder this and see the dangers. Those who ignore the possibility do so at our common peril.

The tinder box is ready. The hand is poised to light the match.

Think "disaster capitalism" and tell me they won't do it.

They'll do anything. The ensuing chaos would be a profit opportunity for them, just like Katrina.

[Mz Pip]

36. I think that's why

the Obama is a Muslim BS was so prevalent. Believing Obama was a Muslim was an easy cover for not supporting him because of his race. Because we were attacked by Muslims on 9/11 guilt by association is pretty powerful.

With the Muslim meme pretty much debunked for everyone except the truly paranoid, these people will have to find another justification that will camouflage their racism.

[grasswire]

37. I don't think it's debunked.

I guess it's time for us to go listen to talk radio and watch FOX for a while and visit some right-wing web sites to find out if they're still hawking anti-Muslim sentiment.

It maybe be debunked in the circles that touch our own, but I suspect that a huge portion of America is still unenlightened.