BellaOnline Forums News and Politics Democratic Party The Subject of Race

The ideas in this week's article -- The Tragedy of the Birthers -- fascinate me, and they are complemented by the ideas surrounding the recent arrest of Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

If Barack Obama's presidency didn't make us "post-racial," has it at least made race easier to discuss?

Do you agree that the birthers are, at heart, acting as racists in making their claim?

What does it mean that we have a president who can relate to being a black man facing a white cop?

I'd love to hear your thoughts . . .

Thanks!

It's funny you bring this up at this time. I was at a MoveOn.org Health Care Reform Rally this past Thursday and that was the statement on an opponent's sign "Where is the birth certificate?" So, yes there are still some "birthers" who are still wondering where the birth certificate is at. As to whether or not they are racist, I would believe a few are and are wanting their country back.
I do find that people fault him for speaking his mind and believing that the incident could have been racially motivated. But his being part black also allowed him the advantage of seeing both major factors in our country, blacks and whites and how they relate to each others. There is still quite a bit of discrimination in this country and it will never end until there is more acceptance and tolerance between races. And that the authorities stop racial profiling, stop trying to blame any and everything on people of color just because they might be in an area that some perceive are not theirs.

Vanessa

Thanks for commenting, Vanessa. I was doing a lot of MoveOn rallies at the time when the counter-protestors had signs saying "Drill, Baby, Drill." Short, easy messages are often the kind used. Like "Where's the birth certificate" -- it's emotional and it conjures up things, even though it's really a dead issue.

I hope that what you wrote -- "his being part black also allowed him the advantage of seeing both major factors in our country, blacks and whites and how they relate to each others" -- turns out to be a very good thing for our country.

Thanks,

I am really at odds as to why Obama had to get involved in the issue of the arrest of Professor Gates. I am not in any way a racist (I have very close friends of many different ethnicity and close family members of different ethnicities, some who are my grandson's friends and call me Grandma, I love them dearly), but, I wonder - would Obama had gotten involved or would the media had played this up so much if the Professor had been a white man and the arresting police officer a black man?

Hi, Phyllis.

I think the President got involved because he was asked the question at the press conference, and it obviously touched a nerve. The guy was a friend, and, also, as a black man, Obama must know about what is often called the black man's rite of passage: being harassed by a white cop.

I think we are hearing about it because the President got involved. I think that if a black cop harassed the President's white friend, he might have been asked about it, and then we might be hearing about that, too.

But then, think of this: we always hear about a black man killing a white man. We hardly hear about a white man killing a black man. We also don't hear about black-on-black violence: the most common kind black people are involved in. And many think that is because most people don't consider a black person's life to mean as much as a white person's life.

So much to think about. Thanks for commenting. What do you think of the birthers?

Frankly, Susan, I really do not know anything about the "birthers". I have not read anything on that issue and have not heard the term before. I will go back thru this thread to read more about it, if it has been mentioned.

Phyllis, they are mentioned in my article, "The Tragedy of the Birthers." They are Americans, mostly Republicans, who are making a lot of noise about their belief, despite overwhleming evidence otherwise, that Barack Obama was born in Kenya instead of Hawaii. They have the backing of some Republican Congresspeople who are looking to gain votes and discredit Obama by keeping this doubt about his legitimacy alive in people's minds.

I posit that they are people who fear a black president and are looking for a way to make his election "go away."

All of it is just more fear-mongering by those that think the country needs to go back to the white, male, (new) republicans.

Instill a seed of doubt and a sense of things being too different, which of course causes more doubt, and fear starts to grow. Why does it matter? A good man is a good man regardless of where he was born and I believe that the only way we will regain a modecum of acceptance on this globe is by accepting that we are not the supreme beings we thought we were. This country has fallen from grace during the last administration's reign and Obama, because of his world experience, can help rebuild this ruined reputation. This is why he was elected. Those that dispute the validity of the election and those that continue to hold onto such nationlistic viewpoints will continue to hold our country back and this is truly dangerous. If such people were to regain political control I do believe we would see a huge de-railing of civil rights.

I live in Wayne County New York. There is a local rag here with an editor who couldn't be more conservative white male republican if he tried. His latest column was titled "Why Obama is a big fat bigoted [censored]." I would have written in to dispute, as a beginning, what sort of journalistic ethics were in play when he wrote these words, but I have been banned from writing in to the paper for other submissions that went against his very closed minded platforms - not surprising considering how safe it is to view the world when all the doors and windows remain closed and locked.

Just read the article Susan - well said and so right on.

Thanks, Susan, for the compliment and for your comments. I think we may be two Susans sharing one mind. One of the things you wrote:

"I believe that the only way we will regain a modicum of acceptance on this globe is by accepting that we are not the supreme beings we thought we were."

is something I say all the time (just ask my husband).

Fear is the problem. If everybody could just take a deep breath and let go . . .