Prejudice and the General Election

[NoBushSpokenHere]

After discussing the election with many Democratic members of all walks of life, I have come to the conclusion it isn't necessarily flat out racism but more a fear of Affirmative Action causing some to have doubts about Barack Obama. While I will quickly say, yes racism and prejudice is a factor, I am finding it to be more of a white fear of AA gaining dominance in the job market.

Equality of all races should have occurred in the United States long ago, but we all know it hasn't. We all know employers who have hired AA only to meet quotas not to meet equality. We all know of employers who were afraid of disciplining or firing a slacking AA employee for fear of lawsuits. Equal treatment would have been nice and that equal treatment begins with employers being honest with all their employees. I believe some cited Affirmative Action as an excuse to hire the minority employee because they were afraid their other prejudiced workers would not want them to hire a minority employee. I also believe there have been employers who were afraid to fire the minority employee for fear of lawsuits, while the white person was let go.

Barack Obama addressed this fear in his race speech, unfortunately the prejudiced voter who fears Affirmative Action did not listen. Many of us here have said, "Screw the prejudiced person, we don't want them in our party anyhow." Unfortunately there are many prejudiced Democratic voters in the United States. We cannot sweep this issue under the rug, nor should we. We should spend time educating the prejudiced so they may overcome their fears.

People become fearful from the unknown. People become fearful from what they perceive as wrongful actions, be it reverse discrimination or flawed statistics in some Affirmative Action bulletins. My recollection of the Obama race speech addresses the fear of Affirmative Action. If the prejudiced won't listen to what the man is saying, it becomes our job and duty to carry the message.

It is also my understanding many leaders of our local Democratic Parties are old school Democratic members who may be prejudiced. So how do we overcome this? Do we try to educate them or do we become involved in our party and demand they treat ALL equally? Or, do we begin a movement to replace them with members who are truly Democratic members? Perhaps if the white non-prejudiced members grew a backbone and stood up for what they believe in, we could have more of a change in the prejudiced climate of the country?

I have had some frank discussions with white people who claim to harbor no prejudices but who have pledged support to Hillary because they believed Obama cannot be elected because of OTHER peoples prejudices. When I have explained to them if they are truly not prejudiced they would stand together with Obama to take the lead to overcome this common problem, they began to realize they were in fact, contributing to the problem.

It would be to our best interest to keep educating, keep the discussions open regarding racism and prejudices. If we continue sweeping it under the rug, it will only contribute to providing the media and the Republican Party ways and means to steal another election from us. In addition, we would be contributing to ignoring a problem which should have been taken care of long ago.

It is also important to understand the difference between true racism and prejudice. A racist will probably not change until they are forced to change. A prejudiced person will change when they learn they have only become prejudiced for illegitimate reasons. It is a shame in 2008, for people to finally be facing what they should have overcome many years ago. It is a shame racism and prejudice is alive and well within the borders of our United States. It is a shame it has taken a Presidential race to begin the frank discussions.

I support Barack Obama 100% and believe and hope he can win the nomination and the Presidency. But, I believe we cannot do this by keeping the issue hidden and hoping it doesn't bite us in the ass in November. Education is the key. We have to become the teachers. Once we unlock the door, people will hear his message. People will understand he is not running on an AA agenda but for an American agenda which embraces all faiths, religions, ethnicities, races, handicaps and genders.



Edited for an omitted word last line - my apologies.

[NoBushSpokenHere]

1. In addition

I honestly believe people need to take a hard look at themselves to ask if it is really race that is preventing them from getting behind our leading candidate. If it is, please listen to his speeches with your eyes closed, maybe even use some imagination to change his skin color. Then look deeply into your heart and soul and ask yourself if it was just the color of his skin that prevented you for hearing his message? It is okay if you realize it was, you are on the road to overcoming your hidden prejudice. Listen and enjoy what you hear. You may even find some peace within yourself because you have finally forced yourself to do what have wanted to do for so long.

[FrenchieCat]

3. That's what I fear; that when Obama was giving that speech, few even listened

or understood all that he said.

You say a lot and do it very eloquently; I'm not sure why it should be our calling to appease those who harbor prejudice instead of educating them so that they themselves can see that it doesn't serve a purpose. The Media and the Clintons are really an impediment in our progress as a nation, and they have indeed profited from prejudice in a very real way. That is why Hillary will never be elected; there are too many who know exactly how she used hate to try and propel herself into the seat of power.

[Labors of Hercules]

2. ...

yeppers.

[AtomicKitten]

4. In spite of the extraneous noise (oy) this is really an exciting time.

Barack is the right candidate to lead the Democratic Party in reclaiming the basic tenets which have gotten lost in the centrist haze that has been choking the party for the last two decades. He is opening the doors and letting in some fresh air. We need to be bold and embrace this wonderful opportunity for genuine change.

[cliffordu]

5. What she said.

[vixengrl]

6. I see your point--it has to be addressed.

Prejudice isn't just about how you see some group, it's also how you see other people seeing that group, and whether you agree, are neutral, or disagree. If you agree--well, here's your sign. If you are neutral--consider why you are. How is it you might might not be racist, but some other guy is and you don't feel irritated by it--is it bad for you, but okay for them? And then, if you disagree, then disagree! But to assume that society is racist, or most people are racist, or even just some significant quantity is, and therefore an African-American can not win, is a form of prejudice about, well, everybody. If you like what he's saying, and he's run a good campaign, and shown people can be won over--then who cares why someone else won't vote for him? He speaks to you. Vote your conscience, not your fear.

I think it's clear from historically viewing Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton's candidacies: both eloquent candidates who really did voice a lot of valid concerns and ran good, if not successful campaigns: it's not Affirmative Action or white liberal guilt going on for Obama--if that was a significant indicator, those two gentlemen would've done better. It's Obama, himself, his qualities, his competence, his ability to show leadership, that has brought him here. He doesn't need to be compared to *them* only--but to every man, and woman, who ran for this office--judged on what he brings to the table, what he offers, what he wants to do. I have found myself agreeing with his style, and his message, and I voted for him this past Tuesday.

He can win. We can win it for him--by supporting his candidacy, by donating, by slamming his opponent on our blogs and on forums (by which I mean McCain--my deep respect for Hillary Clinton and her supporters, who I know are sincere, don't let me say anything, but that I think she had some bad advisors, and they ontributed to needless negativity that made our whole "D" thing look bad--my opinion--and set her up to be weaker--long run.). By talking with people we know about why he'll be a good president, one hell of a lot better than Bush. Race only matters when people say it does. So say it doesn't--and then? Vote for the better candidate. The Democratic candidate, and the one who will act on your concerns.

[NoBushSpokenHere]

7. Very nice post, vixengirl

I have been operating on this principle (borrowing from your post)

"Race only matters when people say it does. So say it doesn't--and then? Vote for the better candidate."

Maybe it will not matter when we are down to one candidate, or when Barack chooses a VP, but it appears to me it is having an affect that I believe we can conquer with some frank discussion to eradicate some prejudice. I also believe if Barack did not have to waste the past few months defending himself, he would have been able to stick to the hope message which also helps to open doors.

Very nice post vixengirl...very good points made.

[loyalsister]

8. I can see your point but I see an alternate possibility

The real "affirmative action" that people fear most may be the fear that the perception of black men will be elevated and rehabilitated. They will no longer automatically be classified as gang bangers, potential and recent felons or at best dead beat dads.

My neighbor explained it to me well when he and I had a conversation about Obama's speech. He's a guy who worked hard his entire life driving a truck. He never got the raises and promotions that white guys were getting, however. He couldn't make enough money to support his growing family, so he said he had to leave them in order for them be able to get assistance to survive. Without the role models, the families suffered. He explained that boys looked to outside sources that were not always good for strong role models.

Intentional efforts to correct that situation with various role modeling programs beyond big brothers big sisters have been pretty valuable, IMO.
With president as the ultimate role model in place, there could be some drastic changes in the public perception of black men.
Today, the possibility that black men will be in competition with white collar white men creates the greatest fear of all.
I suppose this would be an implicit- informal- affirmative action in a spirit that could equalize some institutional disparities. I think this is even more frightening than formal Afirmative Action.
No matter how much they claim that they do not harbor feelings of prejudice, when the actual substance of white privilege is threatened, some begin to feel defensive.