Thoughts On Obama

On Monday, I grabbed a copy of USA Today to read while I ate dinner, and I read an article that I found both saddening and infuriating. My frustration centers around one particular comment,

Melvin, 57, said she yearns to vote for Obama but believes Hillary Clinton stands a better shot at making history as the first female president. "When white people go behind that curtain in their polling place, they won't vote for a black man, no matter how eloquent or capable," said Melvin, a retired Air Force transportation officer.

Perhaps the first problem I have with this is that it is factually untrue. Did it escape this person's notice that Barack Obama won convincingly in a state whose population is 95% white and only 2.5% black? As the New York Times reported,

Mr. Obama’s victory in this overwhelmingly white state stood as a powerful answer to the question of whether America was prepared to vote for a black person for president. At the same time, the apparent surge of independent voters to his side, as suggested by polls of voters entering the caucuses, suggested his potential appeal in a general election.

When people speak as Melvin did in the USA Today article, I feel that it causes racism to cast a longer shadow than actually exists. When we acquiesce to the remnant of racism in this way, we give racists two votes - theirs and ours. To speak as though no progress has been made and imply that no white people will vote for a black candidate disrespects the sacrifices and triumphs of those who have long labored for racial equality, even at the expense of their own lives.

Does racism still exist in this country? Sadly, of course it does. But significant progress has been made and to continue to embrace a defeatist attitude only increases the likelihood of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. How can you listen to Obama's message of hope and change and then throw up your hands and say it doesn't matter or it won't work? It would be a tremendous shame if Barack Obama fails to win his party's nomination because of the lack of support of voters who desire to vote for him but betray him because they have convinced themselves that their vote is useless. Now is not the time for shallow chested men who will not vote by their conscience and conviction but succumb to the media created consensus of "electability" and the persistence of pessimistic attitudes.